Minimalism Monday - Day Late And A Dollar Short

Whew! What a week that just went by. I have had life pile on top on top of life for the month of February, Today is the last day and I am glad to say goodbye February and Hello March!

One job is over, one of the time consuming jobs that I had to take on for the last six weeks, it was mid day and lasted several hours so that put a damper on anything I wanted to do that was major and would take time.

Last week I did not get much of anything accomplished, I just did the basic clean up after myself in the kitchen and bathroom, kept the laundry clean and put away.

I can see dust, no if and`s or but`s about it. I cannot clean it today because I have to work at my main job and for once I have a doctors appointment, my check up. The care taking job that is 24/7 is okay this morning, he is sleeping and I cannot be loud about whatever I do.

Did I add anymore stuff last week? 

No more junk but I did buy three file/magazine holders to organize what I still have.

More about : Organizing 

Did I stock on Food?

Being a homesteader and practicing minimalism is not easy, I tend to  stock up on home canned goods for each season of most vegetables and fruits, for a year if possible.

This week the price of strawberries was rock bottom for me so I processed 20 pounds, that may sound like a lot but when they are cooked they do get smaller, so that is just three cases jars.

More about :  The strawberries 

I will add that the talk of a root cellar had been on the table, How I would love one! That would make my life so much easier.

That is about it for the week past, this week I may get to do some cleaning out and clearing out, if its Gods will.

How was your week past?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Minimalism And Me - Pretty Organizing Containers

I have always said that minimalism and hoarding is in a way the same thing. Minimalism can get to the point of having nothing and always needing something. Hoarding is having to much and always buying more because you cannot find what you have. I am on the journey of finding the middle, not to much but just enough. Organizing is the key and using the right containers will help.

I love to read and I do, or did, have magazine subscriptions to favorites like Vegetarian time and Organic Life that I often refer back to for the recipes or helpful articles. Lets face it, magazines are hard to organize. The slide off shelves or become huge dust collectors, if we box them or put them in tubs we forget about them and their purpose.

So..... I found a solution. 

Last year I found the magazine holders at Target in their dollar isles, When I went back for more I never seen those again.

Today I stopped into the Dollar tree for Fake flowers for a grave and I seen these, Corrugated file holders. I did notice they are deeper and wider but that is okay, I got three more.

The corrugated file holders are easy to put together, the instructions are on the bottom of the box.

These are also good for organizing those pocket notebooks and the paper back extra large books that are so popular these days. I know I have many of the extra large paper back cookbooks.

These Corrugated file holders are excellent to get that book shelf nice and clean. You will have those favorite magazines at hand and easy to find when needed, no more searching for an hour, wasting precious time.

And for only $1.00 each, this is worth the investment to get organized, whether you buy three or twelve, and it looks so much better.

Have you tried the corrugated file holders? Do you like them? Your thoughts are appreciated. 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Minimalism Monday - Life On The Run

Work, work and more work. Seems we are working our lives away. Well lets get minimal and reserve time for having fun or just relaxing.

There are many days I do not do anything at home except the basics and that is picking up trash, washing dishes and doing laundry because we all know those get behind and its like this black cloud hovers over and its... its... horrible.

So I let everyone know what I was doing for the first part of the week but what about the last part? Nothing! That is right dirty dishes and laundry only. I did dishes once a day and that was every night and while I was doing those I was washing one load of laundry.

More on that here : Mid Week Check In 

On Saturday I made up for the hard week on the job and letting things sit here, waiting on me.

The office needed something done as well as the spare bedroom.

I took another medium size box out of the office and I went through it. it was photos that I inherited, I bagged the loose one and I stacked the albums with mine. I put the box at the back door to put stuff in to take out. I also had this collection of reusable bags, most were free from one business or another with their logo on the side, I put those in the donation box, since they are flimsy and will not be suitable for the grocery store. 

I took a couple of these plants that are indoors for the winter outside and re-potted them, this got rid of the mess of all those dead leaves and helped the plants, I cleaned up all the dead leaves that fell in the floor, looks nice again.

I had a couple cases of ensure on the kitchen counter so I took those and put them under the bed in the spare bedroom, I don`t like putting things under the bed but these will be used up sooner than later and they are out of the way.

I cleaned up Tony`s table in the living room that was scattered with trash, I wiped it down. The dining room table is still clean and I filed the small handful of paperwork I had got this week.

Sunday evening I cleaned one of the bathrooms, it was past due! 

I only washed one load of laundry each day over the weekend, since I change Tony`s bed sheets every other day it don`t take long to have a load and I wash more during the week.

But like the rest of the week I let the dishes ride, washing them only at night.

No coupons this weekend.

Trash out and recyclables out.

No I did not get a lot done over the weekend but anything is better than nothing, I do have a Medium box and a little stuff in it to go... Oh and a five gallon bucket of paint went also, for a rental to be painted, It was sitting in the pantry waiting one me to use here and I gave my sister a bottle of shampoo and conditioner. That is what went out.

What did I bring in? Toilet paper and bath soap. That was the stock up of this past week. Both guaranteed not to be here long!

How was your weekend? 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding life - Mid Week Check In

February 15, 2017

Its mid week again and just because I work outside the home does not mean I have to slack on my home, after all my clean home means good health for me, not just good mental health but physical also, ya know germs like colds and the flu just to name a few going around right now.

Since I am taking care of the sick 24/7 in my home I have more laundry. I changed his bed sheets on Tuesday and washed those with all the dirty towels.

I have cooked ALL the meals this weeks and I am out of paper plates so while I am sleeping or whatever the others messes up more dishes making sandwiches and such, The dirty dishes!

So now you can see a pattern with my Wednesday check ins...... Monday through Wednesday.

Laundry

Dishes

Trash duty

BUT I also need to take a look at what I am bring in the house all week compared to what is taken out.

I did stop and coupon shop at CVS and got more toilet paper and Ensure but I am not so sure I should count that as stockpiling, both is going so fast I am never really stocked up.

Before this week is out I will do something serious in this house, Because I feel like I am getting behind already.

I know I have two bathrooms to clean plus the spare bedroom and the office, none are piled up with junk, they just need a good dusting and vacuuming. So why is it a problem? I have all the house plants in these two room for the most part, and the new seedlings, so its hard to get it finished.

I have something else on my mind too, work on the rental house. I need carpets cleaned, walls painted and it needs a good scrubbing. Yes I asked for help, hired someone but they have yet to show up because its always something that comes up. Once again it does not matter to anyone if it gets rented or not, no money out of their pocket. I am working so much It hard to keep up or to hire good help reliable help.

Today I will do the same old same old till I can get a schedule written out... yeah it does help.

How about you? accomplished anything so far?

You may also like : Minimalism And Me - Dream It Do It 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding life - The Weekend Ruled

Decisions, decisions! 

I made up my mind I was not going to live in this dusty mess any longer so I got the worst rooms first, the living room and dining room. I swear you could have sowed turnip green on the table tops!

Before I could do anything I had to put away ALL of the stuff that was dragged out for Tony, the huge oxygen machine, the vibration pad for his joints, the over the counter medications and all of his trash. 

While I was doing those two rooms I had laundry washing. Seems that is a non stop chore of late.

Next room was my bedroom. I stripped the bed and washed the sheets. Made my bed and used it to fold all the other laundry done for the day, three loads!

Sunday

I knew I wanted to finish cleaning the house this weekend but I was not going to be able to get to the spare bedroom, bathrooms and the office. 

So I concentrated on our main living area.

I vacuumed and dusted my bedroom. 

I swept and mopped the laundry room, the kitchen, the entrance area and both bathrooms.

I washed and hug out all the throw rugs for both bathrooms.

I took out the trash and all the recyclables to the trash cans outside, no recyclables are going to the dump, I just store those there till I take them, usually once a week.

I dusted the kitchen and the breakfast nook. I wiped down all the counter tops. 

I put away all the paper work on the dining room table!!! YAY!

I clipped coupons and filed them into the binder.

That is right I got it done this weekend, when I have had enough I get to cleaning up the mess!

What was the motivation? I had finished my book. Tony was watching fishing on t.v. (boring!) and I was mad as hell! Mad about work.

So there the secret to me getting some things done is I am working off my madness, plus I can think about a solution and I got what I needed, the house cleaned and the solution to my problem.

How was your weekend?

You may also like :  It Is Okay To Rest

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding life - The end of my week

February 9,2017

I had this Thursday morning off from work so I worked around the house till I had to go to work a couple hours in the evening. I intended on cleaning one room and cleaning it well but I noticed I was bouncing so I ended up cleaning out from under the double sink in my bathroom, I store many of my favorite hair products in my bathroom as well as razors and that type of stuff.

The first thing I did was to move the seedlings from the north window in the eat in kitchen table to the south window which is the spare bedroom, they are sprouting and needed more sun. And that is how I ended up in my bathroom, I was straightening the stockpile of hair stuff in the spare closet and I moved some to my bathroom.

I had to do a couple consolidations too, I removed some hair products from the larger tub and put all the razors in it, that was in a couple baskets. Then I had the baskets to put bigger stuff in that I don`t have a large clear tub for.

I wiped off the stuff and vacuumed the cabinet out. Before I knew it I had worked a couple hours cleaning and organizing. I know for sure what I do not need and what I could restock but its not necessary.

I made sure I made my bed and put away any clothes, I hung up a few coats that was worn and not put away. I have to say that I am always proud that I have a neat and clutter free bedroom, but I do need to vacuum and dust, maybe this weekend.

I still had a little time after I got ready for work so I cleaned out, washed and dried, three of the small trash cans. I washed up all the dirty dishes and bagged up the trash.

This evening I just chilled after work.

Friday 10,2017

Tony decided to work on the truck so I grabbed the vacuum and went to work in the living room and dining room, I had not been able to vacuum those two rooms because if him being sick and on the sofa.

The rest of the day I just had to rest, I was on the road most of the day and Friday traffic is the worst in the big cities, so I kicked back read my book and watched t.v. or blogged.

Saturday will be another story :)

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding life - Wednesday Check In

February 8,2017

I have to admit that I am still recovering from the first five days of the month. But I have managed to keep my life clean, somewhat.

Monday - Since I have been bringing the jars from the old home place I am washing those up to store my food in, for one they look nicer that boxes and I can see how much I have and if I am running low to list that I need more, so I washed several more of the glass gallon jars I had in the basement. I think I am actually saving space because I got almost 3 cartons of oats in one gallon jug. And I filed the coupons that I clipped on Sunday night. Changed the bed sheets on Tony`s bed.

Tuesday - This was a "run an errand day and a Tony is sick day." I did not do nothing. I had to be quiet when he was sleeping so I cannot get much done unless its in the bedrooms and everything in those was okay. However later when he woke I did do two loads of laundry, folded one and left on drying when I went to bed.

Wednesday - Bed changing day, I have to change Tony`s bed sheets every other day. I washed a load of laundry, "whites" and dried and folded those. I took all the trash and recyclables out to the trash can and the recycle bin.

Since we had the water to freeze an bust and we did not have any water for days except what I bought I have been stockpiling water in jugs as I get them, milk jugs or juice jugs, I took those out to the carport. No these won`t be used for drinking water but they will be okay to flush the toilet or wash dishes or even use to bathe with. I am stacking these on one wall so not to take up the whole area.

On this Wednesday night I announced I will need to clean the living room and dining room very soon!

You may also like : Minimalism and Organizing - Its complicated 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding life - Wednesday Check In

February 1, 2017

How are things going here for Angie? 

Fabulous! Wait can I describe my minimal hoarding cleaning organizing life as fabulous? 

Sure! and this is why :

Monday January 30th. The day was perfect because everything fell into place and all the time slots I had for each appointment were right on. 

I did not do much in the morning so when I got off work, earlier than expected, I got busy around my home.

After writing three blog posts I turned off the computer, cooked dinner and after dinner I listened to the FOX news channel about what was going on with the new President while I opened one box after another , putting foods into containers and got my pantry together, looking more like a place to grab and go with what I need instead of a stockroom. 

Tuesday :

The day started slow but I got a load of laundry washed and dried, folded and put away.

After work I got all the trash together to take to the office, things I am giving my sister and put it all in the trunk to haul off Wednesday. 

I did not cook anything but dinner ( the rest was sandwiches and fruits) so I washed up the kitchen and got that room back into order.

Seriously I was lazy on Tuesday, driving in the traffic on the interstate worn me down, so I took the evening to sit, watch T.V. and just be.

Wednesday :

I can say this right now, I have to work three jobs today! One this morning, one mid day and be a caregiver too! Plus I will toss in a few blog posts here and there. There will be no cleaning or organizing done today I will be in and out of the house and will probably make a mess and leave it for later each time.

But I will look on the bright side, its not to bad and I do have a clear weekend coming up where I will be home bound for the most part.

How has your week been so far?

Want more? Minimalism and You - Time To Rethink How You Live

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry