My guideline for setting up my filing system is that I want to minimize the total time spent in filing-related activities. Most people think of filing as the act of putting papers away into some system, but there is a second significant activity related to filing which is retrieving papers. When I decide how to file, I focus on both of these tasks (putting away and retrieving).
Filing and retrieving often have an inverse relationship of time spent - the more time you spend filing the less you spend retrieving. Note that this isn't always the case - if you spend time filing in a poorly designed system you will not be reducing your retrieval time. When I suggest that more time filing means less time retrieving, I am talking about more set up time, more categories, more fastidiousness, etc.
So how do I apply my rule of thumb? I consider how often I need to retrieve each type of paper and file accordingly. At the lowest need for retrieval end is receipts for minor, non-returnable things like lunch or lip balm. I keep these small receipts just long enough to make sure the credit card bill is correct and then they can be shredded (I shred almost everything). Since I rarely (like only once or twice in my lifetime) have needed a receipt of this nature, I put minimal effort into filing them. I dump them all into a folder by quarter and shred them a few months later. On the rare to almost non-existent occasion when I might need this, it won't be a big deal to go through the folder.
On the other hand, I frequently need to access medical insurance statements (we have several providers who provide great medical care and keep terrible records). I keep separate files for both of us and make sure that each document kept in dated order and that any relevant information for a specific claim is kept together. It takes a little more time up front than just dumping things into a folder, but I can access what I need quickly.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Traveling with a dog
Over the Christmas holidays, we took a 3 week roadtrip across the country. We drove from our home in Los Angeles all the way across the southern part of the country to my hometown on the east coast and back again. We only had our first few days figured out and after that, we figured it out on the fly. I never traveled that way before - I need a lot of sleep and need to eat frequently, so the idea of arriving in a strange city, late at night and looking for dog-friendly lodging and a meal does not sound like fun to me.
Fortunately, this trip worked out great. We made it a point to stay in places with web access, which is getting more and more common so it wasn't hard to find places at all. Having web access made it easy to make arrangements on the fly, which let us pace ourselves according to how we were feeling. So, how did we manage with the dog?
I mainly used the site dogfriendly.com. It was really a godsend and made finding dog-friendly accommodations and off-leash dog parks a breeze. It is quite a comprehensive list and we even found some of the small towns we stayed in on it.
Fortunately, this trip worked out great. We made it a point to stay in places with web access, which is getting more and more common so it wasn't hard to find places at all. Having web access made it easy to make arrangements on the fly, which let us pace ourselves according to how we were feeling. So, how did we manage with the dog?
I mainly used the site dogfriendly.com. It was really a godsend and made finding dog-friendly accommodations and off-leash dog parks a breeze. It is quite a comprehensive list and we even found some of the small towns we stayed in on it.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
About my pen fascination
I have a lot of pens. For a self-described minimalist and clutter-phobe, this may seem unusual. I don't consider my pens clutter and here's why:
I have a fetish for swag pens. By swag, I mean the free, promotional pens you get at conventions and events. Businesses and hotels often have them for you to take as well. I just love the variety, and it makes a mundane object like a pen into something fun. I never know what I will find when I reach for a pen in my pen cup. I don't collect them in the traditional sense. I obtain them (and others give them to me) and use them or give them away. I always have a few pens on me and when a stranger asks me for a pen, I hand it to them and say "here, keep it." The response it just beautiful - people are so grateful that a total stranger would give them a really cool pen. They often don't want to accept it and are sometimes suspicious of my motives, but I explain that I obtain and carry them just to give them away. I have a lot of fun with it, and it creates positive interactions in my life. One time, I was with a group of friends and gave a pen away and everybody wanted one (I do get some cool pens!) so I ended up giving away 6 in one sitting (what fun to watch them comparing and trading). So, no apologies for my large amount of pens. It's an ever-rotating stash with a specific purpose that brings joy to my life.
I have a fetish for swag pens. By swag, I mean the free, promotional pens you get at conventions and events. Businesses and hotels often have them for you to take as well. I just love the variety, and it makes a mundane object like a pen into something fun. I never know what I will find when I reach for a pen in my pen cup. I don't collect them in the traditional sense. I obtain them (and others give them to me) and use them or give them away. I always have a few pens on me and when a stranger asks me for a pen, I hand it to them and say "here, keep it." The response it just beautiful - people are so grateful that a total stranger would give them a really cool pen. They often don't want to accept it and are sometimes suspicious of my motives, but I explain that I obtain and carry them just to give them away. I have a lot of fun with it, and it creates positive interactions in my life. One time, I was with a group of friends and gave a pen away and everybody wanted one (I do get some cool pens!) so I ended up giving away 6 in one sitting (what fun to watch them comparing and trading). So, no apologies for my large amount of pens. It's an ever-rotating stash with a specific purpose that brings joy to my life.
A different slant on accumulating stuff
This is an interesting article in the LA Times about people using garages to store stuff and parking their cars on the street. This is especially relevant here in Los Angeles where we have so many cars. While the main point of this article is how parking more cars on the street affects neighborhoods, there are some interesting points on how our love affair with stuff contributes to the problem. Consider this quote from the article:
"The percentage of U.S. houses with two- or three-car garages climbed from 39% in 1970 to 84% in 2005.
Homes have been super-sized too, with the average family residence ballooning to 2,434 feet in 2005, a 62% increase since 1970, according to the National Assn. of Home Builders. And yet we still need more space to hold our stuff. Not even 51,500 self-storage facilities operating nationwide can handle the overflow."
Yikes.
Truth be told, Chris and I don't use our garage to park our cars, but like one of the people quoted in the article it's mainly because our old house has a really narrow driveway (less than 8 1/2 compared to today's minimum of 10 feet). Also, the way we would have had to fence the backyard would have allocated much more of our precious backyard private space to the front public space and our house would not have been as private or secure.
The article focuses mainly on people not using their garage because it's filled with junk, but what about all the other cool things you can do with a garage? We plan on using a corner for a "dog grotto," which will have cushions, toys, beds, carpet, etc and will function as a dog house. We're also planning an exercise area, workshop area, large moveable table and various custom storage areas (suitcases, bulk food purchases, lawn care, etc). The narrow driveway and fencing issues aside, the trade-off for parking a car in there is just too great.
In light of the problems pointed out in the article, I feel compelled to mention that we almost always park in our driveway so we're not taking street spaces from those who need them.
"The percentage of U.S. houses with two- or three-car garages climbed from 39% in 1970 to 84% in 2005.
Homes have been super-sized too, with the average family residence ballooning to 2,434 feet in 2005, a 62% increase since 1970, according to the National Assn. of Home Builders. And yet we still need more space to hold our stuff. Not even 51,500 self-storage facilities operating nationwide can handle the overflow."
Yikes.
Truth be told, Chris and I don't use our garage to park our cars, but like one of the people quoted in the article it's mainly because our old house has a really narrow driveway (less than 8 1/2 compared to today's minimum of 10 feet). Also, the way we would have had to fence the backyard would have allocated much more of our precious backyard private space to the front public space and our house would not have been as private or secure.
The article focuses mainly on people not using their garage because it's filled with junk, but what about all the other cool things you can do with a garage? We plan on using a corner for a "dog grotto," which will have cushions, toys, beds, carpet, etc and will function as a dog house. We're also planning an exercise area, workshop area, large moveable table and various custom storage areas (suitcases, bulk food purchases, lawn care, etc). The narrow driveway and fencing issues aside, the trade-off for parking a car in there is just too great.
In light of the problems pointed out in the article, I feel compelled to mention that we almost always park in our driveway so we're not taking street spaces from those who need them.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Works for me Wednesday March 26, 2008 (blog reading)
Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Rocks in my Dryer.
Whenever I find a new blog I want to read, I like to read it from the beginning. Blogs tend to evolve over time and often the writer lays groundwork that he or she uses later. I use the web to get breaking news, so much of what is contained in blogs is as relevant now as it was when it was written.
I use technorati to keep up with the blogs I am reading, and when I am in the process of reading a new blog, I used my email to keep track of it. Starting at the beginning, I try to read 2-3 days of the blog a day, and then email myself a bookmark and date of where I left off. The next day, it is easy to open the email and keep reading. Once I've gotten current, I add the blog to my technorati account.
Thanks to all the participants of WFMW for your great tips!
Whenever I find a new blog I want to read, I like to read it from the beginning. Blogs tend to evolve over time and often the writer lays groundwork that he or she uses later. I use the web to get breaking news, so much of what is contained in blogs is as relevant now as it was when it was written.
I use technorati to keep up with the blogs I am reading, and when I am in the process of reading a new blog, I used my email to keep track of it. Starting at the beginning, I try to read 2-3 days of the blog a day, and then email myself a bookmark and date of where I left off. The next day, it is easy to open the email and keep reading. Once I've gotten current, I add the blog to my technorati account.
Thanks to all the participants of WFMW for your great tips!
A quick shot of inspiration
This post was on one of my favorite blogs, Unclutterer, today. It's about how financial, mental and physical clutter can keep us from doing the things that really matter like spending time with family or pursuing your dream career. The writer has been there, and the piece has some revealing honesty in it.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
How a daily routine helps avoid overwhelm
Yesterday, I wrote a post about how to prioritize when your to-do list is overwhelming. This topic is particularly important to me right now since I am juggling so many priorities with competing scheduling needs. I care for the dogs, home and husband, work from home, and keep projects on our fixer upper house moving forward. We adopted a 6 month old puppy recently, so I try not to be gone for long periods of time. Add in a little social time, recreation and fitness and it's too much on some days!
To keep me on track and make sure at least some important things get done every day, I use a daily routine on a small white board. This system is my latest time management tool, and has evolved over the years as I've incorporated Franklin-Covey, MBA-type principles, Fly Lady and Getting Things Done (GTD).
I start by taking vitamins, taking care of dogs (feed, walk, clean up yard, fill water), make and clean up breakfast smoothies, put a load of wash on, straighten the house, clean the bathroom (one small part a day), then work.
There are lots of other tasks, and I'll be doing a follow up post on those, but I know that if this is all that gets done in my day, then at least the most important things are done. I don't have to start my day assessing what of my many and varied tasks to work on and even which contexts (for GTDers) to work in.
To keep me on track and make sure at least some important things get done every day, I use a daily routine on a small white board. This system is my latest time management tool, and has evolved over the years as I've incorporated Franklin-Covey, MBA-type principles, Fly Lady and Getting Things Done (GTD).
I start by taking vitamins, taking care of dogs (feed, walk, clean up yard, fill water), make and clean up breakfast smoothies, put a load of wash on, straighten the house, clean the bathroom (one small part a day), then work.
There are lots of other tasks, and I'll be doing a follow up post on those, but I know that if this is all that gets done in my day, then at least the most important things are done. I don't have to start my day assessing what of my many and varied tasks to work on and even which contexts (for GTDers) to work in.
Presidential candidate genealogy
I am an amateur genealogist, and have enjoyed documenting my family history over the last year. I found this piece on the relations of the presidential candidates just amazing:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080325/ap_on_el_pr/candidates_genealogy
In doing my own family history, I have finally come to understand how to determine what kind of cousin someone is. Cousins usually have two descriptors - the degree (e.g. first, second, third, forth, etc) and how removed they are (once removed, twice removed, etc). The degree of a cousin has to do with how far back you have to go to find a common relative. For example, say that Mom has two children, a son and a daughter. Son and daughter each have a child - daughter gives birth to granddaughter, and son fathers grandson. Most people know that grandson and granddaughter are cousins, in fact they are first cousins, but how do you know?
Start by determining the common ancestor - in this case it is "Mom," who is the grandmother of grandson and granddaughter. Next, determine how many generations each cousin skips to get to the common ancestor. In this case, it is one (daughter for granddaughter, son for grandson) for each cousin. To determine the degree, use the minimum number of skipped generations. In this case, the number of skipped generations is the same - one - for each cousin so they are first cousins. In cases where the number is different, use the smaller number.
What if granddaughter gives birth to great-granddaughter and grandson fathers great-grandson? What is the relationship between granddaughter and great-grandson? Start by determining generations skipped to get back to the common ancestor, in this case Mom. For granddaughter it is one and for great-grandson it is two. The smaller of the two numbers is one, so they are first cousins. But what about the fact that they are of different generations? How can granddaughter be first cousins with both grandson and his son?
This is where the degree of removal comes in. Since granddaughter skips one generation and great-grandson skips two to get to the common ancestor, they are once removed (two minus one is one which means once removed). The number removed tells you how many generations different they are from the common ancestor.
Another example - what is the relationship between great-grandson and great-granddaughter? Both skip two generations to get back to the common ancestor, and they are in the same generation descending from that ancestor so they are second cousins.
A broad explanation is that the degree tells you how far back you have to go to find a common ancestor and the number removed tells you how many generations separate them. The larger the degree, the more distantly related they are.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080325/ap_on_el_pr/candidates_genealogy
In doing my own family history, I have finally come to understand how to determine what kind of cousin someone is. Cousins usually have two descriptors - the degree (e.g. first, second, third, forth, etc) and how removed they are (once removed, twice removed, etc). The degree of a cousin has to do with how far back you have to go to find a common relative. For example, say that Mom has two children, a son and a daughter. Son and daughter each have a child - daughter gives birth to granddaughter, and son fathers grandson. Most people know that grandson and granddaughter are cousins, in fact they are first cousins, but how do you know?
Start by determining the common ancestor - in this case it is "Mom," who is the grandmother of grandson and granddaughter. Next, determine how many generations each cousin skips to get to the common ancestor. In this case, it is one (daughter for granddaughter, son for grandson) for each cousin. To determine the degree, use the minimum number of skipped generations. In this case, the number of skipped generations is the same - one - for each cousin so they are first cousins. In cases where the number is different, use the smaller number.
What if granddaughter gives birth to great-granddaughter and grandson fathers great-grandson? What is the relationship between granddaughter and great-grandson? Start by determining generations skipped to get back to the common ancestor, in this case Mom. For granddaughter it is one and for great-grandson it is two. The smaller of the two numbers is one, so they are first cousins. But what about the fact that they are of different generations? How can granddaughter be first cousins with both grandson and his son?
This is where the degree of removal comes in. Since granddaughter skips one generation and great-grandson skips two to get to the common ancestor, they are once removed (two minus one is one which means once removed). The number removed tells you how many generations different they are from the common ancestor.
Another example - what is the relationship between great-grandson and great-granddaughter? Both skip two generations to get back to the common ancestor, and they are in the same generation descending from that ancestor so they are second cousins.
A broad explanation is that the degree tells you how far back you have to go to find a common ancestor and the number removed tells you how many generations separate them. The larger the degree, the more distantly related they are.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Sometimes you can't think your way out of overwhelm
When I was a waitress, we used the term "in the weeds" when we had too many customers that needed things now. When things are running smoothly in your station, it is easy to prioritize what happens first - greeting new customers and delivering hot food are always top priority. When things go poorly, or you get "slammed" with a bunch of tables at the same time, it isn't so easy. One thing I learned from those days is that you can't think your way out of the weeds. Sometimes you just have to accept that you can't do it all right away, start doing something, do your best and realize that you will be out of the weeds soon. Taking a minute to micro-prioritize means that none of your customers will get anything they need for at least a minute. Jumping right in means that you probably won't do things in the perfect order, but at least you'll be doing some things quickly.
I apply this principle to my life when I have too many urgent tasks with competing priorities. Some days I find just thinking about trying to prioritize my to-do list is much more stressful than the tasks on the list. I just start somewhere and realize that at some point these urgent tasks will be done. Analyzing them and trying to optimize your prioritization scheme does not help get them done. I do use a very macro-level prioritization scheme though - food, work, a habitable living space, paying bills on time, dog care, self care and husband care are top priorities (not necessarily in that order) and everything else comes second. So, when I have too much on my plate, I start with these tasks.
Another important principle is that you will get some of this done today (or this week, this month, etc). Knowing this, you may not need to prioritize within the group of work you'll do today. You only need to determine what that group of things is. If you get through that group, then you can think about the next thing to work on with less on your plate. The important point is that it probably isn't necessary to go through your entire list and rank items 1,2,3, etc - you can probably use a much less detailed priority list.
How do you handle a stressful to-do list?
I apply this principle to my life when I have too many urgent tasks with competing priorities. Some days I find just thinking about trying to prioritize my to-do list is much more stressful than the tasks on the list. I just start somewhere and realize that at some point these urgent tasks will be done. Analyzing them and trying to optimize your prioritization scheme does not help get them done. I do use a very macro-level prioritization scheme though - food, work, a habitable living space, paying bills on time, dog care, self care and husband care are top priorities (not necessarily in that order) and everything else comes second. So, when I have too much on my plate, I start with these tasks.
Another important principle is that you will get some of this done today (or this week, this month, etc). Knowing this, you may not need to prioritize within the group of work you'll do today. You only need to determine what that group of things is. If you get through that group, then you can think about the next thing to work on with less on your plate. The important point is that it probably isn't necessary to go through your entire list and rank items 1,2,3, etc - you can probably use a much less detailed priority list.
How do you handle a stressful to-do list?
Spring cleaning post
One of my favorite bloggers Dr. Amie Ragan did a great post on her blog Psychology of Clutter. The post talks about spring cleaning, but I especially grabbed onto her last point - "It is not wasteful to donate something you don't use."
What a great point! So many times it's easy to get sucked into keeping something, especially clothes, because they cost good money. If you're not using something, and it's just taking up space and giving you more to move, clean and maintain, you'll actually create some value for your money by letting someone else use it.
What a great point! So many times it's easy to get sucked into keeping something, especially clothes, because they cost good money. If you're not using something, and it's just taking up space and giving you more to move, clean and maintain, you'll actually create some value for your money by letting someone else use it.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Saving water at home
Here is a quick read from yahoo! on saving water at home. I've heard some of this before, but it's good to be reminded. One item of interest is that washing your dishes with a dishwasher (even an old one) instead of by hand saves water. I know several people who let their dishwasher sit idle in a mistaken effort to save water. How great to know you can save time and your hands and be water-wise at the same time.
Click here for the article.
Click here for the article.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Top 100 productivity blogs
Here is a great list of productivity and lifehack blogs by collegedegree.com. I read many of the blogs on the list, and have a few more on my "to be read" list. (found via Psychology of Clutter, which I also read). As much as I read on these topics, I am still amazed at how many great writers and thinkers there are in this area.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Works for me Wednesday March 19, 2008
Works for Me Wednesdays (hosted by Rocks in My Dryer) are a great place to pick up tips on lots of different subjects. A lot of posts are geared toward child rearing, and even though I don't have kids, I found lots of things I could use.
My contribution has to do with dog messes in the yard, specifically dog poop. If you have a dog, your ability to be grossed out has probably been compromised as has mine. If you don't, you probably will be grossed out and not find this useful so you may want to pass on reading this post.
We have not been able to train either dog to eliminate in a specific spot in the yard (but we are still hopeful!). When I pick up the poop, it leaves a slight residue which I don't want to step in (and thus track into the house) or have the dogs roll in it. A lot of people have suggested hosing the spot down, but this just makes a more-diluted but larger mess and creates a wet spot for the dogs to make mischief in. After trying a few things, I ended up sprinkling snake bedding (wood shavings) on the spots and it worked perfectly. It covers the spot and is sanitary in the event someone walks on it. It's also non-chemical and safe for the dogs. Eventually the wood and residue disappear as nature works. I was concerned about buying the snake bedding on an ongoing basis as it was $4 for a small bag that would only last a few days. I was looking for a place to buy sawdust, and actually found someone in my local Freecycle network offering it for free on a regular basis. Perfect! I've been very happy with how this works.
My contribution has to do with dog messes in the yard, specifically dog poop. If you have a dog, your ability to be grossed out has probably been compromised as has mine. If you don't, you probably will be grossed out and not find this useful so you may want to pass on reading this post.
We have not been able to train either dog to eliminate in a specific spot in the yard (but we are still hopeful!). When I pick up the poop, it leaves a slight residue which I don't want to step in (and thus track into the house) or have the dogs roll in it. A lot of people have suggested hosing the spot down, but this just makes a more-diluted but larger mess and creates a wet spot for the dogs to make mischief in. After trying a few things, I ended up sprinkling snake bedding (wood shavings) on the spots and it worked perfectly. It covers the spot and is sanitary in the event someone walks on it. It's also non-chemical and safe for the dogs. Eventually the wood and residue disappear as nature works. I was concerned about buying the snake bedding on an ongoing basis as it was $4 for a small bag that would only last a few days. I was looking for a place to buy sawdust, and actually found someone in my local Freecycle network offering it for free on a regular basis. Perfect! I've been very happy with how this works.
A fun and quick website to visit
This website will tell you what the number 1 song on the charts was on the day you were born or any other date you enter.
http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/member/birthdayno1.php
http://www.thisdayinmusic.com/member/birthdayno1.php
A follow up on selling clutter
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Affordable luxuries
One of my favorite ways to indulge is with affordable luxuries. There are a lot of them once you become aware. Some of mine are:
Nice smelling hand and dish soap. You have to wash your hands and the dishes, so why not enjoy the smell? I love Trader Joe's liquid dish soaps - they are cruelty-fee and they make a lavender scented soap and an orange scented soap. For hand soap, I love Kiss My Face's pear scented soap. It's also cruelty free and it smells so good it makes my mouth water!
Another luxury is my coffee. I don't buy particularly expensive coffee (usually some brand of fair-trade organic from Trader's Joe's) but I make it in a percolator with a dash of cinnamon. I add soy creamer, which is rich and creamy like half-and-half, and it is seriously good. I go in cycles on coffee, and right now I'm on it.
Another luxury is wooden hangers. I created a coat rack in our hall using elfa and splurged on 12 wooden hangers for it. I love the look and feel of uniform wooden hangers, but I couldn't see investing hundreds or thousands in hangers for our entire clothing closet. Instead, I did it here and enjoy those hangers daily. They look nice, which is important because the rack is open. They sound nice when they knock together. They are sturdy and hold the coats well, which makes it easy to hang coats up (and therefore more likely to happen). A side note - I purposefully only bought 12 hangers to make it harder to accumulate coats in the rack. I'm not going to mix in a plastic hanger to my nice set up.
One final luxury, which may raise some eyebrows - a clean and organized house. Cleaning and organizing take time and know-how, and I've had periods in my life where I was lacking one or the other and lived in a place that wasn't as clean or organized as I would have liked. Now that I work from home (this website is my work right now), I have more time and can keep our home clean and organized. I love not having to look at a grubby bathroom or kitchen. It makes me happy to open a cabinet and go easily to what I need. I feel calm and soothed in our home sanctuary, which is what I want. Cleaning is especially a luxury for me right now because we are in the midst of a multi-year remodel, so only a few parts of the house can even be cleaned (the rest I just try to stay on top of the ubiquitous construction dust). Living with such constant mess and clutter makes it extra enjoyable to have a sparkling kitchen and bath and a few organized spots. I feel lucky to have the luxury of devoting time every day to cleaning my house.
What affordable luxuries can you add to your life? Which ones do you already have that you could enjoy more by changing your mindset to define them as luxuries?
Nice smelling hand and dish soap. You have to wash your hands and the dishes, so why not enjoy the smell? I love Trader Joe's liquid dish soaps - they are cruelty-fee and they make a lavender scented soap and an orange scented soap. For hand soap, I love Kiss My Face's pear scented soap. It's also cruelty free and it smells so good it makes my mouth water!
Another luxury is my coffee. I don't buy particularly expensive coffee (usually some brand of fair-trade organic from Trader's Joe's) but I make it in a percolator with a dash of cinnamon. I add soy creamer, which is rich and creamy like half-and-half, and it is seriously good. I go in cycles on coffee, and right now I'm on it.
Another luxury is wooden hangers. I created a coat rack in our hall using elfa and splurged on 12 wooden hangers for it. I love the look and feel of uniform wooden hangers, but I couldn't see investing hundreds or thousands in hangers for our entire clothing closet. Instead, I did it here and enjoy those hangers daily. They look nice, which is important because the rack is open. They sound nice when they knock together. They are sturdy and hold the coats well, which makes it easy to hang coats up (and therefore more likely to happen). A side note - I purposefully only bought 12 hangers to make it harder to accumulate coats in the rack. I'm not going to mix in a plastic hanger to my nice set up.
One final luxury, which may raise some eyebrows - a clean and organized house. Cleaning and organizing take time and know-how, and I've had periods in my life where I was lacking one or the other and lived in a place that wasn't as clean or organized as I would have liked. Now that I work from home (this website is my work right now), I have more time and can keep our home clean and organized. I love not having to look at a grubby bathroom or kitchen. It makes me happy to open a cabinet and go easily to what I need. I feel calm and soothed in our home sanctuary, which is what I want. Cleaning is especially a luxury for me right now because we are in the midst of a multi-year remodel, so only a few parts of the house can even be cleaned (the rest I just try to stay on top of the ubiquitous construction dust). Living with such constant mess and clutter makes it extra enjoyable to have a sparkling kitchen and bath and a few organized spots. I feel lucky to have the luxury of devoting time every day to cleaning my house.
What affordable luxuries can you add to your life? Which ones do you already have that you could enjoy more by changing your mindset to define them as luxuries?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Selling your clutter
I was talking to some friends over the weekend about selling items of clutter. It really got me thinking about how the monetary value of the clutter can be make getting rid of it more difficult. My question is, "But will you actually sell it?" If the answer is no, then the stuff may as well be worthless for all the cash it is generating sitting in your space. In fact it may even cost money if it is in a rented storage facility.
I think this is an easy trap to fall into. We hang onto things because they are worth something and we can sell them. I think the relevant question is how much, really, is the item worth? It's not a matter of is it worth something or not, it's a matter of how much is it worth in dollars and what it will take to get those dollars. If the item in question will gain you less than your favorite coffee drink you have a few times a week, is it worth it to bother selling it? You might be able to skip your drink once, call a charity or junk hauler to take the item and be in the same position financially and ahead of the game time-wise. I think it would be easy to over-estimate how much something is worth because of our emotional attachment to it.
What if it will gain you a little bit of cash, but takes a lot of time to do? After all, selling something isn't instantaneous - it takes up what I think is a super-precious and scarce resource, which is time. I would look at the hourly rate you are "earning" on this transaction and use that to help decide if it's worth it. If you would earn significantly less than minimum wage, is it worth it? In Economics, there is a concept of opportunity cost, which is the cost of what you give up to gain something. The few hours you give up to sell that item have a cost - those are hours you can't be working, socializing, spending time with people you love, or even doing mundane things like chores or watching tv.
Another good question is how will gaining $x and losing these hours impact my life? If you are Bill Gates, selling something for $20 doesn't make sense. If you are struggling financially maybe it does. If you have an abundance of time but a lack of funds selling things makes sense.
An even bigger question to ask is how does the money to be gained from the sale of this item stack up against the decrease in peace of mind it causes. Clutter has a cost - it can weigh heavily on the mind as a painful "to-do" item. Are you selling your peace of mind too cheaply? I think we have a mindset in the US that money is everything and intangibles like contentment and peace of mind are negligible.
A final thought is that I truly enjoy blessing others with my stuff. I love the idea that my items are helping someone, or at least that they are enjoying them. This factors into my decisions on how to get rid of items. I find it so enjoyable when I post some odd item on Freecycle and someone writes me saying "I would love to have that."
Don't be a slave to the value of your clutter. If you decide to sell it, do so consciously and with the knowledge of what you are taking on and giving up.
I think this is an easy trap to fall into. We hang onto things because they are worth something and we can sell them. I think the relevant question is how much, really, is the item worth? It's not a matter of is it worth something or not, it's a matter of how much is it worth in dollars and what it will take to get those dollars. If the item in question will gain you less than your favorite coffee drink you have a few times a week, is it worth it to bother selling it? You might be able to skip your drink once, call a charity or junk hauler to take the item and be in the same position financially and ahead of the game time-wise. I think it would be easy to over-estimate how much something is worth because of our emotional attachment to it.
What if it will gain you a little bit of cash, but takes a lot of time to do? After all, selling something isn't instantaneous - it takes up what I think is a super-precious and scarce resource, which is time. I would look at the hourly rate you are "earning" on this transaction and use that to help decide if it's worth it. If you would earn significantly less than minimum wage, is it worth it? In Economics, there is a concept of opportunity cost, which is the cost of what you give up to gain something. The few hours you give up to sell that item have a cost - those are hours you can't be working, socializing, spending time with people you love, or even doing mundane things like chores or watching tv.
Another good question is how will gaining $x and losing these hours impact my life? If you are Bill Gates, selling something for $20 doesn't make sense. If you are struggling financially maybe it does. If you have an abundance of time but a lack of funds selling things makes sense.
An even bigger question to ask is how does the money to be gained from the sale of this item stack up against the decrease in peace of mind it causes. Clutter has a cost - it can weigh heavily on the mind as a painful "to-do" item. Are you selling your peace of mind too cheaply? I think we have a mindset in the US that money is everything and intangibles like contentment and peace of mind are negligible.
A final thought is that I truly enjoy blessing others with my stuff. I love the idea that my items are helping someone, or at least that they are enjoying them. This factors into my decisions on how to get rid of items. I find it so enjoyable when I post some odd item on Freecycle and someone writes me saying "I would love to have that."
Don't be a slave to the value of your clutter. If you decide to sell it, do so consciously and with the knowledge of what you are taking on and giving up.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Great tips on how to stay focused while you organize
One of my favorite blogs, Unclutterer, is now a regular contributer to Real Simple magazine. Erin from Unclutterer did a great post at Real Simple with some tips for staying focused while you are doing an organizing project. This is such a great topic because staying focused can be so difficult. There are a million directions a project can go once you get started. You know how it can go - I'll just organize the junk drawer, oh that screwdriver goes in the toolbox in the garage, let me just walk it there, oh the toolbox is a mess, let me just straighten it out, oh and there are some screws in the toolbox that don't belong there, let me just go get a plastic tub to put them in, oh my Tupperware is a mess, let me just straighten it out, oh there's the lid to the water bottle I couldn't find...... There can be a huge supply of organizing jobs to do around the house so once we are in that mode it is easy to try to tackle all of them at once and end up finishing none of them. If organizing was easy, there wouldn't be an entire industry built around it.
Erin suggests starting with small projects such as a shelf or drawer. I agree with this and add that it is helpful to clearly define the project and goals. For bigger projects, I even take the step of writing the end goal and intervening tasks ("next actions" in GTD language). Defining the goals can help even if you do it in your head. For me, a drawer is not done until all the items that were in it were put away as well as any supplies I used.
Another tip I use is to expect "the storm before the calm." I heard a friend use this many years ago to express how your space may look much worse before it looks better. If you have gobs of stuff crammed into a closet, the room will look bad while you have all the stuff out. It may even look bad for a period of time while you install shelving, take things to charity shops, etc.
One final tip I use is to regularly schedule time for what I call a walkabout. This is designated time where I can do anything related to cleaning, organizing, decluttering, arranging, tidying, etc. It's where I take advantage of the natural tendency to get sidetracked and put it to work for me. A project can seem like a chore when you "have" to do it, but I find the same projects can feel quite fun when I can walkabout the house with no restraints. I actually look forward to my "to-do list free" time during which I'm free during to tackle anything I want to, not what I have to.
Two things are important in doing a walkabout. First, make sure to finish what you start or you risk having half-done projects strewn throughout. Second, set a clear time frame such as a few hours so you know when it is time to stop starting projects and start finishing them.
Have a great weekend!
Erin suggests starting with small projects such as a shelf or drawer. I agree with this and add that it is helpful to clearly define the project and goals. For bigger projects, I even take the step of writing the end goal and intervening tasks ("next actions" in GTD language). Defining the goals can help even if you do it in your head. For me, a drawer is not done until all the items that were in it were put away as well as any supplies I used.
Another tip I use is to expect "the storm before the calm." I heard a friend use this many years ago to express how your space may look much worse before it looks better. If you have gobs of stuff crammed into a closet, the room will look bad while you have all the stuff out. It may even look bad for a period of time while you install shelving, take things to charity shops, etc.
One final tip I use is to regularly schedule time for what I call a walkabout. This is designated time where I can do anything related to cleaning, organizing, decluttering, arranging, tidying, etc. It's where I take advantage of the natural tendency to get sidetracked and put it to work for me. A project can seem like a chore when you "have" to do it, but I find the same projects can feel quite fun when I can walkabout the house with no restraints. I actually look forward to my "to-do list free" time during which I'm free during to tackle anything I want to, not what I have to.
Two things are important in doing a walkabout. First, make sure to finish what you start or you risk having half-done projects strewn throughout. Second, set a clear time frame such as a few hours so you know when it is time to stop starting projects and start finishing them.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Keeping records of remodeling costs
Now that we have a good chunk of our remodel behind us, I have been working on compiling the costs and organizing all the receipts and paperwork of which there is a mountain. This is a really important task because it can have direct financial results. Improvements to your house may help offset any taxable gain you have later when you sell your house. As with any tax information, the responsibility to prove the dollar amount is up to you. So, I would strongly recommend that you keep all home improvement receipts in an organized, accessible fashion. If you think something may qualify, keep the documentation and get professional advice.
Our remodel was very intense and long and I acted as general contractor. Life was very hectic for about a year and a half and I did many 15-hour days and 7-day weeks. Since I couldn't handle the paperwork properly at that time, I did the next best thing and corralled it. I was careful to put everything an a large box labeled "house paperwork." Once the work slowed a little, I was able to begin going through it bit by bit and I still have a long way to go.
Here's how I did it:
I created a spreadsheet that listed each expense in a row. For each expense, I added a date, how paid (check or credit card), to whom paid, and a short description in columns. I also spread each expense to the various projects - bathroom, kitchen, electrical, roof, etc. and finally spread it into either tax-relevant or not. We wanted to know the overall cost of our remodel, not just the tax-relevant portion.
I fill in the expenses by going through our checkbook and credit cards. I keep all expenses on one spreadsheet, and then print each year by itself. Each year's spreadsheet goes into a binder along with the receipts. If we ever get audited, it will be easy to show the total and have all the receipts handy.
Needless to say, this has been quite time consuming and will likely take me a long time to do. I already backup my computer regularly so the spreadsheet won't be lost. At some point, I want to begin scanning all my long-term paper files so the files can be stored off site and we won't lose them in the event of a natural disaster.
Our remodel was very intense and long and I acted as general contractor. Life was very hectic for about a year and a half and I did many 15-hour days and 7-day weeks. Since I couldn't handle the paperwork properly at that time, I did the next best thing and corralled it. I was careful to put everything an a large box labeled "house paperwork." Once the work slowed a little, I was able to begin going through it bit by bit and I still have a long way to go.
Here's how I did it:
I created a spreadsheet that listed each expense in a row. For each expense, I added a date, how paid (check or credit card), to whom paid, and a short description in columns. I also spread each expense to the various projects - bathroom, kitchen, electrical, roof, etc. and finally spread it into either tax-relevant or not. We wanted to know the overall cost of our remodel, not just the tax-relevant portion.
I fill in the expenses by going through our checkbook and credit cards. I keep all expenses on one spreadsheet, and then print each year by itself. Each year's spreadsheet goes into a binder along with the receipts. If we ever get audited, it will be easy to show the total and have all the receipts handy.
Needless to say, this has been quite time consuming and will likely take me a long time to do. I already backup my computer regularly so the spreadsheet won't be lost. At some point, I want to begin scanning all my long-term paper files so the files can be stored off site and we won't lose them in the event of a natural disaster.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Electrical outlets
One thing I learned in remodeling our house is that you can never have enough electrical plug outlets. Our house was built in the 1950's, and like many older homes (that qualifies as an old house in Los Angeles), it had 1-2 outlets per room. The electrical system was trashed, and had been monkeyed with other the years, and truly wasn't safe, so we redid the entire thing including upgrading the panel from 100 amp to 200 amp. We did several walk-through planning sessions with the electrician, and thought we had our needs met. The current code at the time called for an outlet every 6 feet in rooms other than the kitchen and every 4 feet in the kitchen (disclaimer: I am not an electrician. Consult a licensed electrician for all electrical needs). We did this and more, including adding outlets where we thought we'd need them - near the tv, near the computers, etc.
So, you'd think our house would be more than adequately supplied with outlets right? Wrong. We're not even done setting up the place and the deficiencies are numerous. We already have surge protectors holding numerous plugs in several locations, and we regularly switch plugged in appliances around. Think about your bed for instance - if you each have a lamp and alarm clock, that's 4 outlets there. If either person wants anything else such as a cell phone or noise machine you'll need plug adapters. It's kind of disappointing that we put so much work into adequately wiring the house and it is still not adequate.
What did I learn from this?
Use the current code for your area as a starting point or bare minimum, not an optimal set up. Put in more plugs than you think you could possible use. You probably can't plan for all your needs even now, much less into the future as more devices are invented. While keeping your budget in mind, also remember that it will be much more expensive to add outlets later than now. Give some thought to the furniture arrangement, especially in outlet-intensive areas such as the tv area, the office, the workshop, etc. We found just having the kitchen up to code is adequate, but think about your food prep areas and what appliances you use where. An extra outlet or two for a specific purpose might be great. I created an appliance area in my kitchen for the express purpose of using kitchen appliances like the rice cooker, slow cooker, blender, coffee pot, etc. All the appliances are stored there and there is an outlet there as well. This has been great as we have an out-of-the-way area to use these things and they can just be pulled out, set down and plugged in. Consider making some of the outlets 4-plug instead of 2-plug, especially in outlet intense areas.
One thing I have been really happy with is the set up of the circuits in the house. With our electrician we planned which plugs and lights will go on which circuit. This has been great as we never blow a circuit. For example, the washer and dryer are both on separate circuits so they can be run at the same time. The living room has it's own circuit for the tv and components, where it is likely a lot of things will be plugged in and running at the same time. Ditto for the office. Planning the circuits wasn't very hard - just think about what you are likely to and would like to use at the same time.
The electrical system is not a place to skimp. If you are going to the trouble of upgrading, get it done right and in a way that will support your needs into the future.
So, you'd think our house would be more than adequately supplied with outlets right? Wrong. We're not even done setting up the place and the deficiencies are numerous. We already have surge protectors holding numerous plugs in several locations, and we regularly switch plugged in appliances around. Think about your bed for instance - if you each have a lamp and alarm clock, that's 4 outlets there. If either person wants anything else such as a cell phone or noise machine you'll need plug adapters. It's kind of disappointing that we put so much work into adequately wiring the house and it is still not adequate.
What did I learn from this?
Use the current code for your area as a starting point or bare minimum, not an optimal set up. Put in more plugs than you think you could possible use. You probably can't plan for all your needs even now, much less into the future as more devices are invented. While keeping your budget in mind, also remember that it will be much more expensive to add outlets later than now. Give some thought to the furniture arrangement, especially in outlet-intensive areas such as the tv area, the office, the workshop, etc. We found just having the kitchen up to code is adequate, but think about your food prep areas and what appliances you use where. An extra outlet or two for a specific purpose might be great. I created an appliance area in my kitchen for the express purpose of using kitchen appliances like the rice cooker, slow cooker, blender, coffee pot, etc. All the appliances are stored there and there is an outlet there as well. This has been great as we have an out-of-the-way area to use these things and they can just be pulled out, set down and plugged in. Consider making some of the outlets 4-plug instead of 2-plug, especially in outlet intense areas.
One thing I have been really happy with is the set up of the circuits in the house. With our electrician we planned which plugs and lights will go on which circuit. This has been great as we never blow a circuit. For example, the washer and dryer are both on separate circuits so they can be run at the same time. The living room has it's own circuit for the tv and components, where it is likely a lot of things will be plugged in and running at the same time. Ditto for the office. Planning the circuits wasn't very hard - just think about what you are likely to and would like to use at the same time.
The electrical system is not a place to skimp. If you are going to the trouble of upgrading, get it done right and in a way that will support your needs into the future.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Using the things you love
Sometimes it's easy to fall into the trap of not using something you love because it might get damaged or lost. Then the thing becomes clutter or perhaps it is packed away and only gets looked at occasionally. Does it make sense have something that is so precious it can't be used (assuming it is meant to be used in the first place)? If it was a gift, does it honor the intention of the person who gave it to you? A few years back, I took a note someone had given with a book me during my destination wedding weekend and had it laminated at Kinko's and used it as a bookmark for my current read. Since I read daily and almost always have a book with me, the bookmark got used and enjoyed daily. It meant much more to me being used that way than packed away in a box of wedding mementos which would only get opened every few years. I got to think back on that memory and the sweetness of the gesture often.
Over our holiday vacation this past year, I finished a book and left it at a hotel we are staying (I'm an active bookcrosser, which helps me not to accumulate books). Sadly, I left the bookmark in it and didn't figure it out until much later. I thought I was going to be very sad, but instead I focused on the idea that I got joy out of that bookmark for several years which I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't risked losing it. How many hundreds or even thousands of times did it make me happy? It was worth losing it. I also realized that it wasn't the bookmark I cherish, it was the gesture and the happy time at which it came. Losing the bookmark doesn't take this away.
Another example is a glass I received as a gift from my godson when he was 10. He's a great kid and I cherish the relationship we have. That year at Christmas, he asked his dad to help him get me a gift which he picked out himself. It's a souvenir glass from his home state which I just love because of the meaning of the gesture. I use it often for drinking water or iced tea, and I'm reminded of the thoughtfulness of this gesture. I could put it somewhere for display only, but then I wouldn't get to use it and see it often. I imagine that over time, I would stop even noticing it as we do with much of our environment. I would much rather use and enjoy it and risk breaking it than have it sit idle. I did take a picture of this too, so if it breaks I always have the picture.
What are you storing that you could be using?
Over our holiday vacation this past year, I finished a book and left it at a hotel we are staying (I'm an active bookcrosser, which helps me not to accumulate books). Sadly, I left the bookmark in it and didn't figure it out until much later. I thought I was going to be very sad, but instead I focused on the idea that I got joy out of that bookmark for several years which I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't risked losing it. How many hundreds or even thousands of times did it make me happy? It was worth losing it. I also realized that it wasn't the bookmark I cherish, it was the gesture and the happy time at which it came. Losing the bookmark doesn't take this away.
Another example is a glass I received as a gift from my godson when he was 10. He's a great kid and I cherish the relationship we have. That year at Christmas, he asked his dad to help him get me a gift which he picked out himself. It's a souvenir glass from his home state which I just love because of the meaning of the gesture. I use it often for drinking water or iced tea, and I'm reminded of the thoughtfulness of this gesture. I could put it somewhere for display only, but then I wouldn't get to use it and see it often. I imagine that over time, I would stop even noticing it as we do with much of our environment. I would much rather use and enjoy it and risk breaking it than have it sit idle. I did take a picture of this too, so if it breaks I always have the picture.
What are you storing that you could be using?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Menu Plan Monday March 10, 2008
I'm actually cooking 3 times this week since I didn't make the packaged vegan mac and cheese a few weeks ago. I am still working on using the items I cleared from my pantry in February. They are driving me bonkers and I cannot wait until they are gone. It's good incentive to clear the pantry regularly so it doesn't take so long. As always, everything I make is vegan even if it doesn't sound that way.
Tue 3/11 - Crockpot Eggplant and Tomato Stew from fatfreevegan.com
Wed 3/12 - packaged vegan mac and cheese, Frozen Asian Stir-fry veggies from Trader Joe's
Fri 3/16 - Chris' famous chili (crockpot)
I hope you enjoy your meals this week. Thanks as always to Laura at Orgjunkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday.
Living a low clutter lifestyle
I often hear people talk about purging their stuff as if it is a task that is done one and finished. I view decluttering more as an ongoing part of life - kind of like laundry. You can be more or less caught up, and in fact be completely done except for the clothes you are wearing, but as soon as you change to go to bed tonight you will have more. So it is with clutter. We live in a world where things come into our lives very quickly and getting them out of our lives (if you want to do it consciously) takes time. Consider electronics for example - many people I know have at least a computer, cell phone and digital camera. These items need to be replaced every few years. OK, maybe need is a strong word - what do we really need besides food, water, air and shelter to live - but in order to enjoy these things fully they need to be reasonably current. Why have something at all if you can't enjoy it? Once you get a new one, the old one needs to be disposed of hopefully in some manner other than the trash can. This takes effort and time.
Consider clothes. Look at any house built a few decades ago and you'll see a very small bedroom closet. Even people with few clothes by today's standards have enough to fill those tiny closets. Consider paper - do I even need to elaborate? So much paper comes into our lives, and it should be handled properly - shredded, recycled, temporarily filed or permanently filed. Even if your filing system is pretty good, you probably still need to cull it regularly. Things you needed to keep a few years ago may not be worth keeping now. When I was planning my wedding in 2004, I accumulated a lot of paper that had information on prices, packages, contracts, etc. I kept it because if I knew of anyone planning a wedding soon after me it may have saved them a lot of time. I trashed it last year though, because by 2007 it was out of date.
Things wear out. Is that warped, nasty spatula making you want to cook? Our lifestyle changes. Do you still windsurf, play an instrument, woodwork, etc? Who lives in our household changes. Flylady had a reader write in about tossing dog food for a dog that had been dead over a decade.
If you want to live a low clutter life, it's necessary to make low clutter your lifestyle. Be a conscientious gatekeeper of what comes into your life. Regularly evaluate what you own. Make getting rid of things part of your life maintenance like laundry.
Consider clothes. Look at any house built a few decades ago and you'll see a very small bedroom closet. Even people with few clothes by today's standards have enough to fill those tiny closets. Consider paper - do I even need to elaborate? So much paper comes into our lives, and it should be handled properly - shredded, recycled, temporarily filed or permanently filed. Even if your filing system is pretty good, you probably still need to cull it regularly. Things you needed to keep a few years ago may not be worth keeping now. When I was planning my wedding in 2004, I accumulated a lot of paper that had information on prices, packages, contracts, etc. I kept it because if I knew of anyone planning a wedding soon after me it may have saved them a lot of time. I trashed it last year though, because by 2007 it was out of date.
Things wear out. Is that warped, nasty spatula making you want to cook? Our lifestyle changes. Do you still windsurf, play an instrument, woodwork, etc? Who lives in our household changes. Flylady had a reader write in about tossing dog food for a dog that had been dead over a decade.
If you want to live a low clutter life, it's necessary to make low clutter your lifestyle. Be a conscientious gatekeeper of what comes into your life. Regularly evaluate what you own. Make getting rid of things part of your life maintenance like laundry.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Washing your face at night
In the last few years, I started for the first time in my adult life to wear makeup most days. As I got closer to that magic "40" birthday I started to realize I no longer looked fresh and beachy without makeup, I just looked tired and unpolished. One reason I never got into wearing makeup is I never wanted to look like I was wearing makeup. I didn't want people to look at me and see makeup and not my face. One of the other reasons is that I had no idea where to begin in this confusing universe - what products do you use? In what order? How do you learn? How do you avoid that orange foundation line at the jaw? The time required just never seemed worth it.
Later though, I had a few makeup sessions for special occasions with a skin care practitioner, and as part of my sessions she showed me how to use makeup and what products to buy. She favors the natural looking, mistake proof mineral products and now I do too. I've learned to apply makeup in 2-5 minutes (seriously!) and it looks like I'm wearing nothing - it looks just like me, only a little better. I'll be blogging about learning to use makeup and the products I use later.
Anyway, as a result of this, I started washing my face at night on top of the morning wash I already did. I never thought it was necessary to wash my face at night if I wasn't wearing makeup. What a difference this small step makes! I cannot believe how much better my skin looks just from this simple, quick task. So, if you want an easy, cheap way to get better looking skin, try washing your face at night as well as in the morning (I always moisturize after washing, and apply sunscreen during the day).
Have a great weekend!
Later though, I had a few makeup sessions for special occasions with a skin care practitioner, and as part of my sessions she showed me how to use makeup and what products to buy. She favors the natural looking, mistake proof mineral products and now I do too. I've learned to apply makeup in 2-5 minutes (seriously!) and it looks like I'm wearing nothing - it looks just like me, only a little better. I'll be blogging about learning to use makeup and the products I use later.
Anyway, as a result of this, I started washing my face at night on top of the morning wash I already did. I never thought it was necessary to wash my face at night if I wasn't wearing makeup. What a difference this small step makes! I cannot believe how much better my skin looks just from this simple, quick task. So, if you want an easy, cheap way to get better looking skin, try washing your face at night as well as in the morning (I always moisturize after washing, and apply sunscreen during the day).
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I love my trash compactor
When we bought our fixer-upper house, we didn't plan on remodeling the kitchen right away. But, as with so many home improvement projects, once we got into it and realized just how gross it was (think years-old spilled maple syrup thick with bug carcasses, mold, water damage, disintegrating uncovered particle board, just for starters) it simply made sense to bite the bullet and do it right away. We saved money and don't have to live with another remodel later on. Luckily, I had a friend who had recently remodeled her kitchen and she was a great resource for me.
One of the things she talked me into was a trash compactor. Mine is 18" wide and fits under the counter just like a cabinet would. I like it for several reasons. First, my design style is clean and modern and having a slick looking appliance that matches all the other appliances rather than a trashcan sitting out is much more appealing to me. Second, since it is under the counter it takes up no floor space. Third, it is foot operated which is great because you can put things in the trash while cooking without dirtying your hands. Fourth, it is dog proof (at least so far). Fifth, there is no odor at all since it is contained and covered. Sixth, we only take the trash out once a week, and that's because I like it emptied at least that often, not because it needs to be done. We could probably do it every 10 days. Seventh and last, I've read that it is more environmentally friendly because the trash takes less room. I don't know if this is true or not though - the trash goes through some heavy compacting after it is picked up. I do know though, that the smallest size trashcan our city uses is more than enough for us.
Of course, nothing remodeling related is simple and this is no exception. The compactor did cost significantly more than a trash can and was one more thing to be shopped for during the already arduous appliance selection. Because it has a motor and moving parts, it is one more thing that can break. It is more difficult to clean than a trashcan. I have to buy the bags at specialty appliance stores or order them online. The bags are more expensive than regular trash bags. So, although I love my trash compactor and would definitely choose to have one again, it's always good to consider the downside as well.
One of the things she talked me into was a trash compactor. Mine is 18" wide and fits under the counter just like a cabinet would. I like it for several reasons. First, my design style is clean and modern and having a slick looking appliance that matches all the other appliances rather than a trashcan sitting out is much more appealing to me. Second, since it is under the counter it takes up no floor space. Third, it is foot operated which is great because you can put things in the trash while cooking without dirtying your hands. Fourth, it is dog proof (at least so far). Fifth, there is no odor at all since it is contained and covered. Sixth, we only take the trash out once a week, and that's because I like it emptied at least that often, not because it needs to be done. We could probably do it every 10 days. Seventh and last, I've read that it is more environmentally friendly because the trash takes less room. I don't know if this is true or not though - the trash goes through some heavy compacting after it is picked up. I do know though, that the smallest size trashcan our city uses is more than enough for us.
Of course, nothing remodeling related is simple and this is no exception. The compactor did cost significantly more than a trash can and was one more thing to be shopped for during the already arduous appliance selection. Because it has a motor and moving parts, it is one more thing that can break. It is more difficult to clean than a trashcan. I have to buy the bags at specialty appliance stores or order them online. The bags are more expensive than regular trash bags. So, although I love my trash compactor and would definitely choose to have one again, it's always good to consider the downside as well.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
"My Favorite Weekend" column in the LA Times
The LA Times features a weekly column called "My Favorite Weekend" where various people with some degree of celebrity describe their favorite weekend. (Most recent column here). I enjoy reading it to see how other people would build a great weekend, although I suspect most of the jam-packed weekends described aren't realistic but idealistic. I know I couldn't sustain that pace every weekend, and I suspect I'm not alone.
My ideal weekend is about a blend of quiet time and activity; time alone, with my family, and with others; some scheduled time and some free time; a little tv (watched on the dvr, of course) and finally, a bit of productivity thrown in. Sometimes I'll tackle something I need Chris to help with, or I'll give myself free reign for an hour or so to just do anything house-related project I want. It's amazing how fun work can be when you don't feel forced into it. I just don't feel like I enjoy my weekend as much without just a little something getting accomplished.
It's a really thought provoking question - how would you most like to spend your weekends? What keeps you from doing it? What do you want from your weekend? Life is short, workweeks are long, so give this some thought and see if you can improve your weekends. I'd love to hear what you come up with.
My ideal weekend is about a blend of quiet time and activity; time alone, with my family, and with others; some scheduled time and some free time; a little tv (watched on the dvr, of course) and finally, a bit of productivity thrown in. Sometimes I'll tackle something I need Chris to help with, or I'll give myself free reign for an hour or so to just do anything house-related project I want. It's amazing how fun work can be when you don't feel forced into it. I just don't feel like I enjoy my weekend as much without just a little something getting accomplished.
It's a really thought provoking question - how would you most like to spend your weekends? What keeps you from doing it? What do you want from your weekend? Life is short, workweeks are long, so give this some thought and see if you can improve your weekends. I'd love to hear what you come up with.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
The "Irritation Test"
Stephanie did a great and motivating post on decluttering her kitchen cabinets (found via Org Junkie's February Kitchen Roundup). She details out exactly what she did and her logic in making her decisions. I like posts like these in general because they demonstrate the process of decluttering and organizing (and it is a process). What really grabbed me though was a term she used that I hadn't heard before - the "Irritation Test" in deciding to get rid of a "perfectly good" and useable bowl that irritated her because it was cracked.
What a great concept! I bet most of us have small irritants around the house that when gone improve the quality of our life. They can be broken things, things that we had high hopes for but that just didn't work as planned, things we've outgrown or changed, clothes that no longer fit, etc. I will be sure to use this in my decluttering.
What a great concept! I bet most of us have small irritants around the house that when gone improve the quality of our life. They can be broken things, things that we had high hopes for but that just didn't work as planned, things we've outgrown or changed, clothes that no longer fit, etc. I will be sure to use this in my decluttering.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Vegan Moo Shu "beef"
"Crockpot Lady" Steph asked for my Moo Shu recipe. I didn't actually keep the recipe because it was pretty simple and I changed it a lot, but I'll try to piece it together. I found this Moo Shu Pork recipe on Women's Day (www.womansday.com) which looks similar to the one I used, and mine also came from Woman's Day. Two comments though - I haven't been able to find bottled Hoisin sauce I like. I've had it at Chinese places and it tasted a little bit sweet and maybe plum-ish. The bottled ones I've found are usually salty and vineagary, so they don't have the flavor I'm looking for. I ended up using just a teaspoon of bottled hoisin on my Moo Shu while cooking it and making a plum sauce out of plum jam to serve on the side.
A second comment - neither Chris nor I like onions, garlic or other "bulbs" - leeks, shallots, green onions, chives, etc. It's a taste thing for us and I also have a sensitivity to these foods in anything but small quantities. I'm glad we share this unusual preference - it makes it much easier to cook. To adjust for this, I use small quantities (a teaspoon or less) of onion and/or garlic powder. I also use a lot of freshly grated ginger, often substituting this when fresh garlic is called for.
When I made my vegan Moo Shu beef, I started with a packaged cabbage slaw mix and dumped the whole bag into a pan with toasted sesame oil, about 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger, a dash of garlic powder, a dash of onion powder, and a teaspoon of the bottled hoisin sauce. I cooked this until the cabbage was soft, added pre-cooked vegan "beef" strips from Trader Joe's, and served it with whole-grain flour tortillas and plum sauce. It was tasty and simple. If you like onions and garlic, you could adjust the seasonings accordingly. I like this version though because it was full of ginger flavor.
To make the plum sauce, I had a hard time finding a simple recipe. I found this one which uses plum preserves as a base. I then went to 5 stores to try to find plum preserves and ended up using plum jam I found at the dollar store when I was there looking for organizing baskets. I used more fresh ginger and powder for the onion and garlic. It came out good enough, and the whole dish together was really tasty.
I hope this long answer to the short question is helpful.
A second comment - neither Chris nor I like onions, garlic or other "bulbs" - leeks, shallots, green onions, chives, etc. It's a taste thing for us and I also have a sensitivity to these foods in anything but small quantities. I'm glad we share this unusual preference - it makes it much easier to cook. To adjust for this, I use small quantities (a teaspoon or less) of onion and/or garlic powder. I also use a lot of freshly grated ginger, often substituting this when fresh garlic is called for.
When I made my vegan Moo Shu beef, I started with a packaged cabbage slaw mix and dumped the whole bag into a pan with toasted sesame oil, about 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger, a dash of garlic powder, a dash of onion powder, and a teaspoon of the bottled hoisin sauce. I cooked this until the cabbage was soft, added pre-cooked vegan "beef" strips from Trader Joe's, and served it with whole-grain flour tortillas and plum sauce. It was tasty and simple. If you like onions and garlic, you could adjust the seasonings accordingly. I like this version though because it was full of ginger flavor.
To make the plum sauce, I had a hard time finding a simple recipe. I found this one which uses plum preserves as a base. I then went to 5 stores to try to find plum preserves and ended up using plum jam I found at the dollar store when I was there looking for organizing baskets. I used more fresh ginger and powder for the onion and garlic. It came out good enough, and the whole dish together was really tasty.
I hope this long answer to the short question is helpful.
No menu plan this week
I won't be posting a menu this week as we have adopted a new puppy from the shelter! He is settling in nicely and he and our current dog get along fine. Pictures will be posted soon. I also think I'm getting sick, so it just seems a better week to make the microwave work.
See Michele's Mix on Jeri Dansky's blog
Professional Organizer Jeri Dansky used a snippet of my post from Thursday. Check out her post here.
I like the title of her post "Saving and Shedding the Sentimental: Four Perspectives." There is something about the word "shedding" that really grabbed me. It just seems so appropriate. Animals hold onto their skin or shell for as long as it suits them, and when it is too small they shed it, leave it behind and get comfortable in the new skin or shell. So it can be with our sentimental stuff - keep it for as long as it means something to you, connects you with someone, fires a memory or comforts you. When it no longer does anything for you, maybe you're ready to shed and move on.
I like the title of her post "Saving and Shedding the Sentimental: Four Perspectives." There is something about the word "shedding" that really grabbed me. It just seems so appropriate. Animals hold onto their skin or shell for as long as it suits them, and when it is too small they shed it, leave it behind and get comfortable in the new skin or shell. So it can be with our sentimental stuff - keep it for as long as it means something to you, connects you with someone, fires a memory or comforts you. When it no longer does anything for you, maybe you're ready to shed and move on.
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