Little Things

I started this "experiment" where I would do something every day to move the house forward and make it more of a home.  I had hoped I would have time to write about it, too.  But that seems to have been too lofty a goal.  However, know that I am still doing these little things.

Some of the things we have done (and I say "we" because Husband has been doing some things as well):

• Replaced the light switches in the Master Bathroom because they had a short in them.
• Searched (and found easily, actually) my undergraduate senior comp to help an undergrad at a school in Minnesota for research she is doing
• read and recycled 2 magazines; recycled several magazines I'll never buy stuff from
• found a tote for Hannibal's outgrown clothes, cleared a space in his closet for it, and deposited a whole bunch of clothes straight from the laundry into the tote.  These are usually sent to my cousn for her son who is about a year younger than Hannibal.
• began sorting through paperwork to place into the file cabinet
• read the chapters in the organizing book related to the Office and realizing I'm just not that bad at organizing, I just need to get back into the rhythm
• logged some of the Explanation of Benefits (EOB's) from the past year in the computer and shredded the paper copies.  I'm still trying to see how expensive the last year was.
• sewed buttons back on my snowmen plush that's in front of the fireplace
• bought another houseplant
• put up new hooks for the boys' coats & Igor's backpack

Little things, but still progress.  I had meant to clean the pantry and the bathrooms this weekend, but that didn't happen.  I am still sick, but getting over it.  And, well, I'll be honest, the news about Husband's arm (which I haven't shared) still has me somewhat depressed.  I had a light at the end of the tunnel and it's gone.  We'll work through it.  But it's been a hard couple of weeks.  Work has been stressful, home has been stressful, and I've been sick.  I also start a class in a couple of weeks - 4 hours every Wednesday night after work for 8 weeks.  But I'll continue to move forward.  It's all we can do.

Potato Bin

Here is a picture of the potato bin I picked up from someone based on a Craigslist posting.  I paid $30.  I have used the same vinegar/water rinse and then lemon oil treatment on it.  Luckily, this one didn't come from a smoking home (though they did have a dog).  It is a little banged up, but looks nice and will do the job.  Which is to say, it will remove the potatoes and onions and bread from our counter space and give us a little more room for working on the counters in the kitchen. 

So my accomplishment today was to complete cleaning it so it was ready to use, while Husband took the kids and brought back Starbucks for brunch.  Now we're grabbing showers and going to take the kids to get haircuts.  Unknown to them, we'll peek at the pet store next door, too.  No buying.  We get our pets from shelters.  But we want to remind the youngest of his potty training goal.  Plus, I want to start figuring out how much the future addition to the family is going to cost on an ongoing basis so we can start to budget.

File cabinet moved into place

Today, I woke up sick.  My throat hurts and my nose is running and I am on day three of a migraine.  Still, I came downstairs and found Husband cleaning a poopy three year old and the elder child playing Xbox.  I proceeded to do some chores:

• put away the dishes in the dishwasher
• loaded the dishes that had accumulated on the counter throughout the week into the dishwasher and ran it
• moved my remaining Valentine's Day flowers into a smaller vase, threw away the box they came in, and emptied the pretty clear glass bowl they came in
• emptied the kitchen trash, taking it and the recyclables to the garage

Then, I admit, I needed to sit down.  So I played a little Zuma Blitz.  Husband came in a little bit later.  He had already told me he needed to stay close to home this weekend because of what is going on at work.  So we decide to take showers, go to lunch and go to the grocery store.

We ate at Thai Taste and I had a wonderful red peanut curry dish.  Afterwards, Husband took the kids next door to the Pepperidge Farm Outlet while I went over and checked out the American Cancer Society Donation store.  They had this really pretty old wooden baker's rack that was gorgeous, but (1) I don't have $325 right now and (2) we don't really have anywhere it would go in the house.  Then we went to nearby Penzey's spice shop.  Husband went in to buy the chili powder while the kids and I ate a cookie apiece in the van.

Next, the grocery store.  But we popped into Trading Places to see the new inventory.  They had a beautiful brown leather loveseat and ottoman.  But again, no money and we thought that maybe when we get a cat that it might not be wise to have leather furniture. . . So, off to the grocery it was.  We picked up fixings for Chili for tonight, grilled cheese and tomato soup for tomorrow, and a chicken to roast for tomorrow.  The kids were, as usual, abominable.  Once home, we put them down for naps.

A little Zuma Blitz and, when I ran out of hearts, it was time to use the furniture polish I picked up on the file cabinet.  Once that was done, I eased it into place between our corner desk and Vincent's mom's desk (it serves as a place to hold our peripherals like the digital photo printer).  I moved the scanner on top, as well as a 3 wick candle, put the hanging folders and file folders we picked up earlier this week inside and then I tidied the corner desk a bit.  Then a picture:

For $80 and a lot of cleaning, I think it will be worth it in the long run.  I still have boxes in the office that I'll need to go through and file away (I think I need a LOT more hanging files and folders).  But it's a start.  I still feel terrible.  But I need to go work on the potato bin yet today. . . or maybe tomorrow.  I'm tired.

Still working on project, but too busy to post

It's peak season for me at work and the last couple of weeks have been pretty rough.  I'm nearing the end and can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and am pretty sure it's not a train).  Most of my days have been going to work, working 12-16 hour days, and then coming home just in time (if I'm lucky) to put the kids to bed, grabbing a bite to eat, maybe watching a sitcom, and then going to bed myself.  The the process starts all over again.  It's not pleasant, but I know it's a brief period out of the year and necessary for the work that I do.

However, I have not abandoned my project.  Last weekend, we picked up a potato bin from Craigslist.  I still need to clean it and it's waiting in the garage.  However, it comes from a non-smoking home so I will have less trouble than with the file cabinet.

Speaking of the file cabinet, the secret seemed to be a vinegar and water wash.  I had tried Murphy's Oil Orange Soap.  Then Old English Lemon Oil.  After letting the room air out, the cabinet still smelled like smoke.  I referred to an article from eHow (How to Remove Cigarette Smell from Wood) and went at the cabinet again.  I filled a water bottle with dish soap and water, sprayed down the cabinet, and wiped it down.  Next, I mixed vinegar with water and sponged down the file cabinet.  In the meantime, I filled each drawer with an entire box of baking soda.  A week later, I did the dish soap/water spray, followed by the vinegar/water wash.  I vacuumed out the drawers and washed them with the vinegar/water wash.

Husband could still smell smoke in one of the crevices along the top of the file cabinet.  So I took an old toothbrush and cleaned inside with the vinegar/water combination.  I used the rags I created earlier this week from a ripped sheet, using Murphy's Oil Orange Soap spray and then Old English.  The smell is still there if you get close to the crevices, but is mostly dissipated.  Next up:  We're taking the kids to the movies today and we'll probably stop and pick up some furniture polish.  The wood is feeling really dry right now - combination of the vinegar and the cold temperature/dry heat. 

I've also been reading up on a gardening book I bought.  I'd like to put in some flowers and update my pond (since most of it died along with the fish).  I'm also considering putting in peppers in the front flower bed (hopefully that's not against our HOA).   Another book I purchased while ordering Vincent's Valentine's present:  One Year to an Organized Life.  I've read a chapter or so and what I've learned is that I need to assign my kids chores and start making them do them.