Clutter

November 2020: Goals

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In the month of November we’re looking to keep busy, make progress, but also take time to appreciate and relax — everything in moderation.

  1. Bring Christmas decorations out of attic.

    I decided to stick with a polar bear theme again this year for the winter holidays.

  2. Read a book:  Papa’s Table d’Hote.
  3. Celebrate Thanksgiving . This year will be a small but grateful celebration.

    It’s time to locate and feature the Redwing Stag.

  4.  Work on sewing projects. I’m planning to make Christmas gifts from my deep trunk of supplies and whip up something for myself.

    I have DIY refurbishing planned for this FB Marketplace buy.

  5. Organize office supplies.

    We have a pile of office supplies that needs to be organized and stored. How many staplers does one couple need?

  6.  Empty 5 items from conservatory closet.

    The conservatory closet houses tablecloths and other items we rarely use.

  7.  Sell or give away musical instruments:  recorders, drums, lute.  Who wouldn’t like to have some noise makers for the upcoming holidays?
  8.  Get rid of 11 books. I’m almost to my goal of 50 books.  Thus far all have been donated to worthy causes.
  9. Choose kitchen lighting for shore house.

    I’m thinking of replacing the fluorescent tube fixture and hanging light with 2 of these simple flush mounts in a pewter finish.

  10. Wash kitchen windows.

    The bump-out and ground floor window with shutters are the only ones remaining to be washed before the entire house can be declared “finished”.

  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: MODERATION.
  12. Write a goal list for December.

Jo

October, 2020: Goals Satisfied

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I can hardly believe October, 2020 is over.  Here’s what we planned and accomplished at The Glade.

  1. Install threshold in laundry.  This was an inexpensive project that improved the look of the laundry room.

    The laundry threshold made a neat transition from the hall to the laundry and covered an unsightly hole in the floor.

    Ultimately I gave the threshold and surrounding floor 3 coats of urethane applied with a sponge brush.

  2. Read a book: Misty of Chincoteague.  I was excited to read this youth book after our trip to Assateague Island last month.

    Wild ponies still roam the marshes of Assateague Island.

    It doesn’t disappoint in describing the aura of the area more than 70 years after the book was written.  We will definitely head to Chincoteague for the pony swim some day.

  3. Day trip to view bald eagles.

    The roiling water neath Conowingo Dam attracts eagles and other fish-eating birds.

    Charlie and I visited Conowingo Dam in northern Maryland to catch a view of bald eagles.

  4.  Check old computers for available files then get rid of them.

    The computers are gone; I retained the hard drives.

  5.  Frame some paintings.  I framed 3 paintings that had been lying around the house waiting for an upgrade.

    Both paintings went back to the shore house from whence they came.

    Each took just a little different method.

  6.  Empty desk in pink bedroom. This desk has been totally emptied and now moved out of the pink bedroom which is due for a major cleaning including old files from the file cabinet.

    Before

    After

  7.  Remove one item or box from attic.

    I went through a box of board games to make sure all pieces were in tact before dispersing the games.

    This month the box was full of board games the best of which have been listed/sold on Facebook Marketplace.  Others are trashed.

  8.  File financial papers. I saved this task until everything else was finished in October. With 10 days remaining in the month I filed all bank statements and bills.  First I just made piles.  Then I went to appropriate storage area and filed the paperwork.  Additionally I removed from storage about 5 years of old documents which were then burned.  Whew! Not my favorite task.
  9. Work on  kitchen at shore house.  We have finally finished painting the cabinets in the kitchen.

    Everyone loves the new kitchen color.

    Now it’s up to my son to work on the floor, the ceiling, the walls.

  10. Wash treetops bedroom windows. This bedroom has 3 windows each of which looks out in a different direction.

    A bright and shiny window.

    I washed all the storm windows and the sash windows from the inside.  The ones I could reach from the porch I also washed outside.

    This room is bright with a triple aspect.

    One of my favorite rooms because the treetops are visible from every window.

  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: SATISFACTION.
  12. Write a goal list for November.

I also made reservations for an out-of-state trip early next year.  I’m hoping managing Covid will become less restrictive by then — we’ll see.

Jo

New Furniture in the Diva Room

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Back in April I was inspired to start simplifying our smallest bedroom — the diva room.

The Diva Room at The Glade

I call it the Diva room because it has a lot of nods to the musical team of Charlie and Jo.

This picture inspired me to simplify.

Thus far we have:

I am planning to get rid of redundant office supplies.

All this paper cannot be necessary.

I pulled all the piles of clutter in the pink bedroom that were in the corner and under the bed onto the bed so they could be addressed soon.  I also went through the file cabinet and pulled some old  documents which have now been destroyed.

I laid out all the pieces of the desk in the hallway outside the pink bedroom.

I’ve been waiting for Ikea to restock a Micke desk for this space relinquished by the old desk. When I checked the Ikea website I saw it was ready to be purchased so I ran down to the College Park store, bought it, and loaded it into my little car.

The desk fits into the alcove but the file cabinet had to be moved out.

Charlie helped me get the pieces from the car to the second floor then I systematically followed the directions to put the desk together.

The file cabinet is now a bedside table topped with the printer.

I am going to add a lamp and some in-out boxes.

How so much stuff gets into such a small space I’ll never know.

And of course I must manage the clutter on the bed.

Before

After

Progress.

Jo

Pre-Holiday Declutteration

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I’m back up in the attic to remove a few items before the holiday season begins.

Last year’s Christmas boxes in the laundry.  The attic stairs are to the left of the red box.

We keep all of our Christmas decorations in the attic to the left of the stairs. During the year they sometimes get moved around and trapped behind other boxes.

These items were hampering access to Christmas decorations.

I decided to try and free them so they’ll be easier to access when we want to use them NEXT MONTH.

The items in the red basket and the metal pail are plumbing repair items along with a drain snake, plunger, and liquid drain cleaner. Now all stored together.

I tucked our plumbing bucket full of tools and materials conveniently at the top of the steps under the opposite eaves from the holiday supplies.

Plumbing bucket on the attic steps is full of tools often needed at a moment’s notice.

I don’t want to have to search for the plumbing tools when a plumbing problem occurs.

This 2-tube fluorescent light might end up in the greenhouse or the shed.

Then I found a fluorescent light that I used to use for starting seedlings.  Haven’t used it for decades.  Time to go.

I also discovered a microscope (visible in the plumbing photo above) and other high end toys that I’ll just list on Facebook Marketplace as I have been doing for the past few months.

Everything Christmas is in easy reach in the attic.

The Christmas decorations are now easy to access and ready for holiday spiffery.  I’m sure I can downsize this collection (I had a Decor Swap last year)  but I’ll be content for now with just making it readily available.

Jo

Making Room in the Diva Room

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I decided to simplify and modernize the diva room, our pink guest room cum office.

This was our computer station until desktops became obsolete.

One of the pre-tasks I’ve been dreading is clearing out the desk.  We bought this desk decades ago so my son could have a place to study near his bedroom.  In the past it has housed computer equipment and other electronics but now only has a printer.

Most of the contents of the desk piled on top of it.

I’m emptying all the drawers into a box — there’s really nothing much in here except some office supplies and a bit of junk.

All the drawers are empty and the desk is destined for a new home.

We carried the desk downstairs and plan to take it to the shore house when next we travel down there.

The Micke desk is sleek and streamlined.

I’m planning to replace the desk with a streamlined Micke from Ikea if they ever get back in stock.

Jo

One More Box

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I have been diligently removing boxes from our attic that have been stored there for decades.

Old toys are being sorted into small boxes.

I already have a bunch of toys in my bedroom which have been sorted but which still need to be cleaned.  I recently sold two large track toys: Super Turbo Train and Hot Wheels Double Barrel Track.

I have sold lots of toys.

I didn’t sell them for much money but they took up a lot of space that is now cleared.

There is more than one box of games in the attic.  I chose this one to start.

This month I brought down yet another box, this time a box of games.  It won’t be long before I turn my focus to Christmas storage which is also in the attic.

I have DIY refurbishing planned for this FB Marketplace buy.

I also brought down a pile of fabric for DIY Christmas gifts and a small project I have planned for myself.

Although my list is long I’m ploughing through it and making incremental progress.

Jo

Curing Computer Clutter

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Earlier this year I got rid of an old computer keyboard, 2 speakers, a monitor, and a copy machine.

We’re paring down the obsolete electronic equipment in the pink bedroom.

Now I’m ready to eliminate 2 more pieces of technology: computers that no longer work and their power cords.

Both laptops are old, heavy, and useless.

I went through both making sure I couldn’t retrieve any more information from them.

After removing all the screws on the back of the Dell computer I finally discovered the secret to removing the hard drive by reading instructions on the web.

Then I removed the hard drives by searching the method on the internet.  One computer was an Acer and the other a Dell so removing the hard drive was different, not intuitively different, in each.

An easy place to recycle electronics.

I took the computers to Best Buy.  I was hoping to photograph the recycling bin but a masked young man met me inside the door of the store and took the computers to the recycling center. I just went out the exit.

We’re keeping the printer on the white file cabinet but the pile of wires is also leaving.

Procrastination is over.

Jo

September 2020: Making Progress

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We started September with a quick overnight trip to the beach which helped our moods considerably.  Then we completed a few projects which is always encouraging.  

  1. Wax dining room table. 

    Waxing bare wood gives it a delicate glow and protection.

    I have been waiting until cool weather to wax our dining room table which I stripped earlier in the summer.
  2.  Read a book:  Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.  I hadn’t read this classic since high school.  I appreciated reading this much more now than I did then.  I didn’t race through; I paused to read some of the poetic passages out loud.  The language is so beautiful.
  3. Celebrate wedding anniversary.  Generally we’re on a trip for our anniversary but this year we’re not only staying in the country, we haven’t left our state. As matter of fact we stayed home and worked on small projects together all day. 

    Anniversary Creme Caramel — one of my favorites.

    Charlie steamed shrimp for lunch and I made creme caramel. We celebrated our “steel” anniversary so I got 2 gifts for Charlie: one for work –circular saw blades — and one for play — and ice cream scoop.  
  4. Paint outdoor window trim on master bedroom.  Charlie set up the tall ladder and started the painting.   

    Freshly painted trim and washed windows on the old part of the house in the center of the rear elevation.

    We took turns finishing.  We could paint a little trim every month and never get entirely finished.
  5. Visit Assateague Island.   We spent a whole day at Assateague Island National Seashore.

    Ponies wander all over the island, even the beach on Assateague Island.

    This coastal island in Maryland is on my bucket list. Check!
  6. List Halloween costumes to sell. 

    Aladdin dreams of a whole new world.

    I have started listing costumes on Facebook Marketplace. They take up an entire closet for which I have a better use.  
  7. Remove one item or box from attic.  I have 3 plastic bins of fabric in the attic.  I brought down a select list of fabric for some projects I plan to work on this fall. 

    Clutter in the attic is getting whittled down but we have more progress to make.

    I also sorted through 2 more large boxes of toys some of which have been sold on Facebook Marketplace.
  8. Move tools from master closet to basement.  This was more difficult than I planned but all hardware, tools, and paint supplies have been removed from my master closet.  

    Clutter has been moved from the back of our closet.

    Some of the tools that I use often I relocated to the closet in the laundry room.  Everything else went to the basement.
  9. Work on kitchen at shore house.  Using my plan, I purchased paint and supplies for the cabinets. 

    Painting kitchen cabinets is a slow, tedious process.

    Sug and I spent 2 Saturdays painting and changing the hinges.  It was very satisfying and really transformative.
  10. Wash window in pink bedroom. 

    The window in the pink bedroom was surprisingly filthy. Now it sparkles.

    It won’t be long until all the windows in the house have been washed. Woo hoo.
  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word:  CREATE. 

    Wall mural for the Cottage.

    We got creative a couple of times during the month with these projects:  shell pendant, wall mural, cashmere donation.
  12. Write a goal list for October.  Hoping to maintain the momentum.

Jo

Curing Costume Clutter

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Once upon a time I was a theatre designer.  Although I mostly concentrated on sets and lights, from time to time I was called upon to design costumes for a show.

I almost always did a sketch to start the process.

When I became a mother I used my college degree to create costumes for my son.  I thought I might one day write a book about coordinating pieces of clothing from the closet with some simple sewing to make comfortable and lavish costumes.

I remember my Martha Washington gown being much like the one above except it was entirely pale aqua moiré.

When I was a girl my grandmother would ask me what I wanted to be and whatever I dreamt up she could facilitate.  I have been the “Queen of Hearts” in a tulle gown and “Martha Washington” in pale aqua watered-silk.

It was important that all costumes were comfortable and easy to wear.

We created a Sharpie dragon on a piece of fabric and appliqued it to the back of the Ninja tunic.

So I always asked my son what he wanted to be. I would draw a quick sketch then collect clothing he already owned and add some bespoke pieces to complete the costume.

I had yards and yards of this stunning 1.5 inch wide woven trim from my mother’s old gown which ended up on more than one costume.

The skirt from an old gown makes an elegant pirate cape.

I used old gowns and bits of trim to elevate the simplest of patterns.

In 3rd Grade the student could choose to be a Pilgrim or a Native American. Tunic and chaps made an easy-to-change-into costume without undressing.

Sometimes the costume was dictated by teachers and sometimes not.

A vest is an easy to make and embellish basis for lots of costumes — pirate, cowboy, yodeler, Aladdin — to name a few.

I still have lots of costumes.  I’m not writing a book so it’s time to list them for sale.  I have posted all of the costumes in the closet for sale on Facebook Marketplace at very low prices.

The Cowardly Lion was a very first costume — I was the Scarecrow and Dad was the Tin Woodsman. (Crown made from cottage cheese container sprayed gold.)

With a change of hood and addition of a small jacket, the Lion became Peter Rabbit.

If I’m not successful, I guess they’ll just go in the rag bag.

Jo

Curing Cashmere Clutter

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I love cashmere sweaters.

I keep my sweaters in a closed cabinet with lavender to deter moths and worms.

My family knows this so in addition to buying sweaters for myself I also have been gifted beautiful items.

My sweaters  range from dark to light but seem to maintain a cool color palette.

I have some sweaters that are over 20 years old which have succumbed to moth damage.  I wear them as long as I can (sometimes as comfy undershirts to hide the holes) but have finally decided to get rid of some that are too far gone.

I packed all nine sweaters in a mailing box — weight 4 pounds, 1 ounce.

Unfortunately I just can’t throw away cashmere so I searched the internet to see if anyone was recycling the fiber.  I found one artist, Cathy Wade, who is using recycled cashmere to make new items so I contacted her to see if she wanted 9 clean but holey sweaters for her work.  She said, “yes.” They’re on their way to her.

Jo