Your trash is quite attractive to animals and can pose a health hazard for them. Taking small steps like rinsing food residue and crushing cans can help. The Humane Society of the United States has this on their website:
Don't Trash Wildlife: Proper Disposal Can Save Animals' Lives
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Date your spices
Did you know spices lose their flavor over time? I've read that spices should be purged after anywhere from 6 months to 4 years. I haven't used them very quickly in the past because I haven't cooked much (but that is changing this year! Stay tuned for my adventures in learning to cook!). What I have started doing is using a Sharpie that I keep in my kitchen and putting the date purchased on the bottom of the jar. Now I'll know when to get rid of a spice.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
One of a few of our bad contractor experiences
I wanted to share this story for several reasons. First, many people have had bad contractor experiences, so I want to add mine to the pot. Second, this experience is one of the main reasons my house still looks like a wreck 2+ years after we bought it. This contractor will factor into much of my home improvement writing.
We purchased our house in December 2005 and it was not only run down but it had been "improved" by previous owners. They never got building permits and succeeded in making a mess of the electric and plumbing. We had mold, asbestos, termites, water damage, massive amounts of junk and general filth. But the place was in good condition structurally and in a location that couldn't be beat. We swooped in and bought it and set about making it nice.
I acted as general contractor because we didn't want to trust the whole job to someone we had never worked with (there are just too many horror stories out there). I also wanted control of the project and we didn't want to pay the contractor's markup. In spite of what many people think about being your own general contractor, this was a good decision that has worked out well for us.
At one point, I had a bunch of work that was too small to parcel out easily so I sought to hire a general contractor for that specific bunch of work. I interviewed several, and picked one. I checked his references, called his prior employer of 7 years, checked his license, insurance and the Better Business Bureau. He seemed smart and personable, and had a few good ideas before I even hired him.
He started in March of 2006 for what should have been 6 weeks of work. We scheduled our move date for late May, since he should have been done early May. He got so far behind so quickly that the day of our move, we had no running water and moved in with only a toilet. It was two more weeks before we even had a bathtub, and during that time we went daily to the local swim club for showers and drank bottled water.
Things deteriorated worse over the summer. He ran out of money and had to fire his crew. Anyone who has ever done home improvement knows that 2 people are more than twice as fast as one, so this really slowed him down. In the fall, he announced he had to roll off the job full-time because his personal finances were in bad shape because of this job. He promised to come one full day a week until the job was done. That lasted a week. In December, we finally fired him, and fortunately came out fine on the money because I refused to pay him until the pre-established benchmarks had been hit.
This delay of 7+ months will probably cost us years on the project because of how he left things. He had a habit of starting something, scattering the parts throughout the house and then starting something else the next day. He ripped an exterior door threshold out in April and never replaced it leaving a large gap under the door. Thank goodness we never saw a rodent in the house! We also had a large hole in the bathroom floor down to the dirt. Nice.
Anyway, lots of my future home improvement writing will include this guy, known as our "prior incompetent contractor" or PIC. What I learned from this is that no matter how much due diligence you put in, you can still get burned. There is really no way to know what you are getting before you hire someone. I spent a lot of time researching how to hire contractors, and to this day I haven't found anything I missed. One rule that saved me and that I will never violate is having a payment schedule tied to progress benchmarks, not time. In other words, have the contractor specify in the written contract the order in which tasks will be completed and which task completions will generate a progress payment. I would never accept a contract that pays someone by time - for example after 3 days.
We purchased our house in December 2005 and it was not only run down but it had been "improved" by previous owners. They never got building permits and succeeded in making a mess of the electric and plumbing. We had mold, asbestos, termites, water damage, massive amounts of junk and general filth. But the place was in good condition structurally and in a location that couldn't be beat. We swooped in and bought it and set about making it nice.
I acted as general contractor because we didn't want to trust the whole job to someone we had never worked with (there are just too many horror stories out there). I also wanted control of the project and we didn't want to pay the contractor's markup. In spite of what many people think about being your own general contractor, this was a good decision that has worked out well for us.
At one point, I had a bunch of work that was too small to parcel out easily so I sought to hire a general contractor for that specific bunch of work. I interviewed several, and picked one. I checked his references, called his prior employer of 7 years, checked his license, insurance and the Better Business Bureau. He seemed smart and personable, and had a few good ideas before I even hired him.
He started in March of 2006 for what should have been 6 weeks of work. We scheduled our move date for late May, since he should have been done early May. He got so far behind so quickly that the day of our move, we had no running water and moved in with only a toilet. It was two more weeks before we even had a bathtub, and during that time we went daily to the local swim club for showers and drank bottled water.
Things deteriorated worse over the summer. He ran out of money and had to fire his crew. Anyone who has ever done home improvement knows that 2 people are more than twice as fast as one, so this really slowed him down. In the fall, he announced he had to roll off the job full-time because his personal finances were in bad shape because of this job. He promised to come one full day a week until the job was done. That lasted a week. In December, we finally fired him, and fortunately came out fine on the money because I refused to pay him until the pre-established benchmarks had been hit.
This delay of 7+ months will probably cost us years on the project because of how he left things. He had a habit of starting something, scattering the parts throughout the house and then starting something else the next day. He ripped an exterior door threshold out in April and never replaced it leaving a large gap under the door. Thank goodness we never saw a rodent in the house! We also had a large hole in the bathroom floor down to the dirt. Nice.
Anyway, lots of my future home improvement writing will include this guy, known as our "prior incompetent contractor" or PIC. What I learned from this is that no matter how much due diligence you put in, you can still get burned. There is really no way to know what you are getting before you hire someone. I spent a lot of time researching how to hire contractors, and to this day I haven't found anything I missed. One rule that saved me and that I will never violate is having a payment schedule tied to progress benchmarks, not time. In other words, have the contractor specify in the written contract the order in which tasks will be completed and which task completions will generate a progress payment. I would never accept a contract that pays someone by time - for example after 3 days.
Monday, January 28, 2008
I'm grateful for my shoes
I was really moved by this article about Ron Hunter, basketball coach for IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis). He coached a game barefoot to call attention to people in Africa too poor to afford shoes. I loved the simple, understated, and low-cost gesture he used to generate donations for this purpose. I admire him for using his position as a public figure to help others.
What really grabbed me about this is that I was quite happy with the fact that for a woman, I don't have many shoes (at least I thought so before). I have some foot issues, so I make it a point to have supportive shoes on almost all the time (I save the cute ones for special occasions). I thought about the idea of going through life with no shoes - how dry and calloused their feet must be, and how much worse my own foot issues would be. How would that affect me if I had to garden, farm, herd and carry?
It made me extremely grateful for the material wealth I have. In the US we are shown examples of extreme wealth in our media on a daily basis. What I need to be reminded of is how lucky I am to have what I do.
What really grabbed me about this is that I was quite happy with the fact that for a woman, I don't have many shoes (at least I thought so before). I have some foot issues, so I make it a point to have supportive shoes on almost all the time (I save the cute ones for special occasions). I thought about the idea of going through life with no shoes - how dry and calloused their feet must be, and how much worse my own foot issues would be. How would that affect me if I had to garden, farm, herd and carry?
It made me extremely grateful for the material wealth I have. In the US we are shown examples of extreme wealth in our media on a daily basis. What I need to be reminded of is how lucky I am to have what I do.
Friday, January 25, 2008
The right travel gear
The last two days, I've been talking about packing light. I love to pack light, but I need the right gear to do it. For years, I resisted buying nice travel-size bottles for toiletries. It seemed like unnecessary clutter. Why buy bottles just for travel when you can make do without? I hated the idea of buying plastic for just one purpose, and before I buy anything I like to make sure I really need and/or want it. Before anything comes into my space, it has to meet a high standard of being useful.
Well, the reason to buy proper travel containers is that it makes it much easier to pack and travel. Whenever I packed for a trip, I ended up taping, rubberbanding, and generally piecing together my toiletries. By the end of the trip, I'd be searching for that piece of cardboard to keep the lotion pump dispenser from dispensing in my luggage and find it wet or worn out. What a drag! I also often ended up packing a full-size bottle because I couldn't find something in which to put only the amount I needed. I finally broke down a few years ago and invested in small travel bottles and jars (like this from The Container Store or this from Magellan's) or exactly what I needed, and what a difference! You can get travel bottles with a pump top, screw on top or a squeeze top. It makes packing light much faster and easier. I took an extra step and labeled each bottle with my label maker. It's much easier to discern the lotion from the hair conditioner. I only travel a few times a year, so when I get home, I leave the travel bottles in the bathroom, use them up and then wash and store them with my travel gear. If I traveled
frequently, I'd just top them off and be ready to go. While I've only talked about toiletries here, the same theory could be applied to other travel gear like suitcases and day packs.
I love minimalism, and I love being a conscientious consumer. But I learned from this that, sometimes, you do yourself a disservice by taking minimalism to an extreme and denying yourself the right tool for the job. (Interestingly, Monica Ricci posted on a similar topic of "Having the Right Tool for the Job" today.)
Well, the reason to buy proper travel containers is that it makes it much easier to pack and travel. Whenever I packed for a trip, I ended up taping, rubberbanding, and generally piecing together my toiletries. By the end of the trip, I'd be searching for that piece of cardboard to keep the lotion pump dispenser from dispensing in my luggage and find it wet or worn out. What a drag! I also often ended up packing a full-size bottle because I couldn't find something in which to put only the amount I needed. I finally broke down a few years ago and invested in small travel bottles and jars (like this from The Container Store or this from Magellan's) or exactly what I needed, and what a difference! You can get travel bottles with a pump top, screw on top or a squeeze top. It makes packing light much faster and easier. I took an extra step and labeled each bottle with my label maker. It's much easier to discern the lotion from the hair conditioner. I only travel a few times a year, so when I get home, I leave the travel bottles in the bathroom, use them up and then wash and store them with my travel gear. If I traveled
frequently, I'd just top them off and be ready to go. While I've only talked about toiletries here, the same theory could be applied to other travel gear like suitcases and day packs.
I love minimalism, and I love being a conscientious consumer. But I learned from this that, sometimes, you do yourself a disservice by taking minimalism to an extreme and denying yourself the right tool for the job. (Interestingly, Monica Ricci posted on a similar topic of "Having the Right Tool for the Job" today.)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Simplify your wardrobe
Yesterday, I wrote about the perils of packing too much for travel. One of the ways I minimize what I bring is to make sure all my packed shirts and pants match and that all the pieces are "all purpose," meaning they can be worn with each other and easily mix and match. This is fairly easy for me because I choose all my clothes on the same premise. Years ago, I had a friend who was seriously into clothes. At one point, we were looking in her closet and counted 35 black jackets. Yes, that is 35 black jackets, not counting the other color jackets, outdoor jackets or other black clothing. She had a lot of pieces that only went with certain other pieces, as in "I can't wear that top because the shirt that goes under it is at the cleaners" or "that jacket can only be worn with a long skirt and I want to wear flat boots and I don't have a long skirt that goes with flat boots." She loved her clothing hobby, but was enough to make my head spin. Please understand I am not judging her or anyone who likes clothes - she genuinely loved clothes and more so than just owned clothes, she curated her collection with love. If you find this much enjoyment in your clothing, than by all means go for a huge, complex wardrobe.
If you just want to look good and dress with ease, simplify things. For starters, own less. I use the 80-20 rule on my wardrobe. I long ago noticed that I wear 20% of my clothes 80% of the time. I figured if I got rid of the other 80% of my wardrobe, I'd be perfectly dressed 80% of the time and adequately dressed the other 20% of the time. What a relief to get rid of that much stuff. I also use the concept of a "uniform," which means that almost all of the time, I wear some variant on the outfit that looks best and works best on me. My uniform is wide-leg, low waisted, well-fitting pants (khaki's or jeans) and a long fitted tee-shirt, either short or long sleeve depending on the weather. Under the tee, I wear a longer tank top designed for layering. Almost without exception, any 3 pieces can be worn together (even easier than Garanimals!). I wear flat, comfortable shoes which are either clean sneakers, funky looking hiking shoes or stylish "dress" sneakers. That's it, my wardrobe except for rare occasions when I need something else.
One of my key rules is fit. If the rule in real estate is location, location, location, the rule in clothes is fit, fit, fit. It doesn't matter how stylish or trendy something is, if it doesn't fit well it won't look good. I also firmly believe that not every style looks good on every person. No matter how cute a current fashion is, if it doesn't look good on me I don't wear it. I think I look a lot better in my basic, but well-fitting, wardrobe than I would ever look in a high-style but poorly-fitting outfit.
It takes me a while to buy a piece of clothing. When I try clothes on, I stand up, sit down on a chair, sit on the floor, reach up, twist around, pick something up off the ground, bend over, walk around, carry a bag, etc. If at any point, I am pulling, tugging, adjusting, etc. the piece goes back on the rack, period. If I am aware of any snug spots or it gives me a "wedgie," it goes back on the rack. Anything that annoys me after 5 minutes in a dressing room will be super annoying after 8 hours. Be ruthless with this - you'll thank yourself later. Familiarize yourself with good fit - comfortable doesn't have to mean baggy and shapeless. Fitted clothes can be very comfortable if they fit correctly.
What all this means is that when I grab clothes to pack for a trip or dress for the day, I have a limited amount of clothing that (almost) all works together and fits perfectly. With minimal effort, I can put together a variety of outfits and look presentable daily.
If you just want to look good and dress with ease, simplify things. For starters, own less. I use the 80-20 rule on my wardrobe. I long ago noticed that I wear 20% of my clothes 80% of the time. I figured if I got rid of the other 80% of my wardrobe, I'd be perfectly dressed 80% of the time and adequately dressed the other 20% of the time. What a relief to get rid of that much stuff. I also use the concept of a "uniform," which means that almost all of the time, I wear some variant on the outfit that looks best and works best on me. My uniform is wide-leg, low waisted, well-fitting pants (khaki's or jeans) and a long fitted tee-shirt, either short or long sleeve depending on the weather. Under the tee, I wear a longer tank top designed for layering. Almost without exception, any 3 pieces can be worn together (even easier than Garanimals!). I wear flat, comfortable shoes which are either clean sneakers, funky looking hiking shoes or stylish "dress" sneakers. That's it, my wardrobe except for rare occasions when I need something else.
One of my key rules is fit. If the rule in real estate is location, location, location, the rule in clothes is fit, fit, fit. It doesn't matter how stylish or trendy something is, if it doesn't fit well it won't look good. I also firmly believe that not every style looks good on every person. No matter how cute a current fashion is, if it doesn't look good on me I don't wear it. I think I look a lot better in my basic, but well-fitting, wardrobe than I would ever look in a high-style but poorly-fitting outfit.
It takes me a while to buy a piece of clothing. When I try clothes on, I stand up, sit down on a chair, sit on the floor, reach up, twist around, pick something up off the ground, bend over, walk around, carry a bag, etc. If at any point, I am pulling, tugging, adjusting, etc. the piece goes back on the rack, period. If I am aware of any snug spots or it gives me a "wedgie," it goes back on the rack. Anything that annoys me after 5 minutes in a dressing room will be super annoying after 8 hours. Be ruthless with this - you'll thank yourself later. Familiarize yourself with good fit - comfortable doesn't have to mean baggy and shapeless. Fitted clothes can be very comfortable if they fit correctly.
What all this means is that when I grab clothes to pack for a trip or dress for the day, I have a limited amount of clothing that (almost) all works together and fits perfectly. With minimal effort, I can put together a variety of outfits and look presentable daily.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Pack light!
I love to travel light. I was first enlightened about packing light years ago on a trip to Cancun, Mexico. I had tucked a bottle of water into my luggage so I would have it to drink when we arrived. Well, the bottle broke open during the flight, and when I opened my suitcase hours later at the hotel, more than half of what I packed was not wearable. Oh no, seems like my trip would be ruined right? But in fact I found I had plenty to wear and didn't even use all of the wearable clothes. The lesson I learned was worth all the clothes I lost. I've been hooked on traveling light ever since. I haven't checked a bag in years except once when I got dinged on weight, not size, and even went to Europe for two weeks with just carry on luggage. Let me tell you, that was freedom!
Chris and I took Danny (the dog) on a 3-week road trip over the holidays, and due to being exhausted and overly busy, I was not able to pack very well. We ended up packing all day on the day of our departure and we were way overpacked. It was very difficult to fit everything in the car and it got more difficult as the trip went on. We ended up emptying the car completely and repacking it before heading for home. Having so much stuff with us was a big burden and impacted the quality of our trip. Not everything could be concealed in the trunk, so we had to be very careful of "our stuff" and often couldn't be spontaneous and stop and see something for fear of leaving the car. It took hours to leave after every stop and we often couldn't find something we really did need. The stuff was a constant responsibility and irritant.
The moral of the story is this: pack light! It will make your trip better. There are loads of great websites with information on this, and one of my favorites is www.onebag.com.
Chris and I took Danny (the dog) on a 3-week road trip over the holidays, and due to being exhausted and overly busy, I was not able to pack very well. We ended up packing all day on the day of our departure and we were way overpacked. It was very difficult to fit everything in the car and it got more difficult as the trip went on. We ended up emptying the car completely and repacking it before heading for home. Having so much stuff with us was a big burden and impacted the quality of our trip. Not everything could be concealed in the trunk, so we had to be very careful of "our stuff" and often couldn't be spontaneous and stop and see something for fear of leaving the car. It took hours to leave after every stop and we often couldn't find something we really did need. The stuff was a constant responsibility and irritant.
The moral of the story is this: pack light! It will make your trip better. There are loads of great websites with information on this, and one of my favorites is www.onebag.com.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sunchokes!
How is it that a vegan, vegetable-lover like me has never tried these incredible veggies? Also called Jerusalem Artichokes, they are a root vegetable that is similar in crunch, sweetness and moisture to carrot or jicama. I was prepping my big salad for the week, and I ate several right from the container without putting them in the salad. They are very crunchy and good to snack on. I found this information from Texas A&M University. I was curious about the calorie count and according to thecaloriecounter.com, 1 cup has approximately 114 calories. If this seems high, keep in mind that it is for a full cup serving size. Since these are really crunchy, eating a whole cup of raw Sunchokes would be difficult in my opinion. You can cook them, but I didn't try that yet. You can be sure I will though!
The top of the picture shows the whole Sunchoke and the bottom shows 2 cut halves.
The top of the picture shows the whole Sunchoke and the bottom shows 2 cut halves.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Living with Intention
Laura over at Orgjunkie.com had a great post this past Friday on living with intention. She wove this concept expertly through the process decluttering her hair products. She makes several great points in this post, but I love her statement "I want everything in my home to have a purpose or be truly enjoyed."
It seems obvious to me to apply the concept of intention to my life, but I never thought about clearly spelling out intentions for my house. Why do I like clear spaces and organized closets? How do I intend to live in my house? How does organization help me to live that way and create the life my family wants?
What are your intentions for your life inside your home? How do your house and possessions contribute to or undermine your intention?
It seems obvious to me to apply the concept of intention to my life, but I never thought about clearly spelling out intentions for my house. Why do I like clear spaces and organized closets? How do I intend to live in my house? How does organization help me to live that way and create the life my family wants?
What are your intentions for your life inside your home? How do your house and possessions contribute to or undermine your intention?
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A thought-provoking comic strip
There are only 2 comic strips I have to read every day, and Frazz by Jef Mallett is one of them. There is a lot to like in this comic besides the fact that it is funny and clever. The main character, Edwin Frazier or "Frazz," is not only the janitor of Bryson Elementary, but also the smartest guy there. I love the lesson in that alone - don't overlook what someone has to offer because of something superficial like their job. The funny thing about Frazz is that he could have left the job after selling some of songs he's written but has decided to stay.
One of my favorite things about this character is that his priorities are very straight. He is a janitor so that he can live the life he wants - no stress, no overtime, lots of freedom to pursue his passions, rides his bike to work, plays a role in the lives of the kids, etc. He values experience and quality of life over things. He watches little TV and loves active hobbies, music and intellectual conversations. He's a guy I'd like to emulate!
One of my favorite things about this character is that his priorities are very straight. He is a janitor so that he can live the life he wants - no stress, no overtime, lots of freedom to pursue his passions, rides his bike to work, plays a role in the lives of the kids, etc. He values experience and quality of life over things. He watches little TV and loves active hobbies, music and intellectual conversations. He's a guy I'd like to emulate!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
elfa sale at The Container Store
My absolute favorite closet system is the elfa system sold by The Container Store (my favorite store). Our house was built as basic housing for working class people in the 1950's, so by today's standards we have very little storage. I've had to use closet systems to max out the storage we do have. When I got ready to do the first closet in the house, I priced and researched several systems and choose elfa for a number of reasons.
First and foremost is price. This system is less than some comparable systems I priced by a factor of 10 (e.g. take the competitor's price and remove a zero). That's huge! When I examined some bargain options, the quality and flexibility weren't as high. Once you factor in the 30% off sale, the price is quite competitive. Second, the product is very high quality. The parts are metal and wood (with a few small insignificant parts made of plastic), which give the system a solid feel and good functioning. The pieces stay together well and the system stays plumb and level after use. Third, this system is very easy to install. The top rail does NOT need to be anchored to the stud - you just draw a level line, drill your holes (at the size specified in the instructions) and screw the anchors through the rail. Once the top rail is hung, everything else hangs from it. Fourth, the system is very flexible. You can change and reconfigure as your needs change. I've done all the elfa in the house in the same colors so all the parts are interchangeable.
Fifth, and not least, is the great sales experience. I've worked with several elfa design consultants at my local Container Store and they are great! They are all highly trained, and they can solve any closet problem I've thrown at them. They are pleasant, knowledgeable and professional. The store has a great software program that lets you bring your parameters in and you and the design consultant can do a design on-screen in real time. It's easy to move things around, change your mind and compare options. The program computes the cost and parts list in real time, so you can see what each change will cost. The consultants are good at suggesting low pain ways to stay in your budget. Once your order is complete, the consultant rings you up on the spot (no need to wait at the register), and issues you a pager. You can wander the store and even go to neighboring stores while your order is pulled and checked against your plan with a scanner. They offer carryout service to your car, and send you home with detailed, very well written instructions and several views of you plan (top and front).
They really make it easy to buy. I've gone in to the store with no idea how to make it all work and walked out with a great plan. So, don't be intimidated - why not organize a closet today?
If you decide to trick out your closet in elfa, here are some things I've learned. The more information you go in with, the better your design will be.
Before going to the store, measure the closet in all dimensions (width, depth, height). Measure the return walls (walls to the left and right that you can reach behind), and height of the opening. Measure your doors and note how they open (side to side, accordion, hinged, etc) and how many doors you have.
Measure what you know you want in the closet. For example, how many inches of hanging bar for shirts? Are they men's or ladies' shirts (will effect length). How much long hanging space do you need? How many pairs of shoes? Other items such as boxes, books, etc. Information on how to prepare is on the elfa page.
First and foremost is price. This system is less than some comparable systems I priced by a factor of 10 (e.g. take the competitor's price and remove a zero). That's huge! When I examined some bargain options, the quality and flexibility weren't as high. Once you factor in the 30% off sale, the price is quite competitive. Second, the product is very high quality. The parts are metal and wood (with a few small insignificant parts made of plastic), which give the system a solid feel and good functioning. The pieces stay together well and the system stays plumb and level after use. Third, this system is very easy to install. The top rail does NOT need to be anchored to the stud - you just draw a level line, drill your holes (at the size specified in the instructions) and screw the anchors through the rail. Once the top rail is hung, everything else hangs from it. Fourth, the system is very flexible. You can change and reconfigure as your needs change. I've done all the elfa in the house in the same colors so all the parts are interchangeable.
Fifth, and not least, is the great sales experience. I've worked with several elfa design consultants at my local Container Store and they are great! They are all highly trained, and they can solve any closet problem I've thrown at them. They are pleasant, knowledgeable and professional. The store has a great software program that lets you bring your parameters in and you and the design consultant can do a design on-screen in real time. It's easy to move things around, change your mind and compare options. The program computes the cost and parts list in real time, so you can see what each change will cost. The consultants are good at suggesting low pain ways to stay in your budget. Once your order is complete, the consultant rings you up on the spot (no need to wait at the register), and issues you a pager. You can wander the store and even go to neighboring stores while your order is pulled and checked against your plan with a scanner. They offer carryout service to your car, and send you home with detailed, very well written instructions and several views of you plan (top and front).
They really make it easy to buy. I've gone in to the store with no idea how to make it all work and walked out with a great plan. So, don't be intimidated - why not organize a closet today?
If you decide to trick out your closet in elfa, here are some things I've learned. The more information you go in with, the better your design will be.
Before going to the store, measure the closet in all dimensions (width, depth, height). Measure the return walls (walls to the left and right that you can reach behind), and height of the opening. Measure your doors and note how they open (side to side, accordion, hinged, etc) and how many doors you have.
Measure what you know you want in the closet. For example, how many inches of hanging bar for shirts? Are they men's or ladies' shirts (will effect length). How much long hanging space do you need? How many pairs of shoes? Other items such as boxes, books, etc. Information on how to prepare is on the elfa page.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Multiple cutting boards
As much as I try to avoid clutter and write about it's evils, it may sound odd that I suggest keeping multiple cutting boards in the kitchen. In keeping with my principle of pared down possessions, I used to have only one, large, all-purpose cutting board (note my kitchen is vegan, so there is no meat contamination issue). Since there are only two of us, the dishwasher only gets run 2-3 times per week so I often had to wash my cutting board by hand or not have one for a day or two.
I now keep several small cutting boards in the kitchen. I rarely need a big one, so the small ones work well and by having several, I always have at least one clean one. I love the concept of minimal possessions, but sometimes it pays to have multiples. If you actually use something, it's not clutter.
I now keep several small cutting boards in the kitchen. I rarely need a big one, so the small ones work well and by having several, I always have at least one clean one. I love the concept of minimal possessions, but sometimes it pays to have multiples. If you actually use something, it's not clutter.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Declutter one thing a day - sheet set
As I mentioned, I make it a goal to declutter something every day (read about it here). A lot of people declutter periodically, but I find it much more fulfilling to make it a way of life. As odd as it may sound, I get a lift from decluttering so I like to do often. Yesterday's item was a set of bed sheets. The fitted sheet had worn out so bad there were holes and it was see-through. I threw out the fitted sheet, and packaged and labeled the 2 pillow cases to donate the Goodwill.
I used the top sheet on our bed. Because we live in a warm climate, I have a light quilt on the bed that is great all year except in hottest days of summer or coldest days of winter. We had a heavier quilt and it was just too warm. I decided to put the top sheet on the bed over the existing top sheet and under the light quilt to just add one small layer. It worked perfectly! It added just enough extra warmth and made for a great night's sleep (these sheets are a "t-shirt" material). I like the way this disposal worked out - what needed to be trashed was trashed, what could be donate was, and the remainder was reused.
Every time declutter something, I like to diagnose the clutter and ask the all important question of "How did this clutter arise?" I hope to learn my clutter patterns and pinpoint causes and avoid them. So,
Why did I have these worn out sheets? Well, I used to have two sets of sheets - one on the bed and one in the wash. When this set began to wear out, I didn't replace them because we plan to buy a bigger bed in the near future. I kept them in case I wanted to change the sheets without washing them first. As it turns out, we haven't needed these sheets in well over a year. I just wash and re-make the bed all in one day and it works great. This set had been up high in the closet and I just hadn't gone through that shelf in a while. Again, lack of time seems to cause clutter in my life.
I used the top sheet on our bed. Because we live in a warm climate, I have a light quilt on the bed that is great all year except in hottest days of summer or coldest days of winter. We had a heavier quilt and it was just too warm. I decided to put the top sheet on the bed over the existing top sheet and under the light quilt to just add one small layer. It worked perfectly! It added just enough extra warmth and made for a great night's sleep (these sheets are a "t-shirt" material). I like the way this disposal worked out - what needed to be trashed was trashed, what could be donate was, and the remainder was reused.
Every time declutter something, I like to diagnose the clutter and ask the all important question of "How did this clutter arise?" I hope to learn my clutter patterns and pinpoint causes and avoid them. So,
Why did I have these worn out sheets? Well, I used to have two sets of sheets - one on the bed and one in the wash. When this set began to wear out, I didn't replace them because we plan to buy a bigger bed in the near future. I kept them in case I wanted to change the sheets without washing them first. As it turns out, we haven't needed these sheets in well over a year. I just wash and re-make the bed all in one day and it works great. This set had been up high in the closet and I just hadn't gone through that shelf in a while. Again, lack of time seems to cause clutter in my life.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Reading with Scissors
One of my favorite tips for productivity and decluttering is reading with scissors. Whenever I read a magazine or newspaper, I have scissors nearby. I have several pairs stashed throughout the house in the various places in which I might read. When I see something of interest, I clip it on the spot so I don't end up going back through the magazine trying to remember what it was I wanted to clip. This follows the principle of handle paper once, a rule many organizers and productivity experts promote. This simple rule also saves me from keeping the entire magazine for one small item of interest.
What do I do with the things I clip? First and foremost, I limit them. Before clipping anything, think carefully about it..... will I actually act on this or am I just fooling myself? Will I really make this 35-ingredient recipe from a top French chef, or will it sit in a clutter pile forever? Will I send this cartoon to {fill in name} anytime in the next few months, or will I find it years from now when I am cleaning a clutter stash?
Here are some of the things I tend to clip, and what I do with them:
Recipes: After determining that there is actually a good chance I will make the recipe, it goes in my recipe file. This is the file I look through every week when I am planning my cooking for the week. Once I have tried a recipe and liked it, I paste it into my spiral-bound notebook of recipes along with the date I made it and any comments that would help next time. If we didn't like it, the recipe goes into the trash.
Useful information: If it doesn't have another place, for example in my "topics to write about" folder and I can't just bookmark a website, I put it in a 3-ring binder reserved for this purpose. This is a 3-ring binder filled with page protectors that holds my items of miscellaneous interest. What is noteworthy about this system is that I limit myself to one binder. That way, I have an automatic limit on how much of this kind of stuff I can keep. This is an important clutter control principle - for things that tend to accumulate, put a physical limit in place. Once this binder is full, I purge it to make room for new things. Usually by the time I need a purge, much of what's in there can go. This has worked really well for me.
Websites to visit, offers to send for, things to buy, places to try: These are "action" items that go into the appropriate place, which is usually my mail drawer. This way when I process the mail every few days I can see the item and take action on it.
I hope these suggestions have helped you to conquer your magazine and newspaper clutter. There's no reason to save an entire magazine or newspaper for one article. One final thought - What to do with those old magazines other than recycle them?
If they are not cut up, offer them by the bagful on freecycle or to a local non-profit such as an adult day center or homeless services agency. If they are cut up, you may still get takers who can use them for collage or other art projects.
What do I do with the things I clip? First and foremost, I limit them. Before clipping anything, think carefully about it..... will I actually act on this or am I just fooling myself? Will I really make this 35-ingredient recipe from a top French chef, or will it sit in a clutter pile forever? Will I send this cartoon to {fill in name} anytime in the next few months, or will I find it years from now when I am cleaning a clutter stash?
Here are some of the things I tend to clip, and what I do with them:
Recipes: After determining that there is actually a good chance I will make the recipe, it goes in my recipe file. This is the file I look through every week when I am planning my cooking for the week. Once I have tried a recipe and liked it, I paste it into my spiral-bound notebook of recipes along with the date I made it and any comments that would help next time. If we didn't like it, the recipe goes into the trash.
Useful information: If it doesn't have another place, for example in my "topics to write about" folder and I can't just bookmark a website, I put it in a 3-ring binder reserved for this purpose. This is a 3-ring binder filled with page protectors that holds my items of miscellaneous interest. What is noteworthy about this system is that I limit myself to one binder. That way, I have an automatic limit on how much of this kind of stuff I can keep. This is an important clutter control principle - for things that tend to accumulate, put a physical limit in place. Once this binder is full, I purge it to make room for new things. Usually by the time I need a purge, much of what's in there can go. This has worked really well for me.
Websites to visit, offers to send for, things to buy, places to try: These are "action" items that go into the appropriate place, which is usually my mail drawer. This way when I process the mail every few days I can see the item and take action on it.
I hope these suggestions have helped you to conquer your magazine and newspaper clutter. There's no reason to save an entire magazine or newspaper for one article. One final thought - What to do with those old magazines other than recycle them?
If they are not cut up, offer them by the bagful on freecycle or to a local non-profit such as an adult day center or homeless services agency. If they are cut up, you may still get takers who can use them for collage or other art projects.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Declutter one thing a day
This was something I started last year when the immense disarray in my house was really getting to me. I wanted to shout "THIS ISN'T ME! I DON'T LIVE LIKE THIS! I CAN'T STAND THIS!" Basically, we moved in during the thick of our remodel due to the contractor botching his finish date by more than 6 months (on a 6 week job). We put almost everything in the garage and lived in one tiny room. Gradually, we've been moving in as space became available. Many things had to be just put somewhere to get them out of the garage. Then, things had to stay exactly where they were so we knew where to find them, even if that spot made no sense. In order to make steady progress and not get overwhelmed, I decided to declutter one thing every day.
What does it mean to declutter something? For this purpose, I defined it as getting rid of something by putting it in the trash or giving it away, or by putting it where it belonged (in our case, that was often wherever it belonged for now). I also consider something decluttered when I organize an area of the house such as a drawer, container or shelf. One thing a day may not seem like a lot, but it's easy to do and the cumulative effect will be huge. I've enjoyed the small lift and feeling of victory I got from this one small daily activity. I'll be occasionally blogging about my one thing a day to show the sillyness of what we keep and how even an avowed clutter hater like me finds things to get rid of.
Today I threw away these socks. The elastic was stretched out and I found them at the back of my sock drawer, obviously not worn in a while. I laughed when I found them, and thought "What am I doing with these?" and out they went. I would have used them for rags, but I have plenty of those at the moment. Every time I declutter something, I always diagnose why it became clutter in the first place. The last time I put those socks in the drawer, the elastic was already gone, so why did I put them away? How is it I just found them now?
What I came up with was mainly time. I've been keeping a blistering pace in the last year working on our remodel. There just hasn't been time to be conscious of everything. Even though I always have a mindset of "What can I get declutter?" I still need to go through things periodically to keep the clutter beast at bay. So, out the socks went, and I learned (once again) that lack of time leads to clutter.
What does it mean to declutter something? For this purpose, I defined it as getting rid of something by putting it in the trash or giving it away, or by putting it where it belonged (in our case, that was often wherever it belonged for now). I also consider something decluttered when I organize an area of the house such as a drawer, container or shelf. One thing a day may not seem like a lot, but it's easy to do and the cumulative effect will be huge. I've enjoyed the small lift and feeling of victory I got from this one small daily activity. I'll be occasionally blogging about my one thing a day to show the sillyness of what we keep and how even an avowed clutter hater like me finds things to get rid of.
Today I threw away these socks. The elastic was stretched out and I found them at the back of my sock drawer, obviously not worn in a while. I laughed when I found them, and thought "What am I doing with these?" and out they went. I would have used them for rags, but I have plenty of those at the moment. Every time I declutter something, I always diagnose why it became clutter in the first place. The last time I put those socks in the drawer, the elastic was already gone, so why did I put them away? How is it I just found them now?
What I came up with was mainly time. I've been keeping a blistering pace in the last year working on our remodel. There just hasn't been time to be conscious of everything. Even though I always have a mindset of "What can I get declutter?" I still need to go through things periodically to keep the clutter beast at bay. So, out the socks went, and I learned (once again) that lack of time leads to clutter.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Book review - N is for Noose by Sue Grafton
One of my favorite things to do is read. I would often rather read than watch TV. Reading soothes and quiets my mind and is often the perfect way for me to regroup after a busy day. I enjoy TV, and there is a lot of great programming to be seen (and a lot of really bad programming too), but sometimes TV just seems too much for me.
Since I read mostly for entertainment, I read mostly fiction although about every 5th book is one that is nonfiction. In nonfiction, I like to read biographies and self-improvement books mainly in productivity, organization, time management and personal finance. I also read to learn a specific thing such as puppy training or home improvement tasks. In fiction, my favorite genre is mysteries and thrillers especially books that are written in series. I also like historical fiction.
Today's book review is on "N is for Noose," by Sue Grafton. This series has been tracking the letters of the alphabet, beginning with "A is for Alibi." The lead character is a female private investigator named Kinsey Millhone, who lives in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, California. Santa Teresa is a thinly disguised Santa Barbara, which is about 80 miles north of Los Angeles, where I live. I've been there several times, and it is fun to recognize references to places I've been.
Here is the text of a review I wrote for one of my favorite websites www.bookcrossing.com. I'll be blogging about bookcrossing in the future, but here is a copy of my review (click here to see the original):
"This was another highly enjoyable book featuring Kinsey Millhone. I actually read this a long time ago, and sort of remembered the ending, but I wasn't sure as I was reading. The books in this series are consistently enjoyable and easy to read, but they are pretty light reading. This is the type of book I enjoy while vacationing or instead of watching TV."
Since I read mostly for entertainment, I read mostly fiction although about every 5th book is one that is nonfiction. In nonfiction, I like to read biographies and self-improvement books mainly in productivity, organization, time management and personal finance. I also read to learn a specific thing such as puppy training or home improvement tasks. In fiction, my favorite genre is mysteries and thrillers especially books that are written in series. I also like historical fiction.
Today's book review is on "N is for Noose," by Sue Grafton. This series has been tracking the letters of the alphabet, beginning with "A is for Alibi." The lead character is a female private investigator named Kinsey Millhone, who lives in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, California. Santa Teresa is a thinly disguised Santa Barbara, which is about 80 miles north of Los Angeles, where I live. I've been there several times, and it is fun to recognize references to places I've been.
Here is the text of a review I wrote for one of my favorite websites www.bookcrossing.com. I'll be blogging about bookcrossing in the future, but here is a copy of my review (click here to see the original):
"This was another highly enjoyable book featuring Kinsey Millhone. I actually read this a long time ago, and sort of remembered the ending, but I wasn't sure as I was reading. The books in this series are consistently enjoyable and easy to read, but they are pretty light reading. This is the type of book I enjoy while vacationing or instead of watching TV."
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The diet "reset" button
I, like many people, ate more calories than I needed during the holidays. My issue wasn't parties or trays of sweets in every location but a 3-week long road trip. I'll be talking more about travel tips and eating healthy on the road, but for this trip I gave myself the luxury of not managing my food so much. As a result, I ended up eating a lot of bread, processed foods, chips, etc. during the many hours in the car. One of the reasons this was not troubling to me is that I know how to press the diet reset button for myself.
What do I mean by this? First of all, when I say diet in this context, I am referring not to a weight loss plan, but simply my normal healthy eating plan. When I eat a lot of junk for an extended period of time, my ability to follow my optimal eating plan decreases. I get more food cravings and my sense of hunger and full doesn't work so well. I have learned over time what to do to get back on a good eating track and get away from junk food.
When I am ready to reset, I stock up on food that is healthy for me. While there are many diet schools of thought, at this time my best diet appears to be lots of non-starchy vegetables, and moderate portions of beans, healthy fats such as nuts and avocados, and "good" carbs such as brown rice and yams. Then, I allow myself to eat as much of these foods as often as I like, with a big emphasis on eating lots of salad. I find I need much more food in the day or two during reset than I do when I am in a normal mode. Usually, by the end of the second day of this, I find I am back on track and ready to eat right. The cravings for junk have all but gone and my sense of hunger and full is functioning well.
How do you reset yourself into healthy eating after eating poorly?
What do I mean by this? First of all, when I say diet in this context, I am referring not to a weight loss plan, but simply my normal healthy eating plan. When I eat a lot of junk for an extended period of time, my ability to follow my optimal eating plan decreases. I get more food cravings and my sense of hunger and full doesn't work so well. I have learned over time what to do to get back on a good eating track and get away from junk food.
When I am ready to reset, I stock up on food that is healthy for me. While there are many diet schools of thought, at this time my best diet appears to be lots of non-starchy vegetables, and moderate portions of beans, healthy fats such as nuts and avocados, and "good" carbs such as brown rice and yams. Then, I allow myself to eat as much of these foods as often as I like, with a big emphasis on eating lots of salad. I find I need much more food in the day or two during reset than I do when I am in a normal mode. Usually, by the end of the second day of this, I find I am back on track and ready to eat right. The cravings for junk have all but gone and my sense of hunger and full is functioning well.
How do you reset yourself into healthy eating after eating poorly?
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Impromptu entertaining at home
We had a rainy weekend here, and as a result of not going out much, I was feeling a bit isolated and lacking in fun by the time Sunday afternoon came. We decided to host a spur-of-the-moment movie night for some local friends who wouldn't have to travel very far to get here. Chris has an amazing TV set up (more on that later), and one of our favorite things to do for fun is to host movie nights. Around 2:00 p.m., I called 7 people and left messages for most. By about 3:00, 5 people said they were coming. 2 ended up canceling, so the final count for our 5:00 movie was 3 plus us.
I can complicate and overdo just about anything. My brain naturally goes to "What else? What would make this better? What would the next step be?" While this is a great skill for some settings (like consulting), it doesn't work well for entertaining. That kind of thinking leads to such an elaborate event that it becomes daunting and un-fun. I decided that this would be as close to no effort as possible for me. I spent the afternoon unpacking from our recent 3-week road trip, but only to get the living room clear enough to have people in. I had just grocery shopped for us, so refreshments consisted of a bag of tortilla chips (served in the bag), salsa, and seltzer water that I happened to have around. One of the challenges of this evening was that our house is a MESS due to ongoing projects relating the remodel (more on that later too). Our belongings are everywhere and in a constant state of flux. As a result, the house isn't just normal messy it's horribly messy and dusty too. But, we went ahead with our plans. The house will be messy for a long time to come, and we don't want to not see our friends due for that long.
The result? A good time was had by all. I apologized and made profuse excuses for the state of the house that I soon realized were unnecessary. Nobody seemed to care (or think it was as bad as I do). The simple snacks were consumed with enjoyment and the movie was the perfect cap to a rainy weekend. I learned that you don't have to entertain big for people to enjoy and appreciate it. You don't even have to impress them. Most people simply appreciate being asked, however simple the occasion.
What holds you back from entertaining at home? If you felt you could do it simply would you do it more often? How would your life and relationships be different if you could spend time with your favorite people in your home? I would love to hear about your stories about entertaining at home.
I can complicate and overdo just about anything. My brain naturally goes to "What else? What would make this better? What would the next step be?" While this is a great skill for some settings (like consulting), it doesn't work well for entertaining. That kind of thinking leads to such an elaborate event that it becomes daunting and un-fun. I decided that this would be as close to no effort as possible for me. I spent the afternoon unpacking from our recent 3-week road trip, but only to get the living room clear enough to have people in. I had just grocery shopped for us, so refreshments consisted of a bag of tortilla chips (served in the bag), salsa, and seltzer water that I happened to have around. One of the challenges of this evening was that our house is a MESS due to ongoing projects relating the remodel (more on that later too). Our belongings are everywhere and in a constant state of flux. As a result, the house isn't just normal messy it's horribly messy and dusty too. But, we went ahead with our plans. The house will be messy for a long time to come, and we don't want to not see our friends due for that long.
The result? A good time was had by all. I apologized and made profuse excuses for the state of the house that I soon realized were unnecessary. Nobody seemed to care (or think it was as bad as I do). The simple snacks were consumed with enjoyment and the movie was the perfect cap to a rainy weekend. I learned that you don't have to entertain big for people to enjoy and appreciate it. You don't even have to impress them. Most people simply appreciate being asked, however simple the occasion.
What holds you back from entertaining at home? If you felt you could do it simply would you do it more often? How would your life and relationships be different if you could spend time with your favorite people in your home? I would love to hear about your stories about entertaining at home.
Monday, January 7, 2008
My first post!
Hello and welcome to Michele's Mix, my online place to talk about a mix of topics. Some of the things I'll be talking about are home care, cooking, veganism, dogs, remodeling, life management, organization and more.
Who am I? I am 41, and live in the Los Angeles area with my husband Chris and our German Shepherd mix Danny. In December of 2005, we bought a badly neglected fixer-upper of a house and have been working hard on it ever since. A lot of house related things I will share are things I learned the hard way.
Chris and I are both long time vegans, which means total vegetarian. Vegans do not eat any meat, fish, milk, eggs, gelatin, etc. I am learning to cook and manage the household meals, and I'll be telling you about that. For years, I lived alone and ate simply (but fairly healthy). Now, we mostly just throw something in the microwave (but also fairly healthy). I am slowly building my repertoire of recipes and learning to plan ahead and shop appropriately.
I hold an MBA, and for many years had a successful career (which I hated) in corporate America as a financial analyst and manager. Later, I was a self-employed small business consultant. Most recently, I fulfilled a long-held dream and left the business world to work in social services. It was the most rewarding 5 years at work that I ever had. I am contemplating a return to school to get my Master's in Social Work (a long-time dream), but that may be down the road some.
I naturally gravitate toward structure and organization. I find I enjoy my life a lot more when I take the time to get organized both in my life and my space. I'll be talking about organizing, decluttering and time management as well. Chris is an electronics buff, and will be contributing his knowledge of home entertainment and computers. During our remodel, he supervised the wiring of our entire house for phone, tv cables, speaker cables and internet.
See you again!
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