July 3, 2008 - Small Fire Update: Adjuster news...

Yesterday morning the 2nd cleaning place was here and the adjuster stopped by as well.  The cleaning place said they would put their bid in, but we haven't heard what it is as of yet. 

The adjuster went on to say basically after looking things over, this is going to take some time.  It is going to be like we all are invading your entire life.  We however will help you through it and it will be over in a short time, but it will likely seem like an eternity going through it.  Having said that, he also says that we need patience.  NO CLEANING is to be done until the cleaners come... so much damage can be done by cleaning soot that is irrepairable.  I told him that DH had already started because he was embarrassed by the sight of all these cobwebs (which are soot webs, not cobwebs... we learned so much these past couple days!)  We notice a couple places where dh had the vacuum stick and hit the tile or something and it actually made skid marks that Dh then tried to get out and couldn't... he likely made it worse.  The insurance adjuster just raised his eyebrows, but understood since no one told us what to do... they try to get out the day of or the next morning, but our insurance companies fax wasn't working and once back online... they forgot to call over the weekend and they took a holiday off on Monday... so nothing was told to us until Tuesday.  We have been eating food in the cupboards they deemed unsafe and have basically told me to inventory and throw out.  We have been living in a house that they are making to sound unliveable until it is cleaned.  That has been changed to be you can live there, but you should really be careful what you touch, what you track back and forth and washing dishes before you eat.. .regardless of whether they look dirty or not.  I'm like Uh-huh... he knows we have a 3yo and that this goes beyond her comprehension. 

The adjuster also said this takes steps.  We can replace the stove and hood as soon as we want... that will totally be replaced so we can go ahead and go shopping and turn in the bill.   But otherwise, the cleaning needs to be done first.  After the cleaning is done, then they will assess the damage.  Then we will have to get bids, then approval for work to be done, then the last of the repair work should get completed.  The cleaning will take approximately one week... maybe a little longer.  They asked what we were willing to clean and we said the microcleaning, which he is happy for.  They will clean the big areas, the ceilings, walls, and floors... and the entire kitchen area (washing cupboards, dishes, etc.).  That leaves me to pack everything up in the house in boxes and get it out of the way so they can do that... I then will have to wash everything before putting it away again.  Steve will help, but he has a full day at work next week and I will likely be alone doing much of the cleaning and trying to entertain Paige in the process. 

I am beginning to see the reason of why this happened... and I smile and grimace all at the same time... In one big swoop my house will be cleaned and decluttered all at once.  Likely in two weeks... Everything will have been cleaned and sorted and replaced into it's home or taken away to the dump or given away as donations.  DONE!  For those who have been keeping up on my blog you know my decluttering journey is very slow.  I take it one box at a time... and slowly go through items.  I recall taking things to the basement last fall and this spring the prized items went upstairs to be sold online... which in all honesty... things are selling.  I am going to the post office 1-2 times a week to mail off items.  Anyways, I will no longer need to bore you on my decluttering process because... it will be done!  (if I stick to it and work with the process... which Dh says he will stick me to it!  LOL). 

You know... in my last fire post I was trying to figure this out and praying about it because it made no sense to me at all.  NONE... so I went to bed with a heavy heart.  But in the morning I awoke dreaming about something I only recall the meaning of now... and yet I know it was of giving things away... And I recall sleepily replying to this thought, but LORD, I thought you wanted us to sell it and then give to the poor... and to which I felt a deep need to read my proverbs chapter of the day.  I wake up more fully, opening my eyes and I sense the words... The Lord will supply all your needs... and then remembering my dream of giving things away... I then eagerly rushed for my Proverbs book (It is just the book of Proverbs in one little paperback that I use for my daily devotions)... and I read the following...

Proverbs 22:1  ¶A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Yes, I know that Lord.

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April 11, 2008 - Declutter Journey: Books

As a person who loves books, I have many.  I didn't need many excuses to get more, either.  Once we got kids... I got more books.  Once we started homeschooling... I got MORE books!  Dh thinks I might have as many books in our house as the local library in our small town.  I'm thinking he is exaggerating just a wee bit, but I do have alot of books. 

I am going through the bookshelves and trying to give up some of these books.  I have started to put my books in order of age... so the kids books are in accordance to reading level.  I have a general reading section, which is compiled of readers that we use as the kids grow in their reading skills.  I have weeded out the readers that were not beneficial in my opinion.  I have ALOT of them, so I saved the best, the character building ones, the ones that are uplifting and the ones that teach of God and the Bible.  The rest, the silly ones, are in a pile to leave the house.    I have a Bible training bookshelf.  Three shelves of books that have Bible teaching resources for the family for different age levels.  I have one set of bookshelves organized for Mom... all books that are resources for me on homeschooling, housekeeping, quilting, crafts, etc.  This is my dream shelf and my study shelf.  It brings smiles to myself, BUT, I limited myself to one bookshelf!!!  Dh thinks that is still too much, but isn't arguing, since this was a compromise!   Another bookshelf has books that have never been read.  This is my to do, bookshelf.  One shelf also contains Themed books... like all the Christmas story books and the Advent books.  This shares a shelf with assorted Bibles in various versions.  We rarely use it, but the Bibles are in poor condition and I don't want to burn them, yet they aren't in any type of giving condition... so I have hung on to them, unsure really what to do with them. 

I have one large bookshelf that I have emptied and now have filled with books to get rid of.  Some posted on half.com.  Some are posted on homeschool classifieds.  And some are posted on paperback swap.  I have gotten rid of 15 books on paperback swap in the last month.  I am thinking hurray!  But I worry that my shelves will again fill up since I need to swap!  I am considering using this as a way to get gifts for family for Christmas.  This is a bit difficult though because the condition can vary from new to good and it is a guess as to how I will come out.  I have had great luck so far... every book so far in like new to great condition.   I am hoping that my luck continues.  I am trying to figure out my family's likes and dislikes on books and audio tapes.  My fil doesn't read well, from his diabetes, so I am looking for some audio books for him.  My mother loves craft books of any kind, yet she is a book lover herself and finding one she hasn't read or seen is a bit tricky!  My kids... Hmmmm... we already have so many books to choose from, to find one they haven't read that I approve of... is proving more difficult than I once thought!  LOL  Plus any books for them, adds to my shelves at home... I am thinking eventually it will be a blessing.  I have even considered finding some religious books to donate to our church library... a good deal both ways... a blessing to the church and a blessing that my house is cleaner/less packed. 

Downstairs my bookshelves have gotten lighter.  My youngest has been limited to one shelf on the bookshelf.  I found that alot of picture books can fit on one shelf!  And when pulled out they make quite the mess!  Luckily most everyone is patient and loving with teaching her to pick up.  My bedroom bookshelf is becoming lighter.  I am filling it with books I haven't read to keep me reading.  Many of these are self help, study or religious in nature, so I am going through them in my morning devotional time.  I read my Bible and try to read a chapter or two out of these books.  I have enjoyed this renewed quiet time in the morning.  The added bonus of knowing that when I have finished the books, they will likely leave the house... is helpful for my encouragement to keep up with my studies... odd I know, but for me it is helpful at this time.  I do keep the best of the best, so that my older daughters can read if they desire to.  I like to have a shelf with some good reads at a higher reading level. 

I've also begun the curriculum clean up as well.  This week I removed two boxes of books and gave it away on freecycle.  I was unable to sell them on ebay or half.com or even swap them on paperback swap... so out the door they went.  The gal was pleased to have some more books, she will share the extras with the homeschool coop. 

I have some working spots of books I am working on.  I have a laundry basket full of curriculum books of various kinds that I found at a second hand store for 25 cents each.  Writing strands and beautiful feet study's, lots of good finds and a few homeschool help books.  I haven't had time to digest these as of yet.  I don't want to add them to the shelves if I decide not to keep them.  So they are in a basket until I can get to them.  I also have a pile of garden books that I want to put into the shelf upstairs that is holding books I haven't read, yet.  It's getting closer.  I think I could grab a stack of 5-10 and transfer it to my to-do list shelf and make room for a few anyways.  And lastly I have a basket of books that I am pretty sure I want to get rid of, but they have no ISBN numbers so posting them online has been difficult, yet they are good books.  I need a bit of time to either post in lots on ebay or something... that is another to-do pile of books that will go in time. 

The main point in listing all about the books is not to bore you.  It is a point in organization, having a plan, making limits and having a plan that will dig you out of perhaps a disorganized pile of books.  In making different areas for different books, I can limit myself on say... ministry books... (I have one bookshelf that I keep all my SS teachers books, my health ministry books, and my youth ministry books on.  I use these in seasons, so this bookshelf is in an odd place atop of our stairway that is hard to get into, yet looks neat and fills a hole that has otherwise been filled with dirty clothes from the kids... no longer... it has books there!  It's kind of a dead end 3 foot hole by 2.5 feet wide.  )  These limitations give me some sense of goal to work towards.  The organization aspect of organizing my books into topics/needs/age levels, helps me to see exactly how many self help books I have, helps me see how many Bible study books I have, helps me see how many books I have not read yet (keeping me from buying more until that pile gets smaller!), etc.  Once in one section I have been able to really make some hard decisions on ...do I really NEED that book?  Will I really read it again?  Can someone else use the book more than my family?  Do I have too many books that we can't possibly use them all?   All questions I have had to ask myself... and I am becoming more honest with myself as I tarry on this journey.   

Organization is the key.  I find that once I go through my books, I will likely have two bookshelves that will be empty... nice wooden bookshelves.  I have wondered what will I do with the shelves when there are no books to put on them?  No worries, I have plenty of craft projects, plenty of items I want to sell on ebay that can sit on one shelf.  I think I will move all the audio books to one of the shelves.  Dh loves to take those in the car when he is on his long road trips.  Having them organized on a shelf rather than packed into a rubbermaid container would be more accessible for him.   If I could not find anything at all to put on the shelves, I would highly consider giving the shelves away.  after all I am trying to reduce the clutter in our home. 

I realize that giving away the books would be an easy way out of the clutter, but I feel strongly that if I can sell the items that this is the best way to show good stewardship.  God says in the Bible to sell what we have and give to the poor.  So that is what I am trying to do.  I am giving it 2-4 months to sell in various online venues, but if it doesn't sell by month four, then I put it into a box for giving away on freecycle... at least that is the goal as much as I can keep track of.    it took me a long time to accumulate all this stuff around me.  I'm sure if I am diligent in trying to sell it, it will take me quite a bit of time to get it gone as well.   Right now our sales are going towards our debt.  Once our debt is gone, then giving to the poor would come easier.   Our stuff is not just treasure in our homes, but it is currently visible bondage to our debts.  This does not bring glory to God.  We want to reduce our debt as much as possible.  We still are giving in other ways, with budgeting from dh's salary, but reducing our debt by reducing our stuff is of highest priority for me.  Once out of debt, then our stuff will be more like treasure and selling it to increase our gifts to God only makes sense at that point. 

Enough rambling.   Happy organizing with your own Books!

Warmly, ~Melissa

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April 1, 2008 - Declutter Update:

This past week, I was able to clean out 4 boxes out of the basement.  Two happened to have tax papers in them, and they were refiled neatly and now on their way to a permanent storage area in the basement.  One was a file box with empty files and folders in it... I added them to another box I had upstairs.  Now they are all in one spot.  One box was sorted into junk or need to sort again.  So my large box is now a half filled small box that will go back to the basement for another round when I am able to deal with that type of material. 

I need to move quickly and get the boxes off the basement floor.  In a week or so, the basement will likely have water covering the floor from the spring thaw.  I don't have much left on the floor, but I do have about 6-8 boxes I absolutely have to deal with.  Half will be going to a second hand store... the other half, I need to just get it off the floor! 

Taxes and boxes off the floor of the basement are this week's demanding jobs.  Hoping that both can be accomplished before the spring thaw!

Warmly, ~Melissa

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March 29, 2008 - Cleaning Up...

I have decided to start some cleaning up of my blogging.  I have several blogs, an attempt to keep areas of my life organized.  I also realize that I connect with different people on different levels, so I have decided to keep the blogs separated.  You are welcome to check in at my other blogs.  I just wanted to make it clear what I will be posting at each blog, so that you can choose to direct your links as you desire. 

My homeschool blog, as listed in my side bar, will have posts on homeschooling.  My thoughts on homeschooling, our adventures in homeschooling, perhaps projects and even posts from my kids as well.  It will focus on our particular style of schooling, of my curriculum reviews, and basically everything to do with homeschooling that is relevant to our own family. 

My homestead blog (here) is going to remain, but might seem to have narrowed in focus.  I really enjoy the community here and enjoy the ability to comment to others with similar interests... a great reason to stay here... but my posting will focus more on our journey to become self-sufficient.  It will also share things that I have learned or am learning about keeping the home, the farm, and our garden. 

My praise blog, as listed in my side bar, is where I will post my hopes, my dreams, my praise and my life (hence it's name, you will notice if you visit that blog).   My thoughts will be shared, my faith will be shared.  This is where you will likely get to know me better, but it also will have more scattered thoughts and more diversity.  The writing will be different however, as I will be trying to practice on different styles of writing.

I may in the future open a blog on health, as that is a major interest of mine and when I get more time to focus on that, I would like to track my findings and my journey to better health.  I will post the link in the sidebar if I do decide to open a blog on health. 

Now, don't think me overzealous to do this.  LOL.  Because as many of you have seen, my participation on this blog has slowed down.  I have been trying to sort things out in my life and declutter/organize my life as well as my home, that many of you have heard about.  By putting my life into boxes (remember my post on men are like waffles and women are like spaghetti?)  I am trying to use the box approach to some areas of my life to better organize it so that I can live like spaghetti, yet not fall through the tines (fork) of life and fall back on the plate... I want my life useful... in some ways I am gathering my spaghetti onto the fork and sorting it out, bite by bite. 

So join me where your interest lies... maybe we can connect on some level. 

Warmly, ~Melissa  

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February 16, 2008 - This week's progress...

Oh, it has been a week of progress.  I love it when that happens!  With decluttering, many of you know I moved everything to the basement.  Downstairs I have approximately 12-13 sized church tables full of items in my basement.  My job for this winter is to sort through it and disperse it to freecycle, sell on ebay or find a permanent home... if no permanent home can be found, it will be sold or given away. 

Well, this week, I went through 2 tables worth.  I was able to pack up the saw horse make-shift table and get it out of the basement.  I cleared that table and all the stuff below it.  Dh was real pleased to see something going.  I have two boxes of items for give-aways.  I found homes for some of my stamping items.  I have one box of stamping items/crafts to be ebayed. 

One thing I did was to condense my stamping items.  I had file boxes with colors of papers separated.  It was real nice, but not necessary.  I stacked all the paper inside my ironing cabinet and I found that I condensed 4 boxes worth into two boxes.  I did the same thing with the misc. items.  I have those three drawer boxes that can sit on a shelf.  Each drawer fits about a size of paper but two inches deep.  I had each drawer with one purpose... like embossing items in one drawer, flock in another, ribbons in one, chalks in another, etc.  Well, not all of these items fill up an entire drawer, so I put things in the drawer until it was full.  It is taking some rearranging as I don't want like items in two different drawers.  It is coming along.  I expect next week I will have the rest of the stamping stuff sorted through and that will be a blessing. 

My goal for the coming week is to have everything in the basement either on a table or under a table.  I currently have a 4-5 high and two box deep pile right in front of the furnace.  (That is one table worth of items).  I would like to either go through that or put that on the stamping table once I finish going through the stamping items.  It is likely if our application for refinancing our home loan that we will need another assessment done on the property and the house.  I would like the boxes to be at least "organized" while in the basement.  Some is rather here and there as I asked the kids to take a pile to the basement and it just landed willy nilly.  All is in boxes, it's just not very organized for looks. 

In addition to this, I got two parts of the storage area upstairs cleaned out and organized.  Woo Hoo!  Plus I moved my sewing area upstairs.  I am hoping after next week, I can finish my quilt blocks and then get going on my daughters transcript and THEN get going on the taxes... I'm sure Dh will not like that plan... perhaps it would be better to do the transcript and when I need a "break" work on the quilt squares.  That is likely a better plan. 

I am so happy to see this all coming together.  My ebay pile is growing.  I have about 6 boxes full of items to ebay.  That will take time as the craft stuff is little.  I have a bunch of books on half.com as well, and I think I might post the books in lots to just get them out of here.  But all that will take time.  That does not bother DH.  He can handle me putting items for ebay in one area of our upstairs.  It is not "used by anyone unless company is over (around the foosball table).  So that is the ebay plan, as I find things to put on ebay, it is put in that corner and that will be worked on once the basement is cleared out or when I have a few spare minutes to post an item or two. 

For those that think it is not worth trying to sell items on ebay and just throw out items instead.  I understand, sometimes I really want to throw it out, too.  BUT two weeks ago I had a spare moment and posted like 7 items and I ended up getting $65 for group of items.  It may seem trivial, but $65 will help pay off bills!  Around Christmas I sold around $100 worth of items.  It is amazing what people do buy on ebay.  It is nice to know the stuff isn't going to the dump as well. 

I plan to keep on with my declutter project.  It does get tiring at times, but I am beginning to see progress. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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February 13, 2008 - Rearranging... again!

Ok, you'd think I'd found the perfect home for everything.  Especially with moving things around. 

One thing I decided.   We just aren't able to use the ping pong table at this time.  This frustrates the girls, but if it is allowed to have it's space, then I can't sew and I don't have a spot for the computer and no spot for the spare bed... just too many can'ts for one thing.   So for now, the ping pong table is pinned in it's current home.  We'll decide at another time if that will stay that way or if we will make room for it as I keep decluttering. 

Today I moved the sewing desk and my ironing cabinet upstairs to "mom's area", named by which it is becoming.  I have a shelf of books that I prefer to read, the spare bed, which is my favorite bed of the house, my computer desk, my files for bills, homeschooling and more.  And now it houses my sewing machine and ironing cabinet. 

I also cleared FIVE boxes from the basement today!  Woo Hoo for me!  LOL.  And I have one item readied to mail from an ebay sale.  Well, I need to put the little one down for a rest. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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December 11, 2007 - Uncluttering, so satisfying!

I had gone through part of the garage, leftover garage sale remnants from our mission trip garage sale.  Much of the stuff wasn't even mine and no one wanted their stuff back... so I went through it...sorted it out.  I also went through some Christmas stuff and had some bags of clothes that have been decided that no one is wearing.   I posted my first declutter post on freecycle last week.  I have takers on all of my first postings!!

So far I have gotten rid of:  2 boxes of Christmas decor, 4 bags of girls clothes, a smore maker, two lamps, 3 boxes of kitchen items (dishes, glasses, bakeware, jello tins, etc.), 3 boxes of home decor items and a box of stuffed animals.  Tomorrow a box of mugs plan to leave as well.  I actually added more mugs to the box once I found out this person's church uses them for welcome gifts with hot chocolate or tea.  Yea me!  LOL 

I just posted a second posting on freecycle as well tonight.  We'll see how much more gets taken this coming week. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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November 19, 2007 - Organizing the house...

I am learning to organize and downsize my entire home.  I love to organize.  I had all kinds of organized areas, but I never looked around at the entire house at one time to have the HOUSE organized as well.  Because of that, clutter was able to build up between these neatly organized areas.  I accepted too much of other's things and just filled in the blank spaces of the house.  Well, years of doing that added up and I am still continuing my journey of decluttering the house.  I have been at this nearly a year and I was getting frustrated.  Dh and I were talking yesterday and while he notices improvement... there's still TOO MUCH STUFF in this house! 

Having older kids, I'm finding it is harder to downsize certain areas of the home.  Also some things are sentimental to the girls and I want to respect this a 'wee' bit.  But it has dragged me down.  I talked with Dh yesterday about this.  I needed help focusing and I needed an overall goal to see in my mind, so I could work towards it.  From all sides everyone was saying ... we have too much stuff and the house is too cluttered... but it was soley up to me to decide what to do about it.  Which is fine, if no one will complain... but that is highly unlikely to happen IF I decide what to do with THEIR stuff!   I voiced my frustration over knowing that I would have not only no help in the matter, but also I would hear all the grief about it after I made the efforts to do something about the clutter. 

So, Dh helped me with goal setting... We talked about needed areas in the house and agreed upon where they should be.  The nitty details of what to get rid of to achieve the goals is still in my hands, but I feel more confident about not coming up against walls with a plan in place.  We are changing many areas of the house to make workable areas.  Some areas are temporary until we can get some areas remodeled.  And with debt reduction this is a slow process.  BUT, we were blessed with alot of wood, so it really isn't going to be as long as we originally anticipated. 

Today we were busy.  The two oldest girls combined their beds into bunk beds and entered the smallest room of the house for their bedroom.  While it is small.  It will fit the bunkbeds and two dressers and still have a bit of room to stretch if needed.  But, not much else.  We are moving things in stages, as we have to make room in a room to move stuff there but before we can do that, we have to move other stuff.  And so it went today.  We have two stairways to the upstairs and you can walk a circle through the house because of that.  Which today it worked well.  We'd start in one room, grab things, place them into their new home in the next room, grab other things and continue this way throughout the house. 

Today we moved the girls' beds into their new bedroom.  Right now they are moving one dresser into it.  We still have one dresser to move in the bedroom and we still need to move out 3 small file cabinets and my desk and some other misc. stuff.  They also moved some of their belongings into the room and placed it on the shelves on the wall near the ceiling. 

In a large room downstairs, we moved out the tv and the coffee tables from the second tv area.  We moved this tv area into my oldest daughter's old bedroom... which she disliked because there were no windows.  Should be fine for tv as everyone hates glare on the tv.  So, that is the plan.  It is actually temporary until we can fix the basement up.   We are waiting on moving the love seats up to that room until it is vacuumed.  She still has her clothes to get out of the room as well... which is waiting for my desk to move out of her new room.  Into the area we moved the tv from and the coffee tables, I was able to move my sewing stuff into that area.  This large room will once again be our bedroom.  It is rather large for just a bedroom, but combining my sewing area in the far end, it may work well.  When we had a little ones, I had a crib in the room, but right now we have no little tiny ones in a crib... so it was big and we moved to a smaller room... but we are moving back because my Dad offered us a King sized bed (they had a spare one in the shed, lol... they just bought a NEW one and don't want this one, I guess) anyways, Dh would love that and it won't fit into our smaller bedroom... so back we are headed to the larger bedroom.   We are waiting on the pingpong table and the foosball table to be moved back upstairs into a different room.  Then we will wait on getting the bed from my Father. 

Our current bedroom will remain as is, with the addition of the desk, the file cabinets in the closet and some bookcases along the walls.  This will be our guest bedroom/office.  I do all the paperwork for the house, and I love this room, it is restful to me and I love this queen bed and I couldn't bear to just put it out in the barn, so I am pleased to have a spare bedroom.  The rest of the family thinks it is silly since we are short on space, but I feel it is important to have a place for guests.  I hate having my Dad and Mom visit and have to sleep on a lumpy couch.  My nephews don't fit on the couch, so end up on the floor or a camping cot.  I think it will get used and hospitality is important to me, so they are letting me have this space (as a trial) to see if it is worth having. 

I was able to move two bookcases into the spare bedroom/our current bedroom... but the rest will have to wait until we actually move out of the bedroom.  My dresser is taking up the desk space and my hanging clothes are where the file cabinets will go. 

Other winter projects to look forward to:  In our front room, we are moving the freezer outside to the outdoor mudroom.  And our spare oven (from market) will move into the basement.  We would get rid of it, but the oven works and my regular oven is again on the fritz, so we need to keep it for baking bread or just baking until we can afford a new oven stove oven.  Wierd thing is that the stovetop on my regular oven works great, but the oven doesn't.  The spare oven works great, but it's stovetop is horrid.  So, I have TWO big appliances doing the work of ONE!  Someday when funds come in that will change.  Anyways, onto the project.  We hope to put in some countertop and lower cupboards for storage of food, which will come out of the pantry storage and make way for winter coat storage.  WHICH will be so nice... I hate not having anywhere to hang winter coats!!!  And the cost... is just the hinges and the countertop... which we hope to pick up a piece on clearance if possibe as it is only 8 feet long. 

Our second project is to make a TV area downstairs in the basement.  This will give me a more permanent area in the room it is now assigned to for a full sized office area... bills and farm paperwork and school records will be easy to access and work on in this room.  I do ebay quite often and this will be a good place to put mailing envelopes and boxes as well.  But this is a someday.  The winter project won't start until I downsize all the stuff from the basement.  (remember I put all the clutter into the basement!!!)    So, after the house is organized, I will have to get busy on ebay and sell as much stuff as possible to make room for Dh to work on the basement.  To give you an idea, I have about 5 church sized tables full of stuff and some boxes underneath at least 4 of them and I would say another floor to ceiling shelving full of old paint, and picture frames and odds and ends from old projects.  Oh my, that will be a HUGE task.  Dh says if I can just get one area cleaned (we have two sides of the basement... he can work on the other side while I am working on the rest of the stuff.   The wood we need to close in the basement and make it not just a block basement, was given to us, so we will have very little cost to this remodeling project. 

Overall, what does all this mess mean?  It means that my house will be organized, there won't be any clutter.  The rooms will have purpose and our home should flow.  I will finally have organized areas for my own hobbies and I will actually be able to DO THEM!  It sure is alot of work, but it will be worth it.  I am not anywhere close to being done, but I have a plan and we have goals.  That's a start.  Details make all the difference.  Not having any specific goals was keeping me from achieving the end product of a totally clean, organized decluttered house.  I went through the motions, but wasn't gaining any progress on the project.  So, now with new goals, I hope that we will finally see fulfillment of our dream house... a simple home that is uncluttered and provides for the basic needs of our family. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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November 17, 2007 - Warm and Cozy...

I am sitting in the living room on my daughter's small laptop computer.  I am enjoying the warmth of the fire from the woodstove.  It is crackling and popping.  Just a warm and cozy atmosphere this evening. 

Life has been so busy as of late, that I've had hardly a moment to slow down and just enjoy what God has blessed us with.  I love this time of year.  Well, I love many times of the year, each for their own unique blessings that they add to my life.  I choose to think positively about this, rather than only enjoying only "one part of the year!".   Right now, I am thankful for how life in our family slows down and we get to begin the season of settling in.  Shorter days bring in cooler days and longer nights.  The season of camping is done.  The garden is tilled under.  The sheep are coming off of the pasture for their winter season of alfalfa hay.  The broiler chickens are almost ready to go to get butchered, and then chicken chores will be slowing down for this winter season as well. 

With less to do outside, we find more to do inside.  More time to cozy in and cuddle.  More time for crafting and baking.  I love baking in the winter as it warms the house and the smells are wonderful. 

As I've said recently, I am deep cleaning/ decluttering the house.  I am refinding a love for this home that has burdened me so much the past couple years.  Instead of having to remind myself of the need for contentment, I am finding contentment.   I was reading a recent Above Rubies magazine and it was talking of having contentment in smaller spaces.  I laughed... for so many years, I have yearned for smaller spaces.  I have large spaces, but they are just awkward.  I do have little for storage spaces, which is probably more the issue of my discontentment. 

I love small cozy places... my dh loves large open places.  And in looking at my home... we have both.  We have some smaller rooms which I love... they just bring contentment for me.  We have large living areas that bring rest to Dh as well.  What we struggled over was the clutter that was invading our restful retreats!  Dh doesn't like the books... they drive him silly.  As a homeschooling mom, many of you can probably relate to me... I LOVE books.  I now am taking those books and placing them into the areas that I find restful and keeping them out of the large open areas of the house where Dh finds his refuge.  I am finding the need to downsize, but I am content with that as well.  I am honing down my hobbies and that has made it easy to downsize some of my books, keeping those that are useful.   Anyways, I am digressing...

As I am typing, we are watching a home video of my 15yo's 2nd birthday.  She will be 16yo next month and we are giggling as we are watching this birthday party from so long ago.  My husband's grandfather is in the video and he passed away many years ago, the girls do not remember him, but we have precious video of Papa Odom.  The video is in our first home, which is fun to remember as well.  Oh, if we could relish each day as it came, instead of needing to be reminded of the blessings we partake in each day!  

As the clutter is departing from our home, I am finding it easier to enjoy the moments of each day.  And to think, I used to think all the clutter (stuff) was a blessing.  How wrong I was!  Maybe it is age, but I don't think so.  I really think of the past years and see when we had little... we relished in relationships and enjoying each other and each day.  As we got more stuff, our time was spent taking care of the stuff and there was little time to enjoy each other.   Praise God for new learning.  I pray I remember this as time goes on, so that I can enjoy my time in doing things other than "cleaning" or "rearranging" stuff. 

Well, the woodstove is dying down and I need to restoke it.  I also need to do a set of chicken chores before it gets too late and finish that with supper.   Then I will sit and play the rest of the evening with my little ones. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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October 24, 2007 - Today's Declutter...

Today my oldest daughter, Kate, and I moved things down to the basement. 

We cleaned out the upstairs bathroom (which was housing my rubber stamping stuff from my closet which had begun to leak).  

Next we moved to my bedroom and took the remaining stamping stuff that was still in the closet out plus3 boxes that had moved in under my hanging bookshelves. 

Then we moved some school papers to the basement... these are school finished boxes that I need to compile and make portfolios with to save me some room with storage space. 

I also moved several boxes of craft materials downstairs, just so it was out of our way. 

Now, I am cleaning up the areas that were ravaged today.  My bedroom is clean and while the bookshelf could use some straightening... it is for the most part neat and tidy.  

I am off to clean and tidy a couple more areas yet tonight.  I think we only have three more areas upstairs that need to be cleansed of it's extras.  I am so excited.  The house will look so nice once everything has a home and once everything that doesn't LEAVES.  At least it is in the basement so I don't have to look at it.  Time is ticking though... I only have until early March before the basment gets damp again. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

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