A Comfortable House AND Savings …

Posted on November 13, 2010 by admin


Ok, so we’ve lived here for the past 20 years and had a new house built about 16 years ago in this same spot – anyway, my point is that for the last 16 winters, we have had cold air ripping through the electrical outlets in the kitchen.

Today’s extra job was to get out the caulk and seal up those holes so I won’t be able to feel the wind ripping through my fingers when it snows and blows outside.

I’m really trying to be more in the ‘green’ mode of conserving energy this year because my funds are a little more limited and, with all of our electronics, our energy bill has really jumped triple times … I, also, quit a job that I absolutely hated and started working from home designing websites, which I do enjoy. Life is too short to be stuck doing something you absolutely hate! I had actually started building websites years ago (in the late 1990′s), but never did it full-time.

So, back to the extra job, I now have sealed up 2 electrical outlets with caulk so (hopefully) they won’t let in as much pure cold air. With any luck, this will make the house a little more comfortable, without having the heat turned up high, and help to save on the heating bill, too! :-) It only took me about 15 minutes, total – so, I think it will prove to be well worth it … we’ll see!

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More Paper Clutter Clearing …

Posted on November 10, 2010 by admin

I went through the living room and kitchen and gathered all of my papers – from all of the tables and my desk and all of the other hotspots.

I grabbed a little file box and started sorting them into logical file folders. I used the following tabs: Urgent, Bills, Clients, Incoming Mail, Work to Do, Shred, and a General/Miscellaneous folder.

It took me about 20 minutes to get each piece of paper into the correct folder. Now, I am going to take each folder and sort through it a little better – by putting the most urgent of this folder at the front.

Then, I started with my ‘Urgent’ folder and made sure I took care of each of those items. My Urgent folder is now empty – YEAH!!! :-)

Next, I’ll take my ‘Bills’ folder and get each of the bills paid. Then, the next highest priority folder. You get the idea. The point is to take each task and divide it into small, easily do-able steps. Eventually, it will all be done. :-) Good luck!

Confuscious says: “In order to move a mountain, you must first move a single stone.” This is so true! This is the phrase that got me, from where I was a few years ago, to this point … a much less cluttered house!

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Paper Clutter, No Guilt, Save Money …

Posted on November 10, 2010 by admin


Ok, I’m going to deal with paper clutter today. I’m going to gather all the paper clutter and mail that has accumulated on my coffeetable, endtable, and kitchen table and open them and put them into consolidated piles.

The consolidated piles will consist of bills, newspapers that I haven’t gotten around to reading yet, and school stuff for my children.

Ok, so I’ve cleared off all 3 of my tables and put everything into the correct piles. My goal for today is to get the bills paid, sort through the school stuff, and glance through the newspapers to see if there is anything important that I should know about and so I can get rid of them.

One problem I’m having is that the newspapers I have don’t get read often so I have several weeks sitting here to go through. The only reason I actually subscribe is to see school information but … obviously, that’s not working if I am always reading the information too late. I think I may end up cancelling the newspaper when my subscription runs out. That will be $50 some bucks that I won’t have to spend on feeling guilty anymore (because I’m not getting them ready anyway and the paper kills trees). Hey, I can do my part to save the earth and save myself some cash – lol. Actually, after looking, it looks like they’ve got all of their news and information posted on the website so I may not even be missing the news. Interesting.

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Getting ready for college – Clearing Clutter on Bathroom Shelves

Posted on November 9, 2010 by admin

I went into the bathroom and cleaned out one shelf. We have a large bathroom cabinet and it has 8 shelves in it. Each of my sons have one single shelf to themselves. I had my oldest son, who is going away to college next month, go through his shelf with me to clear it out a little.

You would not believe how much extra ‘stuff’ had accumulated on that shelf! We’re talking about those tiny toothpastes from the dentist office visits, cologne from Christmas that has never been opened, deodarants that were not used because the scent was not liked, brushes, old contacts (new boxes that I couldn’t bear to throw away because he didn’t like them but they had never been opened) – these had expired in 2009, new chapsticks that were not used, new eye glass cleaners that could never be found, when needed, thus used only once or twice (several bottles of this), a few new toothbrushes from vacations that were used only on vacation – yet not thrown away when we returned home, travel-size shampoos used only on vacation. Oh, wow – the garbage is FULL!

Let me tell you, it was an eye opener. I thought we had been doing ok but I think it’s time to go back through and do some extra cleaning in the bathroom cabinet this week – lol.

It is good to see that once chaotic and cluttered shelf all cleared off now but it is kind of sad, though, too. The shelf is much emptier and cleaner but it is now making me think that in about a month, my oldest son will be leaving for college and I dread the day that his shelf is completely empty. I am already missing him! …

Enough getting depressed, my goal is to clean (or exercise – but since I’m in pain due to a car accident last year and have a huge pounding headache right now, it will be to clean, I think) when I get depressed thinking about him leaving. I’m actually very happy for him because I know that it’s really going to be a great experience for him but … I will miss him bunches!!!

So, I’m off now to get my other son’s shelf cleaned out. This one may take some coaxing to get it done. I think I may have given him the packrat tendency in his earlier years. I have been working on it with him, too, but I know I am to blame for keeping everything in years past and teaching him to hold onto things. We are surviving … at least I caught it before it was too ingrained in him, I think … there is hope! :-)

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Cleaning

Posted on November 9, 2010 by admin


For today, I ended up taking my 15 minutes and cleaning out a cabinet in my bedroom. I was able to pick up some items that had been setting there for the past 6 months. Hey, life gets busy – sometimes it’s easiest to just set things and forget about them. Unfortunately, I’m one of those that lets it happen. I have come A VERY LONG way from where I was just a couple of short years ago but there are still some areas to take care of.

In fact, I’ve come such a long way from where I was that I started my own website. Clean House 101 And, I’ve already been pleasantly surprised by it … apparently, people have been finding my website and (now, my blog).  I’ve already had quite a few people contact me about it. Thank you – it is a nice feeling when others let you know that you are making a difference!   I guess it makes sense, I looked all over for help when I was at my worst and felt so hopeless. Surely, I didn’t think I was the ONLY one going through what I was going through …  it just FELT like it. :-(

My ultimate goal for this blog is to write on my extra cleaning jobs each day but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Between this blog, and the website, you should be able to start getting a handle on cleaning and clearing your home, just as I have done.

The main thing to remember is to NOT get discouraged. I’ve been there – I know how horrible it can feel. Keep your chins up and remember that we all have to start somewhere! :-) Just take it one day at a time and you WILL SUCCEED!!!

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