Clutter

Ample Sufficiency

/ Jo / 4 Comments

While looking through boxes and bins to try and downsize our unused and/or unneeded belongings I discovered a happy truth.

Our best dishes.

We have more than enough of some necessary items that should last us decades, maybe even the rest of our lives.

I love these flowered pillows my mother made.

Unfortunately these are items to which I’m attracted but I’ve decided to stop looking at them online, in stores, at yard sales, in catalogs, etc.

I have plenty of:

  1.  Sheets for every bed.

    Each bed is a different size and has multiple sets of linens.

  2.  Towels for every bathroom.

    Our everyday towels are stashed in the master shower. Each bathroom has its own coordinated sets.

  3.   Dishes for every occasion.

    I have sets of dishes stashed in various cupboards.

  4.   Tablecloths for every table.

    I hang tablecloths in the conservatory closet.

  5.   Silverware for any and all usages.

    A fraction of our flatware.

  6.   Vases for myriad arrangements.

    I keep as many vases as possible in a cabinet over the stove.

  7.   Throw pillows for every seat.

    I often change up the pillows on the sofa in the living room.

I’m not planning to get rid of these things but I am going to stop admiring new items.   These My things are not only serviceable, they’re also beautiful.  I am content with what I have.

Jo

Focus on the Diva Room

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In my list of goals for May I have a few items that pertain to our smallest bedroom.

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.

While I’m not changing the color I would like to streamline my tiny pink bedroom to something clean and calm.

It is fairly usable except that it attracts clutter.  Recently I saw an inspiration photo of a similarly small room with a more streamlined approach. (See above.)

I still have a bit of clutter to overcome.

I’ve started with a pile of clutter in the corner which I have whittled down by 2 boxes. The heap still needs more attention.

We have downsized our computer equipment.

I have also posted some of the electronics on internet marketplaces.  I’m not trying to make money, just reduce my inventory.

I’m planning a streamlined makeover for the office part of this room.

When Ikea opens up again I would like to purchase a Micke desk for this space and give the current desk, which actually belongs to my son, to its owner.

Progress.

Jo

Pushing Back the Yard

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Over time the back portion of our yard seems to have gotten smaller.

The bushes at the back of the yard become overgrown with honeysuckle and grapevines each summer.

Since the back of our yard abuts our neighbor’s woods we decided to clear the space to our lot line which had become overgrown with weedy bushes, weedy trees, wild vines, and rotting oak logs.

These oak rounds have started to rot.

Charlie started splitting the oak logs for firewood but some of it is just too massive to manage in the splitter.

We wanted to remove choke cherry seedling and saplings, one of the honeysuckle bushes covered with grape vines, and the wood rounds.

We’ll be keeping the Wye Oak (the light trunk on the right) but might need to clear behind it to provide more light to its back side.

I thought it would be an easier project to start before the vines, shrubs, and trees began to leaf out.

The project was originally slow going.

Charlie did much of the cutting back and Sug cleared the cut weeds to behind the compost pile.

The newly cleared area will also be seeded with grass.

We have gained about 25 feet of backyard and I love looking into the forest without the “foliage screen”.

Jo

The Shoe Towers – Project Complete

/ Jo / 2 Comments

After making grand plans and gathering (or so I thought) all the materials needed to complete the shoe towers in our master closet, I finally started the installation this past weekend.

Shoe tower is 13 inches wide.

I used cove molding as supports on each side of a shelf.

I should have realized this was not the correct size because my cove molding makes a right angle at the back.

Not having enough in my personal stock I ordered some from Home Depot which was not the right size so we returned it.  I ordered the correct size, 11/16″, from Lowes and picked it up at the local store.

The cove molding needed to be level and match the piece on the opposite side.

I cut 52 supports of varying lengths according to the shelf width.  The supports are recessed approximately 2 inches from the front of  the shelf.  I also angled them back with a miter saw.

Each shelf will hold one pair of shoes.

I installed one shelf and supports to see if my method would work.

An air tacker gun was used to attach the cove molding.

I installed all the supports on one side of the closet.

While holding a shelf level on one support I drew a line under it to mark the corresponding place on the other side of the closet.

Using a shelf to mark the other side I made sure it was level.

My show tower is neat with clear shoe boxes from the Container Store.

I installed 13 shelves in each shoe tower: one on my side of the coset and the other on Charlie’s side.

There are 6 or 7 inches between each shelf which is sufficient and efficient to hold a pair of shoes.

I have more than 13 boxes so I appropriated the top shelves of Charlie’s side for shoes I rarely wear.

When we finish with the tools they will be stored elsewhere also.

This project gets our shoes off the floor of our walk-in closet.  It looks neater and is more functional.

Jo

5 Pieces of Clothing

/ Jo / 2 Comments

Since all of our planned trips and outings have been either canceled or postponed I am finding other ways to keep busy.

My closet is 5 items lighter although still very full.

With a fresh focus on the master suite clothing closet, I decided to rid myself of at least five items that I probably will never, ever wear.

I scaled down my shoes in 2015 yet two of these three mateless shoes were still hanging on.

  • 1 caftan (given away)
  • 3 holey sweaters (cashmere nonetheless thrown away)
  • 1 African dress (given away)
  • 2 pairs of shoes (3 odd shoes and a messy pair thrown away)
  • blazer (donated)

Little by little.

Jo

 

A Little Mischief

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While I was in our attic looking for Easter decorations I was frustrated by the overwhelming clutter.

Removing these empty boxes from the attic has given us more space for necessary storage.

I got ambitious and pulled out 2 large, empty boxes which had been stuffed under the eaves taking up a lot of space.  The attic has been fairly filthy ever since we had a new roof put on in 2013.  After I pulled out these 2 boxes Sug vacuumed the area so I could store some of our other must-keeps.

The subtle stenciling is lost in the photograph but visible in person.

On the other hand I have been divesting us of other nice but unnecessary items.  For instance my son’s birthday is on Saturday so I have given him the child’s rocking chair his grandmother bought for him when he was a lad.  It was an antique when she purchased it and she searched for a chair that would be as useful for a ten-year-old as for a two-year-old.  I’m sure there’s perfect place for it at the shore house.

Bye bye, books.

In order to start my goal list for this month I looked around for 10 books to eliminate and found 19.   Some were in the attic and others in the back bedroom.  In the near future I had planned to read Romeo and Juliet, I found 4 copies in the attic. My total of giveaway books for this year is up to 33. (My ultimate goal is 50 books.)

I’m in a knitting frenzy.

I also ordered 3 balls of wool so I could continue some knitting projects.  I found good prices and conscientious service here.

Just keeping busy.

Jo

Staying at Home

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Our governor has issued a stay-at-home directive with which we at The Glade are complying.

I have a small collection bunnies.

Working from home allows me to get into small projects during my breaks.  First I went up in the attic and found my Easter decorations.

White narcissi — my favorites — are beginning to bloom in the yard.

After distributing bunnies all over the house — mudroom, mantel, dining room table — I went outside to pick some flowers and soon-to-be flowering branches.

An invitation for one friend.

One of the things I have certainly been missing during this quarantine is entertaining people in our home so I made an invitation for Easter brunch which will only include Charlie, Sug, and me but for which I’m making formal plans.

A festive spring display.

I got out some of my grandmother’s china, cut lilac branches, and distributed ceramic bunnies on the dining room table.

I hope this little machine will help make a special brunch.

I ordered a special device from Sur la Table called an egg bite maker.  I also plan to make some meringues for us.

Our farm fresh eggs are naturally beautiful colors.

While we’re stuck cloistered at home I’m trying to make each day special.

Jo

Shoe Shelves

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Our master closet has been mostly complete since 2017.

We’ve been using the master closet but parts are still not complete.

However, a few details remain unfinished.  We must add some shelves and finish the raw edges of the plywood from which the closet towers are constructed.

The shoe towers are 13 inches wide and 88 inches tall.

On both sides of the closet are shoe towers that need shelves.

I marked the luan with the grain of the wood going the long way across the front of the opening.

Using some leftover 1/4 inch luan Charlie cut 26 shelves — 13 for each side — to fit into the shoe towers.

Sug has offered to paint the shelves top and bottom before we install them.

To maximize the leftover luan, the 7 lower shelves are 11 inches deep, the next 3 – 10 inches, and the top 3 – 7.5 inches.

Cove molding

The shelves will be supported by cove molding.

Each shelf will be able to be easily removed if more room is needed.

I’ve made a plan for the separation of the shelves which are wide enough to hold a shoe box or a pair of shoes.

I’m eager to have the shoe shelves finished.

Next tasks:

  • Purchase two 8′ pieces of cove molding
  • Paint shelves
  • Mark and install shelf supports
  • Store shoes!

Jo

Starting on the Laundry Room

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I made a plan of sorts for upgrading the laundry room here.

The laundry is a dark, narrow room at the back of the house behind the bathroom.

Unfortunately the laundry room needs a lot of work to make it a pleasant place to wash clothes.  We decided not to remove the old cabinets and paneling on two walls.

Charlie carefully insulated the wall behind the water heater.

The ceiling and outer wall, however, were removed when the new roof was installed.  While we had access to the open walls Charlie insulated them.

A pile of drywall needs to be used up and we have numerous projects to apply it to.

While my son was trying to clear up building materials from what is destined to become the master bedroom we decided the laundry room was the next space to get dry wall.

The ceiling has one bare bulb glaringly lighting the space.

He started by covering the ceiling with wallboard.  The photos are dim because the laundry has no windows and little natural light except from the doorway.

Even the light color of the wallboard is an improvement.

Next he walled behind the water heater which is the back wall of the house. All seams and screw heads must be covered with joint compound, a task in which his technique has vastly improved over the past months with experience in the bathroom.

My goal is to make the spaces at the shore house that are regularly used pleasant areas.

Now that the ceiling and walls are enclosed the dryer needs to be vented to outside.  Then we will do a good cleaning top to bottom so we can paint the drywall, paneling, and cabinets a light and cheery color.  I have a bit of wallpaper from a previous project that might also help with the update.

I’m sure we can brighten up this dark hole and make it a more pleasant place to do laundry.

Brighter already.

Before we paint we also need to:

  • snug the washer and dryer back against the wall,
  • make sure the door will close.

Jo

February 2020: Finished Goals

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February is almost over and I have FINISHED all the tasks I had hoped to accomplish.  I realized early into the month that I had organized a lot of clearing, cleaning, and straightening which are NOT my strong suit.  Every so often I reread my list and tried to tackle one item.  This strategy worked:  I can check 12 of 12 off the list.

  1. Get 2019 tax information to our accountant.  I mailed our tax planner and back-up information for our 2019 income tax return to our accountant just after the  President’s Day holiday.  We never get all our information until the 15th and even then I know some documents are late or missing.  We usually have the finished return in hand by March 15th which takes a burden off my mind for another year.
  2. Read a book.  I decided to read Emma because a movie of the same name was due in theatres soon.  I read some of the book online available at Project Gutenberg  and I kept a hard copy in my bedroom for casual reading at other times.

    I just finished The Call of the Wild so now I’m on to Emma.

  3. Clean and organize one shelf in the master bedroom.  My cleaning project expanded to more than one shelf.

    One clear shelf.

  4. Replace glass shelf in master bathroom. The new narrower shelf is sturdy and able to hold fragile items.

    Improved shelf.

  5. See a movie.  I read The Call of the Wild by Jack London last month to get ready for the new movie starring Harrison Ford and a computer generated “Buck”.  I enjoyed it very much — both the book and the movie.

    I’m planning to see The Call of the Wild at the cinema.

  6. Remove 5 items from mudroom closet.

    Before

    After

  7. Put away papers from before 2019. This is the biggest challenge I set for February.  Once I sent in my income tax information I was able to refile returns form previous years along with other papers that I have allowed to accumulate is the past 12 months.  I also spent another morning with my shredder.
  8. Remove one item or box from basement. I was so inspired by the removal of the first box I actually followed up with a second one.  Sooner or later I’ll get deep enough into our tiny basement to organize/purge tile and paint cans.

    Clearing up in the basement has re-found useable paint supplies.

  9. Clean down jackets.  Cleaning down jackets is very rewarding and not at all difficult.

    My jacket is clean again and ready to wear.

    When drying I use wool dryer balls and reset the time for at least double time to be sure the down is dry and fluffed.

  10. Celebrate my birthday. I’m getting OLD!!!
  11. Pick a word to focus on for the month. My word: FINISH.  This short month’s list gave me a run for my money but I have finished it and a few other projects.
  12. Write a goal list for March.

Jo