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March 4, 2013

What To Do With Throw Pillows

Decoration or just an irritating tiny pillow?

I have 4 white ones that I hesitate to use because they will quickly get dirty. They are kept up high in a closet and occasionally come out if company is coming over. The problem is, when the company comes over they are put on the ground beside the couch because they take up an entire seat on the couch.

Why am I keeping those pillows? Because they were expensive.

We are now creating a pile for a garage sale. This will most likely be the one and only garage sale that I will host. Other family members are in charge but getting a dollar for those pillows plus not having to see them on top of the closet is enough incentive for me.

Pillows in general, eventually need to go. Dirt, bacteria and scary looking bugs under the microscope would convince you of that.

Is it time to get rid of the throw pillows around your house?

Do you use them?

Do you need them?

Do you enjoy them?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bedroom, Clutter, Life, Living Room Leave a Comment
February 9, 2013

How To Get Rid Of Spiders

We found a spider today in the shower and after doing research we thought it might have been a Brown Recluse. That then motivated everyone in the house to look up ways to get rid of spiders. What caught my attention on the link below was the paragraph on organizing.

http://www.pestexterminator.com/spiders-states/

Keep rooms clutter-free and well-organized to avoid spiders who love making a home in small hiding spots.

Coincidentally I had just watched a Horders episode on TV that showed lots of cobwebs. Even in my own home and outside in the garden those cobwebs weave fast and large ones can appear over night.

If you find that you have camel spiders. well I think you may have bigger problems then clutter!

Don’t give spiders a chance to find a cozy home in your clutter.


Filed Under: Bathroom, Bedroom, Closet, Garage, Kitchen, Life, Living Room, Outside Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment
January 7, 2013

Artificial Ficus Tree, Dust, And Allergies

Nancy and I have worked together for many years and like me, she loves to declutter. When I see an area at work that has recently been cleaned and organized, it would be safe to assume that Nancy did it.

She is one of the reasons I love going to work on Monday morning. Her stories are informative and fun. Over this last week she decluttered her living room after listening to the Nate show. Apparently silk plants and flowers are out when it comes to decorating the home. She took a second look at the fake ficus tree in the corner of her living room as well as the fake ivy along a ledge and made the decision.

They had to go. What shocked her, was the amount of dust. Sometimes we can look at something in our homes and not notice the dust. Other times when our attention, for what ever reason, is drawn to the item, that is all we can see.

If you decide to keep your fake ficus tree then maybe it is time to clean it. There are too many leaves to individually wipe. One option is to take outside and blow with an industrial blower or one of the air spray cans or even use the hose.

Controlling the dust in a house is a big issue if you have allergies.  The less trinkets, doodads and thingamabobs around the house make dusting easier and you’ll be more efficient. Just one more reason to declutter.

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Clutter, Life, Living Room Leave a Comment
August 25, 2012

Are You Attached to Furniture?

Do you have furniture that has been handed down from generation to generation? Have you noticed sometimes the new furniture just isn’t made as well as the old stuff? This is what I am dealing with right now.

The reality is, I am emotionally attached to certain pieces of furniture.

Why? I’m not sure.

Since our living arrangements will change soon I am in need of making space. With my background I logically see that there is no good reason to keep things that are not being used and most likely will never be used, yet I struggle to let go.

There is a table and a couch taking up space in the garage. I keep them just in case someone in the family needs a table and a couch. Years later, the table and couch are still in the garage. This weekend I am facing the fact that no one in the family wants them. They need to go.

While mentally preparing to give them away I start asking people at work and got a few takers. The price is right, they are free and they are decent pieces of furniture.

Reasons we keep furniture not being used:

  1. Keeping for my children for when they go to college.
  2. Kids will need for when they get their first apartment.
  3. We paid a lot of money for this couch.
  4. Has been handed down from parents or grandparents.
  5. Have plans to take a reupholstering class.

Storing furniture in a storage unit, will add up and over time, dust mites and spiders could easily get very comfortable in between cushions and other little crevices.

Decision made. Furniture now belongs to someone else. Garage is looking less cluttered and cleaner. What a relief!

Filed Under: Garage, Life, Living Room Tagged With: , Leave a Comment
July 14, 2012

My Coat Closet is Stuffed with Really Good Coats

The coat closet that you see when you enter the house is stuffed with nice expensive coats and jackets. The problem is, I don’t wear most of them. It isn’t just my stuff but my husbands jackets as well. Although the majority are mine.

It’s time to tackle that closet. I keep in mind that I am not emotionally attached and I call my mom to see if she can come over because she or my sister might want a few of these. Some of them I bought, some were gifts and some were hand me downs from others in the family.

My mom arrived and we decided it would be a good idea to time the task at hand. I had recorded one of our favorite half hour sitcoms and since we both had seen it we let it play out as background noise only stopping to watch the funniest scenes.

The Biggest Blizzard to Hit Southern California…

The last time we had any sort of accumulating snow in the Los Angeles area was in 1949. This 100 year storm dropped a whopping… drum roll please… 3 inches of snow.

Back to the closet

There were jackets and coats for every season including the heavy wool coat that would only come in handy if that blizzard hits Southern California again. When I lived in Africa I had one tweed jacket and one rain coat. When we moved to England I had many many many coats and jackets and now that we are back in So Cal I just don’t wear them anymore.

The total count was 43 jackets. Please know that decluttering is easier the more you do it.  I was excited knowing soon that closet would be cleared out of stuff not being used. Here were the big questions.

  1. When was the last time I wore this?
  2. Is this flattering to my figure?
  3. If I haven’t worn it in a year and it isn’t flattering, then it goes.

This process took 30 minutes. There are now 15 coats and jackets hanging in the closet with room to spare. It is a good feeling getting rid of stuff not being used. Someone else will use them and the price will be right.

If You Haven’t Worn it in a Year

If you don’t have time or the emotional stamina to go through your coat closet today then try this…..open that closet and take a brief look at what you haven’t worn this year. Make a mental note and do that a few times this week. You’ll know when you are ready. Remember you have a year but time is ticking…..

Filed Under: Closet, Life, Living Room Tagged With: , , , Leave a Comment