There you are. I wondered where you were. I've been outside looking at my perennials and wondering why they weren't coming up in this beautiful weather, but then I keep reminding myself that this is only March. There's still supposed to be some chilly weather, some rain, some sleet and maybe even a little snow. Just no frost please--my lilac tree has little leaf buds on it and it just wouldn't be Spring if frost damaged it and I couldn't smell or see my pretty purple lilac blooms.
Still patiently waiting for Spring...and my front porch flowers.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Helping a friend organize
I've recently been asked to help a friend organize her house--the problem is I don't know how serious she is. Oh, I believe that she wants to organize her house--I just don't know if she knows how much work it will be. She wants me to do it myself--but I've explained that she has to do it. I will be there every step of the way but just as it is her stuff it is her decisions. What to save, what to sell, what to throw away. I can't tell you how excited I am. To think that I could help someone get some control of part of her life--by using skills that control mine. Ha. I said it, organizing controls me. Hi my name is Lori and I am addicted to organizing (diet Pepsi, Longaberger baskets, antiques, quilts, shoes, sweaters...oh am I typing this out loud. Ha.)
Every single day I do something with organizing--whether it is to move something to a more logical location, to go through something and purge, to put away something, to move something to a pile before I figure out how to organize it, etc. Just this morning I have moved my swimsuits and sun visors into my closet, purged 3 more of my 15 3/4 length sleeved sweaters after dividing them into 6 fall/winter and 6 spring/summer (I decided for right now to keep 12 instead of the 10 I originally wanted to. (Marked off the list--check), got out the purse that I am going to use for spring from a bin in the basement, went to the kids rooms to straighten up and put things in their proper places. I feel good. I feel like I accomplished something. I feel like I could keep on going.
Back to my friend. I am going to help her. I am going to get her going on something small first since she is overwhelmed and she feels like she can't do it. I am going to ask her to do one drawer, one box, one bin, one shelf--one of something that really bothers her--but that one thing shouldn't take her more than 1/2 hour or less to do. I am going to have her accomplish something so that she sees a dent--and although some people may not think one small area makes a difference but I do. Every time she looks at that drawer, shelf, box, space she will see it organized and she will think I did that and I can do some more.
The thought of helping someone get like stuff together makes my heart sing. If she could just purge stuff that has been sitting someplace for a long time because it requires energy to go throw will be uplifting for her. If she could think "I need X" and know exactly where to go to get it...I would be happy for her. I told her we would start this summer. Wish us luck!
Every single day I do something with organizing--whether it is to move something to a more logical location, to go through something and purge, to put away something, to move something to a pile before I figure out how to organize it, etc. Just this morning I have moved my swimsuits and sun visors into my closet, purged 3 more of my 15 3/4 length sleeved sweaters after dividing them into 6 fall/winter and 6 spring/summer (I decided for right now to keep 12 instead of the 10 I originally wanted to. (Marked off the list--check), got out the purse that I am going to use for spring from a bin in the basement, went to the kids rooms to straighten up and put things in their proper places. I feel good. I feel like I accomplished something. I feel like I could keep on going.
Back to my friend. I am going to help her. I am going to get her going on something small first since she is overwhelmed and she feels like she can't do it. I am going to ask her to do one drawer, one box, one bin, one shelf--one of something that really bothers her--but that one thing shouldn't take her more than 1/2 hour or less to do. I am going to have her accomplish something so that she sees a dent--and although some people may not think one small area makes a difference but I do. Every time she looks at that drawer, shelf, box, space she will see it organized and she will think I did that and I can do some more.
The thought of helping someone get like stuff together makes my heart sing. If she could just purge stuff that has been sitting someplace for a long time because it requires energy to go throw will be uplifting for her. If she could think "I need X" and know exactly where to go to get it...I would be happy for her. I told her we would start this summer. Wish us luck!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Spring decluttering...another room down
I'm not doing my Spring cleaning yet. Just going through stuff--purging and reorganizing. Once I get those things done in each room I will be starting my Spring cleaning list (I have yet to make). So that way--my goal is to spend one whole day going from room to room (at least one floor at a time) cleaning---not sorting, not deciding, not re-organizing just cleaning--floor to ceiling. Actually I clean ceiling to floor. I have made it through both kids' room. I just go in there every couple of days to make sure things are still neat.
I had talked to my BFF and told her that I would not be cleaning out my daughter's room. But every time I went in there I was overwhelmed with all the stuff she wasn't throwing out--I don't mean treasures, clothes, books, movies or anything like that. I mean garbage--you know, 12 pop cans, 3 empty water bottles, 2 spoons, 2 hair product containers, empty or dried up fingernail polish, empty eye shadow containers, lip gloss that was leaking out of it's containers, broken pens and pencils, etc. Those are just some of the stuff I threw away in addition to lots and lots of paper. HOW DISGUSTING. Totally against everything I stand for. Neatness. Orderliness. Cleanliness. YUCK! So...the more I thought about what my friend and I had talked about the more I decided that it was my home and her room was unexceptable to me. I have plans to do a complete clean and purge to her room every 3 months.
No surface was left untouched. I went through every drawer, bin, basket, box, bag, purse and shelf. I looked under, behind and in every piece of furniture that is in her room. The shirt she accused me of putting in someone else's drawer--between the mattress and box springs--still confused on that one. I am still missing a cord to her old Ihome that is going to be repurposed in her brother's room--eventually. I'm racking my brain trying to think where that one would be. When I Spring clean the bedding will come off and maybe with any luck it will be in that!?!?! (can't think of where else it will be.
I left a note of stuff she still has to go through: downsizing her tshirts and her tank tops, go through her jewelry and match earrings and throw away any without a match and anything broken, try on her shorts and capris and go through all her art pencils and markers and get rid of any that are broken or no longer work.
I also left a list of stuff I wanted to buy for her room to make storing her stuff (much loved and used stuff)easier for her to get to. She can add or subtract stuff to that list and final approval is mine. Here are a few of the things I want to get: larger garbage can, another magnet board (i have one that used to be Zach's somewhere), a hanging pen and colored pencil organizer, new pillows for her bed--hers are smashed flat and a small/skinny plastic drawer organizer for all her hair products and makeup that will fit under her vanity.
I worked in her room for 4 hours. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment after I hauled out a laundry basket of dirty laundry, one of rummage stuff (old clothes I haven't seen her wear forever) and one of garbage. It felt good. I felt happy.
She on the other hand was none too please with her mother...
I had talked to my BFF and told her that I would not be cleaning out my daughter's room. But every time I went in there I was overwhelmed with all the stuff she wasn't throwing out--I don't mean treasures, clothes, books, movies or anything like that. I mean garbage--you know, 12 pop cans, 3 empty water bottles, 2 spoons, 2 hair product containers, empty or dried up fingernail polish, empty eye shadow containers, lip gloss that was leaking out of it's containers, broken pens and pencils, etc. Those are just some of the stuff I threw away in addition to lots and lots of paper. HOW DISGUSTING. Totally against everything I stand for. Neatness. Orderliness. Cleanliness. YUCK! So...the more I thought about what my friend and I had talked about the more I decided that it was my home and her room was unexceptable to me. I have plans to do a complete clean and purge to her room every 3 months.
No surface was left untouched. I went through every drawer, bin, basket, box, bag, purse and shelf. I looked under, behind and in every piece of furniture that is in her room. The shirt she accused me of putting in someone else's drawer--between the mattress and box springs--still confused on that one. I am still missing a cord to her old Ihome that is going to be repurposed in her brother's room--eventually. I'm racking my brain trying to think where that one would be. When I Spring clean the bedding will come off and maybe with any luck it will be in that!?!?! (can't think of where else it will be.
I left a note of stuff she still has to go through: downsizing her tshirts and her tank tops, go through her jewelry and match earrings and throw away any without a match and anything broken, try on her shorts and capris and go through all her art pencils and markers and get rid of any that are broken or no longer work.
I also left a list of stuff I wanted to buy for her room to make storing her stuff (much loved and used stuff)easier for her to get to. She can add or subtract stuff to that list and final approval is mine. Here are a few of the things I want to get: larger garbage can, another magnet board (i have one that used to be Zach's somewhere), a hanging pen and colored pencil organizer, new pillows for her bed--hers are smashed flat and a small/skinny plastic drawer organizer for all her hair products and makeup that will fit under her vanity.
I worked in her room for 4 hours. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment after I hauled out a laundry basket of dirty laundry, one of rummage stuff (old clothes I haven't seen her wear forever) and one of garbage. It felt good. I felt happy.
She on the other hand was none too please with her mother...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Cleaning out the closets
I've been cleaning out closets around here. Last week I did Zach's--even though it doesn't look like it this week unfortunately. Kate did her own last week too--it doesn't look like it either--ugh!!! Anyway, I cleaned out my own closet. I went through shoes and when I was putting my turtleneck sweaters away (I hope they can stay put away)I went through those and downsized--I'm down to 17--still too many and I have plans next week to go back through them to get rid of more. I would like to be down to 10 and keep it at 10 for the rest of my life (ha.) Easier said than done since one of my favorite things is turtleneck sweaters (I am cold blooded). I also put out my 3/4 sleeved sweaters--spring is around the corner you know. I have way too many of those also--going to try to get down to 10 of those (I have 15 now). 5 fall and 5 spring is my goal. I'm up to 6 bins full of rummage stuff--2 came from Kate, 1 from Zach, one from around the house and the other 2 are mine. I'm not done yet either.
It's funny that once I start cleaning one thing it leads to cleaning another and then wanting to organize another part of the house to fit the stuff I need to save but don't want in this closet. It's weird. I told Doug that I want to repurpose a plastic shelf we have in our garage into the basement (plastic isn't damaged by water) so that I can organize: our pet stuff, Zach's sport stuff, Zach's 4 nerf guns (that I would love to put into the rummage sale. ha.)and all the plastic bins/containers I have bought over the years to organize kid's stuff that we have now gotten rid of. That will fill the 4 shelf unit up pretty nicely. Oh I forgot all the camping stuff--need to make room for that--Doug received 2 camping lanterns and a portable propane grill for Christmas along with the air mattress and electric pump for that. Geez, when I get rid of some stuff more always comes along.
Cleaning those 2 closets led me to the basement to clean out 1 set of plastic drawers that I keep off season clothing in. I went through my shoe bin and purse bin and one sweater bin. I still have another sweater bin (I know more sweaters!) and then my spring and summer clothes. I don't feel like tackling those yet. I only want to touch them once--so when I move out the winter shirts and pants and I move in the spring/summer stuff I will go through both.
Think it would be rude of me to make a list for Doug to go through his bins and his closet and drawers???
It's funny that once I start cleaning one thing it leads to cleaning another and then wanting to organize another part of the house to fit the stuff I need to save but don't want in this closet. It's weird. I told Doug that I want to repurpose a plastic shelf we have in our garage into the basement (plastic isn't damaged by water) so that I can organize: our pet stuff, Zach's sport stuff, Zach's 4 nerf guns (that I would love to put into the rummage sale. ha.)and all the plastic bins/containers I have bought over the years to organize kid's stuff that we have now gotten rid of. That will fill the 4 shelf unit up pretty nicely. Oh I forgot all the camping stuff--need to make room for that--Doug received 2 camping lanterns and a portable propane grill for Christmas along with the air mattress and electric pump for that. Geez, when I get rid of some stuff more always comes along.
Cleaning those 2 closets led me to the basement to clean out 1 set of plastic drawers that I keep off season clothing in. I went through my shoe bin and purse bin and one sweater bin. I still have another sweater bin (I know more sweaters!) and then my spring and summer clothes. I don't feel like tackling those yet. I only want to touch them once--so when I move out the winter shirts and pants and I move in the spring/summer stuff I will go through both.
Think it would be rude of me to make a list for Doug to go through his bins and his closet and drawers???
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Is Spring here yet?
I've got a few windows open today and it's a little chilly. I love hearing the birds chirping. A few of my spring flowers are starting to pop up here and there and in one of my flower beds--dandelions!! Can you believe it? They have grown twice their size in about 3 days.
I'm wishing for green grass (we have soya grass so it is still dead looking), daffodils and tulips, curtains blowing in the breeze, short sleeved shirts, taking the flannel sheets off of our beds, hanging laundry on the line, capri pants, and flip flops...oh and spring cleaning. I'm going to start that list this weekend.
I fell off the sugar wagon on Sunday--and haven't been able to get back on yet. I am still determined. Especially since I put some jeans on I haven't worn for a few months and they fit without pouring myself into them. So the 12 days I was off sweets seemed to have worked. Time to get back on and get a few more pounds off before Easter so I can wear some dress pants for church. (since I haven't been working at the credit union (1 year) I haven't been wearing any dress clothes--it could be a problem. Time to get back to it. I felt so much better being off of the stuff anyway. Why wouldn't I want that?
I'm wishing for green grass (we have soya grass so it is still dead looking), daffodils and tulips, curtains blowing in the breeze, short sleeved shirts, taking the flannel sheets off of our beds, hanging laundry on the line, capri pants, and flip flops...oh and spring cleaning. I'm going to start that list this weekend.
I fell off the sugar wagon on Sunday--and haven't been able to get back on yet. I am still determined. Especially since I put some jeans on I haven't worn for a few months and they fit without pouring myself into them. So the 12 days I was off sweets seemed to have worked. Time to get back on and get a few more pounds off before Easter so I can wear some dress pants for church. (since I haven't been working at the credit union (1 year) I haven't been wearing any dress clothes--it could be a problem. Time to get back to it. I felt so much better being off of the stuff anyway. Why wouldn't I want that?
Monday, March 8, 2010
I gave up sugar!
I have to say so far it hasn't been that difficult. I thought it would be like losing a limb, but in reality I've only had a few cravings and I have worked through it. I've been eating a banana, having applesauce or some pears when I feel the overwhelming need to eat something sweet. So I am getting my fruits and vegetables in which is good for me in the long run. I've been without "sweets" for 7 days now.
I've had 2 opportunities that I thought would be hard but turned into being victories for me. A friend of ours bought a business and they had a "changing of the guard" if you will of old owner to new owner and it involved a reception with food and drink. I passed on the alcohol too(which is not on my don't list, but just to be on the safe side I opted out)and didn't even think twice about the carrot cake sitting there all nice and pretty on the buffet table. Everyone at my table partook of dessert but me. It didn't even phase me. Victory #1--and that was the 3rd day without sugar.
Saturday was my nephews 16th birthday party. Doug and I went out to eat at Red Lobster right before it and so I was good and full and said no thank you to the cake and ice cream. I justified it to myself by saying that I don't like the kind of icing she gets on her cakes but really I wasn't even tempted. The best thing for me is to not even look at it. I came to the kitchen to sing Happy Birthday and to get myself a drink of diet coke and that was it. Out of sight out of mind. Victory #2--day 6.
I will share with you the contract I made for myself. I've been adding "bad" things as I think of them for the past 6 days so I think I have it finally mostly ironed out.
My definition of bad "sugars": cookies, cakes, anything Hostess makes(one of my major downfalls), ice cream, donuts (another), muffins, pastries, granola bars, candy, milkshakes, Popsicles, sugar cereal and chocolate(another). That about defines all the things I "go to" when I need a sugar fix.
Sugars I am allowing myself to have: as much fruit as I want (this includes fruit cups and such as long as it isn't in heavy syrup) and 1 cup of fruit juice a day. I am also allowing myself to drink 1 diet Pepsi a day (I have broke this rule twice--at the above two situations--I figure allowing myself an extra diet drink instead of cake and ice cream is okay). I am also allowing myself to drink crystal light and sugar free Kool-aid. I have decided that the sugar free drinks will be decided as I go. It may come to the point where I will feel like I should give those up also--I will decide at that point.
I want to try to do my first 30 days without "sugar" at all. And the 2 major events this month were Cody's birthday (success! yeah) and Zach's birthday which is on Saturday. I'm taking each day as it comes, but would like to make it through that also. Then after the 30 days I am allowing myself 1 or 2 treats a month. I am considering all the bad sugars listed above as treats. I can have one a month. A treat is a treat after all and if you don't have it every day it makes it more special. And then I am allowing myself to partake of one piece of birthday cake and one scoop of ice cream a month if I feel like it. Since there are 22 birthdays in my family I figure there won't ever be a month without birthdays.
I am also allowing myself to eat one homemade sweet roll at Easter, 1 dessert at each holiday, and one dish or cone of ice cream on vacation. But each of those things takes the place of one of the above treats for my month.
I haven't felt a difference in my clothes yet and that is okay. They were so tight at this point that I probably won't notice it for a while. I know the difference and I am okay with that.
I've noticed that my worst time of the day that I crave sweets is around 3:00 when my kids are home or about to be home from school. I either pour myself some Kool-aid or grab a banana. So far so good. I need to come up with alternatives to do at that time to keep me away from temptation.
I've had 2 opportunities that I thought would be hard but turned into being victories for me. A friend of ours bought a business and they had a "changing of the guard" if you will of old owner to new owner and it involved a reception with food and drink. I passed on the alcohol too(which is not on my don't list, but just to be on the safe side I opted out)and didn't even think twice about the carrot cake sitting there all nice and pretty on the buffet table. Everyone at my table partook of dessert but me. It didn't even phase me. Victory #1--and that was the 3rd day without sugar.
Saturday was my nephews 16th birthday party. Doug and I went out to eat at Red Lobster right before it and so I was good and full and said no thank you to the cake and ice cream. I justified it to myself by saying that I don't like the kind of icing she gets on her cakes but really I wasn't even tempted. The best thing for me is to not even look at it. I came to the kitchen to sing Happy Birthday and to get myself a drink of diet coke and that was it. Out of sight out of mind. Victory #2--day 6.
I will share with you the contract I made for myself. I've been adding "bad" things as I think of them for the past 6 days so I think I have it finally mostly ironed out.
My definition of bad "sugars": cookies, cakes, anything Hostess makes(one of my major downfalls), ice cream, donuts (another), muffins, pastries, granola bars, candy, milkshakes, Popsicles, sugar cereal and chocolate(another). That about defines all the things I "go to" when I need a sugar fix.
Sugars I am allowing myself to have: as much fruit as I want (this includes fruit cups and such as long as it isn't in heavy syrup) and 1 cup of fruit juice a day. I am also allowing myself to drink 1 diet Pepsi a day (I have broke this rule twice--at the above two situations--I figure allowing myself an extra diet drink instead of cake and ice cream is okay). I am also allowing myself to drink crystal light and sugar free Kool-aid. I have decided that the sugar free drinks will be decided as I go. It may come to the point where I will feel like I should give those up also--I will decide at that point.
I want to try to do my first 30 days without "sugar" at all. And the 2 major events this month were Cody's birthday (success! yeah) and Zach's birthday which is on Saturday. I'm taking each day as it comes, but would like to make it through that also. Then after the 30 days I am allowing myself 1 or 2 treats a month. I am considering all the bad sugars listed above as treats. I can have one a month. A treat is a treat after all and if you don't have it every day it makes it more special. And then I am allowing myself to partake of one piece of birthday cake and one scoop of ice cream a month if I feel like it. Since there are 22 birthdays in my family I figure there won't ever be a month without birthdays.
I am also allowing myself to eat one homemade sweet roll at Easter, 1 dessert at each holiday, and one dish or cone of ice cream on vacation. But each of those things takes the place of one of the above treats for my month.
I haven't felt a difference in my clothes yet and that is okay. They were so tight at this point that I probably won't notice it for a while. I know the difference and I am okay with that.
I've noticed that my worst time of the day that I crave sweets is around 3:00 when my kids are home or about to be home from school. I either pour myself some Kool-aid or grab a banana. So far so good. I need to come up with alternatives to do at that time to keep me away from temptation.
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