I continue on. Today I rolled coin. $122.50 actually from my closet (we keep 4 small containers and just separate it out at the end of each day and when they are full: I roll), laundry room (from all that I collect when I wash. If it's in the washer it becomes mine) , and car ( Duff hates change in his pockets). Then it goes into our emergency prep fund.
While I was doing that, I delved more into my closet. Went through my jewelry box and found lots of old stuff from the 80's that I got rid of. But found fun things like my baby locket! What an adventure this "Less Is More" is turning out to be!
Here are #6-10 of the how to simplify, pare down, and focus on what's really important:
6--Remember the two-year rule. If you haven't used something for two years, chances are you won't use it again. This particularly applies to clothes.
7--Don't Get Buried Under Sentimentality. Sure, it's nice to keep possessions you cherish, but do you really need your high school prom dress? If you are keeping your wedding dress, have it professionally cleaned and boxed at a dry cleaners and put it in storage. And your children's collection of stuffed animals? Keep one to pass on to the next generation, then donate the rest.
8--One In and One Out. If something new comes in the house, something old has to go out. This rule is pivotal to maintaining the simple, clutter-free existence you've worked so hard to achieve.
9--Maximize Your Storage. There are all sorts of helpful items these days that help you make the most of small spaces. Ottomans with removable tops are the perfect place to sotre toys, board games, or extra bedding. And under-bed baskets are great for storing large or awkward items.
10--Organize By Bits. It's going to take awhile to go through your entire house--after all, it may have taken you up to twenty years to acquire all of your current clutter/stuff--so be easy on yourself and try not to attempt too much in one sitting. Start with one closet and give yourself a six hour limit.
I am donating and throwing out. I don't really have anything to sell at ebay or Craig's list. BUT that is a great way to gather in some extra cash if you have bills to pay, especially during this tough economic time. I have a neighbor and also another friend who have been doing this to keep a 'roof over their heads'. One told me this week that they got a great price for their headboard and bedroom chairs and it paid the rent! I was very touched at her sacrifice. She said it was more important to them to give that up and give their kids stability and security at home. I don't have a headboard or bedroom chairs, but silently wondered if I could do the same. I've thought a lot about this since our conversation.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Happy Birthday Mama!
She spent the day putting on a funeral luncheon, (she is the compassionate service leader) for a dear friend in their ward who passed away while they were still in Utah earlier this week. They got home last night and were busy working on it this morning. Then she went to renew her driver's license.
She and my dad went to Kristin's to pick up Mr. Rosie, who was more than delighted to see them after 3 weeks!
My mom is a sweetheart. She is an angel of mercy to so many. She is a hard worker and gets in and gets things done. She loves to cook and bake and craft. She is the heart of her home.
Happy Birthday, Mom.
I love you!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Less Is More
Or so they say! But it's January, and things are 'bugging' me.
So, I'm doing the go-through-each-closet, room, garage, drawer-thing and organizing and purging. I haven't gotten very far yet, but oh, it feels so good. Like two days ago when I went through a stack of papers that I had downloaded and printed out who knows how many months/years ago and have never looked at since. Into the shredder they went. AHHH. Clean space! I think one of my motivations is to have it close to done before Mike and Adrianne move in at the end of the month. Probably an unrealistic goal, but it keeps me focused. (With Mike back in school full time and the economy, they are going to spend a little 'time' with us.)
Here is some information I found from SRBI Public Affairs and the National Association of Home Builders: "It's called the big box syndrome. We buy more stuff at big-box retailers. (Could this be my beloved Costco and the like?) We drive bigger cars to get all of that stuff home. We have bigger homes to put everything in. And somehow we still don't seem to have enough room for everything.
"Here are some specifics: In the 1950's, the average woman in the U.S. had four pairs of shoes. Today it is 13 pairs (and many more for a lot of women!). In 1970, the average size of a home was 1400 square feet. (My Westminster home for 10 years with 4 children). Today it's 2340 square feet. So, if more space and more stuff/clutter go hand in hand, even with that additional space, how can you get it under control?"
I found in my files a flyer, from a realtor I'm sure, that I kept about just such simplification! I've been using it as a guide and I think it's pretty thorough so I thought I'd post 5 of the 10 steps today. And the rest tomorrow. And maybe you just might find it useful too!
1--Pretend That You Are Moving. It's time to pare down. If you had to move, would you take it with you? Do you really need 3 hair dryers? Or what about all of those books; do you really need to keep all of them? Donate what you don't need.
2--Keep Only What You Love. Ask yourself, do you really have to keep it? If not, go ahead and get rid of it. Put more focus on using the things that bring you happiness.
3--The Benefits Of Less. Less stuff equals more time. With less stuff, there's less to clean, organize and dust. With less stuff, your house looks uncluttered and cleaner. Let this motivate you.
4--Learn To Love Containers. Containers instantly add order to choas, and are the secret weapon of organizers everywhere. Put all the kid's shoes in a tub, the newspapers in a bucket, fingernail polish in a basket, and so on.
5--Everything In It's Place! YES, this is something your mother always said, BUT SHE WAS RIGHT!! When everything has a place on a shelf, in a cabinet or in a bin, you'll avoid counter clutter and junk-filled drawers.
And now I'm pondering the pros and cons of wearing shoes in the house??? What do you do, and why? Shoes vs. taking shoes off when you come in the door.
That is the current question.....
So, I'm doing the go-through-each-closet, room, garage, drawer-thing and organizing and purging. I haven't gotten very far yet, but oh, it feels so good. Like two days ago when I went through a stack of papers that I had downloaded and printed out who knows how many months/years ago and have never looked at since. Into the shredder they went. AHHH. Clean space! I think one of my motivations is to have it close to done before Mike and Adrianne move in at the end of the month. Probably an unrealistic goal, but it keeps me focused. (With Mike back in school full time and the economy, they are going to spend a little 'time' with us.)
Here is some information I found from SRBI Public Affairs and the National Association of Home Builders: "It's called the big box syndrome. We buy more stuff at big-box retailers. (Could this be my beloved Costco and the like?) We drive bigger cars to get all of that stuff home. We have bigger homes to put everything in. And somehow we still don't seem to have enough room for everything.
"Here are some specifics: In the 1950's, the average woman in the U.S. had four pairs of shoes. Today it is 13 pairs (and many more for a lot of women!). In 1970, the average size of a home was 1400 square feet. (My Westminster home for 10 years with 4 children). Today it's 2340 square feet. So, if more space and more stuff/clutter go hand in hand, even with that additional space, how can you get it under control?"
I found in my files a flyer, from a realtor I'm sure, that I kept about just such simplification! I've been using it as a guide and I think it's pretty thorough so I thought I'd post 5 of the 10 steps today. And the rest tomorrow. And maybe you just might find it useful too!
1--Pretend That You Are Moving. It's time to pare down. If you had to move, would you take it with you? Do you really need 3 hair dryers? Or what about all of those books; do you really need to keep all of them? Donate what you don't need.
2--Keep Only What You Love. Ask yourself, do you really have to keep it? If not, go ahead and get rid of it. Put more focus on using the things that bring you happiness.
3--The Benefits Of Less. Less stuff equals more time. With less stuff, there's less to clean, organize and dust. With less stuff, your house looks uncluttered and cleaner. Let this motivate you.
4--Learn To Love Containers. Containers instantly add order to choas, and are the secret weapon of organizers everywhere. Put all the kid's shoes in a tub, the newspapers in a bucket, fingernail polish in a basket, and so on.
5--Everything In It's Place! YES, this is something your mother always said, BUT SHE WAS RIGHT!! When everything has a place on a shelf, in a cabinet or in a bin, you'll avoid counter clutter and junk-filled drawers.
And now I'm pondering the pros and cons of wearing shoes in the house??? What do you do, and why? Shoes vs. taking shoes off when you come in the door.
That is the current question.....
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
*** TIP*** No More Scratched DVD's!
I am posting this from my friend, Jamie's, blog: Right At Home. It is a crafting/homemaking/project blog that she and her sisters have. Please check it out, because these gals have amazing ideas and talent and I learn a lot from them.
I bought a brand new dvd at Christmas time and we put it on to watch it and part of the way through it froze. Yep, a scratch right out of the package. Arghhh.So...... Here's how to fix that!
1.Use a small amount on a soft cloth and go over the area that is scratched from the inside of the dvd to the outer edge in a straight stroke.
2. Do this until it is rubbed in and shiny.
3. Run the dvd under hot water to rinse off any residue.
4. Dry with another soft cloth.
She found Brasso at Walmart. Tips: It is highly toxic so be careful with it, especially around children. AND another suggestion is to follow the same procedure using plain old regular toothpaste (no gel or whitening, etc.) and it works as well.
Thank you, Right At Home, for this great homemaking advice!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
SoCal January
I'm back to cleaning and purging. Organizing. Back to school season and a fresh new year bring that out in me.
Today: the bonus room and my closet. They have been the recipients of clutter while getting ready for the holidays. The movies were a mess! Why? It is just so simple. Please. Movies are like my spices: alphabetize. Then you always know where something is. The key to that is putting it BACK in the right spot. My family and I don't see eye-to-eye on that!
While I was thus practicing my abc spelling skills, a revelation came to me: WHY am I keeping movies we NEVER watch??? In my quest to change out all of our vhs to dvd's, I took a better look at what I was storing. Like The Return of Jafar. One of those Costco must haves when my kids were young. The original Aladdin is where it's at, right? And what about Fievel Goes West? Not. An American Tale is all we need for the grandkids. And The Perfect Storm. We've never watched it once since we bought the vhs version how many years ago? It's not even a choice when it comes on TNT. And we had a vhs of the Blues Brothers that had never been opened. Yes, still shrink-wrapped.
Into a box they, and others like them, went. Rosie and Lourdes were the grateful new owners. And the entertainment center shelves look much more respectable.
On to my closet. We replaced 3 burned out lightbulbs. OH! Let there be light! And I finally got started on that huge pile of mending and ironing sitting around since Halloween.
They say rain is coming for tomorrow and I am glad. After 2 weeks in Utah coming back to 75 degree weather the last week is a bit warm for me in January!
I still have my Christmas tree up and the mantle decorated. And you know what? I don't care! I'm enjoying every last bit of the lights. One can do that with an artificial tree. I think I'm converted.
FYI: Shaun and Meredith went to the beach today! SoCal January!
There was a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti today. 7.0 with several aftershocks in the 5.9 range. That itself would be a horrific earthquake. It looks and is said to be just about complete devastation in the capitol city of Port Au Prince. Matthew K. served his mission there. I know he has a tender heart for those people. I don't do earthquakes well. They scare the beejeebees out of me.
Today: the bonus room and my closet. They have been the recipients of clutter while getting ready for the holidays. The movies were a mess! Why? It is just so simple. Please. Movies are like my spices: alphabetize. Then you always know where something is. The key to that is putting it BACK in the right spot. My family and I don't see eye-to-eye on that!
While I was thus practicing my abc spelling skills, a revelation came to me: WHY am I keeping movies we NEVER watch??? In my quest to change out all of our vhs to dvd's, I took a better look at what I was storing. Like The Return of Jafar. One of those Costco must haves when my kids were young. The original Aladdin is where it's at, right? And what about Fievel Goes West? Not. An American Tale is all we need for the grandkids. And The Perfect Storm. We've never watched it once since we bought the vhs version how many years ago? It's not even a choice when it comes on TNT. And we had a vhs of the Blues Brothers that had never been opened. Yes, still shrink-wrapped.
Into a box they, and others like them, went. Rosie and Lourdes were the grateful new owners. And the entertainment center shelves look much more respectable.
On to my closet. We replaced 3 burned out lightbulbs. OH! Let there be light! And I finally got started on that huge pile of mending and ironing sitting around since Halloween.
They say rain is coming for tomorrow and I am glad. After 2 weeks in Utah coming back to 75 degree weather the last week is a bit warm for me in January!
I still have my Christmas tree up and the mantle decorated. And you know what? I don't care! I'm enjoying every last bit of the lights. One can do that with an artificial tree. I think I'm converted.
FYI: Shaun and Meredith went to the beach today! SoCal January!
There was a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti today. 7.0 with several aftershocks in the 5.9 range. That itself would be a horrific earthquake. It looks and is said to be just about complete devastation in the capitol city of Port Au Prince. Matthew K. served his mission there. I know he has a tender heart for those people. I don't do earthquakes well. They scare the beejeebees out of me.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Mini Strawberry Cupcakes
These are the scrumptious mini cakes Meredith and Adrianne made for the family baby shower for Natalie. They will surprise you with how good they are and how much flavor they pack in 1-2 teeny-weeny bites. Meredith got it from a family friend who served them at her daughter's wedding reception.
MINI STRAWBERRY CAKESIngredients:
1 Duncan Hines white cake mix
Mini cupcake pans and cupcake papers
1 stick of butter or margarine, room temperature
1 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 basket fresh strawberries
1 lb. powdered sugar
Dash salt (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
Directions:
Mix cake mix according to package instructions.
Pour into mini muffin tins lined with mini papers.
Bake for 10 minutes and check if done with either a toothpick, cake tester, or tapping them gently in the center and if they spring back they are done. Adjust baking time to fit your oven and altitude.
Remove to wire rack and cool.
Mix butter, cream cheese together until fluffy. Add about 8 strawberries that have been stemmed, washed, and crushed in a bowl with a fork or potato masher.
Beat in powdered sugar a little at a time until you reach your own desired consistency. The salt and vanilla are often included in a traditional cream cheese frosting, but you only need to add them to this if you want to.
Frost mini cakes. Let set up in refrigerator.
Store any leftover frosting and/or cakes in the fridge.
These are SO refreshing and delicious.
You can also use a chocolate cake mix for variety or one of each and offer a choice to your guests! The chocolate is equally as yummy.
Log this one away. SPRING is coming, but they sure were good in the dead of winter!
RIP Jerry
And while we are on the topic of 'fences':
Darla's backyard boyfriend, Jerry, passed away while we were gone. He was one of those dogs that had so much personality. In fact, he was named after the comedian, Jerry Seinfeld because of it. They met at the fence every day and wagged, sniffed, wiggled, communicated, and had fun.
I'll miss him too. He was always so happy to see me and a kind friend. He was really young too, so his passing was not expected.
Rest In Peace Jerry, in that beautiful place in heaven prepared especially for God's creations!
Darla's backyard boyfriend, Jerry, passed away while we were gone. He was one of those dogs that had so much personality. In fact, he was named after the comedian, Jerry Seinfeld because of it. They met at the fence every day and wagged, sniffed, wiggled, communicated, and had fun.
I'll miss him too. He was always so happy to see me and a kind friend. He was really young too, so his passing was not expected.
Rest In Peace Jerry, in that beautiful place in heaven prepared especially for God's creations!
What's Missing/Changed ?
Part of our backyard. What is missing from this picture?
Can you tell now?The association put in all new fences.
No more metal/wrought iron. They are vinyl and pretty nice.
We're thinking of having them do a new gate for us.
Just think: no more rusting or painting!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Little Things I Noticed
--It was the first time for Sam to bless the sacrament. He made a few mistakes. The sacrament prayers must be perfect. As the nod came from the Bishop to do it again (a few times at that), he calmly tried until it was just as it should be. As I sat there with my head bowed, I pondered the symbolism of that. When we make a mistake, Father asks us to correct it and try again. No matter how many times it takes to get it right. Patiently. And so pleased when we finally do. I had Sam in Primary. He's so tall and grown up now.
--One of the very young Deacons made a passing mistake and did the wrong section. One of the older Teachers who was helping, was clearly annoyed and made a face at him and kept motioning largely to him that he had errored. The Deacon was so flustered he froze and stayed in the wrong assignment and that Teacher went to do the other section. Another older Teacher who was also helping pass today, helped that little Deacon regain some dignity. Without missing a beat, he very discreetly moved over to him and pointed to where he should go to help him at the end of his rows. After each row, he pointed his finger to the next place. Not one word was exchanged. An encouraging smile actually to help restore some confidence. He recognized his 'brother' made a mistake and went to rescue him. It made me think about what part the Lord might expect me to play in the 'rescue 'of someone...
--Our meetings and lessons were really good. I learned a lot and was uplifted and renewed.
--On to visiting teaching changes and reports.
--Feels good. Next week is Stake Conference.
--One of the very young Deacons made a passing mistake and did the wrong section. One of the older Teachers who was helping, was clearly annoyed and made a face at him and kept motioning largely to him that he had errored. The Deacon was so flustered he froze and stayed in the wrong assignment and that Teacher went to do the other section. Another older Teacher who was also helping pass today, helped that little Deacon regain some dignity. Without missing a beat, he very discreetly moved over to him and pointed to where he should go to help him at the end of his rows. After each row, he pointed his finger to the next place. Not one word was exchanged. An encouraging smile actually to help restore some confidence. He recognized his 'brother' made a mistake and went to rescue him. It made me think about what part the Lord might expect me to play in the 'rescue 'of someone...
--Our meetings and lessons were really good. I learned a lot and was uplifted and renewed.
--On to visiting teaching changes and reports.
--Feels good. Next week is Stake Conference.
A Little Of This and That
Darla checking on the snowman. Actually, she was looking for me! Haha!
The Christmas Story.The reason for all the celebrating.
The Christmas traditions from Grandma and Grandpa. All the way from Arizona!Can you guess what's underneath the wrapping?
Grandma Sigie holding John.A common scene!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
THE CHRISTMAS PICKLE
We got a package from Scott, Hannah, and Aaron. Heather, before she passed away, had gathered a Christmas gift for us.
The Christmas of 2007 Heather introduced her family to the German tradition of hanging a pickle ornament. The previous fall while shopping with Fred's wife, Carol (her sister-in-law), in Utah for random Christmas decorations, Heather found the elusive pickle ornament to hang on the Christmas tree. It was a tradition they loved and one Heather was proud of.
In Heather's memory, Scott sent a jar and pickle for each of us.
We opened them up, while Duff read the letter.It was a very touching moment.
We all had tears.
We love and miss you, Heather.Your life and example are with us every day.
Legend of the Pickle OrnamentLong ago in Germany, the pickle legend began. The wheres and why are unknown but it is something now enjoyed by the entire family. The last ornament placed on the tree is done after the children are tucked in bed and is a small green pickle. It is hung with care and is hidden amongst the other ornaments tucked within the tree. The younger the child, the larger the pickle ornament that is hidden so that as the chld ages the pickle gets smaller making it more difficult to find.
Hunting for the pickle ornament slows down the sometimes-frantic rush to the tree and the enticing packages beneath. They will search through all their known ornaments and their eyes will pass over all the ornaments given them by parents and grandparents in their search for the lone pickle.
The lucky child to find the pickle ornament can get a special treat. Perhaps they can be first to open a present or get the place of honor at the Christmas table. Whatever you decided it will be a special time. Memories are made like anything else and the care you take with them gives them a lasting quality.
We'll always pause at Christmas and think of Heather now.
Thank You, Scott, Hannah, and Aaron for sending them to us.
Stow & Go!
We are a puzzle doing family. Some more than others. We got 2 new puzzles this year, both from one of my favorite artists, Dowdle.
If you have puzzles, or like to do puzzles, you know it is always hard to set them up and do them if you don't have a table devoted only to the puzzle. I saw this last year at the Peterson's, and got one for us. It is AWESOME!This is called STOW & GO!
You can find it at Target/Walmart. It is about $10.
It is a black heavy felt mat that you do the puzzle on. It frames the piece well and I haven't met a puzzle that the black background doesn't enhance. When you need to use the table, place the white plastic roll--that you have blown up--on one end. Put the mat around it and roll the puzzle up, securing it with two velcro straps.
I'm telling you: the puzzle DOESN'T MOVE a bit. You can even stand it up in a corner. When you are ready to continue putting it together, just unroll it and keep going.
It also makes a great gift!
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