Maybe...if you're not planning on living long. Check this list out.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Getting Rid of Everything --
...or at least the nonessentials.
If you collect ANYTHING (not to mention everything), this happens gradually...and far too easily. It doesn't matter how rich or cash-strapped you are, either. The hoarding shows suggest that only poor people are susceptible to this, but the truth is: plenty of rich celebrities have done it, as well. Andy Warhol even kept his old pizza crusts!
The horrible truth: if you let them take over, eventually your possessions will possess YOU. They take up so much space that you must adapt yourself -- or your schedule -- just to live with them.
Yuck.
Don't do it.
I'm speaking from experience here. Whenever we had a project in-progress, we tended to make a separate 'pile' for the materials. Then when it was finished, sometimes the leftovers were kept out, 'just in case.' Or if it wasn't done yet, then all those materials would stay in view, 'so we don't have to look for them.'
Tools were left out, 'so we know where to find them.' (Ha. They just got buried under other piles, instead.) This included everything from socket wrenches to specialty scissors. When we added a trailer to our lives, that meant an extra set of tools, as well.
Fabric and embellishments were left out, 'so they'll be ready for the next gig.' Sometimes I didn't even unpack the suitcase from the last gig, so those items would be ready next time...whether I used them or not.
My profession as a writer -- books, articles, blogposts -- didn't help, either. I needed plenty of other books for research, plus photocopies, permissions, postcards, etc. Each book (and I've published 7, so far) has had its own treasure trove of items...and what if my sources were questioned? I needed to keep my research, just in case.
The other struggle was paperwork. When you appraise, your workfile must include notes, 'comps,' (comparable values on similar items you use to justify your value estimates), photos and all sorts of useful stuff. And you must keep those items for SEVEN YEARS. When I do hundreds of appraisals each year -- and I do -- this adds up.
Now add in the rest of flotsam and jetsam needed for normal living, as well as the junk mail, groceries, personal items, gifts, DVDs (a big one for us, especially), Christmas and other holiday items, etc. Don't forget dog collars, dogfood and dishes, as well as hunting gear and other hobbies. Don't forget books: they've been important to me since I started reading, at about two years old. (Really. Ask The Mama.) We owned literally thousands of books, stacked and overflowing on hall, office and library bookcases, as well as throughout the house.
Then there's the business: Brickworks has been part of our life since 1984. Inventory is a big addition, but so are items planned for future shopping carts, classes and conferences. This also includes some damaged items from a flood we had years ago, and I couldn't bear to throw away, as well as a few things I didn't know what to do with anymore.
And finally, don't forget our other family members: the girlies. Their old books, games, dolls and other toys --including American Girls and Barbies they hadn't played with for at least two decades. These were all stuffed into their old rooms, topped with a generous layer of markers, papers, magazines and such. (Who couldn't use a stack of decade-old Vogues, right?) Plus spiders, dead flies and other undesirables.
What a mess.
After 22+ years, the time we've lived at 3700 Collins St., what started out as messy went way past that into horrendous. Parts of it (like the dining room table) got regularly cleaned up. Whatever I could put aside for 'later,' however, often did just that.
When we decided to move from a 3700+ foot house into a 32-foot fifth wheel trailer, this seemingly endless merry-go-round Had. To. Stop.
HERE'S WHAT WE DID.
*We stopped purchasing anything but absolute essentials. This was harder than I'd thought. I'd gotten used to buying items on sale and 'stocking up.' An average grocery run might include a dozen cans of green beans, or industrial-sized bags of tortilla chips. Instead, we bought milk and eggs -- and not much more.
*I didn't go to stores. The thrift shop, a regular swing-by, kept its doors closed to me for months. Sam's Club? Wal-Mart? Even my beloved Friday/Saturday store? Only if it was essential. (And usually it wasn't.)
*We gave the girls their choice: furniture, quilts, family heirlooms, food items. Whatever they didn't take was re-analyzed and assigned for other spots.
*Paperwork was cleared out. Anything older than 7 years, except for tax returns, was shredded or burned. (And why in the world did we keep all those old catalogs and newsletters, to begin with?) Research files were purged, and workfiles condensed. Instead of paper copies, appraisals were kept on our server, with duplicate copies in the cloud. Our passports and other official documents went into our security box.
*We packed. And packed. And packed. But only if:
--It could be used in our new home, the trailer
--It was needed for repairs on said trailer and our truck
--It was important for hunting and other parts of our life
--It was important for the few lectures or classes I'd decided to keep teaching
--It was needed for study for appraising or future work
--It couldn't be borrowed from another source (like the library)
*Storage let us keep some items for the future. This included some furniture, a few chairs, books I couldn't part with yet (or needed for future writing) and inventory for Brickworks. However, we were limited to what we could fit into the horse trailer we borrowed from friends. And we had to haul that trailer to Michigan, where the storage space was.
*Donations. The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum got 25+ bags of quilts, quilt tops, books and tools. A appraiser friend took nearly all of my quilt study books. The Vietnam Vets (who pick up) took literally dozens of bags of clothes, kitchen stuff, appliances and small furniture. (In fact, they'll be stopping by again next week, after we clear out the garage.) Habitat for Humanity took most of the bookcases, and a surprising number of paintings and prints. We made runs to Goodwill, and my own favorite spot, Treasures on Park Street.
*Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, plus moving sales. We sold more than $600 worth of everything from wheelbarrows to chests of drawers to fabric yardage. The hardest part, surprisingly, was watching people pick through our stuff, then walk away. ("What -- our things aren't good enough for you??")
*We gave stuff away. Friends and neighbors took cedarposts (leftover from enclosing the chickenyard), quilts and some furniture, as well as oil lamps. (You never know...) Our popup camper, veteran of a dozen years of camping and hunting, went to a guy who planned to refurbish it for more trips.
*Then the final stop: the dumpster. We hired Drew and his team to clear the house out, room by room. After the Brick and I removed items we knew we'd keep, we would step aside and let the guys do their job. They reserved some items I'd missed, like old postcards and a box of South African indigoes. Otherwise, load after load went out until the room was empty.
Four dumpsters' worth.
Granted, a lot of the dumpster contents were damaged or dirty.They were too old or obsolete. These should have been discarded months -- or years -- ago. (A lot of renovation discards were in there, too, with a generous sprinkling of old tires, ancient drywall and even some contributions from neighbors.)
Some of it (fabric, especially) I would have kept, if we'd had room. (In fact, I climbed around in the piles -- something Drew teasingly only let me do once or twice.)
Here's the surprise.
Getting rid of All This Stuff (with a few exceptions) wasn't nearly as hard as imagined. I'd already pulled the essentials, and the girlies had chosen what they wanted to keep. I didn't have to sort through the rest, or try to figure out where to put things. It was all done-- by someone else.
Whew.
Did it cost, to hire the guys and arrange for the dumpster? Of course. Were things donated, sold, given away or discarded that we should have kept? Yep. Could we have done this process ourselves? Yes...but we both admitted that we would have had to read through every book, check every item, etc. etc., until we drove ourselves crazy. This way, it was taken care of for us.
If you're thinking about moving, why not try this now? You won't have nearly the hassle of clearing out the house, once you actively begin the process. If you can't afford the demolition guys, try 'hiring' a friend or relative to do it for you. They'll be much faster and far more efficient.
And it will be DONE. Finished. Cleared out
That, in itself, is an incredible relief.
Then you can concentrate on what's most important: actually living.
Or in our case: cleaning and getting the house ready for sale.
What's it like now? Take a look.
If you collect ANYTHING (not to mention everything), this happens gradually...and far too easily. It doesn't matter how rich or cash-strapped you are, either. The hoarding shows suggest that only poor people are susceptible to this, but the truth is: plenty of rich celebrities have done it, as well. Andy Warhol even kept his old pizza crusts!
The horrible truth: if you let them take over, eventually your possessions will possess YOU. They take up so much space that you must adapt yourself -- or your schedule -- just to live with them.
Yuck.
Don't do it.
 |
| From dnqsolutions.com, via Pinterest -- go here for an interview with a hoarding expert |
I'm speaking from experience here. Whenever we had a project in-progress, we tended to make a separate 'pile' for the materials. Then when it was finished, sometimes the leftovers were kept out, 'just in case.' Or if it wasn't done yet, then all those materials would stay in view, 'so we don't have to look for them.'
Tools were left out, 'so we know where to find them.' (Ha. They just got buried under other piles, instead.) This included everything from socket wrenches to specialty scissors. When we added a trailer to our lives, that meant an extra set of tools, as well.
Fabric and embellishments were left out, 'so they'll be ready for the next gig.' Sometimes I didn't even unpack the suitcase from the last gig, so those items would be ready next time...whether I used them or not.
My profession as a writer -- books, articles, blogposts -- didn't help, either. I needed plenty of other books for research, plus photocopies, permissions, postcards, etc. Each book (and I've published 7, so far) has had its own treasure trove of items...and what if my sources were questioned? I needed to keep my research, just in case.
The other struggle was paperwork. When you appraise, your workfile must include notes, 'comps,' (comparable values on similar items you use to justify your value estimates), photos and all sorts of useful stuff. And you must keep those items for SEVEN YEARS. When I do hundreds of appraisals each year -- and I do -- this adds up.
Now add in the rest of flotsam and jetsam needed for normal living, as well as the junk mail, groceries, personal items, gifts, DVDs (a big one for us, especially), Christmas and other holiday items, etc. Don't forget dog collars, dogfood and dishes, as well as hunting gear and other hobbies. Don't forget books: they've been important to me since I started reading, at about two years old. (Really. Ask The Mama.) We owned literally thousands of books, stacked and overflowing on hall, office and library bookcases, as well as throughout the house.
Then there's the business: Brickworks has been part of our life since 1984. Inventory is a big addition, but so are items planned for future shopping carts, classes and conferences. This also includes some damaged items from a flood we had years ago, and I couldn't bear to throw away, as well as a few things I didn't know what to do with anymore.
And finally, don't forget our other family members: the girlies. Their old books, games, dolls and other toys --including American Girls and Barbies they hadn't played with for at least two decades. These were all stuffed into their old rooms, topped with a generous layer of markers, papers, magazines and such. (Who couldn't use a stack of decade-old Vogues, right?) Plus spiders, dead flies and other undesirables.
What a mess.
After 22+ years, the time we've lived at 3700 Collins St., what started out as messy went way past that into horrendous. Parts of it (like the dining room table) got regularly cleaned up. Whatever I could put aside for 'later,' however, often did just that.
When we decided to move from a 3700+ foot house into a 32-foot fifth wheel trailer, this seemingly endless merry-go-round Had. To. Stop.
HERE'S WHAT WE DID.
*We stopped purchasing anything but absolute essentials. This was harder than I'd thought. I'd gotten used to buying items on sale and 'stocking up.' An average grocery run might include a dozen cans of green beans, or industrial-sized bags of tortilla chips. Instead, we bought milk and eggs -- and not much more.
 |
| Chocolate chip cookies -- essential. |
*I didn't go to stores. The thrift shop, a regular swing-by, kept its doors closed to me for months. Sam's Club? Wal-Mart? Even my beloved Friday/Saturday store? Only if it was essential. (And usually it wasn't.)
*We gave the girls their choice: furniture, quilts, family heirlooms, food items. Whatever they didn't take was re-analyzed and assigned for other spots.
*Paperwork was cleared out. Anything older than 7 years, except for tax returns, was shredded or burned. (And why in the world did we keep all those old catalogs and newsletters, to begin with?) Research files were purged, and workfiles condensed. Instead of paper copies, appraisals were kept on our server, with duplicate copies in the cloud. Our passports and other official documents went into our security box.
*We packed. And packed. And packed. But only if:
--It could be used in our new home, the trailer
--It was needed for repairs on said trailer and our truck
--It was important for hunting and other parts of our life
--It was important for the few lectures or classes I'd decided to keep teaching
--It was needed for study for appraising or future work
--It couldn't be borrowed from another source (like the library)
*Storage let us keep some items for the future. This included some furniture, a few chairs, books I couldn't part with yet (or needed for future writing) and inventory for Brickworks. However, we were limited to what we could fit into the horse trailer we borrowed from friends. And we had to haul that trailer to Michigan, where the storage space was.
*Donations. The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum got 25+ bags of quilts, quilt tops, books and tools. A appraiser friend took nearly all of my quilt study books. The Vietnam Vets (who pick up) took literally dozens of bags of clothes, kitchen stuff, appliances and small furniture. (In fact, they'll be stopping by again next week, after we clear out the garage.) Habitat for Humanity took most of the bookcases, and a surprising number of paintings and prints. We made runs to Goodwill, and my own favorite spot, Treasures on Park Street.
 |
| Didn't matter -- with only a few exceptions, they had to go. |
*Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, plus moving sales. We sold more than $600 worth of everything from wheelbarrows to chests of drawers to fabric yardage. The hardest part, surprisingly, was watching people pick through our stuff, then walk away. ("What -- our things aren't good enough for you??")
*We gave stuff away. Friends and neighbors took cedarposts (leftover from enclosing the chickenyard), quilts and some furniture, as well as oil lamps. (You never know...) Our popup camper, veteran of a dozen years of camping and hunting, went to a guy who planned to refurbish it for more trips.
*Then the final stop: the dumpster. We hired Drew and his team to clear the house out, room by room. After the Brick and I removed items we knew we'd keep, we would step aside and let the guys do their job. They reserved some items I'd missed, like old postcards and a box of South African indigoes. Otherwise, load after load went out until the room was empty.
Four dumpsters' worth.
Granted, a lot of the dumpster contents were damaged or dirty.They were too old or obsolete. These should have been discarded months -- or years -- ago. (A lot of renovation discards were in there, too, with a generous sprinkling of old tires, ancient drywall and even some contributions from neighbors.)
Some of it (fabric, especially) I would have kept, if we'd had room. (In fact, I climbed around in the piles -- something Drew teasingly only let me do once or twice.)
Here's the surprise.
Getting rid of All This Stuff (with a few exceptions) wasn't nearly as hard as imagined. I'd already pulled the essentials, and the girlies had chosen what they wanted to keep. I didn't have to sort through the rest, or try to figure out where to put things. It was all done-- by someone else.
Whew.
Did it cost, to hire the guys and arrange for the dumpster? Of course. Were things donated, sold, given away or discarded that we should have kept? Yep. Could we have done this process ourselves? Yes...but we both admitted that we would have had to read through every book, check every item, etc. etc., until we drove ourselves crazy. This way, it was taken care of for us.
If you're thinking about moving, why not try this now? You won't have nearly the hassle of clearing out the house, once you actively begin the process. If you can't afford the demolition guys, try 'hiring' a friend or relative to do it for you. They'll be much faster and far more efficient.
And it will be DONE. Finished. Cleared out
That, in itself, is an incredible relief.
Then you can concentrate on what's most important: actually living.
Or in our case: cleaning and getting the house ready for sale.
What's it like now? Take a look.
Monday, July 8, 2019
Monday Stuff on the Way to Other Stuff: Waiting
We are starting to think of ourselves as caretakers. We've been living in the fifth wheel for a few weeks now, on the other side of the fence. Every morning and night, we sneak over to the house to surreptitiously vacuum, mop, clean the toilets and water the plants. The dogs wait outside for us -- they've gotten used to this schedule. Once everything is tidy again, it's back to the trailer.
The house looks terrific still...it just feels weird. It's been on the market about 1 1/2 weeks. We've had 4 days of open house, and a bunch of extra showings. Just waiting for the next step.
Meanwhile:
I was thrilled to death to see that CheapChick, one of my favorite bloggers, has included a link to my blog from hers, Living Rich on the Cheap. Thank you so much! (I was wondering why I was getting so many visitors from your direction...now I know.)
"Six reasons I'm no fan of Suze Orman -- and you shouldn't be, either." A little scathing -- apparently Suze isn't allowed to mess up, No Matter What -- but interesting, nonetheless. But they don't mention my favorite 'Suzism:' that you shouldn't pay off your credit cards every month. (From MoneyTalksNews)
At least 10 unexploded WWII bombs are 'hiding' in Pompeii's ruins.
From the Department of "I Needed That:" A son gifts his dad a truck, after Dad's had broken down.
Some very cool hotel hacks. Including dealing with unwanted smells and noise.
Strawberry pudding cake. Oh my. (One Hundred Dollars A Month)
A Russian sub catches fire...with a number of sailors dead. Yikes.
Some of the strangest fossils ever found. Including a dinosaur tail, covered in feathers, and preserved in amber! (From Ranker)
Mix parents, cellphones and texts...and sometimes you get some weird stuff. Ask our girlies.
Some very weird (but logical) explanations behind mind-blowing special effects. (From Cracked)
Ten times sound was used as a weapon. (From Listverse) There are still arguments about the persistent noise in New Mexico that many people call the Taos Hum...
Also:
'Ridiculous' health myths that actually have some bearing in fact. (I notice that not swimming within 30 minutes of eating -- a favorite of The Mama -- is not included here. Sorry, Ma.)
Watermelson rice krispie treats. Oooh...thanks again, One Hundred Dollars A Month.
Membership choices when thinking about a pension. (From the Finance Buff)
Hispanic pastors toured the same detention facilities AOC faulted as so horrible -- a few days after she did -- and noticed none of the stuff she was griping about. In fact, apparently some of the most vocal people in her delegation didn't even visit the areas they criticized most. Hmmmmm.
How one man made an autistic kid's plane flight fun. Good for him! Better that than this one:
A boy (traveling alone) set to board a flight for Sweden ends up on one for Germany, instead. Yow.
The bigfoot who became a farmer's pet. Really.
Breatharianism? Don't try it.
Have a great week.
The house looks terrific still...it just feels weird. It's been on the market about 1 1/2 weeks. We've had 4 days of open house, and a bunch of extra showings. Just waiting for the next step.
 |
| Gotta keep those little fires out... |
Meanwhile:
I was thrilled to death to see that CheapChick, one of my favorite bloggers, has included a link to my blog from hers, Living Rich on the Cheap. Thank you so much! (I was wondering why I was getting so many visitors from your direction...now I know.)
"Six reasons I'm no fan of Suze Orman -- and you shouldn't be, either." A little scathing -- apparently Suze isn't allowed to mess up, No Matter What -- but interesting, nonetheless. But they don't mention my favorite 'Suzism:' that you shouldn't pay off your credit cards every month. (From MoneyTalksNews)
At least 10 unexploded WWII bombs are 'hiding' in Pompeii's ruins.
From the Department of "I Needed That:" A son gifts his dad a truck, after Dad's had broken down.
Some very cool hotel hacks. Including dealing with unwanted smells and noise.
Strawberry pudding cake. Oh my. (One Hundred Dollars A Month)
A Russian sub catches fire...with a number of sailors dead. Yikes.
Some of the strangest fossils ever found. Including a dinosaur tail, covered in feathers, and preserved in amber! (From Ranker)
Mix parents, cellphones and texts...and sometimes you get some weird stuff. Ask our girlies.
Some very weird (but logical) explanations behind mind-blowing special effects. (From Cracked)
Ten times sound was used as a weapon. (From Listverse) There are still arguments about the persistent noise in New Mexico that many people call the Taos Hum...
Also:
'Ridiculous' health myths that actually have some bearing in fact. (I notice that not swimming within 30 minutes of eating -- a favorite of The Mama -- is not included here. Sorry, Ma.)
Watermelson rice krispie treats. Oooh...thanks again, One Hundred Dollars A Month.
Membership choices when thinking about a pension. (From the Finance Buff)
Hispanic pastors toured the same detention facilities AOC faulted as so horrible -- a few days after she did -- and noticed none of the stuff she was griping about. In fact, apparently some of the most vocal people in her delegation didn't even visit the areas they criticized most. Hmmmmm.
How one man made an autistic kid's plane flight fun. Good for him! Better that than this one:
A boy (traveling alone) set to board a flight for Sweden ends up on one for Germany, instead. Yow.
The bigfoot who became a farmer's pet. Really.
Breatharianism? Don't try it.
Have a great week.
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Frugal Hits & Misses: June Report
Where did June go?
It disappeared somewhere in the blur of clearing out rooms, scrubbing, cleaning...and hoping that our house would sell quickly. It's been up on the market for less than a week now. Lots of interest; we're hoping for a quick sale. This whole change in life has been a long time coming; thank God it seems to be close to being over and done.
That having been said -- this was NOT generally a frugal month at Chez Brick.
FRUGAL HITS
*We bought a trailer! And paid less for it (even though it was 5 feet longer and years newer) than we gained in insurance payment money for our previous 5th wheel. Same Arctic Fox brand...and a lot more usable features. We're already settling in nicely.
*Got rid of a LOT of clothing. (This moving stuff has also helped me to lose about 20 pounds. I've got more to go -- but what an encouragement.) I have hoped to go to a more minimal wardrobe, and this is a good step forward.
*Booked a world cruise -- for roughly 66% off! More about this soon.
*Ate leftovers from the restaurant/fast food meals we've been existing on. More about this below.
*Had the help of Daughters #1 and #2, Son #1, and Daughter #1's partner. Boy, have we been grateful for this. Several kind friends have also pitched in.
*Tried to use special care in buying flowers and furnishings for staging the old place. Bought on sale, and used hardy plants that would last for longer periods. Bought curtain rods at discount -- and we'll return anything that we didn't use.
*Tried NOT to buy much for the new place -- until we see how our 'former' possessions work out. This has been more difficult than I'd thought.
*Waited on some repairs for the new place. We're getting by ok for now.
*Hired our friend Thommy of Procrete Services to do cement work. He and his people did a sterling job, and we were able to send some references his way, as well. (Hopefully, they'll add up to future work.)
*More money found while cleaning up -- including inside a purse. $2.49...plus a family pass to the Denver Botanic Gardens (no expiration date). This doesn't count a number of quarters, nickels, dimes and especially pennies, found here and there. I had no idea.
*Used foods out of the fridge and freezer, plus cans, while we could. (Meals have been a little boring, though.)
*Used coupons and specials to eat. While on the way to/from dropping off storage stuff in Michigan -- as well as while the house was emptied out and put on the market. Burger King and Little Caesar's have been a particular help.
*Replaced front bearings on the truck. More than $1000 -- but it would have been double that, had we hired the dealer to do it. Instead, we went to a local mechanic the Brick has used before.
*Swapped rides and borrowed vehicles, when needed. Thank God for good friends.
*Bought a chainsaw, rather than limping along with our old one, which kept breaking down. We should have done it sooner.
*Rented a truck one weekend, when we had to go in two different directions. Got a discount, plus credit for gas already in the tank.
*Taught at a gig. Did a couple of lectures, as well. Now that the house is on the market, I'm working to finish up the appraisals I did during this month, too.
*Bought some $2 DVDs (from the library's used book room) to entertain us in the trailer. Shogun, with Richard Chamberlain, has been a surprising favorite. Books from the library have been a wonderful escape, as well.
FRUGAL MISSES
*Paid on the contractor's bill for the house. (You don't want to know.) Even with some negotiations for work we did, as well as work that wasn't done, this took a big hit.
*Paid the housecleaners. Another big ouch, particularly when we had to re-clean some areas.
*Paid to fix new problems and changes as needed. I realize these are inevitable -- but that doesn't make pulling out the checkbook any easier.
*Paid to make the (empty) freezer go away. Did you realize you have PAY for appliances like this to be recycled?
*Ate out -- a lot. We had to; people were working in the kitchen. And when the house went on the market, it had to stay that way. We are starting to cook in the trailer...once the leftovers are completely gone. (P.S. Eating out isn't that exciting after a while. Trust me.)
*Realized that we let some things go -- that we shouldn't have. Like selling our wheelbarrow. (We got another; fortunately, Son #1 and Daughter #2 can use it.)
Gradually, off and on, we're getting more sleep -- though it's hard. (Stuffy and restless nights, with a bad dream or two thrown in.) We both now stiffen right up, when we sit for longer than a few minutes. And we still have the garage to empty out, and stuff to put away in the new place.
But it's progressing.
With God's grace, we'll soon have a contract and closing...
then on to the next part of life.
It disappeared somewhere in the blur of clearing out rooms, scrubbing, cleaning...and hoping that our house would sell quickly. It's been up on the market for less than a week now. Lots of interest; we're hoping for a quick sale. This whole change in life has been a long time coming; thank God it seems to be close to being over and done.
That having been said -- this was NOT generally a frugal month at Chez Brick.
FRUGAL HITS
*We bought a trailer! And paid less for it (even though it was 5 feet longer and years newer) than we gained in insurance payment money for our previous 5th wheel. Same Arctic Fox brand...and a lot more usable features. We're already settling in nicely.
*Got rid of a LOT of clothing. (This moving stuff has also helped me to lose about 20 pounds. I've got more to go -- but what an encouragement.) I have hoped to go to a more minimal wardrobe, and this is a good step forward.
*Booked a world cruise -- for roughly 66% off! More about this soon.
*Ate leftovers from the restaurant/fast food meals we've been existing on. More about this below.
*Had the help of Daughters #1 and #2, Son #1, and Daughter #1's partner. Boy, have we been grateful for this. Several kind friends have also pitched in.
*Tried to use special care in buying flowers and furnishings for staging the old place. Bought on sale, and used hardy plants that would last for longer periods. Bought curtain rods at discount -- and we'll return anything that we didn't use.
 |
| from Flickr.com |
*Tried NOT to buy much for the new place -- until we see how our 'former' possessions work out. This has been more difficult than I'd thought.
*Waited on some repairs for the new place. We're getting by ok for now.
*Hired our friend Thommy of Procrete Services to do cement work. He and his people did a sterling job, and we were able to send some references his way, as well. (Hopefully, they'll add up to future work.)
*More money found while cleaning up -- including inside a purse. $2.49...plus a family pass to the Denver Botanic Gardens (no expiration date). This doesn't count a number of quarters, nickels, dimes and especially pennies, found here and there. I had no idea.
*Used foods out of the fridge and freezer, plus cans, while we could. (Meals have been a little boring, though.)
*Used coupons and specials to eat. While on the way to/from dropping off storage stuff in Michigan -- as well as while the house was emptied out and put on the market. Burger King and Little Caesar's have been a particular help.
*Replaced front bearings on the truck. More than $1000 -- but it would have been double that, had we hired the dealer to do it. Instead, we went to a local mechanic the Brick has used before.
*Swapped rides and borrowed vehicles, when needed. Thank God for good friends.
*Bought a chainsaw, rather than limping along with our old one, which kept breaking down. We should have done it sooner.
*Rented a truck one weekend, when we had to go in two different directions. Got a discount, plus credit for gas already in the tank.
*Taught at a gig. Did a couple of lectures, as well. Now that the house is on the market, I'm working to finish up the appraisals I did during this month, too.
*Bought some $2 DVDs (from the library's used book room) to entertain us in the trailer. Shogun, with Richard Chamberlain, has been a surprising favorite. Books from the library have been a wonderful escape, as well.
FRUGAL MISSES
*Paid on the contractor's bill for the house. (You don't want to know.) Even with some negotiations for work we did, as well as work that wasn't done, this took a big hit.
*Paid the housecleaners. Another big ouch, particularly when we had to re-clean some areas.
*Paid to fix new problems and changes as needed. I realize these are inevitable -- but that doesn't make pulling out the checkbook any easier.
*Paid to make the (empty) freezer go away. Did you realize you have PAY for appliances like this to be recycled?
*Ate out -- a lot. We had to; people were working in the kitchen. And when the house went on the market, it had to stay that way. We are starting to cook in the trailer...once the leftovers are completely gone. (P.S. Eating out isn't that exciting after a while. Trust me.)
*Realized that we let some things go -- that we shouldn't have. Like selling our wheelbarrow. (We got another; fortunately, Son #1 and Daughter #2 can use it.)
Gradually, off and on, we're getting more sleep -- though it's hard. (Stuffy and restless nights, with a bad dream or two thrown in.) We both now stiffen right up, when we sit for longer than a few minutes. And we still have the garage to empty out, and stuff to put away in the new place.
 |
| This is us, as well. Stiff, stiff, stiff. |
But it's progressing.
With God's grace, we'll soon have a contract and closing...
then on to the next part of life.
As the Brick said, "I never want to sell a house again." But we both realize that the house and garage had to be cleared out and taken care of. In effect, we've tidied up our estate considerably. Should anything happen to us, our kids will have a
much easier time of dealing with all of our Stuff.
We will, too.
Monday, July 1, 2019
Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Back to 'Normal' -- But What's That?!?
Did last week happen? For that matter, did last month?
Our house has been up for sale since Thursday. Less than a week. Lots of showings, plus open house all weekend. Another showing today, Monday morning. This is going to be the pattern for a while. And it feels weird.
We hide in the trailer while people are touring the house -- then sneak over late at night or early morning to clean the toilets, mop or vacuum, and water the plants. Clothes get washed then, too, and things grabbed from the fridge.
Then it's back to the trailer -- or errands. Or whatever else needs to get done that's not home-sale-related. I haven't had much time on the computer; only the barest work's been done. (So just a few items this week. Next will be better. Promise.)
To make life even more interesting, the past week has been REALLY hot. We (actually, the Brick) finally figured out the air conditioning and fan, but for a while there, it was sweltering in here. I'm grateful to have cooler weather, and a nice cross-breeze flowing while I'm typing right now.
I haven't figured out the stove yet. Or the light switches. But at least things are starting to look up. People are touring the house. Stuff's getting put away. I'm back to work. The Brick has figured out the tv, dvd player, sound system and fans, and is working on the vagaries of the solar array and batteries.
Who knows -- we may even figure out where the coffee grinder is.
Fast-food favorites you can make at home. This blogger is often on a very careful (and limited) diet, including gluten-free, so her ideas are especially helpful for cooks who need those. (From Penniless Parenting)
This little pick-me-up:
Me too, buddy.
The importance of pocket money...for adults! (From Thrifty Mom in Boise)
The value of yellow sticker shopping. Or for us Americans, clearance bins and markdowns. (From Life After Money)
Frugal vacation ideas -- from the readers of the Frugalwoods site.
And we finally got to see a real movie in a real theater:
John Wick 3: Parabellum.
It was terrific, though too long...I even started dozing off during some of the fight scenes. And the dog(s) didn't get killed! Some interesting parallels and homage to other movies, including The Matrix and Sergio Leone's Italian cowboy movies.
Have a good week. Keep those good moves coming.
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