Clearing the Way to Simplicty

Our adventures into simplifying our surroundings seems to be going quite well.

Today I had 2 freecyclers come by to pick up stuff. A few hours later my parents came by and picked up even more stuff. We're left 25 items lighter (not to mention some other re-freecycled stuff that I did not count) and it feels nice.

This Weeks List:

1-5 5 teen purses
6 pig bank
7 stuffed bear key chain
8 belt
9 gorilla
10 pooh purse
11 Game of Life
12 Battleship
13 Pottery Wheel
14 Pefection Game
15 Visible Man
16 Bopit
17 big bear
18 popison chair
19 large sticker
20-22 3 sets of beads
23 mini blinds
24-25 rugs
26 books
27 Compaq CD
28 7 Coupons (Nicoderm)
29-30 2 magazines
31 Sunshine Felt
32 pair of sweat pants
33 sweatshirt
34 Bag style purse
35-36 2 candles
37-40 3 candles (angel)
41 teddy statue
42 little lamb
43-44 Crystal S & P shakers
45 pin
46-48 3 wire statues
49 clip on sunglasses
50 Journal Jar
51 star box
52-55 3 coats


I'm not finding it hard to get rid of 7 things each week. It seems pretty simple now but I can just see us counting out 7 toothpicks by next November!! Seriously though, since December 1st, we're down 314 items. This is a great thing right??

I was thrilled to find a card reader (new) on Freecycle this week. This means I can upload photos soon so stay tuned!

Project 55 Week Fling is Underway!

I have my items for this week all gathered up. Funny how you can't just stop at 7 items.


1. Set of lantern style lights
2 - 6. 5 small picture frames
7. New Drink koozie
8. New set of markers
9 - 12. 4 dragon statues
13 - 14. 2 dragon frames
15. Dream Kit (a new item purchased a while ago. will be used as a gift
16 - 17. 2 bunny pot hangers

So 17 items out of the house this week. I call that a successful week. Photos coming as soon as I locate the camera cord.

It Is Just Stuff - Project 55 Week Fling

The Shopping Sherpa left a comment on my blog telling me about The Seven Things Spring & Summer that they are doing. It is based upon the The Original Seven Things Project but took into account the items that are being brought into the home.

This is a great project and one that we definitely want to undertake. That being said, I guess I should start with some personal guidelines. Please note that if you decide to play along, you should make your own guidelines to fit your family.

1. Items will be sold, bartered, or given away. Only as a last resort will items be sent to a landfill. The only exceptions to this are items such as shredded paperwork or personal clothing items (panties, bras, etc).
   
2. I will track my weekly progress in my blog and will add photos or information about the items if I have any attachment to them whatsoever.
   
3. If something new comes into our home that is meant as a replacement for an existing item, the original item needs to leave the home ASAP.
   
4. If something new comes into our home as an addition, other items may or may not be removed at the family's digression.
5. Gift items coming in to our house do not necessitate removal of an item.
   

My plan starts this week (December 15, 2007) and will end on December 27, 2008.

Ridding My Life of Stuff

Hubby thought my idea of removing 2,008 items from 12/1/07 - 12/31/08 was too lofty of a goal. He thought a more realistic goal of 208 items may be better. I agreed, knowing that if surpassed, the goal could be adjusted.

And with that, we began December and I started purging.

Here we are, 12 days into the month and already I've met the goal. In fact, I have surpassed it. I will be honest here and say that I was clearing out a room and got rid of a lot of items that the children had outgrown or had never used. I thought it was important for another child to have a happy holiday season and donated items to both a friend of my mom's and to families on our local freecycle board.

Without further adieu, I give you my list.

Item Number	Description	To
15	Elmo Collection	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
4	Clown pics	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	Baker's Rack	Freecycle
1	Stationery Kit	Freecycle
1	monkey beaded curtain	Freecycle
1	Yamaha Recorder	Freecycle
1	Kid toy	Freecycle
1	Spinning circle disk	Freecycle
1	Sunglasses	Freecycle
1	Sunglass cord	Freecycle
1	Perfume	Freecycle
1	passie	Freecycle
20	baby clothes	Freecycle
1	Lunch Bag	Freecycle
1	Set of Checkers	Freecycle
3	Books on CD	Freecycle
1	log for internet	Freecycle
1	key chain	Freecycle
1	kid toy keychain	Freecycle
2	small jewerly box	Freecycle
1	travel alarm clock	Freecycle
1	butterfly necklace	Freecycle
2	toe ring	Freecycle
1	digital organizer	Freecycle
1	Reading glasses	Freecycle
1	Glasses Case	Freecycle
1	Sunglasses	Freecycle
1	Bug massager	Freecycle
1	heart lock	Freecycle
1	monkey beaded curtain	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	frog beaded curtain	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	jacobs ladder	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	mokey full of hair bands	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	gel pen jounal	Freecycle
1	set of kids paints	Freecycle
1	Ello Kids Set	Mom's Friend Nora's Gkids
1	Set of fuzzy dice	Freecycle
1	LOTR Collector Set	Freecycle
1	candle & holder	Freecycle
1	candle & holder	Freecycle
1	picture frame	Freecycle
1	black paper notepad	Freecycle
1	set of headphones	Kit
1	FLUKE multimeter	Freecycle
1	27" TV	Shamron
3	puffie tail pieces	Kit
1	box of mini dolls	Kit
1	small bag of beads, etc	Kit
1	Roly Kit	Freecycle
1	Stuffed Raccoon	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	Gift Box	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	ottoman (air filled)	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	Cabbage Patch Kid	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	wine glass w/candle	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
3	bath products	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	large batch of hair ties	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
2	posters	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
3	stuffed animals	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
3	books	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
2	paintable drums	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
4	hat	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
2	misc dolls	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	set of hair clips	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	heart box	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
1	set of baby doll clothes	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
2	Coloring posters	Bobbie Sue - Freecycle
6	sweatshirts	Russ & Beth
5	Nice Sweaters	Freecycle
6	pairs of shoes	Freecycle
1	Scientific Calculator	Freecycle
50	Books (or more)	Kayla
1	Mushroom Chair	Kit
6	pairs of pants	Cheryl - Freecycle
3	pairs of capris	Cheryl - Freecycle
4	pairs of shorts	Cheryl - Freecycle
1	skirt	Cheryl - Freecycle
14	Shirts	Cheryl - Freecycle

This totals 218 items!!!

I found, via a reader, the "7 Things" Project. I am going to be looking into that today. It may be a nicer way to go about this. Who knows, perhaps I could start my own project - "The Ten Things Project" because I love a challenge!

December!

Wow, we are already 5 days into December! I have had a busy couple of days helping friends move. We've also done some rearranging around here as well.

My friend gifted me with a nice armoire. We are going to use it in the "Whimsy Room" (what I call the bedroom that I use as an office and artspace where the children also sleep while visiting here) to hold the girls' clothing. They had a long buffet in there that I purchased for $30 back in June. I was able to re-sell it for the same $30 to another friend of ours.

As some people are thinking about holidays and spending tons of money, I am trying my hardest to have a lean December. My husband's family has decided to have a gift exchange where we draw names. The gift should be in the $10 price range. I am going to put together a small basket for the girl whose name I have (my nephew's 17 year old girlfriend). Jack has to get a gift for his nephew and I'm unsure what we can do for him. If you have any ideas for a 17 year old boy, please let me know.

My family is pretty simple. I buy for my mom & dad. Dad already has his gift - a TomTom. My mom? I think she is going to get something hand made by me. I may draw something for her and frame it nicely.

My goals for December - Spend as little as possible on gifts. Remember that it is the THOUGHT behind the gift, not the gift itself. Get my finances back on track. Cook meals at home every night. Plan life and make it wonderful!

Relaxation Has Its Price - FREE (or nearly)

I'm sure that many of you know that I suffer from Fibro. This winter has been extra hard on me. It is not yet truly cold out but what cold there has been is burrowing deep into my bones.

The past few days, after I take my evening medications, I have been spending around twenty minutes in my hot tub. This allows me to relax beyond any shower or bath ever could. After soaking, I snuggle into my terry cloth robe and settle into the couch for a little computer time. By the time I'm ready for bed, my body is so relaxed and I am able to fall asleep more easily. Believe me...this is a huge feat. I currently take 3 medications just to aid in sleep.

You may be asking how a hot tub can be frugal. If the extra sleep and as a result, the better health is not good enough, I also got the hot tub for free and the chemicals for quite a bit below cost.

The hot tub was one I found on Craigslist for free. It needed a small bit of work which my husband, a certified pool and hot tub person, gladly did for me. The chemicals were bought off of someone on one of the local yahoo groups. Her hot tub died so I got the chemicals for 1/2 of the price. I offered her 25% below her asking price with a guarantee of picking up that evening. She agreed and we were both happier.

It really helps to surf around on the web. I found the hot tub by being at the right place at the right time. I found the chemicals the same way.

Compacting in 2008

We are planning to participate in The Compact for 2008. Our initial goal will be 6 months. I have talked to hubby about this and we are in agreement that this will be our year to simplify our home and our lives.

We will also be taking on a crazy goal of getting rid of 2008 things in 2008. I am not sure if we will be able to achieve this goal but it will definitely be a fun challenge!

I've started my simplification already. I've removed a lot of 'friends' on my Live Journal and a few communities as well. I feel that a smaller, more intimate group of readers over there is for the best. This blog is my 'public' forum and as such, I know I have a potential for a larger reader base here. **Though right now, I wonder just how many people read this!**

Anyway, I think I will start planning my holiday gifts tomorrow. This weekend is when I need to get down to business and get started. There isn't much time left and I want to have a mostly homemade holiday. So, if you have suggestions for homemade items that don't "look" homemade, please leave me a comment!

Have a great day

"Free" Money

Hubby replaced an a/c pack unit at work. The old one worked fine, it was just too small for the home owners. They gave it to Hubby to dispose of and rather than toss it, he brought it home. I put it up on Craigslist and today it sold for $400! That makes me so happy. Not only did we save it from the landfill, but we also made some money off of it. Horray!

What are you thankful for?

Another Year Older

Saturday brought my birthday and nice gifts from my thoughtful mother, grandmother, and husband. I truly love that my mom allows me to pick out the gift she will be getting for me. I'm allowed to pick out something that would be truly useful.

This year she purchased a very expensive set of artist quality colored pencils for me (120 count Prismacolor Premiere) that is valued at $110 or so. We got a brand new set on ebay for $63 with shipping. These will allow me to create a lot of nice artwork!

Hubby got me a toy & a new stove! He was able to do this because he got a nice side job. I'm grateful for all of my gifts. It makes me happy to know that my gifts, while expensive, did not come from our household budget.

Working for a Living

On Monday I started my new job. Who would have thought that 4 hours sitting at hubby's desktop coter would make me so exhausted? I would much rather be on my laptop all day. Once we get my computer hardwired for internet, rather than using the wireless connection, I will definitely consider using the laptop.

Hubby has been working so much that when he finally gets home we just grab fast food for dinner. Our spending habits HAVE to change and soon. We're eating too much junk food.

Back. on. task. is the word of the day.

November is a new month and we will be making some changes in this household!

We were out at a local park camping for the weekend at a festival. I came home sick and am trying my best to recuperate before I start my job training on Monday. I'm getting excited about the new job. It is going to be nice working from home and working with others who have chronic illnesses and/or a disability.

Eating to Live

I seem to focus much of my time on my financial diet, yet my time may be better spent on my food diet. To put it plainly, I eat too much, eat the wrong things, or eat at the wrong times. What is wrong with me? I know better. For my health, I am better off eating mini meals. I have done this in the past with great success. I must get my butt in gear.

I know that I will never be skinny. My physical limitations and genetic makeup make things harder for me. I have accepted this and will move on. However, I would like to FEEL better than I have lately. My entire system has been really messed up lately. Something is going to change.

Starting today, I will try to eat mini meals every 2 hours. I will also do my best to drink more water (I love water, I just forget to drink sometimes). Wish me luck!

Finding myself spending W-A-Y too much money on JUNK this week. My goal for this upcomming week is to curb ALL spending. I have to get groceries and I'm sure I will need gas this week since I'm taking my neighbor to the hospital for her surgery on Monday but other than that, I'm freezing my personal spending. No sodas out, no junk food runs, no fast food because we are too lazy to cook. It is all gone.

Today is going to be all about getting the kitchen back in order. My kitchen/dining room area is one BIG long room. At one time there was carpet in the dining room and paneling on the walls (ick) in an attempt to define the spaces. However, the previous owner flipped the house and put in ceramic tile throughout and we covered the paneling with the wallpaper that you can paint and painted the two areas the same color. I do have a roll around counter with storage under it that I use to define the rooms a bit.

Anyway, I said all that to say that when the kitchen is a mess, I cannot be creative in the dining room. My crafts are housed on one wall in that room. I need to do yet another load of dishes, clean the countertops and do a bit of rearranging. I also need to do a few loads of laundry.

Other than these tasks, I have little to do this weekend. Yay for the simple life!

19 Days til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween

Bonus points to those of you who remember that jingle! While I hated the Halloween movies, the jingle from the 3rd movie has stuck with me all of these years.

Wow What a Week!

It has been a pretty busy week. I'm ready for some relaxation but I am not sure I will get any before Sunday!

This week I had to complete all of the paperwork for my new job. Telecommuting makes doing paperwork a little more challenging (to say the least) so it took a while to get it all ironed out. It looks like I will be starting my training the first week of November.

I was supposed to babysit for KK and her little brother on Monday & Tuesday while school was out for fall break. KK ended up getting sick over the weekend so she was here most of Monday before going to the doctor with her mom at 2:00. They had a scare there & had to go through more tests on Tuesday (including an ultrasound of her kidneys). Thankfully KK received a clean bill of health on Wednesday.

Monday afternoon, while I still had KK's little brother (age 4) with me, my friend S called to see if I could take her to the ER. She has been having some ovary issues (one remaining ovary is now enlarged to 5 times the normal size) and the doctor sent her to the ER. We were there until after 7.

On Wednesday, my friend G & her teenage daughters decided that we would help with the local Jaycees' haunted house. It begins tonight and is Friday & Saturday nights until Halloween week when it is all week leading up to the BIG day!

Yesterday, I went to G's house to pick up her daughter and take her to fill out an application for a job. That took most of the day but hopefully C will get the job and all will be good.

Today looks like it is shaping up to be another busy day. I'm up early to take S to get her blood work done in preparation for surgery on Monday. When I get home, I need to get household work done and rest before going to get G's daughters. We have to be at the Haunted House at 5:30 to prepare for tonight. It should be fun!

I just joined Pay Per Post!

This week my blog was approved for Pay Per Post. I had joined a few months ago but never finished getting my blog listed for approval. Frugal Disney Mom posted a few days ago that she had joined and that spurred me into action. I went over to their site and after a few minutes, I had myself all set up and had submitted my blog for approval. Imagine getting PAID for blogging? I knew that I would LOVE making extra money by writing about things. Obviously I have a lot to say!

The basic premise behind Pay Per Post is that you post about the ideas presented to you by the sponsors. After your posts are approved, you are paid either via check or paypal. Of course, I chose paypal since it will allow me to accurately track my earnings.

I hope that I will be able to use the money I receive from Pay Per Post to supplement our income. All funds will be divided in half. Half will go to credit card bills immediately. The other half will be put into our savings account so that we can once again build up our security buffer.

I am really looking forward to this opportunity. Having the extra money will be nice however, for me at least, I can use this opportunity to learn more about products and services that are being offered. Who knows, I may be able to learn about something new!

If you have not yet joined, I recommend that you head over to Pay Per Post and get paid to blog!

Good News

I got a job! I am thrilled to say that I have been offered a position working from home (not as a contractor, but as an employee). I will be working for NTI. They only hire people with chronic illness or disabilities to do work on various contracts that they maintain.

I will be making pretty decent money working part time seasonal. If I'm very good, I may be able to get one of the year round slots.

I am so grateful to have been able to get this opportunity! When I lost my job as a direct result of my medical issues, I was determined to find a legitimate work from home job. It took 5 months but it was SO worth it!

I'm doing the paperwork today. Training should be starting soon!

Digital Photos

Who do you use to print your digital photos???

Technorati

I set myself up with Technorati today. ( Technorati Profile ). I am not 100% sure how it works but it seems like a good way to get some traffic on my blog.