Goldfish Gives: Card Designs & Online Orders

I know this isn’t about de-cluttering, but I just have to spread the word to help my friend’s daughter raise money to give low income children a merry Christmas.  Please take a look at her blog, purchase if you wish, and please RE-BLOG; RE-POST and/or tweet and share on your facebook page.  I would LOVE to see this go viral!

All the best – Cathy

 

Goldfish Gives: Card Designs & Online Orders.

via Goldfish Gives: Card Designs & Online Orders.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Color (of Geckos)

I’ve been working in the garden a lot lately, and around my house we have a large population of geckos. When this challenge came up I headed out the door with the intention of getting some great pictures of blue bonnets in a yard around the block. As I walked out the door a brown gecko ran across my path, and I though to myself – “Darn, if he were only green”, why? because when they are green they are vibrant green. Something prompted me to turn around when I headed down my drive and, low and behold! A green gecko!

But he didn’t stay bright green for long…

Must have known I was eyeing him…as he changed to the drab color of the shingles of the house.

Day 28 – Pots and Pans

This is the last major cabinet in the kitchen (other than the pantry – and OH am I NOT looking forward to that cleansing!)

Right side of pots/pans (island) cabinet

I have cleaned the island cabinet in the last 3 – 4 months, so what I really need to decide is whether I am going to pull the “trigger” and get rid of some of the extra pans

Left island cabinet (missing 2 pots I used for dinner tonight)

((((sigh))))

Last summer I started using my iron skillets instead of my non-stick pans…  While it took a little while to get the iron skillets nice and “seasoned”, now that they are, I LOVE using them!  Even though I have a glass cooktop and had heard that you shouldn’t use iron skillets on such a cooktop (because if you drop them, well your cooktop is history…) I still do – I am careful with the cooktop so I don’t scratch it as well.

Much better!  got rid of a veggie grilling pan that I never liked very much and a plastic top to a disposable foil roasting pan that I used and already threw in the trash.  🙂

I didn’t take another picture of the pots/pans side of the island, the pots i used tonight are still in the dishwasher.  I did decide to cull 3 of my pans; so I am down from 8 to 5.

The re-sale shop is going to LOVE seeing me…again!

Days 19 The “Pencil Drawer”

I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday, but I did do a bit of cleansing – The Pencil Drawer.  Do you have one?  You know, the drawer in your office, or in your kitchen where every writing utensil ends up. Cleaning out your purse and have a bunch of pens?  Into the pencil drawer they go.

This is what mine looked like before yesterday

Well, there is a lot more than just pencils in there… what is that paintbrush doing in there??  And the ziploc bag? It is full of pens, and was one of my previous attempts at organizing this drawer.  as you can see, apparently I have some sort of subconsious fetish for pens and pencils…

Here is an idea of how many pens and pencils were in that drawer

Here is a better look at all the other stuff that was in that drawer…. How in the world did I fit all this stuff in there, you ask?  Well apparently it is some sort of magic drawer – you know, like those clown cars… It was like a bottomless drawer… Missing from this picture is 4 – 5 headsets from Continental as well.

This is how it looks now

I allowed myself 10 – 12 pens/pencils for this drawer and put them in the box, so they don’t roll all over the drawer.  I am sure there will be a couple other things that end up in this drawer, but at least I will be keeping it organized and uncluttered.

As for that paintbrush, into the garage and into my paint supply box it went. Much of the other stuff from this drawer either ended up in the trash (old lipstick), in the bathroom vanity where it belongs (makeup I kept), in the donation pile (headsets), or in a box to be taken to the recycle location (electonic items).

I still have the box full of pens and pencils.  Going to spend an evening checking them to see which of the pens still work, and then donate them to a worthy non-proft.

Day 4 – Master Bedroom Dresser

Today I tackled 6 small dresser drawers in the master bedroom.

Things in these drawers: undies, bras, hosery, hankies (yes, I use cloth hankies…) a couple little clutch purses, a broken bud vase (a past maid broke it and then hid it in the drawer); I knew it was in there – I just have yet to get around to fixing it – and I don’t want to throw it away because it is a vase from my grandmother’s home (read centimental value)…

Unmentionables (that I mentioned above) are sorted, organized and old ones tossed in the trash.

I will be posting the little party clutch purses on ebay. Probably should have posted them out there BEFORE the holidays, oh well, we will see if they sell now.

I didn’t really clear that much out of these drawers (other than the purses and the vase) that was very bulky or created a lot of extra space, but everything is now nicely organized.

Day 3 – Night Stand/Dresser

Do you ever just open a drawer and stick things in it when you are ready to go to sleep?  I have this bad habit – reading a book?  into the nightstand drawer, magazine?  same thing…

Today I am tackling the 4 drawer nightstand in the master bedroom.

Things I found in there – 2, yes 2, “throw away” kodak flash cameras (probably from back in 2003 ish).  One of them had some pictures already taken on it,  what, you ask??  Well, we will soon find out – but as in those days on by – we will have to wait as they will need to be processed the “old fashioned” way…  I did take some pictures of the pups with it – hoping that the film is still good.

As for the second camera – well – it is still in the sealed wrapping!!  So, what to do??  Maybe I will check out Ebay and see if there is a market for it.  🙂  I may just take it on a walk with me and take random pictures to be processed since I have no idea if the film is still any good…. speaking of which, I should probably check for an expiration date on the package, huh.

Other things I found – books, magazines (no surprise there), another old Canon 35MM camera, a nice one that I used to use a LOT. It took pretty darn good pictures too.  Wonder if there is a market on Ebay for that as well…  I found some pictures of an old (ex) boyfriend.  Mailing those off to him… cleansing the house includes cleansing my life and moving beyond the past.

Preparing for 365 Days of House Cleansing

Okay- So I got an early start on my 365 days of house “cleansing”…  Yesterday I started going through my master bedroom closet and cleared all the junk – yes, junk – that I have been stepping over for the last few months.  I will admit it – my closet looked like a hurricane hit it…several times.

I had a box full of Arbonne products sitting in a corner, that I rummage through every time I ran out of something.  I had a basket full of Arbonne samples that I would use when traveling as well.  Shoes, sandals, boots, etc. were not in their proper place.  One positive – I NEVER threw/throw my clothes on the floor!  I just don’t understand how someone does that.  Dirty clothes go in the hamper – period.  🙂

Okay – so I got my floor cleaned, and shoes organized yesterday (I only got rid of one pair of sandals… I know – but I got rid of a lot of shoes a couple years ago and have been really good about not buying new ones until I really need them, and I have to throw a pair out to get a replacement).

Today, I started on going through my clothes.  I actually found a jacket/skirt combo that I bought back in the early 90’s that still had its tag on!  OMG!  I was spending money on things I “thought” I just had to have, only for them to sit in my closet for 20 years!!  Well, no more of that! No matter how “good” a buy it is!  Thankfully, I no longer live near my friend who helped me create such a habit.

So now what?  Well, I do have an Ebay account and so my plan is to put stuff on Ebay – for a minimum of 30 days to see if it will sell (yeah, I know – sort of like “repurposing”, huh)… Well not everything will go on Ebay first, most stuff will be sent off to Goodwill, or Joseph’s Coat (the church second hand shop).  Some things, like the “vintage” outfit (see how I made that 20 year old outfit sound enticing!) will go on Ebay first.  If it doesn’t sell – off to one of the donation centers it goes.

If I remember – I will post pictures (YIKES) of some of the stuff as I go…