Inside, Outside, Upside-down

 

It's a snow day here, the weather outside is slopping down some heavy, wet flakes (too wet to be fun).

 

A great day to tackle an indoor challenge. We have guests coming into town, the mmost logical thing to do is ask both boys to share a room and set up the guests in the big-boy's room. HOWEVER, he hasn't even finished unpacking all the way yet, and his room is simply a mess.

 

I have my work cut out for me.

 

By noon, I had made serious headway!

Not perfect, but MUUUUCH better!

GOAL#27 - Letting Go

I LOVE vintage Fisher Price Little People.

I really enjoyed collecting them for my children to enjoy (and my nieces followed), and my love for them hasn't faded just because everyone has outgrown them.

BUT leaving them stored in mystery boxes is no good to anyone. Displaying all of them isn't an option for my house either.

Decisions had to be made... which ones are special enough to me to stay... which are okay to trust to new families?

GOAL #27 - Seperate the Precious from the Neglected in my Vintage Fisher Price Little People collection. Then sell the excess.

Process:

Step #1: Find and sort all the Fisher Price. Decide what is good, what is special and what there are too many of.

Step #2: Take photos of and list the ones I have the heart to part with. Grouping them logically for lot sales.

Step #3: Find a way to honour the remaining toys.

Verdict: I still haven't found a few of my favourites... basement? Shed? I know they are somewhere, but they are hiding (are they scared of being cut?), the photography was fun (now I have a digital record of my toys too) As for the selling part -- Wow that went fast! Within an hour I had several emails from other vintage FP enthusiasts! One lady came and bought everything I listed at full price with the request that I email her if I have any more to sell. I have found an appropriate place to display the house (oh how I wanted a house like that as a kid).

(dream house displayed in the laundry room)

 

-------

 

And all the ones off to a new home...

 

A bunch of sizable toys are cleared from the premises!

Picture Update

4 more shirts are removed, good quality but "not quite right"

A box of miscellaneous goodies for the thrift store

Too small kids riding gloves for sale

Another pair of too small kids riding gloves for sale

 

 20 books in a childrens's series (sold for $20)

I took a box of the better stuff to my friend in Courtenay that sells stuff online for fundraising.

Goal #26: Breaking Eggs

Billable Hours: the life blood of the self-employed.

Having many clients is great because all my eggs aren't in one basket. But how do I know when there are too many baskets?

It's come to the point where I have to decide who I will let down, and which deadlines I need to miss. Not a great thing to do. Obviously the least appealing people to disappoint are my family (after all they are who I love the most), even if they don't pay me (LOL).

GOAL #26; Decluttering a client so I can do my job better.

Process: Things that were weighed in the decision:
Job satisfaction - do I love the work I do for this person?
Potential life of client relationship - a one-off design or a long time client?
Wage per hour - less per hour means I have to work more hours away from my family!

What "basket" could I afford to drop to break the least eggs? Which client do I have to disapoint?

Result: The answer was more obvious that I cared to admit. Though I enjoyed the work (technical/schematic drawings) at an intellectual level and the employer is a great guy that had guaranteed a trickle of hours from now until forever, the hourly wage is about 1/3 what I charge for my design time. And so I was always putting his stuff off in favor of the higher paying, creatively stimulating stuff.

It weighed on my conscience being late all the time. I wasn't pulling my own weight, and it ate at me that I was letting the team down repeatedly... I COULD do a great job, but I wasn't.

I called my supervisor (a friend) and she counselled that I let myself go so that the company could find someone more available. Honestly I thought she would try to talk me out of it. OUCH. The boss took my decision a little harder than that and seemed genuinely disapointed that I was leaving. We agreed that I would call when I had more time (at least that bridge isn't burned). And he took away the tool belt, plans, binder and laptop computer that came with the gig. (less stuff! a bright side!)

Now I am juggling less baskets and my workload does feel lighter.

Chipping Away at it

I bought some new clothes in a weak moment, and my "one-in-one-out " Rule had to be inforced!

 

 Plastic embroidery canvas that I have to admit I won't use

 

 A book that the kids have outgrown (one of dozens that I have unloaded lately to the school)

 

 Pillow shams that are too dark for my new bedroom

 

 Games that I thought the kids and I could play together, but we didn't

 

 Really uncomfortable ear buds

 

Toys I sold on-line this week ($10)!

Goal #25 Christmas Glamour

Background: Years ago I figured out that the house was nicer the whole year long if I limited Seasonal Decorative items to one place, and even better, one container. A large antique steamer trunk that was my Grandpa's.

A couple of things have changed recently.

#1: Moving from a new house means different architecture for decorations. The biggest differences are no more stair rails, and no mantle... all the goodies that always were wrapped around the railing or perched on the mantle need to be reconsidered or eliminated!

#2: The kids are older, therefore the decorating can be for an older audience... less cartoony polar bears and smiling snowmen for example... thanks to us moving and having so different surroundings this year, the quiet removal of the less-dear items should go smoothly.


Goal #25: Review Christmas decorations and edit before December 1st so the charity thrift stores can still sell them this season.

Process: Pull out EVERYTHING from the Christmas chest. Think about where each item will go in this house and whether it is appropriate for the new dream asthetic. Immediately pack them for the thrift shop.

Results: The pictures speak for themselves!

 

Goal #24 Sentimental Clutter

Time to admit it. They brought me a lot of joy... they comforted me in less-happy times... they brought a smile to my lips many times...

 

But NOW it seems they are invisible, and I resent the chore of cleaning and displaying them.

Hopefully they will bring happiness to the next person, my experience of owning them is done, and now I must let go.

 

(Very ornate ink dish from a dear childhood friend)

(Tea figurines from my childhood)

(My best, favourite - and last- china unicorn from my former collection)

(Collectable Wizard crystal figure... my mom got it as a growing up present over 2 decades ago... alas, he's not my style anymore)

Bye Bye old friends. I will remember you fondly. I release you without regret.

After the Flood (cabinet flood that is)

Along the same sort of line as the make-up clean out, I tackled some lotions this week.

This task was thrust upon me as a drain leaked in one of the bathrooms and flooded the cabinet. I had a box under there that I hadn't dealt with since the move (out of sight out of mind), and the soggy cardboard bottom forced the timeline!

Honestly I thought I had dealt with all the toiletries before the move, but my definitions of "valuable" seem to have changed over the last few months.... it's fine to admit that something that was once precious isn't precious in this new life/time/place.

Since I did not miss the box of creams and lotions, I was able to effectively remove all but one nice container of lovely high quality bath salts (that I actually had looked for earlier this month). All the others, no matter how luxurious or pretty smelling hit the bin with no regrets. It's funny that last Spring when I went through them that I felt the need to hang onto those... back when bathroom cupboard space was at a premium too.

After hubby fixed the leak (he is a very handy guy), I took the opportunity to containerize what was left under there, so if there is a leak again, it will be easy to clean up AND so that like items are together for easy finding!

(note the empty container under a container - I'm proud of that)

Picture Proof

From one of my favourite declutttering websites. 365lessthings

 

Monday – Declutter something from a bedroom. (this is more than one thing technically)

 

Tuesday - Declutter something from your kitchen. (tiny tart pan from my husband's Grandma's kitchen supplies that we inherited 20 years ago)

 

Wednesday - Declutter something from your bathroom.

Thursday - Declutter something from your living room. (2 more books I will likely never miss)

Friday - Declutter something from your dining area. (from the random-pretty-things drawer in my china cabinet - a simple, glass, clip frame that never got hung)

Saturday - Declutter something from your basement, attic or garage. (old camping clothes)

Sunday - Sunday is reserved for contemplating one particular item, of your choice that is proving difficult for you to declutter. (a stunning, daringly styled top that I've held on to since before kids! I always thought I'd make a throw pillow with it, it's time to admit to myself that I won't)

 

 

AND ONE FOR GOOD LUCK.... mittens that no longer fit my kittens.

 

Goal #23 - Storage In Hiding

In the other house we had lots of storage. Easy to access, indoors and part of the living areas. Sure it was convenient, but honestly I hated it in some ways.  It's hard to describe, all the storage was too "in my face".

This house has very little convenient storage, and TONNES of inconvenient storage. If I'm willing to go outside and battle the elements (and the spiders) I have over 1700 sqft of floorspace that I could access in the heated, dry crawlspace. Or if it's taller storage that I need (and temperature isn't important), there are 3 sheds in the yard.

This new storage situation has been fantastic at helping me sort and purge.

I don't want anything in the crawlspace. I can't have anything valuable in the sheds. And this open concept house itself is unforgiving.

So if I don't love it or find it useful it has permission to leave my life forever!

I am very close to my goals for these spaces: GOAL #23
Crawlspace- for Seasonal items (so I only have to go get them and put them away once a year)
Sheds- for Tools and Sports stuff

Once again I am happy with less. I am not buying things for some distant future anymore. I am not keeping things that could still be fun (but not right now). I am trusting that what I have is enough for now, and trusting that I will be able to get what I need in the future as I need it.

Coupon Temptation

Nothing like a 30% off coupon to get the shopping juices flowing.

Today the coupon expires, so I went to the shop. The coupon was for ANYTHING. I thoroughly went through everything. One thing tempted me (but they were out of stock and wouldn't sell the floor model). I started looking for "anything". But in the end -after 3 laps of the store- I gave up.

I overheard a couple talking to a sales clerk about a bed frame. The man was happy with the price and the sale ended today... he was ready to get it after he took his wife out for lunch. As they walked away I asked, "Are you getting it today?".

He said he was and asked if I wanted to get it. I explained that I had a great on-line coupon that I wasn't going to use and asked if they wanted it for their bed. He was so happy that he hugged me!

I felt good leaving the store with nothing to clutter my house and doing a nice thing. It wasn't a waste of a trip after all.

:)

Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD. Wise words that work for using coupons as well as so many other things.

Paint

Make-up

Some women adore it. Can't leave home without it. And have enough of it to decorate a broadway cast for a whole season.

Other women don't even own a tube of lip gloss.

My make-up relationship has been somewhere in between. I have gone through phases of exploring colours, brands and styles... but my normal going-out-in-public make-up is fairly minimal by my sister's glamourous daily standards. Weekends are even less painted... if at all. Nobody seems to care one way or the other (with one exception: my going-out-for-a-date-with-the-hubby make-up makes my boys frown at heavy application).

Since moving I have LOST most of my make-up selections. What I've been using for almost 3 month fits in the small pouch I left unpacked close to the move-time.

Occassionally, I find myself in the make-up aisle of the drug store, but after the initial flush of excitement at all the pretty colours, I get annoyed at the "more-of-the-same" feeling of it all, and leave without buying a thing.

It turns out I am happy with what I have!

1 Small pot of mousse concealer (which they no longer make so I'm not sure what to do when I run out)
3 eyeshadow colour combo options (subtle, evening & playful)
3 eyeliner options (blue black, brown)
1 highlighter pencil
1 waterproof mascara
1 not waterproof mascara
2 lipgloss (1 clear, one coloured)
1 lipstick (natural tint)

These are colours that are tried and true with my eye and skin tones. I feel comfortable in everything in that make-up pouch.

There is a box of conciderably more choices somewhere. If I find it I will toss them all!

It's simply EASIER to find (and use) my favourites with almost nothing in the drawer.

Ten ways to control Clutter

This post is not mine. In fact I took it from here.
It was just so very true that I had to spread the word!

Every slip of paper, new item of clothing, or book to read takes a precious piece of you—some of your money, time, or energy. Some are worth their cost; but many are not. Be intentional about what you allow into your home and your life, and make sure each one is worthy of its place.
Here are ten ways you can keep clutter from building in your life:

1. Once you reduce your possessions to those you treasure and use, once you restrict your schedule to essential activities, and once you limit your priority list to only the best, enjoy and appreciate what you have. Use your treasures daily, get stuck into your activities, and focus on your priorities. You’ll get joy and satisfaction from making the most of what you have, rather than chasing the endless high of new things.
2. Use quality as a filter. When quality guides your purchases, decisions, and actions, you’ll feel better and you’ll add treasure to your life instead of junk.
3. Restrict entry to your home and schedule. Set up precise entry points: one in tray for paper; one feed reader for blog updates; one diary for appointments. Give each item attention before allowing it to make its way beyond this point.
4. Be a conscious consumer. Consider the true cost of producing an item, and make a statement through what you buy. You’ll naturally buy less this way.
5. Treat op shops [thrift stores], garage sales, gifts, and freebies the same way you do full-priced items from regular stores. If you wouldn’t go out and buy it, nor pay full price for it, don’t add it to your life.
6. Avoid impulsiveness. Spontaneity can be wonderful, but when applied to shopping, it usually ends up tinged with regret. The book you’ve wanted to read for ages is okay; the magazine you picked up on a whim is probably not.
7. Transform unwanted items into value. Sometimes an item in your home is misplaced. The hot-pink satin slip (don’t laugh, I had one) might now be irrelevant in your wardrobe, but becomes a gem in the kids’ dress-up box.
8. Set up a system for moving along temporary items. Have a spot for items to return, decide how often you’ll destroy outdated paperwork, and throw out old newspapers when you receive the latest one.
9. Only sell the most valuable of your clutter. Giving an item to someone else who wants it, or donating it to [thrift stores], is a simple way to keep things flowing out the door. It’s rarely worth your time and effort to list something for sale.
10. Don’t agonise over clutter decisions. Try using the benchmark principle. If you still can’t decide quickly, put it in your undecided box and get it out of the way. If you’re unsure whether to add an activity to your schedule, ask for time to think about it. When you know you have a second chance to make a decision, you give yourself space to view the situation with more clarity and perspective.

What are your favourite clutter-busting tips?

(What I tell ya?! That extra-organized lady knows how it works!)

Goal #22 The BIG goal - unpacking

This last bit of unpacking is very very hard. It's in my office space, and it's driving me crazy.

I guess the hardest part is figuring out what SHOULD be kept out of these supplies, reference materials, cords and cables. Some of it COULD go back into the crawlspace, but I'm trying to avoid that because I won't want to retrieve anything unless it's vital.

There are still SOME boxes in the crawlspace, but not very many!
Oh the power of decluttering! The trek has been great, and it will be an ongoing journey.

• Making a goal
• Setting limits
• Trusting the decisions to let go
• Removing the chosen items quickly
• Trusting that there will always be "enough"

....together, those are the techniques I give credit to.

One foot in front of the other

I found another box of shoes in one of the sheds.

Because I wasn't "missing" any shoes (except maybe the cold-season ones) the cull was easy.

My wonderful TOMS have taken over the majority of my warm weather shoe needs. Ergo any shoes that were even remotely loafer style got the axe.... no matter what the quality or country of manufacture -- that was 4 pairs! A pretty (but hard to wear) dressy heel, mules, ballet flats, and mary jane wedges taken out too AND a pair of winter boots and water shoes that my youngest has outgrown. Exciting progress on the shoe front!

full box of purged shoes

ALL the shoes fit in one of 2 places now - hall closet and mud-room. At the other house I had them in the master closet, coat closet, utility closet and laundryroom.... and a few in the garage too.

Solutions

Peter Walsh has a terrific mantra to make more effective decisions about what to keep. He says "SET LIMITS: you only have the space you have"

When it comes to book collections, no truer words were ever spoken. But what if you have the space to get MORE organizing tools (a bigger bookshelf for example)? Well then other choices must be made. Use my example, I could make it a goal to pay a carpenter to make the perfect built in bookshelf like my other house. Or for a quick fix, I could easily embrace the idea of taking the ferry and a road trip to the mainland to buy a close-to-perfect bookcase - in fact that was what I was planning to do before the lightning bolt struck.

The lighting bolt I am speaking of was found in the garage. I have been hanging onto some commercial-strength glass shelves for about a decade. I love the weight of them, the clarity, the perfect bevelled edge... but they never found a home at the other place. I moved them here thinking they might come in handy for the garage. And last week I saw them there leaning against the wall and felt sad that I wasn't using them. "SHAZAAM!"

The solution to my bookcase dilemma was right in front of me. And it was the easiest, fastest (and least expensive) option!  I would be able to us my beloved glass by getting rid of enough books to live with a simpler stacked bookcase!

A brief mission to find the right supports began. Flowerpots were too expensive. Bricks too messy. But some water hyacinth storage baskets with metal frames proved sturdy, clean, grippy for the glass, affordable and reasonably priced. Viola!

under construction

 

Not nearly the capacity of my old shelving wall. But now at least I know what space I have with which to set the realistic limits Peter Walsh is talking about. A dozen or so boxes of books to fit into 16 linear feet of shelving.

Just yesterday I took 3 boxes of books to the Elementary school. It was hard to get rid of some of the old favourites... (I did keep a short stack of the younger-age books) But so many of the classics are easily found at the library (I had to finally admit it, my boys aren't big readers).

And for my own selections, I decided the very best place for my favourite pocket novels and the "yet to be read" collection should be narrowed down to JUST ONE slim, rolling, under-the-bed container (another space that has definable limits). It felt good to accomplish that. They are still easy to access and in a logical place (since I like to read in bed).

More boxes to charity, more purging and prioritizing and sorting... here we are!

I'm pleased with the low height. And tickled pink seeing the glass shelves being utilized too!
Total cost... $53.76 for the baskets. It was so reasonable that I treated myself with the picture rail shelf above... obviously I'm taking that "set limit" to it's maximum capacity. Maybe time to consider the quantity of family photos I like to display?

What do you think?

Why my clothes are 2nd hand

Other than my fashionista sister's hand me downs, about 98% of the remaining clothes in my closet came from my favourite charity thrift shop. It's not that I HAVE to shop second hand, I actually prefer it.... and here is why:

#1 It feels good. The thrill of the hunt is exciting when there is only a 1ft long rack of shirts, and on that rack could be every colour, size and style from the last few decades! The mall just doesn't have that same feeling of victory when the "perfect" shirt shows up, AND the colour is great, AND the fabric is nice quality AND it even fits! The mall's endless stores with endless sizing is depressing to me somehow. I can't put my finger on it, but mall shopping leaves me feeling quite literally sick after a couple hours. Choice burn-out maybe?

#2 It feels good in another way too. By shopping at my favourite charity thrift store I am supporting their cause. It's nice to know my fashion choices are helping local causes.

#3 It feels good (again). That is to say, my "new" top did not use any extra resources to make, and it didn't need to get shipped either. I diverted this chunk of cotton (natural yes, but pesticide intensive to grow) from the landfill, and the more wear an item gets the less impact the original growth of that product equals per wear. I have to honest that I don't think about my cotton clothes' source terrible often, but when I do, I am happy that my thrift store gives me the chance to take my own environmental stance.

#4 My wallet feels good too. Finding that perfect shirt is always fun. Finding it at the thrift shop is always affordable - sometimes ridiculously cheap if there is a "sale" on. Name brands even! My wardrobe gets a lift and my wallet doesn't cry.

#5 I can walk away. Sometimes I DON'T find anything (wrong size, wrong material, bad fit, faded, whatever). And that's just fine. If that one rack doesn't have anything that day. Oh well. Maybe next time. The hunt is over and I didn't waste all day at it.

#6 I know what to expect. One of my pet peeves with buying new garments is that I am afraid what will happen when I wash them. Buying 2nd hand is a preview. Since they have already been washed, I know what the shape really will be. I also know if it will be prone to pilling, whether the buttons will stay on, if the seams are going to stand up and whether the zipper will continue working.

#7 If something happens, it's no big deal. Dog prints... cat claws... food stains... every article faces the risks if I'm wearing them. I do try to prevent these mishaps (because who wants to replace that hard-to-find item!) but when they happen I know I haven't wasted a ton of money on them.

#8 My inner minimalist is satisfied. I rarely get "attached" to the clothes (maybe because they are cheap and used to be someone else's?). Even my wedding dress I bought at a consignment shop (I thought it was romantic that another bride had been wed in it) and I consigned it at that same shop less that 6 months later (again I thought it would be romantic that someone else would have a special day in it). I can give up clothes easily! Those pants that no longer fit, that shirt that I no longer love, the dress that isn't my cup of tea anymore and I feel just fine about it. Bags head off to the same charity thrift shop.

I feel like I make a donation when I buy it and then make another donation when I drop the clothes off. Meanwhile I got the fun perk of having choices in my wardrobe. I can change size, cahnge styles, change favourite colurs and not have environmental (or financial) guilt about it. How cool is that?!

There are probably more subtle reasons to add too. Uniqueness of fashion, against the trend shopping, mall-anxiety avoidance, laziness (the charity thrift shop is by far the closest clothing retailer to where I live and right next to my bank and grocery store)... but those are the top 8 reasons.

Density

Still swamped in boxes - 2 months after the move.

What is in all these carboard space-suckers?!

As I make the hard decisions about what will stay and what will be moving on, I find that the density of my stuff is increasing.

My husband put it perfectly, "The house is getting more homey but less roomy".

There has to be a way that we can keep the homey AND the roomy! With every item that is kept, there is a sacrifice of space and the time it takes to clean and maintain that item.

There is progress being made! Stuff is going out by the boxful every weekend. It just doesn't seem fast enough somehow. As this mighty mountain of boxes indicates.

How much of it is sentimental? Have I attached a moment of my life to the object that I am afraid to lose?

How much of it is habit? Am I keeping it because I've always had it?

How much of it is aspirational? Am I keeping it because I think I will read/play with/use it someday? Or that owning it fulfills some wish I had once?

What is certain is that the density of the stuff is getting too much. The spaces between the spaces is getting smaller with every unpacked box and I don't want that. I REALLY DON'T WANT THAT!

Enough is enough. I am drawing the line in the sand.

_______________________

Finding my feet

Moving has been a challenge. Staging, packing, selling, more packing, moving, NOT unpacking because of renovating! But this delay in unpacking has been a blessing in disguise. It has been more than 2 months now since we got possession of this house. And many more months since decluttering for staging of the old house. That extended time without so much of my stuff has given me lots of time to reflect on my priorities. So much of what I am clinging to in these countless boxes adds no really value to my day to day life. In fact it is a distraction from what I truly love! With that in mind, my culling efforts have really picked up steam. The things that were crammed mercilessly into the old house do not belong in this home we are putting together here. Out of every box I am unpacking this last little while, about 1/2 is going straight into the "donate" pile. I have taken many more boxes to charity and bags of clothes too. (When I got here I was giddy about the walk in closet until it got too full to slide the hangers around... now they move freely, and giving each garment spece, shows more respect for the things I chose to keep. I have not won the war yet, but I feel like each battle brings me closer to success. At this rate I will be able to get a much smaller bookcase than I first thought I needed... and more importantly, my neat freak husband may actually be able to find peace in the living room soon!

Always a learning experience.

Moving is hard.

At least it is when there are 4 creative, active people that are attached to all their cool stuff!

We have been in our new home for more than a month and there have been speedbumps, potholes and fire-breathing dragons hindering our settling in (renovating hiccups and health stuff). There are still loads of boxes that are not unpacked! In my defense there are still areas of the home that aren't "done". Plumbing that needs moving, trim that needs adding, closets needing doors, so I can't put everything away yet and it's driving me nuts. Especially when I KNOW if I had less stuff it wouldn't be this hard so it's very much self inflicted!

I love this house and I want to stay here a very long time.
This is great news for decluttering, because I love the house more than anyof the stuff in it! So it's less difficult to make decisions... if it doesn't fit  then it must be removed.

"When in doubt, cut it out!"
My mom says this used to be the policy for surgery in the 70's but I think it translates wonderfully for this situation.

There are many decorative items that I still like very much that went wonderfully in the old place, but just don't work here... I have already pared down quite a few with no regrets. If something pretty doesn't look pretty in the space then it just isn't doing it's job now is it?!

Primary Problem Areas: TOYS + BOOKS
(not all the toys are the kids, and not all the books are mine)

Books: without bookshelves I'm not sure I want to open those boxes. But if I can live over a month without these books... can I take the plunge and NOT open the boxes? Just let them go?
Toys: are just plain out of control. It will take extreme measures to hack at that mess, but then again I don't want to be insensitive to the amount of stress the move put on the kids already without stripping them of their things too. I will stage the rest of the home to the clutterless level I want and hopefully they will want to follow... with gentle encouragement and the tools they need.

buh-bye

 

The new fridge came last week so this one has been languishing.

My mom tried to talk me into keeping it as a overflow fridge in the garage!

Nope mom. I'm not keeping a gigantic, empty, hydro-sucking container "just in case".

 

Not a bad fridge really. Probably the best appliance that came with the house.

I put the ad on-line and within hours I had several request for views. The first person that showed up bought it and now it's out of my house! Victory!

 

 

One Month Anniversary

It has been over a month since we bought this house.

Renovating Progress Report:

• Walls painted (and some trim)
• Most switches and plugs are replaced
• Half the light fixtures are replaced
• Floors are 100% redone
• Furniture is now in the proper rooms
• Kitchen is still not in, but at least most of the cabinets are assembled!
• Hotwater tank died rather quickly emergency plumbing was required

(It seemed reasonable to me that 2 weeks was enough time to paint and replace flooring. I thought with that nice 2 weeks we'd have a place to put furniture before we had to give up the other house. Defective flooring botched that plan. And delayed every other step)

What has been learned in the last month:

• Renovating takes lots and lots and then MORE money
• Never under-estimate the pervasive, destructive power of nicotine staining
• Anything that can be delayed will be delayed
• Just because something is new and expensive does not guarantee that it will be complete or without defects.
• It will take so very much longer than you imagined.
• Kitchen sinks are the single most under appreciated element of a kitchen.
• I don't need nearly as much gear as I thought to cook*
• Living out of a suitcase of clothes doesn't work when the weather changes
• Things you need are never in the first box you look in

* It turns out that very little equipment is needed to make hearty meals every day. Sure I can't use the same spectrum of recipes I usually do, but I am getting by with one burner  and the grille on the BBQ, a hose for water, a table as the prep surface (not ideal), 4 pots, and the trailer's sink for washing up (we were washing up outside but it was too hot). There is a plastic tote of necessities like cutting board, knife, can opener, grater, etc... and a cup, plate, bowl, and utensils for 4 people. Basic camping kitchen really. And I've been cooking that way now for 3 weeks. Sure we've ordered in a few times, but mostly it's all here.

It's amazing to me that anybody would want to do this renovating thing more than once.

+++++++++++++++++

Decluttering progress:

I called the "ReStore" (an non profit charity store that takes used building materials) and they hauled away a huge amount of the old kitchen! I also bribed them to come with the old washing machine, dryer and gas range (all in working order). I suppose we could have sold them, but that money would have easily been eaten up in the tipping fees at the dump getting rid of the other kitchen materials.

My brother in law took the dishwasher home with him

Large box of misc items no longer loved as I unpacked clothes into my new closet.

(I still have to find a bookshelf so I can unpack/cull the books)