Clutterfat Challenge

I've been thinking for quite awhile I need to not just declutter but to simplify my life. Get rid of a lot of stuff that I just no longer feel the need to have but is still taking up space in my house and in my mind. I've worked at it some, but the problem is if you don't keep at it, the clutter just grows.

So yesterday in my blog reading, I came across the Clutterfat Challenge through Zen Habits. So I signed up. The challenge is to declutter your home in 30 days. Even if I don't get the whole house decluttered in that time, at least I've got a plan, or at least that's my idea. (Jan. 7 was the last day to sign up for the challenge, but really, I see no reason why someone couldn't do it without registering. Just print off the inventory and go "like" the Facebook page if you want to join in).

So this weekend, I've started on the inventory list. I've gotten through the kitchen so far (I'm counting kitchen/dining as one room because that's just how my house is), and one thing became clear pretty quick: I have way too many mugs for one person. And utensils. I didn't even count all the utensils, really, but I'll certainly be taking a look at everything and if I haven't used it on a regular basis in the last few months or don't even know what it is, in a box for the thrift store it goes.

The inventory is a before and after, and part of it is to take pictures. So, without shame, here's my before pictures of the kitchen/dining area of my home. It WILL look better 30 days from now.

Draw of utensils I don't use very often. The BBQ ones are about all I use.
More utensils. Some of these I do use fairly regularly. But there's some knives and stuff in there I didn't even realize were there. Mom, if you want any of this stuff, you better come get it!
Countertop to left of sink. Some used, some not.
Countertop to right of sink. I do use these pretty regularly.
Cupboard above right of the sink. Most of the mugs are in the dishwasher (no, I'm not showing you that!)
I have an office area in a breakfast nook addition to the house. This area is in desperate need of decluttering.
This is probably the worst. Boxes of old documents that are destined for the next "free shred" day in our area. I can probably add to them before that.
Yeah.

I need to decide what to do here. I'd like to put in a tall cabinet for a pantry ideally.

If I can get just these rooms totally decluttered in 30 days, that will satisfy me, really. Then I can just use the same method to tackle each room. If that's the case, then within 5 months the house would be done. Of course, that's not counting the garage. Sigh.

Rain barrel

Rain barrel
Originally uploaded by junogle.

I'm just a little ticked that it's been an unusually rainy July, and I missed out on a lot of rain. But two barrels wouldn't have held that much compared to what we got, anyway.

Isn't supposed to rain for a couple more days, so we'll see what happens. Next time, I think I have a better idea of what all I need to do. Two down, three to go. And then I can start connecting overflow barrels!

I've also added a few garden photos to my Flickr account, and there's a set to go with my new blog I started at the newspaper, "Live in yourTown." Check 'em out.

Plan for the day

Since I'm carless, I guess I'll stick with the cleaning plan for today. I'll finish up the kitchen/dining area (which turned into kind of an impromptu home improvement project. I now have a nicer workspace for my computer. More on that later). Of course, I woke up this morning to find SOMEONE had tracked muddy pawprints from the back door all the way into the living room. Wonder who that could be, Buster?

I decided not to move my dining table back into the dining area. It's just not that big a space and the table was just becoming a collection site for junk anyway. Having a work space is more important to me, really. So now Buster has plenty of room to get his food and water dishes without having to maneuver around my chair if I'm working on the computer. And I moved my little beverage fridge in there from the utility room, where it will be handier to get to.

So I'l finish up cleaning in here, maybe get the countertops all nice and clean, too, and then start on the utility room. Mainly that's just going to be getting the junk off the top of the dryer to wherever it should go, but I should probably give the dryer a good cleaning too, get all the lint out of it.

Once that's done, I'll get started on the other bedroom, so my brother will have a nice, clean room to stay in while he's here next week. Maybe a little weeding in the yard if it's not too hot, and that should about cover my day.

Success!

We have a dog door! Dad and I got the door put in today. It's probably not as good a job as a pro would have done, but we got it done. One thing I found out: Don't assume your door is a solid-wood door just because it looks that way on the edge. Yep, my door is solid ... foam. Obviously, it made the job a lot easier than I thought it would be. And I definately couldn't have done it without Dad's help (BIG thanks, Dad!).

Now the task is getting Buster used to the idea he can go out whenever he wants. He was a bit scared of it at first, it seemed. He would only go through it if I held the flap out of the way (and some treats helped). But when I got home from the hotline tonight, he came out to greet me! He needed a bit of encouragement to come out through the door, but he did it without me holding the flap out of his way. I made him come in using the door, and he needed a bit more encouragement to do that. But he did, he got lots of loving and playing with his favorite squeaky toy! And as I've been sitting here at the computer, he keeps going to the door and sticking his head out, as if he's just checking what's going on in the yard. I'm sure he'll get the idea eventually. But life's going to be easier now, not having to run home on my long work days to let him out.

Snow day

Well, a half day, at least. When I woke up this morning, there was already about 3 inches covering the ground. The snow wasn't as heavy in the town where I work, but it kept up all day (and blowing), and when I got home about 1:30 this afternoon, there was probably about 7 inches on the ground here. I had scooped a path on the back patio to the garage before I left for work, and when I got home, you couldn't tell I'd done that.

Before I got settled in and cozy inside, I scooped paths in back and up front, not that you can tell now, and decided to put out some more birdseed. The birds did not want to leave the feeders, though, and one little female finch wouldn't get off the thistle feeder until I nudged her a few times with my finger! I've gotten within a couple feet of the feeders before they fly off sometimes, but never have I ever been able to walk right up to the feeder, let alone touch a wild bird!

I tried my mom's chili recipe for the first time today (after she FINALLY she gave me the recipe). I browned the meat Sunday and tossed it and the other ingredients in the slowcooker this morning. It tasted just as good as when she makes it, I thought, but I'll take some to Dad tomorrow (after the snow dies down) and see if he thinks it's just as good as what he calls Mom's "damn good chili." I filled up on that and cornbread muffins this afternoon, and had popcorn for dinner. Hey, it's a snow day, I can indulge!

Looks like I need to get a dog door in pronto. Mom is off on her next adventure, so Buster has some long days by himself when I'm working the hotline on a weekday. I hate leaving him alone, but I thought I could wait until spring to put in a dog door (since you're supposed to take the door off its hinges to install one) and in the meantime, Dad could come over and let him out on those long days.

Buster's timid around strangers, especially men, but I thought he was used to Dad by now and would be OK. We tried it Sunday, when I worked an 8-hour shift on the hotline, but Dad said Buster would not go out for him. He greeted Dad at the door, but went right into my bedroom and wouldn't come out. So I guess Operation Dog Door gets moved up. It's supposed to warm up toward the weekend, so maybe I can get something done soon.

I fixed my shower door! One of the rollers had come out on one of the sliding doors last week, so I have just kind of avoided using it. Once I got a look at it today, though, and saw what needed to be done, it didn't take very long. It was simple, but I'm kind of proud of myself and feeling all handy. Not that I'm going to go put in a dog door right now or anything.

Getting more done!

I got in a changing mood yesterday, and made some plans to rearrange the dining nook area. I had to work Saturday, so planning was about all I did. But after taking 10 minutes to read the Sunday paper (hey, I had to put the thing together, you think I'm going to actually read it?) I set out on the plan. And no, Mom, this is not the surprise project I'm working on. I think you might like the new arrangement, though. No more having to dodge around cords and legs and feet when we're both seated in there. It seems roomier now. I even hung up a few things on the wall. Not to mentioned vacuumed and swept -- which was needed in all the nooks and crannies.

I went in this afternoon and evening for a bit more training on the second job and met the third hotline assistant. It's a bit overwhelming, all the stuff you have to remember. I guess as long as I get the right people called so the clients can get their help, that's what matters. But then all the calls have to be logged into the computer, and it got a bit confusing knowing whose name to put where ... once I get a night or two under my belt, I'm sure I'll do OK. It's the beginning and not knowing much that has me concerned. They seem like pretty nice people, though, so even if I screw something up, it probably won't be too bad.

I keep dreaming about what to with the extra money, once I pay off a couple debts, do some Christmas shopping and put some in the bank for a rainy day, of course. I'd like to work some more on the kitchen. That all started with the broken faucet. It's one of those pull-out sprayer faucets. It developed a leak and water would drip down the sprayer hose into the cabinet below, and then it developed a crack right on top that shoots out water that gets all over the counter if you hold the faucet wrong. So I originally just wanted to replace that. But then the sink doesn't look all that great. And the countertops and backsplash? Cheap and UGLY. So I went to Home Depot a couple weeks ago and just out of curiosity, did some pricing. And of course, I kept finding more and more I could do -- there was a cabinet unit that would make a nice pantry right where there's room, and it'd be nice to dump the computer table for a built-in workstation ... I should stay out of Home Depot. Good thing I'm pretty happy with the bathroom. Except that faucet needs replacing ...