Chance of Accumulation

Had to get up a bit early today since we had a short choir practice before church since we were off from practices during the holidays and wanted a great performance. Naturally! I was still a bit stuffed up – including my stinkin' ears – but went anyway since I also had to read in church today. 

No one fired me from these two volunteer positions so I guess I did OK.

Our last Vikings game of the season was on TV since, well, we were hosting the Packers. We won, but not an exciting game. And it would have been better for our Draft situation if we had lost. Oh well, SKOL!

After that I switched onto craft mode. Not crocheting today. My big project I INTENDED to attack on my week off was tackling my office a.k.a. Oh My God Room a.k.a Scrap Cave. Which I obviously was too sick and weak to do. But I did make some more progress today.

I have a pile of "to donate" scrapbooking paper that continues to accumulate. It there was something unique, I offered if for fellow scrap friends on Facebook and so far have most of that claimed for. Still have a ways to go.

Why get rid of it? First of all, I will never admit I have "enough" scrapbooking paper or that "I don't need more." But some of this I've had for 20-plus years – a lot were free samples when I edited scrapbooking magazines back in my "best job ever" days – and it's just sat there "in case" I needed it for this page or that. 

And that hasn't happened yet. LOL.

So next step it choosing which "organization" or whatever would really use this stuff. I've been given a few ideas, so I'll see what's the easiest for me. Because if this hoarder-in-the-making is willing to let something go, she better have an easy way to do it!

But speaking of accumulation...

In addition to those icicles hanging from our still sexy soffits (top photo), we have a chance for so much more. I love the color purple but it is never a good thing on radar. It's accumulating right now and we'll have another round Monday night into Tuesday morning – when I actually have to drive into work.

Not fun. Be smart and stay safe, everyone!

Step Aside: I'm a Pro

I was so excited at work today that I got another opportunity to meet and hear inspirational words from Paul Wesselmann – The Ripples Guy. Refer to last year's blog when he first visited my workplace. 

Today's 90-minute session was called "Thriving with time, energy, and focus." Basically, I figured it was going to be about time and stress management. But as usual, he spoke to me in so many different ways. So much to unpack from that, but I'll share a few tidbits that hit home first.

When he started talking about procrastination, I was like whoa, how does he know I'm not just a regular crastinator, but a PROcrastinator?!

Part of the reason we procrastinate is because the task facing us is DUST (fitting for my housekeeping procrastination):

• Difficult – so we feel overwhelmed
• Unclear – so we're confused
• Scary – so we're afraid or it triggers fears
• Tedious – it's too boring to do

Which totally makes sense. Honestly, it is not an issue at all in my professional life. But personal life... yup, I would say most things are in the D category because I am overwhelmed... and it usually involves D-cluttering efforts. You know what I mean? (If you don't, you don't need to read anymore – unless you want some ideas how to address it.)

First, the fact that we can recognize why we're acknowledge that we are actually procrastinating is a good first step. That means we realize there's something we're pushing aside and maybe we can figure out why.

Second step is to forgive ourselves or, as he put it, "unjudge" ourselves for not doing the task sooner or letting it get out of hand so that it's overwhelming. We're human! (That step will be a journey for me. I can't help but think negatively about myself any time I look at my office a.k.a. Scrap Cave a.k.a. Oh My God Room. I don't want to be my parents when it comes to clutter chaos, yet here I am.)

Third step is reframing how we're thinking about procrastination. It is actually a good thing we are taking time to figure out how to address this. It's good to consider the emotions involved instead of just thinking about it as "poor time management."

When we sat at our tables, we discussed his suggestions for resolving or overcoming procrastination. My favorites that I feel I could apply are:

Baby steps: Break the task down into smaller segments so you can actually feel some productivity and sense of victory. We'll get to the WHOLE thing eventually.

Get rid of distractions: If you're on your phone for a minute, you're probably on it for an hour. How much time each day does this take away from tasks that need to be done or, more importantly, here-in-the-now time with loved ones?

Meet your future you (I love this one): Develop a relationship with your future version of you. What can you do today that your future you would thank you for?

It wasn't necessarily magical advice. I just needed to hear it today. And since hubby's out of town, I did the "not as overwhelming as I thought" task of cleaning out the fridge for garbage day tomorrow. Simple: Check expiration dates on things and toss as needed. 

Now I just need to assign little baby step tasks for a few other things. 

P.S. If you want to sign up for Paul's amazing weekly inspirational email, sign up here. It's always a great way to start your Monday! 

Ringing Out the Old

If I'm blogging around 7 p.m. you know for certain we have no ambitions in this house to stay up until midnight. And that's OK.

I did find some words of inspiration while we close out 2024. Things to bring into the new year and things to leave behind...

I'm glad that instead of waiting for a New Year's decluttering resolution that during my Christmas break I was able to declutter and take 6 garbage bags full of clothes to Goodwill. And glad that today I shredded and discarded quite a bit of "crap" from my home office!

And came across some cash while opening old thank you cards and birthday cards from this year!

I also got some steps in with my friend and golf partner Marigene – even though there was no golfing involved. (Dang.)

Managed to sneak in another Hallmark movie, too. Wow, I only have one more day off/Hallmark movie viewing day before heading back to work. I better step up my game so I can enter the new year on a positive (and possibly romantic) note.

Happy New Year's Eve!!!

White Christmas? Somebody's Wishing Hard

Since I actually slept in until after 9 a.m. on my first day of Christmas vacation, I had no idea it was silently starting to snow outside. But when I looked at it, I figured someone somewhere was really wishing hard for a white Christmas. And like the song says, since I had no place to go, let it snow!

Since this is Christmas Eve Eve, I was reminded though that we should be grateful there were clear skies in Bethlehem long, long ago. Today's 3+ inches of wet snow would've made a mess of things.

While the flakes fell, I enjoyed "brunch" and watched a Hallmark movie. (So many to get through in 10 days!)

Then I started the first of many ambitious stay-cation projects: Cleaning out closets! Not as fun as it sounds. But hey, 2 garbage bags full for Goodwill so far!

Probably why I volunteered to shovel off the deck. That and the fact I wanted to test out the Milwaukee M12 heated hoodie from Santa. Wow. I was sweating and it wasn't even hard work. Am loving this already!

Some backyard views, too, out the livingroom window.

Enough snow to cover the tree branches and some of the pine boughs, too. Pretty!

While I did shovel a little, hubby took care of most of the driveway before going to his dad's and removing his slushy mess. After running a few errands in town (including my first of several Goodwill drop-offs) I was grateful for the other thing I accomplished on my first day off today. Finally ordering new tires (and alignment) for my car. 

Really, nothing says Adult Christmas like a new set of tires. Am I right?

Hope you found a reason to celebrate Christmas Eve Eve today! Especially since the real reason for the season is just hours away.

Goodbye 2023 (and Our Playoff Hopes)

Today felt more like a typical no-plans Sunday than New Year's Eve. We continued our DE- mode. As in DE-clutter and DE-spose of junk (or add it to the spring garage sale pile, which is growing to the point I'm already dreading pricing things).

For our New Year's Eve excitement, we ordered a DE-licious pizza from Italia's down the road. We hoped the Vikings would look as good as this pie, but that was not to be.

It doesn't help when our DE-fense doesn't show up and the Packers quickly took advantage of that. It was DE-sgusting! Glad Jim and I played some cards to DE-stract ourselves. 

Of course, normal people in the other 48 states are probably partying it up and not worried about two teams trying to make it to .500 and keep their playoff hopes alive. At least the game kept us up until after 10 p.m. We're not making it to midnight, that's for sure. 

Sylvester told us not to be too DE-stressed about it. We'll still have the prettiest kitty on the block when the clock strikes 12. That we do, Princess. We DE-finitely do!

Hope you were able to say goodbye to 2023 with some fun. Be careful out there!

All Versions of Christmas Vacation

Saw this hilarious setup along Chestnut Street in Wisconsin Rapids. Great nod to the Christmas Vacation movie. 

We were quite the anti-Christmas vacation vibe on Bluejay Drive today. We used our free time to start cleaning out our offices and create piles of books, etc., that could go onto our friend Audrey's spring garage sale.

Or if I'lm lazy about pricing things per usual, then it will just go straight to Goodwill. So let me know now if you're in the market for any kind of book from fictional romance to nonfictional sports biographies. We just might be able to accommodate you!

Hope you had a more exciting Saturday. Let's finish this year strong!

Keep Your Friends Close...

There's some valid wisdom in the advice in keeping our friends close... but our enemies closer. When the neighborhood black panther strolled through our yard, I was prepared for a hissy fit.

Instead, Sylvester just stared it down as it pranced through the back yard and into the neighbor's yard. And for the first time, I heard our "85-year-old" meow: "Get off my lawn!"

True story!

Good thing her hearing and eyesight seem to be going, or she might have gone a little nuts. And that would've been the highlight of the evening. After work, hubby had golf league and I ran a bunch of stuff into Goodwill.

Then shopped, of course, and got three "new" books. I can never get ahead of my clutter! Maybe the new mantra should be: Keep your clutter close... and your donation center closer! 

Gonna have to work on that. Especially not having a hissy fit when I have to let go of something "I'm sure I'll need someday." Uff da.

I'm a work in progress. Thanks for your patience! And happy Hump Day. Thank the lord!

How Sundays Differ

Another day with no plans. What is happening?? Well we had church and I had choir so that was per usual. Then a friend from work stopped by and picked up those bunkbeds! Only took a month to give them away. 

This stage of the Empty Nest Shuffle is now complete!

Then I did my Saturday choirs – actually a week and a day late since I was gone last weekend – and thought maybe I should start tackling the clutter in my office (aka Oh My God Room). There were things on our night stands and on the headboard shelves that we moved off when we got our new bed.

And by "things," I mean books...

This is now fact. I mean I have been picking some up here and there at Goodwill, etc. Didn't realize I have plenty to read now. But I am right in the middle of "The Measure" for Book Club, so that pile will just sit there. I mean I did relocate the pile to the basement. So I guess it's more like another shuffle versus decluttering.

I know, I know. The shuffle only is effective if something is shuffled out the door. For the record, there ARE some already-read books in a box now that we'll price for our friend's garage sale in April. Teeny tiny progress.

Meanwhile, the source of our empty nest had quite a different Sunday.

Carter and Mamie have been down in Selma, Alabama, the last few weeks visiting her dad. So by happenstance, for the second year in a row they were there for the observance of Bloody Sunday – the day a civil rights march turned deadly there in 1965.

Last year, they heard VP Harris speak and today they got to see and hear...

Yup. They got to see the current president. That's pretty cool no matter what your political beliefs are. Obviously, he had to zoom in quite a bit, but Carter was excited about the whole experience. 

Can you pick him out in the crowd from this borrowed news photo? Uhm, yeah. I couldn't either.

But I think this is them. Based on his photos from where he was standing! A bit of a crowd, yes. And pretty neat. (P.S. Carter just corrected me. He was even with the third building – the white one with the black awning. So dang, we've got a sweet zoom on our smartphones.)

My Sunday seems boring by comparison, but maybe my book will be good. Gotta start making progress on that pile! Have a good week, everyone. And...

Based on this lovely photo... Be careful out there!

Goodwill to a Few Anyway

I let the spirit of Christmas carry through today since it was our "Christmas observed" day off. I specifically focused on the "Peace on Earth, goodwill..." part.

In other words, I tackled the basement for a while and hauled 4 boxes of the kids' clothes to Goodwill. Don't worry, they set them aside awhile ago as clothes to either sell or donate. I decided today I don't need them gathering dust until garage-sale season so I let them go. 

If you know me, you know it's a big deal for me to let go. And not think "Ooh this is worth XYZ" or "I could sell that and get something good for it." 

Nope. Not today, my peace on Earth was decluttering and spreading it to Goodwill.

My other big accomplishment was breaking down a ton of boxes. A ton of "I should save this – this is a good box" boxes. Am I the only one?

I must pile them up all year thinking I can use them to wrap presents at Christmas. Since 90% of our gift-giving was cash or direct-shipped, I didn't need the boxes anyway. Since I did the Goodwill run today, I'll do the recycling center run tomorrow. Gotta space things out. I can't have all my vacation fun on the first day.

Hope you're enjoying some peace in your corner of the Earth, too!

Leftovers

Our friend's garage sale was a smashing success last weekend, despite un-garage-sale-like weather. At lunch today, Jim and I went to pick up the tables we loaned plus the leftover items and, oh yeah, some cash!

For simplicity, every item out of the this house had R.A. for the initials on it. But Carter and Mamie used a a black Sharpee and I used red – because I knew from past experience we'd get all our tags back as part of our friend's diligent accounting system! 

The kids didn't quite make enough to fill a tank of gas, but they'll be happy with anything. Thanks to a few items priced over $20, my profit jumped up to triple digits for the first time in a long time. So that was cool. And we really didn't have a ton of leftovers.

Thankfully things like golf clubs and some weird round chair sold. So no big items came back. Just a few boxes that I had to decide what to do with. Donate them or hold them to see if they'll see at another sale? I know what superstar organizer and declutterer Marie Kondo would say, but I wasn't inviting her to the conversation. Instead I reached out to friends on Facebook – just in case someone was having a sale in the very very near future.

Nobody was having one soon enough for me. So I loaded all but the leftover books into my car and dropped it off at Goodwill.

I know there are other worthy donation organizations but this happens to be right next door to where I was working out so I had no excuse but to unload it all after class. 

The books, though, I will put on a friend's sale this summer and donate some to the various "little lending libraries" around town. I completely forgot about that option until someone mentioned it. Since some of the books were great book club reads, it only makes sense to get them out there where people who enjoy reading want them. How did I not think about this before?

For once I know what to do with leftovers. Besides wait for them to get old and toss them out!

Thanks for everyone's input!

Four Score and 10 Years Ago

Four score (that's 20 years each) and 10 years ago, my mom came into this world. If you don't know Gettysburg Address type math, that's 90 years! She was born on Good Friday in 1932 so she was special from the get-go.

Tomorrow we'll go Up North to celebrate with her and lots of family. The picture above is from her cake we had in Arizona. It took her 3 tries to get those 9 candles blown out. Apparently claims that us Hedberg ladies are full of hot air have been debunked. Thanks, Mom.

I really can't image what life was like as a child of the Great Depression. But of course the Internet has factoids to help us make a comparison from then to now...

List of 1932 news events and fun facts:

• US unemployment reaches 24% with many living in cars and shanty towns.
• Amelia Earhart completes the first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean by a woman.
• The Bonus Army marches on Washington D.C.
• Charles Lindbergh son is kidnapped.
• BBC first TV Programming
• The big movies included Shanghai Express, The Sign of the Cross and The Kid From Spain
• US life expectancy: Males: 61.0 years, Females: 63.5 years

Cost of Living 1932

• Average cost of new house: $6,510.
• Average wages per year: $1,650.
• Average monthly rent: $18 per month.
• Cost of a gallon of gas: 10 cents.
• A loaf of bread: 7 cents.
• A pound of hamburger meat: 10 cents.
• Sugar 25-pound sack: $1.25.
• New car average price: $610.

Wow, huh? That price of gas almost makes me want to go back in time. But when you see the unemployment rate and know that people were living in the cars and struggling in many ways, then I'd prefer to stay put. Not that I have any connections to a time machine!

I guess it made Mom a stronger person. Also explains why she kept everything and reused everything possible. We are a wasteful society these days. Everything is disposable. Except the extra "stuff" a lot of us hang onto. You know... we children of the children of the Depression, and all that.

I'm thrilled the life expectancy has extended quite a bit since then, too. Males went from 61 years to 78 years and females went from 63.5 years to 82.2 years. Whoa, my 90-year-old mother is beating the odds. Hope that's hereditary. 

Happy 9 decades, Mom!

More White Stuff

Those of you who wished for a white Christmas must have been pretty persistent! We're getting another 3-6 inches of the lovely white stuff this evening and through the night. Hopefully what hubby removed is all we're getting.

Since I did not want to hurt my back further, I stuck to indoor removal tasks today.

Tomorrow's garbage day so I figured I should go through the fridge and all the cupboards to get rid of super-expired food. Yes, I know many of the dates are "suggested" sell-by dates, but if it's super-expired, it has to go. I mean in my head I "just did this" not too long ago. But my eyes saw the expiration dates without a 2 in it. So you know it's super-expired when it ends in 18 and 19. Uff da. 

It made for quite a heavy garbage bag!

Since I was somewhat motivated, I figured I'd move onto Carter's bathroom. Well, the main bathroom, but I never use it since we have one off our bedroom. Anyway, it's been awhile since I've gone through the cabinets. Quite awhile.

Snow was not the only white stuff needing removal today. Did you know dental floss has an expiration date? Did not know that. Probably more related to minty flavored ones, but still. This floss Jenga tower has been in the makings for quite sometime. 

You might think it's hoarding. I just think it's a sign of good dental health. Obviously everyone under this roof visits the dentist twice a year and gets that free little packet of floss each time. Definitely sticking with that story rather than the notion I keep things for no good reason!

For the record, I threw them all out. Didn't want to be around when the Jenga tower collapsed on some unsuspecting tooth brusher!

Also, it's feeling good to tackle a few decluttering/organizing projects each day – interspersed with Hallmark movies of course. I am gradually getting rid of a few from the DVR storage each day.

Hey, that counts as decluttering to me! On a roll!

Bag Lady

It's Earth Week! I wouldn't label myself a tree hugger, but I do like to do kind things for the planet. I even gave up AquaNet – albeit briefly – in the '80s to save the ozone. Today, I just recycle. All. The. Time.

In my mother's day, she re-used everything from Cool Whip containers (who doesn't?) to bread bags (great winter boot liners) and Ziploc baggies (whatever the cheaper generic version was). It was all fine and good until a person crosses the fine line between frugal and hoarder.

Or us today – tree hugger or hoarder.

I know I cross that line. All the time. But then gather up whatever I have overstock of – usually plastic grocery bags – and take them to the appropriate recycling place.

My latest stockpile seems to be paper bags about the size above that are sturdy and have a handle and... I know I can use them somehow. But I haven't. And as long as I keep supporting small businesses (usually my source for these perfect-sized containers), I won't run out permanently.

But they're such nice bags. I mean no stains or rips. 

I'll give them up if one of you could use them. I mean there's not a ton of them, only like a half dozen or maybe 20. Let me know. I want them to go to a good home.

And don't lie to me and say you can use them only to take them and put these perfectly good bags in recycling. You don't want to see this bag lady cross the fine line.

On Earth Week and every week – take good care of our home.

Technology Time Capsule

Thought I'd actually try to accomplish something today while hubby was out of the house working the boys' Cranberry Classic basketball tourney at Assumption. So I tackled the closet in what was formerly known as "the computer room" and has been "Jim's office" for the past eight years or so.

The picture above shows what happens when you're cleaning out a closet and you stumble upon a Technology Time Capsule. Apparently, we were concerned about keeping the instructions – and boxes – just in case we needed them. For what, I don't know. (Pretty sure I inherited that logic.)

How many gadgets from the past decade can you identify? Ha. 

We've got a flip phone box, a few non-working pedometers from our days in Iola, boxes for at least three different generations of Samsung Galaxy phones, a box for a Garmin (I guess that was pre-GPS in vehicles and on phones), two for wi-fi routers, one for a "netbook," and lord knows what else.

I got as far as taking them out of the closet and to the kitchen table. I really meant to go through and figure out if it all can be discarded or recycled. But purposely distracted myself and went to take pictures at the basketball tournament. Just the two Assumption games... so I could justify my procrastination.

Looks like it's going to be a Thursday project. After a few more basketball games, of course. 

I mean those boxes aren't going anywhere. Technology might advance while I'm still sorting through them, though!

Background Check

I noticed during my video meetings and chats on my main Mac computer that I really need to tackle the "background" clutter in my office/Scrap Cave. So that was my Sunday project.

Here's the "before" from a Zoom call on Friday night. Yikes.

And this evening – after dumping a whole ton of paper and cardboard into recycling and throwing out a big bag of garbage.

I know I have more to do, but I will celebrate the progress!

I did sneak outside a bit, too. Not as warm as yesterday, but nice. Said hello to some neighbors. Took a social distancing walk with my friend Cindy. And also enjoyed a cup of coffee with Mr. Deck Chair in the late afternoon sun. And watched a Hallmark movie tonight while hubby was doing a fantasy draft for the NFL draft. (Yes, it's a thing.) And got 10,000 steps for the first time in ages.

So I'm all rested up and feeling accomplished for my 41st day at home. Let's make this a good week, shall we?

Wind Chillin'

Temperatures were deceiving today. Even though the thermometer in my phone insisted it was over 60 degrees, even at a night, it didn't feel like that. The darn wind cooled off everything. All day.

Took a walk and got a new hairstyle out of it. Was pondering parting it on the other side. Now I see it can be done!

Tried bonding with Mr. Deck Chair. Took sweatshirt off and rolled up shirtsleeves. Had goosebumps but I was darn determined to enjoy that 60-degree weather no matter what! Pretty sure I wimped out before any rays of sun soaked in.

Was forced to do some cleaning / organizing in my office (aka Scrap Cave). Didn't get very far. I think I've lost that weekend motivation that was here earlier this month. Maybe it just lives in the basement?? Either way, tomorrow won't be as nice out so I'll try to recapture the mojo again and see what I can get done.

On a positive note, I got to see the Twins win a game. Granted it was classic TV, but still. And enjoyed yummy chicken and peppers kabobs on the grill for supper... followed by a road trip to DQ for dessert!

It was a good Saturday to chill.

The Missing Piece

After a week of putzing on my 750-piece puzzle a little each evening, I finally completed it after supper! I was admiring my work when I realized one of the pieces was missing. What? It was new out of the box! How could they only include 749 pieces?!

I searched around in case it was on the floor (which I had swept earlier and didn't see it then) or under a rug or chair cushion. Nope, no, and no. Then, remembering who I'm married to, I texted hubby and asked: "Are you holding my last puzzle piece hostage?"

Sure enough. I found it right where he hid it! What a stinker!

But you know, it still looked beautiful even with the piece missing. The table color helped it blend in and you might not have noticed if I hadn't pointed it out.

That's how I've been trying to handle my days during this lockdown. Even if one little thing is off – like accidentally waking up for the day at 7 this morning (yowza) – it doesn't mean the whole day is ruined.

By getting up early, I got started in the basement before church, then watched Palm Sunday service on Facebook Live, then headed back downstairs. Two more garbage bags full and that quadrant of the basement is done. We're talking impressive organization and open spaces. I'm pretty proud of myself.

Of course, there's a big pile in the area I cleaned last weekend because it's waiting to go to Goodwill. I suspect that won't be open for another month at the rate things are going. So it'll sit there in waiting. But it's still progress.

Just like my puzzle. A little each night so I can appreciate the progress.

Right down to that last missing piece!

In The Driver's Seat

So much of our lives are out of our control right now. Where we work. Where we shop. Who we see. Who we can't see. And rules... Don't touch your face. Don't leave your house. Rules. Rules. Rules.

I've decided to concentrate on what I can control about this quarantine situation. It's not much. But it's a lot of me. So I've put myself in the driver's seat and have controlled the destination of my wide open weekends.

Last weekend was the decluttering and organizing of the northeast sector of the basement. Lots of stuff thrown out, given away and in piles for donating. I felt really good about tackling work I have put off for far too long.

This weekend, I've moved my motivation to the southwest sector – also known as the laundry-utility room / storage area. Not a lot of fun things to uncover or give away. Filled up a very large garbage bag and realized we have enough plastic shelves and totes for everything we own. Probably gonna have to donate some of those shelves!

I got one half of the quadrant done today and will hit the other half tomorrow. That will take more time because it's where I have all my gift wrap and bags and tissue paper and all that nonsense stored. (I use that term loosely.) Plus candle holders and other beautiful junk I don't use. Lord, help me stay on task!

I did take one break today. Since I found out I will be working from home at least another month, I figured I better get myself an ergonomically correct – or at least supportive – office chair. Mine has seen better days. And I can tell it's not holding up its end of this quarantine bargain. I also needed a floor mat to put by the desk I use for work – as opposed to my blogging desk. Ha. (a.k.a. my large Mac computer for design, photos, etc.)

So on a whim, I asked hubby, "Can I just take the truck? Just in case the chair won't fit in my car." When he said, sure, I grabbed the keys and an extra pillow and took off.

I felt like a truck drivin' boss. "Get out of my lane, little cars. Big truck coming through!" I said confidently while boosted up on two pillows so I could see over the dash.

Thank goodness there were hardly any cars at Staples so I didn't have to park perfectly. And it turned out I didn't need the truck anyway because the chair I picked and then the backup choice I picked were out of stock. So I bought the floor mat and trucked home to order my chair online. At least I sat in the store model so I know it will be comfy and supportive. And I won't need a booster seat to see my keyboard.

You can tell from the photo it was a sunny day today. Temps in the high 40s, I think. Warm enough Jim did some yard work while I was inside. This is why I've got to keep my mojo going. As soon as the mercury hits 60, I sense Mr. Deck Chair will be taking over the wheel!

What are you doing to put yourself in the driver's seat during lockdown? Good luck and good productivity!

Voodoo Cleaning Magic

Does it really matter where we find our motivation to declutter as long as we find it? Well, maybe... It's possible someone has a voodoo doll of me and they are lighting a match under my feet to get me moving. If so, please don't stop. I have lot more to do!

Today was the basement and closet continuation. I had three big plastic totes of craft stuff. Much of it was stuff I got free from way back in the early part of the century (that's actually accurate) when I worked on arts and crafts magazines. When the magazines shuttered, the loot was divvied up. I shoved it in totes and fast-forward to today and I was posting pictures of items and hoping to give them away to friends in need before donating.

After all, there's a ton of stuff that I never got into – like bookmaking, knitting, and voodoo. Wait, what? Seriously, it was some books from some art and craft (maybe witchcraft) vendor. I think my friends are scared of me now!

I did get rid of a bunch and tossed a bunch of worthless items today, too. Our garbage cans are full so I guess that means I'm off the hook the next few evenings!

Hubby will be glad. He interrupted me mid-cleaning yesterday and said, "It looks worse than it was!" Well I had all those games and was cleaning the shelves, etc. So yeah, it was a big pile of piles.

Now I'm feeling good. Have bags on the right and totes, etc on the left that are awaiting pickup or room in my vehicle to take them to Goodwill. Whew. That was a productive weekend!

To whoever controls my voodoo doll, please put out the fire and let me sleep tonight.