"Super Messy"

Grandma, your office is super messy, my four-year-old grandson commented as he peered in.

Yes, I agreed. Don't go in there - or you might mess up my mess!

I don't like the mess either - but, the thing is, I can find most things I'm looking for.

It's a mystery - a little like an archeological excavation. I know what the different piles are - so I just have to dig down into that pile a bit to find what I'm looking for.

Sometimes I find bonus surprises - like an eye glasses case that's gone missing.

But mostly these piles are "mounds of indecision"... Sorting through papers, letters or photos - mine or my mother's -  I reach a point where I don't know what to do. A sentimental decision has to be made but I can't face it... so I take a break to gain perspective... And there it lies.

The good news is that I will eventually get back to it. It just takes a little time.

Good Day for ... Ironing?!

Our cooler weather is coming to an end...

Glad I managed to get a little ironing done before the heat and humidity return!

(I never thought I'd be happy about cool summer weather OR ironing!)

Making Spaces

I read recently that, when most people "downsize," they need to get rid of two-thirds of what they have in their house. We're not planning on downsizing any day soon, but the time may come - and I don't want to be overwhelmed when it does.

I don't think I'll mind getting rid of furniture we no longer need. But little things, like books, papers and souvenirs could be a problem. I don't want to get rid of things that still give me joy, or that I use. But there is a lot I could get rid of and not really miss.

So one of my goals this winter has been to "make spaces" in the house... in rooms, closets and shelves. We've lived here for 35 years, so, in that time, we've accumulated a lot!

I regularly take clothing, books and other odds and ends to a nearby thrift shop. This winter I also listed some furniture items on Kijiji, like this drafting table my daughter hasn't used in years. I was pleased to see it go to someone who will use it...

I still have a long ways to go until I see spaces on shelves and in closets! But I am taking tiny steps in the right direction!

Now when I walk into a room and it looks messy, I ask myself: Is there anything in here I no longer need?!

Spring: Busy Time of Year!

Now that spring is here, life has become extra busy for me...

There is raking to do. The pine needles that fell over the winter need to be raked up before the plants growing under the trees get too tall.

Windows need to be washed. Thick construction dust coats the ones on the east side of the house.

I'm also trying to get out  and walk more. The weather is perfect for brisk walks...

My new cell phone has an app that counts my steps - motivating me to walk more: at least 10,000 steps a day.

I'm not complaining! Spring is my favorite season and I'm enjoying every opportunity to spend time outdoors.

Indoors, I'm trying to tidy the house. I'm also trying to finish two knitting projects I started a while back - an pinkish orange afghan and a black sweater!

(So much to do!!)

Cleaning - On the Clock!

I have found a way to make housework - more specifically, tidying - less onerous: By setting a deadline for the task - then going back to do more another time, if necessary...

One area that builds up clutter is my desk and study, where I put papers I don't want to deal with... yet.

Recently I started doing only "half an hour" sitting at my desk. The clock facing me, I attacked the piles of papers that had built up - not letting myself leave till my time was done!

The desk didn't get tidy after the first half hour, or even the second. But progress was made - and that encouraged me to slot in another half-hour. I'll do  another, if necessary - till the room looks the way I want it to look.

Spring Cleaning

In Israel, many households view spring cleaning as a religious obligation as they prepare for passover.

I don't have any religious compunction to clean - yet this spring, I've been anxious to clean the windows, dust and vacuum closets, and get rid of clothing that no longer fits.

(What is it about this season that makes us want to start afresh, both inside and out?!!)

Perfect Job for a Snowy Day

The snow is falling - again!

A perfect day to stay in...

... and wash my winter coat and hat. They've had daily wear over the past few months! Cars are covered in salty white dust... And coats brushing against them can't stay clean.

Did I mention that I'm looking forward to spring?!

Mid-Winter Panic!

February 2 was Groundhog Day. I wasn't paying too much attention to the groundhog this year. I was too busy! But Terry tells me the animal doesn't score high in accuracy as far as predicting the arrival of spring anyway - only 39% of the time! Terry, who calculates his "100 days of winter" from December 1st (when the average daytime temperature in our area goes below zero degrees Celsius) to March 10th (when the average daytime temperature again rises to above zero), reminds me that winter is two-thirds over.

So I'm beginning to panic! I had planned to get so much done this winter!

Tidying..


















Organizing, quilting, mending. Not to mention cleaning, sorting and tossing! With all my art classes, I've neglected my winter "to-do" list! Time to realize that winter will soon be over.














I'd better get moving! When spring arrives, I'll put these tasks off till... next winter!

Things to Do on New Year's Day...

I remember a co-worker who used to spend December 31 madly getting her house in order - she superstitiously believed that the way she ended the old year influenced the way she would live in the new. I wonder if she had her mother to thank for that idea... Perhaps a mother looking to motivate her to tidy up! (The way my mother, trying to get me to go to bed early when I was a teenager, repeatedly said: One hour of sleep before midnight is more valuable than two after 12 o'clock.)

However we try to organize ourselves in the new year - whether by cleaning up in the old, or by resolving to be tidier in the new - here are five things that New Year's Day can remind us to do:

1. Check (or change) the batteries in all smoke detectors.

2. Check the fire extinguisher. It may need to be refilled or replaced.

3. Go through bottles in the medicine cabinet and toss medication that has expired.

4. Vacuum up lint in and around the clothes dryer vent.

5. And (the one I have on top of my to-do list): Make a backup copy of photos and other important information on my computer.

Actually these should all be done more frequently - perhaps on the first or last day of every month. But New Year's Day is a good marker date to remember to do them.

If a Pregnant Woman Can Do It...

A few weeks ago, one element on our electric range stopped working. It was a double burner, with a small coil and a large coil. Only one had burned out, so my reaction was: Leave it. I'm not sure it's worth fixing. Besides one of them still works...

But Terry wanted it fixed...  So he went online to see how it could be repaired... And he came up with a You Tube video that showed a pregnant woman replacing a burner on a stove very similar to ours.














That settled it: if a pregnant woman could fix it, how hard could it be?!














So he ordered the part, watched the video clip again, and set to work.














Now, in all honesty, he didn't find it quite as easy as the You Tube clip looked - her stove was a little different from ours. But he managed to get it done!

The challenge that motivated him to keep going: if a pregnant woman could do it -  he could, too!

(This could be a whole new trend in how-to videos! The "dummy guide" books have done very well. They could be replicated online by "prego project" how-to videos!)

Cute Guest Towel Idea

I did a blog post a while ago on Japanese-style folded scarves (called Furoshiki)...


















Here's another cute idea I came across recently: a guest towel and face cloth folded to look like a fan or "flowers" in a basket...














I had to take it apart to see how it was done!














The "fan" face cloth looks like this outside the "basket." Then I put it together again. (Hopefully no one was the wiser!)














 When I got home, I tried it again, folding up the "basket."














Then I folded the towel into thirds so that the middle third was in front.














The face cloth didn't want to cooperate!

Finally I got it to work! It's not as cute as theirs. (Nothing is ever as easy as it looks!)

Lesson Learned!

I recently washed two pairs of my hand-knit socks. (The yarn is 75% wool.) I don't usually put them into the dryer, but somehow, one from each pair ended up there...














... and shrunk!














My solution? I'm going to pretend this didn't happen and simply put them in the sock drawer, hoping no one will notice. If they are uncomfortably different, I will probably wash them again and make sure the larger ones end up in the dryer this time. (I don't dare put the smaller ones into the dryer again! They might shrink even more!)

Unusual Laundering Instructions

When my daughter recently bought a pair of Thvm jeans, we laughed when she read the laundering instructions...


















"Wash every six months or spot clean.
To refresh scent, place jeans in a sealed plastic bag and keep in freezer overnight..."














(I have never heard of freezing clothing to freshen it... Won't it come out smelling like frozen pizza?!)

I guess there's only one way to find out!

Folding Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are an essential part of my daily life. I take them grocery shopping with me to "re-use" them. But keeping them tidy is a constant challenge.

A few months ago, I shared a Martha Stewart tip on storing them in old tissue boxes...

Now I want to share a way to fold them into tidy little "packages" that fit easily into a purse or pocket... This trick was taught to me by my aunt Evelyn (my uncle Ron's wife)...














1. First fold the bag lengthwise into a narrow strip.














2. Then fold one end over (making a triangle that touches one side of the strip.














3. Fold that triangle up...














4. Then over...














5. Then up..... And so on until there is only a small unfolded piece left.














5 Tuck this bit into the folded "pocket."














Voila! [There you go!] A plastic bag in a tidy triangle that won't easily come undone! A perfect way to carry it in a pocket or purse....


















P.S. I discovered that this method also works well...














... for cloth bags.

Insomnia (and Mid-night Madness?)

I often wake up between 2 and 4 am... and get up when my mind seems determined not to sleep.

I don't like to waste time, so I try to find something to do... usually it's something passive like reading... cup of coffee in hand.














But recently our electrical company instigated a "smart" way of calculating our electrical usage: There are peak hours during the day when it costs more - to discourage consumption and strain on the system. And overnight, from 9 pm till 7 am cheap electricity reigns!

So... I have begun doing laundry in the middle of the night when I can't sleep!














I mentioned my habit to my daughter recently.

She replied: My friend Natalie also suffers from insomnia. For the same reason - cheap electricity - she gets up and BAKES!














So - it appears that slowly - the Ontario electrical company is changing the housekeeping habits of Ontarians!

Early June: Preparing for Summer

Summer arrived late this year. Only last week did I feel it necessary to complete two housekeeping "rituals":

• Remove the flannelette bedding,...

... replacing it with smooth cotton sheets...














...and light bed covers.

• Also put away my many fleece tops, a staple of my winter wardrobe. Fluffy and thick, they take up too much space in the closet. So I decided to put them away in a plastic container this year.

There! That makes room for summer clothes.

Housekeeping rituals!

Similarly, when the urge to hunt for the flannelette sheets, down-filled duvets, and my fleece shirts and jackets returns, I will realize (sadly) that summer is again over...

Canadian rituals that mark the passing of seasons!

Setting the Mood

Music sets the mood for more than romance. It can set the mood for sleep... One of my sons always falls asleep with music playing in the background. My husband drifts off most easily while watching TV. As sports announcers natter or comedians banter back and forth..., the music of their voices lulls him to sleep!

I love the sound of silence - whether I'm trying to fall asleep or focusing on reading or writing. Music and talking distract me, so I need absolute quiet, punctuated perhaps by the occasional chirping of birds... (to remind me I haven't gone deaf!) Silence helps me think. During my high school years, I used to go to my room (on the second floor, away from household noises) to do my homework. The one year I lived with hundreds of women in a university residence, I did my serious studying and writing after midnight, when the building finally fell silent.

But this doesn't work for everyone. Several of my children liked to do their homework while listening to music - they said it helped them block out random noises, helping them concentrate. I didn't stop them, since my brother did his high school homework at the coffee table during TV commercial breaks - and he graduated with good grades. In those days, before TVs were controlled remotely, he was able to "turn off" his attention and totally focus on his homework... until the program resumed. Later, while studying for his doctorate, he tried to work in the library. But it was too quiet! So he headed home. There, at the coffee table in the living room, while his two young sons played around him, he was able to write his doctoral thesis.

I was reminded of all this recently while attending a writers' workshop. The instructor, Ginger Kolbaba, (editor of the newsletter, Marriage Partnership and author of a number of books) mentioned that she listens to music when she writes - varying the music to match the mood of the story or article she is working on. The music sets the mood for her writing, heightening her emotions and influencing her writing style.

When she has a hard time making herself sit down and write, she also puts on music. The association between the music and the writing task draws her in...

Would that work for me - a lover of silence?!

I'm not sure! But I may try it for other tasks I often resist - like washing the dishes and cleaning the house...! (Do I need a house-cleaning theme song?! ... Perhaps the theme song from the movie Chariots of Fire? Or from one of my favorites, The Triplets of Belleville? ... Or will any music do?!)

"She vacuums around furniture..."

I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to housework... Rather, I have a comfort level... On a scale of 1 to 10, my tidiness comfort level probably ranges between a 5 and an 8... If our place is too tidy, it feels a little too sterile to me. It definitely doesn't feel like home. (My husband, on the other hand, would like it to be a constant 9 or 10!)

I'm always on the look-out for housekeeping shortcuts. So a few years ago, my ears perked up when a friend commented:"My mother has her own style of doing housework. She vacuums around furniture - she would never think of moving it to vacuum under it... It drives me crazy!"

Vacuums around furniture?! (An interesting concept!) As one who had been taught to lift and move all furniture when vacuuming, this sounded like a dream come true! No longer would vacuuming be a chore! In fact, my vacuuming time would be cut by 50-75%!

(Terry will be relieved to know I didn't adopt the practice.... yet!)

But recently I made a startling discovery...!

We had to buy a new vacuum cleaner. One of the nifty features of this newer model is a red and green light system to tell you when a carpet is clean.














On the beater bar, if dust or dirt are being sucked up, a little light turns red, indicating that the job isn't done yet!














But if no dirt is going into the vacuum, the sensor turns the light green... a sign to move on.

So here is my discovery...! When I vacuum around the sofa, the light initially is red, but when I move the beater bar under the sofa, the light invariably stays green - indicating that there is no dust or dirt to pick up there!

Wow! After all these years of unnecessarily-thorough vacuuming, I now realize that our friend's mother was on to something: on a carpet, at least, dust and dirt build up where we walk - not under furniture!

Mmmmm... This calls for a re-evaluation of my housework habits!

(I can already hear Terry groan!)