Garage Sales...the good, the bad, and the ugly

What is it about springtime weather that brings out the declutter bug?

Rather than allow clutter to remain inside the house, I allow it to find its way into the garage for final review. (garages serve as basements/attics in California, don't judge!) That said, the garage needs to be usable and it was groaning from the strain of holding too much stuff!

For several weeks, I have worked my way through the house, inch by inch, drawer by drawer and corner by corner. A growing pile of usable items collected in the far corner awaiting the much advertised annual community garage sale.

I was outside and organized before my first customer arrived and by 10 am. vowed to never, never, NEVER host a garage sale again. Ironically, as I was putting things haphazardly into boxes and bags several very interested buyers appeared and eagerly poked through the bags looking for buried treasure.

My total earnings were $27 and some priceless pearls of wisdom which I will share with you now.

1. Messy is better! People like to treasure hunt.  

2. Smile and set no expectations except to meet some very interesting people.  

3. If you are at all attached your treasures and have found purging and editing your home difficult, DO NOT have a garage sale. You will be tempted to keep things you have not even missed until you see them again on the sale table.      

4. Load the car with the remaining items from your garage sale and head straight to your favorite  charity.      

5. Better yet, schedule home pick up (AMVETS is my favorite) on a regular basis, as you have a bag or two ready to share, to avoid *purger's remorse.

* definition of purger's remorse: regret over the removal of an item from your home and subsequent reintroduction to your home with said item.  

Treasures...Keep those cards and letters coming...and going!

Ever need to stay home while work is being done to a part of your house? Did you set aside a special project or task, easily interrupted, to occupy you so that you were available for the potential myriad of questions from the soul who chose to assist you in refreshing your home? My advice is this: have a stocked fridge, the coffee or tea kettle ready, and a clear work space. And if you are visually hypersensitive, as I am, then know what soothes you during the disruption to your visual senses. For me, I am calmed by Mozart, deep breathing and objective family members who remind me that this disruption is temporary.

Painting the master bedroom and bathroom seemed like a brilliant idea, especially on paper when I scheduled it a few months ago. Amazing how a simple, fresh coat of paint will cheer up a room! I am fortunate to have high, sloping ceilings in my bedroom, and although I could do this task myself, do not relish the idea of tottering on a ladder craning my neck for three days at such a lofty height!

Sunday was spent pulling everything out of my room to make space to move the large furniture into the middle of the room come "paint day." This could have taken an hour, but...those of you who know me, know I cannot simply remove things without peering inside the drawer, the box, the trunk. So I spent much of Sunday looking through my personal things, sorting, purging and reminiscing.

Yes, I can be very organized. But I am also sentimental and have a little trouble letting go of treasures! Mine includes boxes of cards and letters that have collected over the years never to be tossed or dismissed. Today I read through about 100 cards and letters sent years ago. Yes, I sat in the midst of my office, crammed full of the overflow from my bedroom, and poured over old messages and pretty cards.

There are several from my Nana, and many from mother's cousin who has faithfully written to me a few times every year with her beautiful, recognizable penmanship. Despite having never met her in person, I feel a connection through these many letters.

These treasures reminded me yet again of the many blessings in my life...friends and family, moments and events, weddings and  births, and thank you's for long since forgotten gifts of self. Saying thank you is such a simple task and yet so meaningful to the recipient. I have a happy heart tonight as I write a few thank you's of my own. I am saving a few of the cards and letters for myself, setting aside a few to share with friends and family to remind them of long past memories, and recycling the rest! They have served a beautiful purpose, a walk down memory lane, and now safely stashed in the "blue recycle bin" for the next collection. Perhaps, they will serve to save a tree!

Time Management..."Today, I will deadhead my roses!" she said.

I love our home gardens! They are not perfect and would not suit everyone, but they suit me and isn't that the point?!

What does this have to do with time management, you ask? Everything! The rose bed that greets me every time I drive up to my house was dropping petals yesterday and in need of a little TLC. I come from a long line of green thumbs, so knew just looking at it that 15 minutes would transform this little space that brings me such joy.

As I tended my roses this morning, my neighbor's words came back to me and I would like to share them with you now.

She commented to me several months ago when I was outside gardening, saying "That looks pretty, but I DON'T have time to garden!" I felt judged and dismissed.  I also smiled to myself and went back to my task. Because what she doesn't understand, is that this is not a chore for me.

It is a time that I set aside to clear my mind, to be grateful for my life and all that is good and to step away from my busy day to day and just breathe. You could say that this 15 minute break in my day is actually prayer time for me.

We ALL have 24 hours in each day and it is up to us how we use that time. Carving out a few minutes every day to do something that reenergizes you physically and mentally and renews your sense of gratitude is a good idea. How will you spend your day?!

Travel/Packing...and then she said, "Packing is my favorite part of vacation!"

My daughter is incredibly organized in thought and action. And she love, love, LOVES to pack! Go figure.

As for me, it is the the most challenging piece of travel plans whether I am going away over night or for a week at a time. I am guilty of taking too much. And, because I dread it, I put it off until the last minute and end up taking too much. I am a work in progress. Even the most organized people have their achilles heels.

Let me share with you the first and most important pearl of wisdom which has made travel packing more bearable for me. Whenever possible, DO NOT wait until the last minute to pack!! 

Secondly, I have found it helpful to replenish toiletries and essentials upon my return from a trip. Sounds obvious, but there are so many things begging for your attention upon returning home and the empty shampoo bottle, missing razor, and the item you wish you had thought to bring go unnoticed until the next trip when, in the rush, they are left out and you arrive to your destination without them.

Yes, you can always buy them where you are going, but expect to pay too much and to settle for a less than favorite brand or to do without. Not the end of the world which has much bigger problems than hairy legs, but let us not forget the butterfly effect. A happy ripple in the pond of life is preferable to irritability!

Finally, make a list that you can keep with your luggage or in your phone. Add to it, delete from it, take photos of outfits that travel well. And, use it faithfully when packing!

Here are a few of my favorite things for travel:

      Hanging organizer bags with pockets (Container Store, Target)

      Mini lotions and potions (The Body Shop has amazing sales on these)

      Individual laundry soap packets (a huge fan)

      Water bottles

      Baggies

      Travel set of super essential items...i.e., tooth brush and comb

      Packing cubes (Container Store, Amazon)

      Extra memory card and charging cables for my camera gear

Happy travels!

Spring Cleaning...time for joy, time for cheer

Finals, projects, graduation and end of the year dance recitals signal summer vacation is quickly approaching! Cherished rituals all!! And then summer slips in as a sweet reward for all the hard work.

I LOVE summer, the change in routine and the opportunity to shift focus. My goals for this summer are to have a clean pallet to begin with and to truly embrace the summer months with my family. I won't be bogged down by the clutter this year...having done so much to open the spaces, makes cleaning a quicker process and leaving tables and surfaces available for new experiences...sewing projects, trying new recipes, and exploring our beautiful city and beyond, camera in hand!

So today I am in full cleaning mode, gloves on, buckets and rags ready. Yes, I could hire someone else to do this for me, and have done so when I could not clear my schedule, but there is something to be said for the immediate gratification gained from doing it yourself. Ideas for changes and tweaks in each space occur to me as I move through the house. Not quite a runner's high, but similar.

Stopping to make changes that can be implemented immediately is a choice that I make, so cleaning is not a straight line for me as I interrupt myself often. I accept this and actually enjoy the process more making a game of it all.

For instance, I am sitting here blogging, gloves still on because, I am, honestly, heading into the bathroom that my teenagers use. I am listening to downloads from American Idol and Smash. Aaaahhhhh...lovely ear candy!!

Keeping your favorite tools handy means you can just plunge in when the day opens up. No need to run out to the store which is important for someone like me who is easily sidetracked. : )

Here are a few of my must-haves, beginning with the most important:

music (cranked up loudly)

thin, disposable gloves (saves my hands)

Swiffer dusters

clean rags

sponges

buckets

Mrs. Meyer's lemon cleaning solution (smells like heaven and environmentally          gentle)

Wish me luck! And as always thank you for visiting my blog. Feedback is welcome!

Photographs and Memories...sometimes a change is as good as a rest

You may have noticed that I quote children's literature frequently. One could argue that I have a simple mind, or perhaps, simply, that I read books aloud to my children so many times when they were young that the stories are permanently etched into my memory leaving an easy path to cherished, happy moments in time?! Let's not argue...both answers are correct. And who could not love Winnie The Pooh?!

My son and oldest child will graduate from high school in a few weeks. So it is no surprise that I am pensive and moody, remembering the path that has led to this point in time where I appreciate the mature young man he has become. As I anticipate family arriving in a few weeks to celebrate with us, I am compelled to revisit and to change the photographs on display in our more public rooms.

My usual MO is to frantically clean and menu plan, shove the clutter into drawers or the garage. Not restful and not relaxing to be around me when I am in company is coming mode. But the sense of order that has evolved in the house over the past few months is allowing me to take a different direction which is unexpected, liberating and restful not only for me but for everyone in the house. Even our cat, Gabby has her ears in neutral position. (see Hallways, Entryways and Alleyways)

So I found that I had time to spare and began what I call my photo project. The same photographs have been sitting on display, some for the past 12 years, so I did not remove them without feeling a little angst. Some will be placed into albums, and the few that remain our true favorites will be reframed and displayed in what we refer to as the reading room.

I have grown to truly love and appreciate the calmness of a simple black frame. They tend to look modern and fresh. And, the photographs become the focal point. But although we have an eclectic style, modern doesn't truly suit some of the spaces in our home. Lucky for me,  I discovered a few, old world style black frames on sale at one of my favorite stores. Photos will soon be hanging on the walls in a few chosen spaces. They will be quick and easy to dust.

As the clutter is replaced with open spaces, I feel a growing sense of calm. You have got to love that!

Garages...last night I dreamed my whole house was clean!

As much as I would love to continue working inside the house, the garage needs me more. And, lucky for me, there is a community-wide garage sale on Saturday. So for the next few days, I will clear a path through the garage deciding what to set outside for this timely event. One man's discards are soon to become another's treasures. This will eventually create more space for, dare I say it, my car. Now that would be a feat in southern California given the lack of basements and attic space.

Having a few cupboards in the garage gives me overflow pantry space and emergency supplies. Good to take inventory of expired items and what is missing. Keeping paper, sticky notes and a pen handy will save time in the long run. I don't know about you, but I tend to become easily distracted. Remember the book, "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie?" Well, if you send Jen to the kitchen to make a list, she is going to want a cup of tea, and then remember that she didn't eat lunch and before you know it, the list is long forgotten. So... my rule of thumb is to keep supplies at arm's reach to stay on task! Pockets are also a good idea.

You might be surprised at what you will discover about yourself as you clear the clutter. I have learned or should I say, remembered that photographs are one of my favorite art forms. I have stopped along the way to reframe photographs taken by my family and have created wall collages in my office, in the hallway, and a few other places in the house. My desk and countertops are clear leaving me more space to work. Not only do they bring a smile to my face, but cleaning them is a breeze!

If you aren't using Swiffers yet, try them!!!! Another favorite staple of mine is "earthquake putty." I put a little dab on one back corner of each picture frame. The picture frames are stable which adds to the sense of order and calm.

I am heading back to the garage now and will let you know what else I discover.

Hallways, Entryways, & Alleyways...when the cat has her ears flicking backwards, best you pay attention!

I have a cat named Gabby who prefers that the house be calm and orderly. So you can imagine how disruptive the process of clearing and decluttering is for her.

My office is now a beautiful, organized space and Gabby is lounging near the window...content! Not so yesterday!! What I no longer wanted in my office work space had accumulated in the hallway and down the stairs into the entryway.

My task or should I say, my priority yesterday was to make sense of the piles, and then move them out of those walkways or out of the house if possible. Every time I passed Gabby I knew there was more work to do since her ears are a telltale sign of disapproval.

Today she is happy and I can walk through the house without tripping over anything but my own feet. The entry is as it should be to suit me...shoes, a key basket and a few things to take on my errands. The hallway is open and ready for the next project. Sorry Gabby...I am not finished with the house, but for now, it feels calm and orderly, just the way we like it!

Stuck for ideas on sharing unwanted or no longer needed items? Here are two of my favorites.

   1. AMVETS-will pick up household items that can be lifted by one person               Call-1-877-990-VETS or check out www.teamvets.com

   2. Carmel Mountain Vision Care-collects usable, discarded eyewear for Lions Club Optometrics 9320 Carmel Mountain Rd., Suite E, San Diego, CA 92129  (858) 484-1500 

Office and Workspace...take a break, then finish strong

I have been immersed in my office off and on for a few weeks now so, I took a little break, treated myself to an iced tea and read for awhile. I also, spent 3 days watching my beautiful daughter dance, but more on that later.

Today there are files to sort, and a lovely roll top desk to sort through. Deciding which files to keep and which to shred is clear to me. Keep 7 years for tax purposes, keep business records longer, keep references that are still relevant. Yes, that means the textbooks from 1978 are probably obsolete and unless they bring you joy or amusement as a decoration, are taking up valuable real estate in your office.

I am looking at a stack of books, all pediatric references and still after all these years cannot part with Whaley and Wong's "Nursing Care of Infants and Children," after, dare I admit it, 33 years. Is it relevant? There are fundamentals that do not change, but honestly, my reason for keeping this book in sight is simple. This book makes me smile.

My own pediatric nursing knowledge base and experience began with this book but certainly doesn't end with it...a good thing to remember. As for the remaining books, references and fiction alike, I plan to read them, well at least some of them, then keep or share them in the next year. A book a week to read or review is 52 books in a year.

The less time I spend looking for things and cleaning around clutter, the more time I have for my secret passion for books. I see a win win situation beginning to bloom! I can tell you that Nora Robert's 2nd book in The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy is at the top of my list for May. I have a not so secret love for bed and breakfast inns. So a story describing the transformation of a beautiful old building complete with its own ghost is right up my alley! Is it May yet?!!

Last year, I made room for an old, soft arm chair where I can relax. It is covered with a lovely, washable quilt and ties together the eclectic color palette in this room. Even references and business related reading is more enjoyable when you are sitting in a comfy chair. Parker, my bichon, agrees with me and keeps me company from that very spot while I work.

An oversized desk, a work table and a big chair in a small space may sound a little too cozy for some people, but as the items that have no use in this room are removed space opens up for what I truly need. And, it is becoming a space that is working for me.

Kitchen...leaning in a new direction

Before you ask, I have not finished recreating my office space, because a new need presented itself. So I took a little detour and found myself in the kitchen.

I suspect most of us find this room particularly challenging. I did not intend to work on this room yet. Gadgets alone can be overwhelming. But while making dinner a few weeks ago, I overheard Ellen Degeneres speaking with Kathy Freston about her new book, "The Lean." I admit I was intrigued, stopped what I was doing to look for it on the web and ordered it there and then. It arrived in the mail a few days later...you have got to love internet shopping, and I have been reading a chapter a day ever since.

You may be asking yourself what does this have to do with creating spaces in your home and to uncluttering? Everything! I am learning, at least for myself, my health and happiness are not in a neat and tidy little box either. I needed to take inventory of the food in my kitchen and make some adjustments to follow this eating plan that is really more of a series of adjustments.

So at least for this week, the changes that I made in the kitchen were food related. Checking expiration dates and freshness of ingredients, replacing empty containers with healthy grains and keeping the fruit bowl full have kept me from reaching for the unhealthier choices that have beckoned me in the past.

If you have considered vegetarian or vegan eating, Freston's book is sensible and easy to follow. The pantry is in order, at least for now, and I am "leaning" in a new direction.