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Post by michelle on Jan 2, 2024 1:08:26 GMT
We are a group working to declutter our spaces. Please feel free to share your goals, projects, ideas, revelations or challenges facing you as you work toward your own goals. Also feel free to copy and paste this intro, use our "CLUTTERBUSTERS" Title for the day to start the thread if you don't see it started. Good luck Clutterbusting!
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Post by michelle on Jan 2, 2024 1:10:36 GMT
Congrats! on your Etsy sale!!. Glad you were able to move forward on the landscaping. The crawl space contractor called and has given me a date of Jan 10 or 11th to start work. The chairs will be delivered next Saturday, Hooray! The bedroom organization etc is completed. My color swatch charting is moving right along and also I found an interesting class on line that I am going to take about using alcohol markers which is what these 320 markers are and they can be blended to make different colors which makes them more interesting. Next I will color swatch chart the ones that I have that have paint brush tips which I love! the most although they tend to bleed when working on tiny items which is why I bought the other markers. Anyway this is fairly cool actually and some of the work done with them is truly astounding! Saturday - Yesterday, I was busy all day doing the essentials. We had a celebration (the dogs and me) because Clair is finally done with her pills. And, drum roll XXXX today is day 45 of the 90 day period. Tuesday she goes to actual physical therapy for an evaluation. This will help tremendously since I will then know exactly where she is at and what I should be doing. Right now she is up to walking (or more to the point, dragging me as fast as I can go) 8/10s of a mile 3 times a day plus her other random walking. I have to attempt to install my replacement color printer today and am filled with positive vibes since I managed to unravel a computer problem DH was having--that's a definite first! Hope you are getting lots accomplished and having a pleasant trip!!! Sunday - Pleasant day spent doing not much of anything. I did manage to get all of my swatch charting done and I used them to make color decisions on a rather simple picture tonight. Also got out my pastels to create the sky so that was fun. Today is day 2,466 of daily weighing and I am maintaining my 18.4 WL. Hooray!!! Happy New Year!!!
Monday - Managed to get a couple of loads of wash done, all the regulars, and organized my closet since it had gotten out of hand. Also decluttered several items--two sweaters, four or five tops, two scarves, three pairs of pants since I hadn't worn them and after trying them on decided I wasn't going to. I am going to work on my shoes and boots next. I ordered some hand warmers today since my hands were hurting due to being out in the frigid elements. Watched a couple of You Tubes about using my markers and learned some useful items. Good day for me!
Onward>>>> |
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 2, 2024 1:56:03 GMT
Happy NEw YEar! GOod evening.
THe work/art/color swatching with the markers sound very fun and interesting. I'm excited to hear more of what you will be doing with these! Hooray on the halfway mark with dog rehab! Also...good work on your the clothing CB'ing and laundry!
We got back late afternoon and were all tired from the trip itself and mentally tired from some of the aspects surrounding the visiting parts of this. HOwever, all went well, DH arranged everything, DD and I insisted on a late check out from hotel so that we didn' thave to go sit for 2 plus hours while he did his trapshooting thing yesterday morning, so that was good.
Crochet: Yes, more crochet....I did buy more skeins of yarn in the classic holiday color combinations and will be doing more of the basic rounds in those. But to start out with, I've incorporated some black to some of these color combinations...because sometimes it's nice if all is not red, green and white. These look quite nice (I'm on my third set of three of this type already) and then will go back to just the classic. These will just be bagged for now, until fall, at which time I will add the hangers and hand painted wood beads. I dont' need to do any stars or the other colors...cause they're all still there, including the non traditiona, "Farmouhouse" colors. THere was one pattern I did not get to completing any on for which I'd bought yarn last year, cause I ran out of time. I will start thinking about trying those again as well. Also, I downloaded two files for drink cozies, which I don't think are a life necessity, but they look cute. Also if I do the coffee roaster show next winter those would be fun to have a few of. But we'll have to see how it goes first. That's all for crochet for me inthe coming year.
Puzzle Rabbit HOles: I'd been helping my friend with puzzles...this sent me down a puzzle rabbit hole, as I've not sold many of the initial puzzles I'd had made, but still I fooled around making new designs with images I have, didn't order anything, but I might, but I'll let it set. While doing, I was able to identify what other printers/makers e-commerce people are using for some of their stuff. I'm guessing these people pay a fee to have access to art they can then offer as puzzle images, set up their Etsy store or Shopify or whatever, and then the items "drop-ship" from these location. The pricing does'nt really go down though, so if you're not selling via-drop ship...the extra cost you have is the freight to your house. Some of these items have problems, a bad review or two, quality, missing pieces, dissappointment with not having interraction with the actual seller of the product. So..this was all informative, I learned things, I will try to be in control with what I decide to do here. IN all though, I'm satisfied with the maker I use and my friend is also satisfied with what she's bought for herself.
DD goes home tomorrow, this helps me by giving me "free range" of the whole house, and I will be able to move on with some other things. I do have my journal, and I do need to do better about getting it out, writing down my plans so that I have a more focused, planned use of my time this year and don't get to the end feeling like, "oh, Ididn't get those done, oh yeah...I forgot to do those..." And my focus will be to try to use up supplies on hand.
Congrats on your conscecutive weight ins, loss and maintenance! You're a rock star!
Z>
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Post by michelle on Jan 3, 2024 1:49:13 GMT
Z, I love! crochet items. My DGM had doilies and antimacassars in her immaculate homey home. I fondly remember visiting her home as a very small child. I do have a wonderful sweater that was crocheted for me when I was a tiny baby. Actually my doll is wearing it and she looks adorable. I only had one doll that I ever wanted or cared for and my DM made dresses for her just like the ones she made for me so we had matching wardrobes. Possibly more info than you need or want but I will never tire of reading about this area!! It seems all I accomplished today was walk the dogs twice and drive to town for an appointment. Also did my vacing, dusting, window washing routine where it was needed. Made a deposit on the crawl space contract for material and spent at least 1/2 hour on the phone making three simple shot appointments for the dogs. Not too sure what kind of system they have there but it is certainly strange. I will probably end up changing except that I am not certain the situation will be the same at another location and at least they are all pleasant when we do show up, probably because their are evaluation notes to be filled out in every room, just in case we have have something nice to say.
Tomorrow I have a number of office items I need to take care of.
Hope you are having a pleasant evening!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 3, 2024 23:03:52 GMT
Good AFternoon,
Yesterday Tadas:
-did a mini fridge purge
-collected and emptied ALL house trashes, including the kitchen
-washed hand items, emptied, reloaded DW
-swept
-CHristmas Decoration Migration has begun...each time I go downstairs, I have taken things in boxes, arms or hands and deposited down their for what will be the ultimate reboxing/putaway this will go on a few days
-made one guest room bed and collected the Christmas things from the other bedroom and put out where put away will occur.
-did the laundry AND put it away
-chrocheted three Classic XMas color combo and put in the bag
Today Tadas:
-Emptied the DW again, put dirty dishes in and did the hand wash items
-rebooted laundry x1
-folded and put away laundry that was left over before New Years
-charged my FitBit
Creative:
I did work on several designs for cards using edited photography of horse tackle and spurs taken three years ago from my inlaws cabinets, who are cattle ranchers and have collection of such things. I got focused on these because they two main photos I was fooling around with have a "heart" on them. Valentines day is coming up. But, I realize should not get too focused on other holiday specific type cards, cause people just don't send/use a lot of those. But these could be used as such because they each feature a heart, but also just have a general Western, yet abstract appeal...at least in my opinion. So got three done and sent to the "Good" printer and will see what those look like probably next week and decide whether to make sets of all three or just one or two. The other thing I did was went color crazy with one of them so it is super colorful, like the rainbow, but almost looks like fabric also, and this one I just cropped down to certain size so that I can cut it out and layer it on the manufactured, precut/scored cardstock I have here, with colorful framing paper under neath, but also 1/4 inch frame of white base cardstock showing and I'll offer these in sets of 2, with each 2 having it's own colored base, and I'll do 4 sets of these, 8 cards. Because they I think will be cute, they also feature a heart shape in the center, but are just colorful, cute card could be for valentine's or just anything because it has so many colors. So I've spent time taking care of this and these will be good to have in shop, if they come out cute, we'll see. So I feel almost ready to work on needle point stuff now. DH got me light box for Christmas, and that will be so nice to be able to use. So I'm a bit scattered right now.
My sister is taking a box that she receives her dog food supply from regularly and puts it in the back of her car and then is filling it with donatable things/CB stuff. This is a cool idea. I think I'm going to go through the whole top shelf of mechanical room (this is two side by side shelving units) and see if I can send any of that to my friend because teachers, art, science, etc. might be able to use some of it. If I could clear that, it would be pretty good!
Hope your day is going well!
Z>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 5, 2024 6:03:42 GMT
Good Evening,
Tadad:
-More decoration migration done
-outside decorations taken down and moved inside and to garage to dry
-ordered two fabric bowls cause I liked the softness and versatility of having those holiday ones out. They’ll be of use in two locations Ican think of. They’re good for remotes, pens etc
-ordered a medium small lamp for our entryway table and two socket timers. Our entry way is VERY dark, like sooooo dark, but the overhead light is ridiculously bright so I do t like the overhead on all the time. As I had a largish Xmas display item on one end of the entry way table, I realized the right sized lamp would be nice there, especially at night. While at it I ordered two more glass votives in white, same style as the rest, so I’m done with glass votives and candles. These will be nice to mix in spring or other occasions.
-did errand for DH and got small grocery shopping done while out.
-successfully completed one of the crochet drink cozies, the main one I liked, it did take some time to figure out s couple parts and YouTube tutorials
I think tomorrow I will be ready to spend creative time on needle point patterns. And work with my lamp and figure a few things out. In the midst of that I will also haul more decorations downstairs and reclaim the guest room dd trashed.
Hope you’ve had a good day.
Z
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Post by michelle on Jan 5, 2024 19:40:55 GMT
Z, Great job with the annual migration! The cards sound cute!!!
My life has been going at the speed of light the last two days. Hopefully things will slow down to a normal pace sometime today. TaDones: -Took Clair to her physical therapy appointment yesterday. She is doing great! My walking program for her is perfect and four other PT exercises were added. She had 10 laser treatment appointments set up for the next 10 weeks to work on her muscles since all of this causes some problems and a seriously don't have time to become a dog masseuse not to mention that she will not cooperate which I need to pay attention to since she knows what bothers her. The PT and laser will help to get her back 100% on track. - When I got home from that the crawl space contractor wanted to move the appointment up to today so I agreed which caused a number of chores to be done quickly. The main one being a typed list of items that needed to be discussed, such as things the estimator SAID would be done but were supposedly written up in the notes to the contract rather than the contract itself. I went over the list with the foreman and gave him a copy of the list. Nothing was overlooked and it will be checked off as he works on these things and definitely gone over before final payment is made. -Got Clair's first walk in before 8:00 this morning and finished up the long a.m. list I do each day. - Phone calls--Set another Dr appt for me, Made an appointment for Clair's three month check up and rads (as they are called), Set up the schedule for 10 appointments with the Rehab department, made my annual call to the financial planner and later he called back so that is 100% complete until June, called DH to make sure his calendar had all of the appointment time written for when he needs to help me with Clair. - Charged my handwarmers and tried them out this a.m.--worked fine. - Fed the bees yesterday since they were out and made more delicious meals for them in the form of sugar water.
- A bunch more chores were completed but it's hazy what they were.
BBL with more exciting TaDones!!!
- two more dog walks - numerous conversations with the foreman of the job crew - Fed the bees and birds
- Office work - answered numerous emails, engagement letter reminders and proposals sent out - Put away the UPS - Vac'd the floor where it needed it The end of the official day. Hooray!!! Time to relax.
Hope you are having an enjoyable evening!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 6, 2024 20:50:01 GMT
Good Afternoon!
Great work with your chores yesterday! LGad to hear Clair's recovery is going well! Yay!
Me...hmmmm. I'm not going to say that I'm "side tracked". I'm going to say that in the interest of gettin some new styles of cards in shop, and some featuring hearts, this had led me down a certain path....along a river....and so I feel urge to just go with the flow right now until I'm through this creative bent.
Creative:
-I picked up the prints of the edited photo of a jumble of horse tack and spurs featuring heart, which is centered. Thiis a very multi colored thing with lots of red, blues, turquoise, pinks, light yelloow, purple....hard to decribe. THe net effect is you can see the heart design and other scrolly stuff, but has a slightly water color effect, is not super crisp (tho I didn't use a water color feature) and is it the "best thing I've ever seen? Maybe not, but once cut outand laid on and framed with accent colors of linen textured p cardstock, and then again framed in white by the card itself, it is cute. It can be just colorful for people that like that, western, just a unique, eye catching handmade card. So that has already happened and I did two of 4 different framing color cardstock and these will be sold in sets of 2 each cards, same framing color.
-Moroccan Tile Paper: I got this paper a while ago, and it is quite striking, I think I have more than one sheet (hopefully, cause I already cut this one up. I got a heart shaped cookie cutter that is good size and going with that, and these need nothing except to be laid on black or dark blue framing plain cardstock as above, then again on the white, and they are cute, cute cute. These can be valentine or just a pretty "heart" card, they are adorable. I'm doing 6 of these and will sell in sets of 2.
-In messing with this heart, I cut some red and white gingham paper, and I have a very cute idea for these...which I'm trying to work out now. Once I have it..I will do a couple sets of these, also in sets of two and then get this and all of the above listed and in shop.
-Yesterday I took out my "Build-a-Bag-Tag" stuff and got that photographed and liseted in three different groupings. It was not the best time of day to do those photos and I'll decide later whether to redo them or not. But at least that stuff is listed and has a "chance".
I will post again after I figure out and complete the above card sets, I'm excited about these option, but who knows, I will still have fun doing them.
Update:
-18 individual cards made for 9 each, 2 card sets. 6 Moroccan tile sets of hearts, 1 heart bandanna set, 1 gingam heart with ribbon set, 1 polka dot fat cat with a bow set, 4 sets of thhe colorful heart spurs. I'll photograph these in the morning and get them listed when the light is better for doing that. I am done making cards for now.
-all X-mas is off upstairs mantle and shelving, many x-mas dishes put away also
-dusted bookshelves top to bottom when all was removed
-spent some time examining shelving, moving, repositioning things, while also looking at my girlfriends tips, and online tips, found most of what I needed, just moved things around, got some more glass votives out, used those, left the ones I had out, out, this all looks great, or at least better, and there is more color and faux greenery scattered about (I found several of the smaller fake pots with faux greenery in them I'd gotten when we moved) one of these set inside a larger blue pot which I love, so that made a thing when I combined that (so it ties to the other blues in the room and keeps all the fake greenery from being in white container) and used the putty to hold it in there better. So...for now, I'm happy with what the mantel and the shelving look like. Yay! I do need to order two more flameless candles though and get some batteries. This all took a couple of hours because I'd have to do things, think, look, ponder, move things again, repeat...
Z.
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Post by michelle on Jan 7, 2024 19:46:06 GMT
Z, The cards sound distinctive and adorable!!! Great job getting Christmas decorations put away! Somehow I managed to finish up that chore yesterday. The two new chairs arrived so time was spent on that room. I love them! I did order a couple of lumbar pillow cases and pillows to add a pop of color that I think will bring the whole thing together although it looks great right now as it is. It's surprising how adding something so little can change things so much. It snowed yesterday--time has been spent dealing with that. I must be in some kind of trance since there is trouble remembering what I did which was definitely not watching television or surfing on the internet. Usually I can't remember when I am having trouble focusing or just get on a roll and do chores for hours on end. Usually I can tell it is focus when I have a number of chores started and none of them finished which sometimes makes an astonishing mess, actually a trail of messes throughout the house.
Got my a.m. list of chores done along with the shoveling and dog walked. Called about getting Sam's teeth cleaned using a special technique so he does not have to be anestisized (who in the world can spell that correctly?). I am hoping she will take him since the time I tried to get it done before he fell on the floor, rolled over on his back and stayed that way. However that was a guy doing the cleaning and this is a female so possibly it will work since Sam will feel more comfortable. Hopefully the appointment setter will call me back.
BBL.... TADones--more dog walking, sifted through my markers to make choices for a picture. Wrote a ToDo list for work items and got the 10 items accomplished. Glad I got a head start on next week.
Hope you are enjoying your evening!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 8, 2024 23:33:00 GMT
You are so good about making lists and checking things off. I love hearing about the decorating and am glad to hear you love the chairs, also the lumbar pillows.
Decorating: We seem to be living parallel lives!
-Ottoman Cover: This should be shipping soon and I'm not sure if you recall I'd good condition lumbar pillows I had on hand and sent one for sizing to the ottoman maker and asked her to make two pillow covers. It will be about 6 weeks on the 15th and so I hope be receiving those items soon.
-My GF who had the surgery, who has great taste and is OCD big time, who got me on the accessorizing bender with glass votive prior to X-mas, well....we're still at it. So I'd sent her a pic of entryway table to show her the lamp I'd picked...but she didn't know I'd picked a lamp already and said, "You need a lamp.."...lol. But then she looked at the picture hanging over entryway, and said..."have you ever thought of switching that picture with the one that is over your fireplace? It's quite lovely and ties into all the colors family room and will probably look great." So, I said, I'd not I'll spare details as to why...so I did it and it looks AMAZING!!!!
-then she said I needed to rearrange my mantle choices a certain way, which I did, also better! These changes, the picture, glass votives, etc. all make that room so much brighter and pretty looking.
-this led to discussion of books stacked under stuff to add height and color coordinating books. I'm not sure you're aware you can shop/find sellers of books that do this, you buy them by the foot...or by the number of books and they can have combo theme names, etc...they can by by colors, but also vintage style AND colors. Now it's expensive to do that and I didn't. Also..I'm not going to stack books by colors, even if I like them, and then have titles staring out at me...and other people...of carp I've never read, don't like, think is smarmy etc. But I do love me a good rustic, vintage book spine design....which lead me down a whole other path of stuff I can do....which I will not touch until mid February at least but I am SUPER DUPER excited about it. I will make a prototype of one for myself first of course...then I will see if it works, and might try a couple more to sell...but this is all I'll say about this right now.
-I got the heart cards listed and put two mess ups/no likes in the sale section.
-Crocheted 3/4 of another drink cozy...I'm not sure what I'm doing with these...but I like making and would like to perfect executing the pattern.
Today Tadas:
-made the bed
-phoned the neighbor, had fun talk...she's creative, we enjoy chatting, we are going to do a fuzed glass thing on Saturday afternoon together in town.
-Emptied the DW, reloaded, ran it
-cleared the buffet top of all christmas, decoratiolns, food, crumbs, wiped down, reset out the "standard" stuff
-did sinkful of hand wash
-CB'd a cookie platter and a pie plate I never use.
-purged the fridge....again...Xmas leftover and few other things
-took out the kitchen trash
-washed ALL (many) food containers from fridge purge and put away
-got rid of hte Xmas bouquet from dining table and Xmas runner
-did do some shopping for some blue ceramic accent pieces and got three, for different areas on shelving, all smallish.
Now...The tree is still up and the undecorating of, dismantelling of and put away is what is next on the list.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Jan 9, 2024 0:59:38 GMT
Z, Just loved!!! reading about the decorating. IMO thank goodness all those books I had stored downstairs went a number of years ago. I still try for the minimalist look after I got rid of all the excess furniture--such as coffee tables. Need to watch out for things growing and growing and growing.... This is one of my hoarding??? problems or possibly it is just in style to act like that. Right now I THINK I need to bring back the coffee table type furniture LOL. Sam has been going to work with Daddy to avoid my life turning into total insanity since he gets very upset that people have invaded the space that he patrols. So, of curse, there is a massively insane dog family reunion. Glad that just go over. Today, in between walks and chatting with the contractor's foreman I did manage to get some office work done and am almost through the reminders about getting the annual engagement letters to me. Tomorrow I should finish that. I got all the items picked up that had been blown around by the wind also. More of the same is on the way tomorrow night. I am forging ahead with my alcohol markers which I am enjoying.
Hope you are having a relaxing evening!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 9, 2024 23:18:46 GMT
Good Afternoon,
I'm almost halfway through the boxing situation for Christmas decoorations, it has been slow going, with interruptions of various kinds. However, after I get the tree taken apart, lights and everything is off of it, DH can help me take downstairs and put it back into the storage area, then my focus will be to continue downstairs. I am getting a lot of my book listened to however with my headphones on.
Not going to fib, there has been some other accessorie/supply shopping that has gone on with the deocorating activities, but it will all be used/viewed daily and really will brighten these dark shelves, which have been a challenge since move in. But I think I'm at the end of the shopping spree and I ordered 24"x24" photographic print of the old trucks both DH and I agreed on and that will be the replacement picture over the entryway table.
Okay, so I must get back to these jobs, I will finish putting away Christmas today!
Z.
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Post by michelle on Jan 10, 2024 2:20:57 GMT
Z, I absolutely LOVE!!! the heart avatar. I get it totally about brightening up spaces. Years ago I had such fun painting the rooms in my house different colors but when I went back to a lovely resale off white color in all the rooms it made such a difference. The bathrooms and K are the exceptions and are therefor not white. Also I have really big windows etc and cannot imagine living in a house that doesn't have them. Of course views and no close neighbors make a difference which is why I like to keep them as clean as possible.
Not much went on today. I made a doable list of office chores and finished them. Took care of Clair and played ball with Buttercup. The work in the crawl space is proceeding and will take three or four more days than anticipated. I am keeping that to myself at the moment because DH does not like having to keep a dog at work since DH is used to total freedom. He will not appreciate the added days next week. However, keeping Sam at home is not an option due to the aforementioned lifestyle the dog prefers which makes me completely bonkers as he barks and runs through the house trying to escape so that he can do his watch dog job.
Buttercup is bawling about wanting her dinner. It's really sad sounding and all my fault because I am three minutes late giving it to her. Time out--mission accomplished. I made another list of office items to do tomorrow which will fit nicely into my day instead of relentlessly working. No more of that. DH will hire a full time person to do much more work and that person will work in his office.
Decluttered one sweater which was worn today to test it out.
Time for some relaxing reading. Hope you are enjoying your evening!!!
Onward>>>>
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Post by zenamidievel on Jan 10, 2024 23:17:30 GMT
Good Morning,
Good job with the regulars and I would do your strategy of not necesessarily sharing all the information at once in regard to DH and the dog. Lol.
Tadas:
-I almost petered out last night on the decorations but I made myself go back downstairs and resume. DH helped me put the largest totes back into place once they were packed. Once those are done, I an do everything else myself.
-So everything was downstairs and there was also some other types of stacks, messes going on, along walls from behind chairs from stuff I'd brought home from the vendor mall last summer after shutting down.
-While i repacked Xmas boxes, I started hauling some of this type of stuff out and CB'd quite a bit of it, CB'd some excess Xmass stuff that was bulky from mechanical room that I seem to never get around to actually using, tins, decorative boxes, booze bags, extra decorative dish towels, etc. all this went to the car to donat
-Xmas is ALL put away
-DD guest room bed took apart, running sheets right now
-put DD"s clothes back into closet appropriatley (she did not do good job with this this time) Totes, extra blankets, this and that, guestroom floor is cleared.
-Xmas stuff back into mechanical room and then the items that set infront of those totes/boxes back into room
CB List: pie plate, cookie platter, xmas decorative towels, dishrags, xmas tins, Xmas cookie boxes, A larger Xmas box, antique glove box I'd bought for inspiration to examine (stinky, letting go of three HEAVY boxes of my heater vents. I think I'm over that situation and if I want to do anything else along those lines I can figure it out from photographs I've taken of them, Desk lamp, Jr. Sewing box with thread bobbins, needles, scissors from DD Jr. High days, we don't own a sewing machine, 3 relish dishes, 1 small decorative shelf, 3 colored flamless candles, cheap ones I don't want metal dog decoration, pie crust cutter, cloth ornament box. All this getting dropped off today. Also I will drop off three food donations on my way by the fire station on way home.
Now I'm cleaned up, and can go out in the world guilt free an dtake care of a couple of errands.
Z.
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Post by michelle on Jan 11, 2024 1:17:08 GMT
My entire post just got wiped out and it was a long one. Drats! Well, it wasn't really very interesting--just life as usual. More tomorrow.... I need to eat LOL
Z, Great job decluttering!!!
Onward>>>>
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