Category Archives: cleaning

Off balance

Posted on by
4

My tag line says “Finding the right balance between life and clutter.”  I’m off balance.

We observed Columbus Day yesterday so I was home.  (Thanks, Chris.)  I so desperately wanted to post at least one tutorial, clean off the kitchen island, organize my current knitting corner.  I failed at all attempts.  I did wash my car and motorcycle.

My Garter Stitch bag is complete except for the straps (I-cord takes me a long time to do) and the lining.  I’m still debating on the fabric.  I tried to make a tutorial on lining this bag and spent far too much time failing redeveloping my idea.  I’m about halfway done on the first one.

I also worked on the travel case for electronic chargers tutorial that I promised months ago.  The text is written but inserting the photos is challenging.  Plus I still need someone to test it for me. 

Nothing was working out.

I’m off balance.

It’s that time of year when I start to feel overwhelmed with clutter.  I try to declutter but it never seems like I’m doing enough.  I’m constantly being pulled between what I want to do and what I should do.

I want to:

  • knit
  • sew
  • paint
  • make Christmas ornaments
  • redecorate
  • repaint the family room, kitchen, guest room #2, three bathrooms, the master bedroom
  • buy and install a closet organizer
  • get crown molding in the living and dining rooms
  • hire someone to make my craft room
  • display my mother’s dishes that are still in boxes from 2007

I need to do:

  • vacuum
  • laundry – it’s the putting away that drags me down
  • dust
  • iron Mr. Aitch’s shirts
  • cook
  • wash dishes – somethings just have to be washed by hand
  • find the right piece of furniture to display my mother’s dishes
  • organize my craft stuff: yarns, wood, paints, fabric, threads, paper, glue, beads

I don’t want to do but have to do:

  • file papers – seriously I have 4 file boxes of papers that need filed
  • clean out the closets – will I ever get back into those size X suits?  Will they still be in style?
  • clean out the pantry
  • clean out the basement – full of stuff I “might” need
  • Get. Rid. Of. Stuff. Tied. To. Emotions.

That list is what gets me overwhelmed.  I was reading Laurie Perry’s (Crazy Aunt Purl) post from last week and can really relate to her decluttering mind-set. Defcon 1, 2, 3.

I am a crafter and I keep things that I can use.  Is it ok to keep these things as long as I organize them?  A place for everything and everything in its place?

Can I tackle/declutter one drawer, shelf, flat surface, box, or pile and do it for 15 minutes a day?  Can I commit to this every day?

Weekend update and WIP Wednesday

Posted on by
1

Last weekend was busy.  Friends were in from Kentucky for a wedding.  It was so nice to see them.  We all had a great time.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a picture of us.

On Sunday Mr. Aitch played in a concert during our local Heritage Days Festival.  It was touch and go at first whether or not they would play as it started to rain about 15 minutes before the outside performance.  But the rain was over as quickly as it came and “the band played on”.

This lady was dressed in a beautiful red and black flowered hoop-skirted dress.  She carried a chip basket with her parasol and digital camera.  The parasol was not hand-made lace but was still very pretty.

No knitting to share other than a swiffer cover (and no one wants to see that!) and a secret  project (you’ll just have to wait) but a lot of other things are still in progress.  I spent my day off on Monday working on the mystery painting project (I will share that when I’m finished), running errands, and getting the oil changed in my car. 

I’m leaving for parts north after work to help with another WIP.   It’s my daughter’s house.

A few months ago the plaster ceiling in their living room started to detach itself from the joists. 

They were afraid the ceiling would fall while they were at work so they propped it up with an IKEA lamp.

They started removing the sagging parts and the more they took down, the more other parts began to sag.  They got a few estimates for the repair and it was an all-or-nothing kind of repair.  They decided they could save a lot of money by doing the demo themselves.

The ceiling is now replaced and I’m going to their house after work tonight to help paint tomorrow and Friday.  Mr. Aitch was going to help as well but he has other obligations.

I’ll need something simple to knit so I’m taking some cotton yarn for more swiffer covers.   There’s a bath mitt pattern on one of the ball bands that just might make bath time easier with the twins.  Or maybe they’d like a leafy washcloth…

Summer hours 2011

Posted on by
4

This week we started Summer Hours.  That means we have the option to work four 10-hour days though not everyone in our office takes advantage of this.   We either work Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday.  Some have sitter issues, some don’t want to work two extra hours a day for one day off, some just don’t like change.

Me?  I’m all for saving 1.5 gallons of gas a week but mostly I like having a 3-day weekend every week.  This ends up being an extra 13 days off and all I have to do is go to work one hour earlier and stay one hour later for 52 days.  Seems like a good deal to me.

So on Monday I painted (details when I’m finished), met with my financial advisor, cleaned the guest room and bath for our visitors this weekend (Hi Leah!), installed a cordless window blind in the guest room, washed rugs and my swiffer covers, knit another swiffer cover and another Leafy Washcloth.

Dolphins

Posted on by
5

Not much knitting is going on.  We’ll have a house full of people this coming weekend so I’m down to panic cleaning and decluttering.  I have to make a list of everything that needs done so I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.  I can get easily distracted and it keeps me on task, too.

I’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts lately and I thought that joining in with Cindy and her Smoosh Camp 2011 would help get me out of that funk.  I’m not as detailed as Cindy is.  I’m just trying to move more and watch what I put in my mouth.  After all exercise reduces stress, improves sleep, boosts self-esteem, plus it releases dolphins that make you feel better.  Or is it endorphins?  =)

The first week I managed to walk one lap around our building each day during lunch.  It was cool but not raining.

Last week it rained every day so I didn’t get to do my lunchtime walk. That  Monday I did some exercises while sitting at my desk.  The rest of the week was a bust.

This is a new week.  Yesterday I did two laps and expanded my route.  The assistant director asked if I was going to do my lap at lunchtime so he went along with me.  The second lap was his idea and it was good.  I didn’t get that sleepy feeling around 2:00 even though I didn’t get a very good night’s sleep the night before.  In fact I felt great the rest of the day.

Maybe there is something about those dolphins after all.