Winter Jobs

Our government is easing restrictions here in Queensland - and I guess that's okay. But I'm still cautious. So, I'm still staying home from my usual places of social activity. I'm only going out when I absolutely need to, and I'm doing online shopping more than anything else. 

But I've decided to organise myself into getting my living room looked into. At the beginning of the lock down, I was planning on getting rid of the large entertainment unit, two china cabinets, two cd towers, and credenza and replacing them all with a long wall unit and a 2-seater lounge. Well... seeing a lot of places closed down and we couldn't do anything like that.

Now it's a few months later, I'm chafing at the bit to get things done. First, I booked my car in to get new speakers installed - as the original ones are still crackling. And I bought the new ones before Christmas last year (talk about being patient!). And then, last night, I started looking at websites of furniture stores which sold storage units for living rooms... yeah, I'm not going into a place just to look.

Cleaning out your place can be the small stuff, and it's also the big stuff too. This is the big stuff right now, mainly because of the Covid-19, but it's something I'm not rushing into - as I have to live with what I buy. But my things have to fit into the wall unit I buy too - and it's also has to be the right size for my house. It can't be clunky and big (otherwise it's not worth it) and it has to look stylish too. 

I have done out all my pajamas and have ordered new, lovely looking pajamas online from Target for this Winter. The other cotton ones just aren't me; and so they're off to the charity stores - when they reopen.

Man... I wonder how many donations they'll be getting when they do reopen? The mind boggles doesn't it? 

Got Cleaning!

This morning, it was another crisp Autumn day here in Australia. I seriously didn't want to get out of bed, but there was a few things to get done around my place, as I've got an old friend coming over for coffee - and I mean, very old friend. He's somebody I used to date 20 years ago and he looked me up on Facebook, then messaged me, asking if I remembered him... seriously, I usually do remember somebody if I have dated them; but not this one. We didn't date for long, and well, we weren't on the same page by the end of the relationship back then. 

Well, we asked if we could catch up for a chat and I said that cafes were still a no-go zone for a sit-down chat, and he suggested my back yard... well, there's no harm in that.

So, this morning, I've been up bright and early in the chilled fingers of the day cleaning the parts of the house which really needed it. 

The downstairs toilet got cleaned, and the laundry tub did too. Then, I put away all the extra cleaning detergents I have collected over the past month and cleared the art bench and pulled out my spare table easel to put my large painting of the Harbour Wall II on it. Then, I shifted everything back under the bench (finding out it was all caught on something under there) by about a foot, and I could push my red chair underneath more.
The washing up got finished and the benches were wiped down and the iron found a place of its own - finally! I've been trying to find a place for it for about a week now, and it's now under the television again.
The vacuum cleaner is back where it's supposed to be and I put everything into a place again, making more space near the storage unit under the stairs.

Now, I have to put away the laundry and make my bed - which is something I've been trying to make a good habit of mine. Anyway, I'm hoping to get the house tidier than it's been in a week; seeing I've been just knitting and binge-watching my favourite television shows on dvd lately... yeah, I've been lazy. But the weather has been cold and that's great cleaning weather for me. 

I have been cleaning out my underwear drawer, which means I'm looking at my pajamas... yep, I've bagged up all of my cotton ones and tossing them into the donation pile; as I've bought some online which are more my style for this Winter. 

What have you been up to lately which is changing your house into more of a home? 

Kitchen Sorting

Here in Brisbane, Australia, there's been a few restrictions relaxed. We're allowed to go out for takeaway foods, coffee and other takeaway things - but not sit in cafes. So, that's something. 

Well, while I was out yesterday, I bought some coffee to take to a friend's house (which we're allowed up to two people at our places) and I spotted some coffee cups which had been on sale for a while. I loved this cups for a long time, so I bought them.

On bringing them home, I realised I had to declutter my kitchen to make them fit. So, I spent about an hour cleaning out and cleaning up and kitchen... and it's fun when you figure out to fit things - kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. And the best thing about this is that I managed to let go of two sets of cups I no longer use; packing them up for donation in future.

How cool is that? 

How is your place coming along?

Mine is slowly by surely.

Busily Working On Everything

You know it's been an interesting time around the globe lately. This Covid-19 has been making everyone sick, the death toll is higher in some countries and lower in others. Here in Australia, our death toll is 87 and yet there's less than 10,000 sick. Our government has done well with closing borders and getting everyone to work from home.

For those of us who don't work or have finished our work in the day, we find it difficult to get used to being 'stuck' in our homes. But it's not a matter of being stuck here. You home is your castle... and you have the time to get in and do something - anything - you wish for it to feel better.

I've been cleaning up and cleaning out things around the place. I've been packing things away and making more space for when the time comes to replace the two china cabinets, two cd towers and big, chunky entertainment unit. And there will be a time when I'll be able to do that... it will come. But I'll have to be patient. 

Anyway, right now, I'm cleaning up and boxing things up until that time comes. The freezer is filled with food I've cooked and frozen, and I've pulled out a shelf from it so it all fits. I've washed my car - as I've had this little beauty for 6 years just last week, so why not make it look pretty? 
And while we on this subject: just because you're not driving your car as much as you used to, it's a good idea to keep it clean, and make sure the fluids are full in the engine. I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but really, a lot of people just think that a modern car will 'look after itself'; but it won't. 

Keeping yourself interested in your own life goes a long way in keeping sane.  Watch your weight: don't go gorging on snacks just because you've got a pantry filled with them. Popcorn is a great snack and is just as good for you as anything else. 

But make sure your house - which is as much as a work in progress as mine is - keeps on being vacuumed, dusted and wiped down. Even though we may be in lock down, it doesn't mean we get lazy in our cleaning up. Put out your rubbish. Wash up your dishes. Tend to your garden (or balcony garden) and make your house your castle again... it doesn't take much once you're into a routine of it. And when you get into the smaller things of decluttering, you'll find that it'll help with the bigger things. 

And hey... we've all got the time now. So, why not make your house exactly the way you want it to be? I am. Let us all know how you're going in the comments below. 

I've Been Lazy

This virus has really bugged me, but it's gotten me to work on a few things - only a few - over time. And then, I got to thinking that we have a lot of time to do everything we want to get done.

So, I'm slowing it all down.

Okay, I've gotten 4 bags of charity stuff all worked out, and my shoes as well, but really, I don't have to rush. And neither do you. This is the perfect time to take your time and work through your house at your own pace and work on what you need to get finished. The best thing about this staying-at-home bit of this is that you can be sure what you want to throw out and what you don't.

Anyway, today, I've folded some laundry, and have to put it away - along with other laundry I've had folded and stashed in my bedroom. Then, I'll be looking at the art gear at the top of wardrobe and little by little I'll be working through that; and seeing what I want from it and what I don't. There's a bag I don't want anymore and I'll be putting anything I don't want into that and putting a label on the handle to put into the top of the wardrobe so I can pull it out when the charity stores are taking donations again.

Man, that's going to be a great day, right? So many people are going to be giving on that first day!

The Big Wardrobe Cleanout!

I'm so proud of myself!

Yesterday, I started putting away my clean laundry and it turned into a big clean out of my wardrobe - mainly because a lot of what I had washed and dried outside couldn't fit into the wardrobe.

So, I pulled out any t-shirts and decided to fold them, and had a lot of coat hangers which had taken up space. Then, I moved long-sleeved blouses next to the dressing gowns, I put the coats in their own colour codes (I know, I know, weird right? But it makes some kinda sense to me). Then, I put all my new op-shopped dressed in one section and my jeans and shorts in the next section. I tried on a few thing to see if they'd fit - and some did and others didn't. 

And then, I found them: the clothes I was given and haven't worn, and don't like. I pulled them all out and put them into a donation pile. I also pulled out all the 3/4 pants/jeans which I no longer wear and put them into a pile as well... and well! I emptied out so much of the wardrobe, I was amazed with myself.

And this was before I had even gotten any clean laundry put away - sure it was folded and hung up on hangers, but none of it was put away... so I put it away and it all fitted so well! 

Then, I pulled some things from underneath my clothes and found I had bags I had bought and other things which I simply didn't need. Some of these things went in the bin, while other items went into the donation pile. This donation pile was getting pretty big now... and this is good!

Today, I folded and put everything in the pile into a bag... such a pity I can't take it to a charity store yet. Well, give it time: in the next few months, we'll get ourselves to the charity stores and they'll have a huge influx of donations from everyone's houses. Won't that be great? 

In Isolation

The last time I went out was really early Tuesday morning - and that was to get supplies. But I've been home and haven't talked to anyone or near anyone... and this is good.

This has given me a good chance to organise my house and my garden. 

Today, I reorganised my greenhouse in the back yard for the third time - as I'm planting cherry tomato seeds and in a few days, I'll be potting up truss tomato seeds in there as well... I can't wait to see what happens. I'm hoping it all works out.
Well, if it does, I'll have some lovely tomatoes to eat in the coming months - and I'll share them as well with my neighbours.

I then organised my laundry liquids in the hallway to my kitchen where the shelving is... and managed to put everything in a nice spot there. 

Two plastic boxes in my home office are now filled with books I'm keeping from crowding up my bookcases too much. But there's a box by my front door which has to go out to the car for donation. Unfortunately, all my donations are going out into the back seat of my car until further notice, as no charity stores are taking anything for now - and they're closed anyway. 

Tomorrow, which is Friday, I'll be going through my wardrobe and sorting through all of my clothes to see what I'm keeping and what I'm donating. This is a good time to do this. And then, I'll organise my drawers again and vacuum the house, dusting everything as I go.

Yes, it'll be a busy day tomorrow - as busy as it was yesterday and today. So, how is your place going in this time of isolation? Are you cleaning out as much as I am? Or are you catching up on reading and other activities?