Time for a Bit of Non-Consumer Home Organization
I picked up four free shelf organizer grid thingies from last week's garage sale after party. My first thought was to give them to my youngest, but they turned out not to work with the design of their closet.
I'd already already fashioned a system from curb picked grid cube pieces which worked just fine, but the new pieces would allow me to customize the width and create one extra slot.
I'll always looking to level up!
The project forced me to winnow down our sheets, which is always a positive. The two areas to the right are the scrappy clothes my husband wears while working on projects around the house. Apparently this requires ten paint spattered T-shirts.
I switched us over to skinny velvet hangers awhile back, which created a lot more space for our shared closet. Luckily they're easily available on the secondhand market, so it took no time to source enough from area Goodwills.
My second organizing project was to deal with the drawers in this entryway dresser. It holds decades of my old day planners, plus framed pictures -- which I switch out every now and then. Everything was higgledy-piggledy and needed a focused reshuffle.
This project didn't require any organizing products, only attention to detail.
Bottom drawer is now for old planners, (going all the way back to 1981!) and the top drawer is for framed pictures and a couple random items.
I got rid of fewer things that I'd anticipated, but that's okay. I'm not trying to be an extreme minimalist, I just want to be deliberate about the Stuff my home contains. The things we need and the things we value.
In the name of not burdening our loved ones after we're gone.
Katy, I noticed your closet rod looked to be sagging. When I moved into my house, the closet rods were not wood; they were galvanized pipe in the same diameter a wooden rod would be. I was told the former owners had owned a clothing store and had tons of garments hanging up all over the house. Anyway, my closet poles to not sag at all and are really heavy. The pipes fit into the regular rod holders you'd use with wooden rods. If you run across any galvanized pipes in a free pile, might want to give that a try.
I remember having a galvanized pipe in some closet or other, years ago. They certainly don't sag!!
The closets in our current house have metal rods that were here when we moved in. They are a marvel.
My daughter's old bedroom has a metal pipe as a closet rod, but this one is as saggy as the day we bought the house in 1996.
It's a harmless issue, so I'm filing this under "make it do."
It must feel so satisfying to get those shelves and drawers emptied, with the contents sorted and put away! When my daughter and I did two of the 'junk' drawers they ended up much more usable.
1. Every time I manage to clear out the entry part of my living room, someone walks in with 'stuff' – and puts it down in the convenient open space! ARGH. Same with my kitchen table, which I was so pleased to get cleaned off again. OOO, people say, a convenient flat surface upon which I can place all this STUFF I have brought you....
#2 son spent the whole day, with his very loving girlfriend, cleaning up the loft he had been living in. I don't know if he ever vacuumed it while he was there (eek).
She scrubbed the stovetop, the fridge, the bathroom – and did SO MANY dishes (washing things that were cleanish, essentially everything that came out of his kitchen cupboards and drawers.)
Many boxes of 'stuff' has been schlepped back over to my house.
I was re-gifted two liquor store boxes full of canning jars and lids (so THAT is where all my widemouth jars have gone?) and we did a big 'Tupperware drawer' sort to ensure the glass containers he had over there had lids. I gifted them a lot of those glass (lunch and fridge storage) containers, because, tbh, if he gave them all back to me I would need another cupboard (so THAT is where all the glass storage containers were!).
2. I currently have a very nice vacuum (miele) in the living room - #2 son ended up with a different canister vacuum when I closed down my office, and he decided that he preferred the second one, although he didn't give me the Miele until he moved out.
I am thinking that I will store this one upstairs, to save me hauling my existing vacuum up and down. It is a very good vacuum and I don't think I would make much trying to sell it on Marketplace.
3. I've ended up with a new tenant (without any advertising, just a conversation with a friend who's step daughter really wanted to move back here, which is a huge YAY! I rent well under market price to help folk out).
The loft will be empty for a whole month before she and her husband move in – so I am planning to get some electrical work done, and I'll be taking a good look at the walls to see if they need painting.
#2 Son and his GF were exhausted, and in no shape to finish up; the gift of a whole month takes a bit of pressure off - there is still a need to do a good mop of floors and walls and the windows are really in need of a scrub, so they will be back down next weekend.
4. I got my grandson last week for two different days – on the second one he started to have the world's runniest nose. Sigh, I now have his cold, and am feeling rotten. Third cold this year and I think I have only had a couple of weeks of feeling ok since the last one. #1 Son and family were going to go camping so I really hope that my GS is feeling better!
I've had to cancel a visit from my Mom and Sister (Sis has come out from the East Coast to see mom, and is doing a lot of the little projects, electrician and cleaning lady and...) Nobody wants what I have! I feel badly about not seeing my sister as she is only out here once a year.
5. I've been harvesting peas, fava beans, lettuce, kale, garlic scapes and chard from the garden. My GS really loves to take peas out of the pod, a great dexterity challenge, and any way I can get a kid to eat vegetables is a win for me! I've really enjoyed having a delicious crunch-fest with the sugar snap peas – one of the best snacks I know, and so healthy and filling!
The volunteer sunflowers that I started transplanting into the field from whereever they were growing have begun to bloom, which is so wonderful. I have more sunflowers from seed that will bloom a bit later so I might acutally have sunflowers all summer.
We've been getting creative with the hangers in our Airbnb that is only available for long stays, 28 days and up. We have a total of 22 hangers for a place that sleeps four guests.... I've been hanging up our laundry so that it's in layers wherever possible, t-shirt over a tank top or bottom down over an undershirt. This is a very underwhelming bnb.
To cool off the kids today we put them in their swim suits and let them play in the shower with the water set nice and low. Thankfully it was cooler today then it has been for the last several days and we caught a decent cross breeze downstairs until about 9:30am! I'm hoping we'll finally have a break from the heat soon so I can do some baking, we're out of the snacks I baked when we first got here and I have two very ripe bananas in the fridge that are begging to be turned into muffins.
I have not had good luck w/ the velvet covered hangers. They seem to crack & break in a year or two. I wondered how the metal closet organizers work. They are clever for making stacks of clothes neat & tidy. I also wondered if you keep your day planners to review past years' events. I have a kept a few planners for a few years, mainly for work purposes. It helps me to remember how I arranged the semester to plan for the next one. I suppose the planners could be similar to a diary.
Instead of buying hangers, I often scrounge them. I see the flimsy plastic coat hangers left in shopping carts outside Walmart. I grab them and take em home. They are great. for lightweight items such as tank tops and summer blouses, thus freeing sturdier hangers for other/heavier clothing. Yes, they tend to break after awhile, but since they were free, no big loss. I just toss the broken ones in the recycling bin.
1. I am also joining in the "clean up a little space" group, specifically the medicine cabinet and parallel areas. Gone are various expired supplements we won't ever take. I will take expired vitamins, but this was stuff we don't use. And good-bye to the IcyHot jar my husband had when we got married, expired 9/90. Also, in spite of wishing to be ready for a battle zone, I donated unused oxycodone from 2020 and 2022 surgeries to the CVS drop box.
2. At CVS, the friendly clerk gave me an unexpected compliment. He said I was the first person all day to use the coupon search machine without trouble The trick, I figured out some time ago, is not to punch the touch screen, no matter how irritating it is, but to gently stroke or tap the keys. (As usual, the coupons Chosen Just For Me were useless, but I digress).
3. Found the thermometer I didn't know we had in the medicine cabinet, so can return the new unopened one.
4. Preparing to do nothing during the Heat Dome this week.
5. Ditto #4 again.
This is just a random thought, but I’m glad you kept hold of your old planners. I love looking back through things like that.
So, 10 old t shirts for doing projects and yard work is too much but 45 years of day planners is normal and necessary?
Okay...
Essentially these are my old diaries, filled with my personal thoughts and are enjoyable to reread. What was going on in years past.
Do other people not hold onto their diaries?
No, I do not and neither do either of my daughters. My husband does have several shelves of notebooks from when he worked and now he has more notebooks with list of things to do for all his volunteer activities. I repeatedly tell him that once he passes on we're going to have a big bonfire with all of his notebooks. In my mind there is no reason to keep notebooks around from years past. Just more work for whoever ends up cleaning your house after you die.
I'm not a diary person, but everyone I know who is, has saved all of them.
Many, many years from now, diaries, day planners, newspaper clippings, old letters and even funeral programs will be of historical value. Thank God that Miep Giles did not burn Anne Frank's diary! Letters from soldiers are incredible to read. Ditto, ordinary people's writings from a given era. A black history museum in Florida collects -- and treasures -- the funeral programs bc during segregation, "Negro" obituaries were not run in "white" newspapers, or else they would be very short notices. Those funeral programs handed out in the churches or funeral homes tell of the community members' lives, valuable information not available elsewhere. Such mundane items are goldmines for historical researchers.
Donate, don't burn!
After talking with a few local historical societies, don't be surprised when they say no thanks.
Unless your family was someone of note in the area, they don't want it. Your personal musings about buying eggs at Aldi or the argument you had with the neighbor about their trash cans rolling into your driveway every Thursday isn't going to provide valuable insight about the culture in a given era. We're not all Miep Gies.
Here we are. Fretting about your sagging closet rods & old day planners.
lol... for a long time I thought the noun diary was replaced by journal, which I prefer. To me, diary is a non-flattering stereotype since diary is typically associated with females.
So being associated with females is non-flattering? That's an interesting take.
Whatever you do, Katy, don't call it a diary! You can keep your journals, just not your diaries! /s
I noticed that sagging rod, because I have one, too. My building is close to the same vintage -- 1924 -- but I don't know if the rod is original. Anyway, mine appears to be firmly wedged and painted in, and I don't know how I would remove it. And a galvanized pole would be great, but how would you get the exact right length? Do you have them cut to order? Just wondering.
I have already decided that my sagging rod is a problem for a future owner, and since I am in my late seventies, that's not far away.
I did laundry today, though I'm a Monday washer, because it's going to be extremely hot tomorrow. But it turns out I will have to go out anyway, because I sold a pair of leggings and will have to get the package in the mail. The last day to mail it is July 1, and we'll still be under the heat dome, so I might as well get it done. Hoping that at 9 am, it won't be too bad. I'll drive. I've already sent a text to my grandson to let me know where he parks the car tonight.
I did some reorganizing in my hall closets. I now have a good place to store my bed wedge, and I have put my painting clothes with the paint supplies. The paper goods are all together. And it all looks so much better.
I forgot to mention that when I was at the library yesterday, I found a blank card minus the envelope. I'm thinking someone was using it as a bookmark and left it behind. It's a cute thank you card, and I have an envelope that fits, so I will use it.
I checked out two Most Wanted books at the library, and I'll have to return them in a week -- no renewals. Good thing I have three heat dome days coming up that will give me plenty of stay-at-home time to get them read.
After making the penne casserole yesterday, there was some spaghetti sauce left over. I unearthed more, left over from another time, in my freezer, so I combined them, added a little water and more seasoning, and returned the whole shebang to the freezer for a future Italian meal.
I've loaded the dishwasher, but I won't run it till after 9 tonight, when the rates go down.
You can buy premade steel closet rods that are adjustable in length or it might be cheaper to buy a piece of pipe or get one from a free pile. You can use a pipe cutter to make it the correct length. They cost about $10 at the Home Improvement store or possibly you could borrow one from someone.
As far as your current closet rod if the brackets are painted over you can try scrubbing them with a scouring pad and a putty knife. If they are screwed in you can try unscrewing them which of course would make the cleaning process easier.
It looks great. I hate buying stuff to organize my stuff. Free is nice.
I so love your wall color and the marvelous wooden stairs!
1. I went swimming at the national recreational area up the road. It cost $3 bc I have never gotten around to buying a lifetime pass. It is a dollar more that the state park swimming area I like to frequent, but I would have spent more than a buck getting to the state park. The water was beautiful and the swimming area had been redone. I was the only swimmer there but the park attendants showed up to check on me. It is a rather isolated recreational area which means not many humans around. It does have a resident gator who is scared of folks, so far, and scurries away when people arrive
2. I have the air off and it is after 4 pm here. I may cave and turn it on for an hour though. It is 94-96 degrees with almost 100 heat index.
3. I ate a tomato sandwich for breakfast, and a salmon sandwich for lunch, using the last of the canned salmon. Watermelon and pink eyed peas are for supper and homemade peanut butter cookies are for snacking. Actually, I used the last of the organic peanut butter and the last of the tahini making the cookies.
4. I took a nap.
5. Before my swimming excursion ,
I walked an hour this morning. I used the sun to dry my swimsuit after I washed it out in the bathtub. I used the bright sun to pluck and groom my eyebrows. Did I mention I hate our electrical company and will do almost anything to avoid using too much electricity? I suppose I will have to turn the electric stove on, briefly, to heat up my peas.
The Tightwad Gazette and probably a lot of scouting manuals and camping books have directions on how to make an outdoor solar oven. IIRC it involves foil, bricks and maybe sheets of glass. If you are super motivated to sock it to the power company, might want to check it out. Then you could cook the peas without heating up the kitchen. (Although a crockpot could also handle the job....)
I am curious as to why you keep 45 years worth of planners. Do you actually look back at them?
I have some calendar pages I’ve kept because something significant happened but I can’t imagine wanting to recall what I had scheduled every day in the past. Do you use them more like diaries?
1. My friend asked me if I want the low sodium peanut butter they accidentally bought. They didn't notice it until they ate some. I'll use it in baking.
2. I made some frozen treats using above peanut butter for the dog now that the weather is getting hot. This week is supposed to get close to 100 degrees.
3. Washed clothes on the cold cycle and hung it up outside.
4. I finished my craft from my library class while listening to the radio last night.
5. Made my weekly protein egg bites for my breakfast this week. My neighbors invited me to dinner tomorrow since Hubby is still away for work.
6. Went through all of the mail from the week. I keep the return envelopes to use grocery shopping. I write my list on the outside and put coupons and rainchecks inside.
1. Charged my e-bike at a friends house (through Buy Nothing).
2. Cut up dried mango (given to me and I don't eat it) into my husbands dried fruit jar. The bits will be very nice in the granola he makes for himself.
3. A friend drove me to Costco, end of week 2 with no car, this was my first shopping.
She doesn't have a membership, but came in with me. She asked why I didn't get a cart. I said I never do because I can get around the store quicker with no cart, and get out quicker. And it is good to have the limitation of only being able to buy as much as I can carry in my arms. I find Costco overwhelming and slightly gross. But the good prices keep me going.
4. I finished a little purse for my granddaughter's birthday. It was sewn from fabric from craft thrift store, cost me about 50 cents.
5. Picked up the freebie at Lucky, 48oz bottle of almond milk. I'm allergic but dh will use it and free is his language!
Something kind of funny about the planner topic: I never keep my calendars or planners; I just recycle them when I'm done.
During my divorce proceedings, one of the interrogatory requests from the other laywer was for me to produce all of my planners from the past however-many years (maybe the whole marriage? I can't remember.) But that was an easy "nope" from me because I didn't have them! And I didn't have to worry that some strange narrative would be concocted about me based on the records of my daily activities. 🙂
So for me, it is lucky that I don't feel any attachment to my planners!
But how will I know all the phone numbers of the families I baby for in high school?
I concede Katy! You definitely should keep the planners in case you need to call one of the families.
Lol!
If it makes you happy, what's the harm??? It's one drawer.
Keep the planners. Your children will cherish them when you’re gone. I have mine & it is fun to look back at different seasons of life. I am old & I know my kids will enjoy reading them. They are about our lives & what they’ve thought & done as a family. I wish my Mother had kept planners she never had any. Then if they want to get rid of them it’s their choice.
I recently found a ledger of my spending the first few years I was married. It was fascinating. Stuff that evokes precious memories is important!
Beth, this reminded me of something. During my childhood, my mom had a leather-bound ledger book where she recorded monthly income and expenses. The whole thing was fascinating and so orderly to me, and I loved to look at her beautiful handwriting.
I used to keep my report sheet w/ my notes on a few situations at the hospital when things went "sideways" in case I was called into court. The hospital attorney told me to stop doing that as the info could be called into court during the discovery phase. Is this correct Cindy in the South?
I'm no attorney but I was told something similar at work about retaining information beyond the official retention guidelines. We didn't have anything to hide; it was just considered a best practice.
oh it was legal. My employer just recently changed email retention from 90 days to one year for some employees. Yes the 90 days was due to a lawsuit. I do wonder when they'll wake up and realize if you snap your email to a task, it will survive a nuclear war unless the email software is replaced (highly doubt it). Same goes with documents, spreadsheets et al. Seven year retention purge which would have resulted in loss of vendor documentation as well as pack rats such as I keeping info on things that rarely happen but still do. Another inventive solution to this issue.
My goodness, the pearl clutching today!
*Gasp!* Katy has STUFF! IN A DRAWER! THAT SHE ENJOYS!
God forbid a woman have a hobby.
The wooden rod that's doing its job, everything is off the floor, unbroken and completely fine?! Death before dishonor! Make do! (Unless it's *THAT*, obviously)
I guess the price of gas made everyone go out and buy some high horses to get on.
Shyla,
You are so funny!! LOL!
We all have things we keep for sentimental reasons. Mine are holiday decorations made by my mother. Notebooks sitting around happens to be one of my pet peeves because of my husband's obsession with notebooks.
In my case it's the heat that is getting to me and it's only going to be worse as the week goes on.
Amen and you said it much better than the comment I drafted and didn't post. It seems like this past week a number of home furnishings have drawn criticism on how it could be or look *better.
I don't keep my journals yet I have journaled most days of my adult life. But that's bc I don't want anyone reading them bc I do vent. So I shred them all chunk by chunk.
Yes, definitely misogynistic of me to point out the contrast of griping about 10 old t shirts (god forbid a man have a few t shirts for chores), but keeping 45 years worth of day planners, I mean diaries, I mean journals is fine.
Women keeping stuff = ok
Men keeping stuff = not ok.
Got it.
Goodness ... each of your notes is rather sour MissLemon. Ahh I get it. Good moniker.
Hello Again, 3 books I have really enjoyed recently and would recommend -
- ' We'll Prescribe You a Cat' by Syou Ishida....absolutely delightful.
- ' Horse' by Geraldine Brooks....brilliantly written but quite a tear jerker!
'The Other Bennet Sister' by Janice Hadlow....beautifully written.
I have read the latter two, and I agree! I'll be sure to put a hold on the cat book!
Purely out of curiosity (no judgement here!)--why are you keeping the day planners? Is this something you go back and look at? Are you expecting your kids to? Being so mindful of what's in your house, this one seems odd to me. And I'd love a fabulous story behind it! 🙂