A LUCKY travel day!!!

 And just like that, I'm home, and soon I'll be off on another grand adventure (just for the day), and it involves packing! No decluttering, but loads of packing. 

I got up early and moved all the glassware to the garage! It wasn't as cool in the morning as it is here, and you could see the stars, so I snapped this with my cell phone. Not bad for a cell phone. But that's why cell phones are so expensive today: it's the camera, not the phone part. That probably costs a few dollars! 

The early morning sky over Salt Spring Island

When I left, the house was neat and tidy, ready for my aunt to sort through more when she had a chance. 

I was sad to leave, as it would be the last time I visited the house, but we managed to get one picture of me on the front steps. DARN --- I completely forgot to get a picture of both of us when someone else was around. We took many pictures on those front steps. 

Last photo of me on the steps

When I took the picture of the sky, I didn't even register that it was clear. No fog!! Apparently, the day before, they had to cancel floatplanes because of the fog. I got lucky!

My aunt dropped me off at the floatplane dock and headed back to the house because Lucie was coming. OK, if all the youth in our world were like Lucie, the world would be a better place. I'm not sure how old Lucie is, but I'm guessing in her twenties. She's a young single mom who is working hard to make a living. She has chosen to help others - I think I mentioned her mom was a hoarder. 

I liked her so much (we all fell in love with her) that I hired her to move all the crap out of the garage, and she did just that. Then she removed more stuff from the house. I'm not even sure what all went, but she took a load of old lawnmowers and filing cabinets to the metal recycling, and then a good part of the stuff went to a giant flea market sale which is happening today. That is why she was so anxious to get the stuff out of the house. 

She didn't want stuff going into the landfill unless absolutely necessary. YES -- I know that not everything will go at the flea market, but at least an effort was made to rescue some things. 

But if the world were filled by people like Lucie, we would be in a much better place. 

As I got down to the seaplane dock, the sun was just coming up. It was a glorious morning! 

Sunrise over Ganges Harbor on Salt Spring Island

Things went smoothly for a travel day, and it was a lucky day for me. Although I have flown over this body of water many times, I never tire of watching the ships and other small sailing craft. No whales, although the pilot mentioned they had spotted whales earlier in the week or sometime just recently. 

A ship between Salt Spring and Vancouver

When we arrived at the floatplane dock in Vancouver, we waited about five minutes for the shuttle to the main terminal, so I arrived at the terminal around 9:30. My original flight was 1 PM, but I had forgotten the seaplane flight was early in the morning when I booked it. 

While we waited for the shuttle bus, several ladies chatted about how much they'd have to pay for their luggage and whether it was overweight, etc. Both ladies were flying to the US. I said that I could carry 3 suitcases at 70 lbs each. One of them immediately asked me, "What credit card do you have?" I am NOT a fan of this business of everyone offering a credit card to get special privileges. I know many people pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees for a credit card that gives them access to the lounge or other privileges. I refuse. I only need ONE card, and it's working well for me. 

Enticing people to get another credit card in return for privileges just increases the risk of getting into trouble with credit if they're not careful. We have a small limit on one shared card, and it works! 

I checked online and saw a 10:10 flight, one at 11 that was pushed back to 11:30, one at 12, and then my 1 PM flight. I wanted to switch to an earlier flight, but I didn't want to pay the fare difference, so could I fly standby? I went to an agent immediately upon arriving at the airport, explained my situation, and before I knew it, I was confirmed on the 11:30 flight at no charge. Yeah!!!!

So I went to find something to eat and a place to sit while I waited. Since I have new airline status, I now have access to the lounge, but the lounge was under renovation! Of course it was, but I knew that because a friend of mine had been there recently and told me. 

The lounge is closed.

There is a private cafe for the airline which was near the gate, so I went there. Imagine my surprise when, while looking for a seat, I ran into a friend from back home!!! This is someone both DH and I have known for eons -- we were colleagues, and at one time, we all lived together in a big house. He and his wife came to M's wedding. We chatted, but he had work to do, so I sat and waited. 

Actually, I was watching the upgrade list. This was indeed my lucky day. There were 40 business-class seats (the lie-flat beds), and only 20 people bought those tickets. A huge list of people were waiting for an upgrade, and I happened to be number 18!!! Yep, I got one of the last seats, so I had the pleasure of a nice, comfy seat for the flight home. 

My seat on the way home

I managed to watch the final Harry Potter movie. Can you believe that in all the years since those books and movies came out, not a single person told me outright what the ending was? I kind of knew, but I was never certain. It was a great movie, and it was fun to see the whole cast back for the finale. WAIT, I had read the books, so I knew what was going to happen, but even though I read them way after they were released, no one told me the ending. 

Then I watched a couple of episodes of Modern Family. I loved that show when it was on years ago - a true comedy, and it really was a modern family!! 

DH agreed to pick me up, but my phone was dying, so I told him the scoop. He was stuck in traffic (Friday night rush hour), so when I got off the plane, I found an electrical outlet and charged my phone a bit. 

Then we went to the restaurant for a late dinner. Yep, I talked his ear off; I bet he missed me and my chatter all week. 

The girls, of course, were excited to see me, and we did NOT go for a walk because it was late by then, but I was still on Vancouver time, so I decided to do a wee bit of unpacking and then work on my jigsaw puzzle. I have seven nights to finish that. 

A bit more progress on the jigsaw puzzle

I scour the boards for more pieces and am starting to become familiar with what goes where. Then I attempt to locate a spot for them, then find more pieces. It's coming together, but it's slow. That's OK -- I'm good with slow. Remember my motto that I picked up in Africa, "Pole Pole", slow!!! I still wear that bracelet. 

I also got my jigsaw puzzle advent calendar in the mail. This thing went like hotcakes, but I scoured the internet until I found a copy in Alberta. And now, starting December first, I get to take part in it. 

My advent jigsaw puzzle

And that's a wrap for today. It's going to be a very busy weekend, but that's OK. A few busy weekends and days remain this year, but things are starting to wind down. Says me!!!!

Anyway, if you ever get the chance (who am I kidding, we are all going to have to move one day), I really enjoyed this last week. It was a ton of hard work, but it was so satisfying. I really enjoyed spending time with my aunt. Would I do it again? You bet I would. I would have loved to do that with my parents, especially my mom. The memories we could talk about, the things we looked at. All of that would have been fun with Mom, but she doesn't want it, and we would never have thrown anything away. 

That's the sad truth. And while the timing was a bit wonky for me, it didn't matter. I will still get my work done on time, and I had a wee enjoyable mini-vacation! 

I must run; I need to take the girls for a short walk before I have to leave. 

Notice there is no list today, BUT I have one final thought about decluttering. If you're lucky enough to have the opportunity to help a friend or a family relative, TAKE IT!!! Our time on this planet is limited, and if you don't reach out, help, and enjoy relationships, what is the point? 

It is going to be a GLORIOUS day!!!!

Ciao!!!

The art of decluttering - be organized!

I just want to say THANK YOU to those who follow the blog. While I don't know all of you personally, you are always there for me; you provide loads of support and always have great ideas. If you didn't know, you are helping motivate me to get my life in order. And I love all your comments. I love that some of you are, or have already, tackled your houses and the decluttering process; I love that you are getting off the bus one stop earlier than necessary and adding a few extra steps to your day. I think we are all motivating each other, and that makes one big supportive community, of which I am happy to be a part of!!! THANK YOU!!!! 

Nothing was created in a day, and our health didn't deteriorate in a day, but if you start small, you will be amazed at how short those long distances between stores really are. Keep up the good work, everyone!!! 

And if your families think you have gone mad, just ignore them. Smile and say, yes I have, but I'm alive, and I'm doing something about my crap or my health. Don't argue with them - agree with them, and soon they will keep quiet because you are not feeding their fire!!! Don't tell anyone, least of all DH, but that is my new stance. When he calls me crazy, I agree. I am!!! And well, I'm having fun. How about you?"

Go for it!!!

I will say that while we've had fun these last couple of days, it's been an exhausting exercise, mentally and physically, but the amount of work we got done is incredible. And to think I brought a small ball of yarn to crochet a scrubby -- what the heck was I thinking? That I would walk in the house and everything was already packed? 

I just wish I had one more day, because I could have finished the job completely. How many times have I said that? But I swear, we've been working like mad, and I know my aunt will be so happy when I'm gone. Well, hopefully not, but she won't have someone cracking the whip. I'm trying to leave the house somewhat uncluttered if you can believe it, because the clutter is overwhelming. 

Plus, I got her set up on WhatsApp so we can communicate quickly this week when she needs advice, encouragement, or wants to share what she's done. For some reason, our texting abilities have gone astray in the past. 

Not only did we have to pack up the house, but we also had to sort through it first. And then we packed. This is the typical scene in the house over the last couple of days. 

We sorted through a section and found stuff we no longer wanted/needed. We put those items by the front door. 

Stuff to be removed from the house

Then we moved the items to the garage or the car so we could get rid of them. 

Like magic - the stuff is gone.

I don't know how many times I have done that, and there is another pile of boxes at the front door that need to be moved to the garage this morning before I leave. 

Thank goodness for the garage/shop. It's been a godsend for keeping the house clear of clutter. We also spent some time in the garage sorting what my cousin will deal with and what's being picked up this morning. 

The picture below shows the side of the garage that the young lady is picking up this morning. Lucie has been an absolute angel; she came late yesterday afternoon and picked up all the metal stuff (two lawnmowers and two metal filing cabinets) that will go to the metal recycling this morning. Then she is coming back and will make several trips to clear it all out. Her goal is to find homes or recycling places for most of it, but much will still end up in the landfill, which is expensive. 

This crap will go this morning.

Lucie is like the 1-800 got junk for Salt Spring. A lovely, young, enterprising lady, and we are happy to support her. Sadly, I won't be here to see the half-empty garage, but I will get a picture after it's gone. I'm so excited, and seeing the clutter disappear will be good for my aunt. You know what they say -- out of sight, out of mind.  

I tell you, this is a daunting task, and seeing any clutter is overwhelming. It is for me; imagine if you were older? This is what clutter does to us in our houses -- it overwhelms us, and we become unable to function properly. You MUST start getting rid of it, and the more you do, the easier it gets and the better you will feel. 

So here's a starting point for you. If you inherited some of your parents/aunt/in-laws or whomever, start there and get rid of all their crap. Because that is what most of it is- CRAP. My grandfather had LOADS of sheet music. A good part of it was photocopied, and he bound all the edges with masking tape. I have no idea where he copied the music from, but he often did this. We all remember his love for playing the piano and singing at the same time. 

Some of Grandpa's music

We put all the music in the recycling bin yesterday. Was I sad when I tossed it? Absolutely not - I just wanted it dealt with. So imagine those sheets of music sitting around for over 30 years, untouched. Wait -- they were touched as they were moved from one place to another. So if you have stuff like that around your house --- get rid of it!!!!

Like so many things from our parents' era, most of the stuff (including furniture and dishes) is dated. Do yourself a favor and get rid of it today. Yes, TODAY!!!!! It's a perfect day to get rid of that kind of stuff, and when I get home, I won't have time for about three weeks to tackle it. Still, you bet I'm going to remember this week, and I'm going to print out those lists, or I'm just going to get my butt in gear and finish clearing out our garage and the office. 

Once that is done, I need to start back at the top of the house and attack the clothes closet (AGAIN!) I was ruthless the last time, but not nearly enough. I would love to cull my clothes down to one suitcase, my 50 lb suitcase. I only wear a few things, so why do I need all the rest? I might opt for two suitcases because I have a few coats and I wear them all. 

We had another small fire, and this time when I took the picture, I had the screen on top. I sent the pictures from the other day to Dad, and he scolded me for not having the screen on. The mesh is rather large and open, so any embers will escape regardless. The days of burning are over, and my hoe? The metal end fell off at the last stir, so I knew I was done!!!!

One last kick at the burning barrel

To make things easier, this area beside the front door is now where all the packing materials are stored. Boxes, bags, totes, etc. That way, when I needed a box, I could look at the pile and pick one. That area will stay until all the packing is done. 

The packing supply area

This area holds all the packed boxes. They are sealed and labeled. Yes, there are a few open things on the left, and my cousin will deal with those, hopefully this weekend. I have two cousins: one is coming this weekend to clear the garage, and the other will come the following week to help with the last-minute stuff and the final move. 

What we have packed

This is the area for the tape gun, labels, any information we might need this week, and stuff for the new owners. All neat and organized. 

The labeling area

The bedrooms are pretty much clear except for the clothes, other items my aunt will need, and the furniture, which will be picked up at the end. That leaves the large kitchen and eating area. 

I set up a small folding table in the eating area. This is where our young kids used to play when we came to visit. I remember M scooting along on her butt across that black-and-white checked floor. While it's been an exhausting couple of days, I would NOT have changed it. I've enjoyed the visit so much, and there are so many memories in this house. And the fact that I can help someone out  - it's all therapeutic. And a HUGE learning lesson for me. Even though I know all this, I need to get myself in gear, because I do NOT want to be in this situation when it's time for us to move. 

Especially the "dirty" areas, like the garden shed, the garage, the cold room in the basement. Those need to be cleared!!! 

We are not panic packing; there is no need for that. And as for me, I don't want to panic-pack when I move. As I mentioned earlier this week, I want to be able to call the real estate agent, put my house on the market, sell it, and move without having to declutter. It will all be possible; it is well within my reach, except for that basement, and I need to start dealing with that. 

Oops - I got sidetracked. So about 3 in the afternoon, we were finally ready to tackle the kitchen. I know, we had to deal with the garage, then make trips to various recycling places, get some groceries, and finally get to work. 

I will say that my aunt is a trooper. What we dealt with for the next 6 hours was the culmination of her life as an entertainer, a cook, a mother, and so much more. 

I would bring out dishes and other kitchen items and put them on the table. She could sit at the kitchen table and direct me to keep, donate, or throw away. It worked quite well, and I got to hear all kinds of stories about her life and where this dish or that dish came from. While we didn't clear the space entirely, we dealt with the things that have the most memories. 

Our staging table for decluttering the kitchen

It was hard work for both - physically for me, mentally for her. But we did accomplish so much. 

We also had to deal with this buffet-style cabinet, which was filled with glassware. And the counters were covered with more stuff. 

Progress!!!!! 

There are two sets of dishes still in there, both china. I think she has decided to keep the small set and use it every day. Yeah!!!!! We're hoping Lucie can pick up the other set today, but that is not my decision to make. Otherwise, all the upper cabinets are empty except what she needs to eat this week. 

We cleared about 1/3 of the lower cabinets, and she will have that task this week. I'll set up some boxes so she can put the giveaway stuff in them, and I suspect most of it will be giveaway, since the place she is going has meals except for breakfast. 

The last thing to deal with in the kitchen is the food. Again, she can putter through that stuff, and hopefully by the end of the week, it will be done. So all is good, and she will have something to occupy her this week. Otherwise, she'll have loads of time on her hands. My cousin will have 1 1/2 days to help with the final pack, so even if she doesn't tackle the kitchen, they should be able to do that.  

I still have a small box to pack this morning and move all the discarded glassware to the garage for Lucie to deal with. I'd better shower and change before I leave, or they may ask me to sit on the plane wing for the flight home! Sadly, no upgrade for the flight home. I'm in the upper half of the list, but it is long! 

It's funny how, when we move, we look around our house and comment on how shabby this or that looks and why we didn't fix it. The new owners will think we are lazy, dirty, or careless. I know my baseboards need painting, and the walls need repainting; some rooms haven't been painted since we moved in 23 years ago. It's not my priority. But we do have some things that we need/want to fix for us! While we enjoy the next 10+ years in our house. 

And here is a deer that we spotted from the kitchen window. Oh -- should I tell you the story about the booze? We found quite a few half-empty bottles of booze in one of the lower cabinets. We weren't sure how it would affect the septic system, so I went outside and dumped it down by the field. There might be a few drunk voles to deal with this morning. Then I put the bottles in the back of the car where they will be taken to the liquor store for refunds. 

One of the two deer in the field

I'm sure the car is going to stink this morning. I should have left them on the ground beside the car. To make matters worse, we left two bags of orange juice containers in the car because we forgot to take them to recycling (you can get money for them here). So if someone looked in the back of the car, they would think we had one wild party!!!! I had a good chuckle about that. 

We have a huge bag (again) of electronic waste, and we forgot to take it to the recycling depot. So my aunt will have a few small tasks like that to deal with. I'm going to send her a WhatsApp message each day to remind her what needs to be done. 

OK -- I will confess that I sent a box of stuff home to myself. I found a few books that I wanted to browse through and a couple of jigsaw puzzles. I didn't have time to browse the books, and trust me, I will share them with you because they look like fun. So that went home by mail, and I have a few things in my suitcase. More on that when I get home. Why the heck didn't I bring a slightly larger suitcase? 

Well, not to worry. 

Now ---in light of what I just said, DO NOT JUDGE me on this. 

But the next time someone asks you if you want something, just say NO THANKS. I already have a house full of clutter, and I don't need more. 

Unless it has some special meaning, like the demitasse spoons, which I must steal one this morning before I leave. And yes -- I have read the Spoon Stealer book. It was very good. I have a few stolen spoons at home. At least I think I still do. I must check that when I get home. 

But here's the other thing about an uncluttered house. I cleaned my kitchen cupboards and drawers before the pandemic. I can't find the post where I did that, but I'm pretty sure it was at least ten years ago, probably around 2017. And I cleared out HALF of what was in the cupboards and drawers. My kitchen is in pretty good shape. But the result of that decluttering is that it is super easy to maintain. Each item has a place, so when you are done, you put it back. Simple!!!! Guess how much "maintenance" our kitchen items require? NONE!!!!! 

That should be the same in any area of your house. 

Oh god -- I feel a list coming on!!!!

Some tips for decluttering BEFORE you move. 

1. Start piles around your house as you put "like" items together
2. Start small, but START
3. Once the "like" items are together, you can now evaluate what you have
4. Then sort into what you want and don't want, what is good to donate, and what is garbage
5. Then find a nice home for the things you want (be ruthless and honest) - do you really need three sets of dishes? Or 25 coffee mugs? 
6. Then get rid of what you don't need; throw it away or give it away, but be mindful: donating to a thrift store is NOT always the right move. How many "BEST MOM" mugs do they want? NONE!!!! So some of that stuff (sadly) ends up in the landfill. 
7. Think the next time you want to buy a cute, very specific gift, it will likely end up in the landfill, so maybe a gift card for Tim's is more appropriate and useful. I'm thinking teacher gifts here -- get more creative. How many teacher mugs does one teacher need each year? 

OK -- that's it for today. By the time I edit this, it will be time to get moving. I have to finish packing my suitcase, move that stuff, have a bite to eat, and then I'm off. OH -- and have a shower! 

It will be a GLORIOUS day, and hopefully there'll be no fog to contend with as the seaplanes fly on visuals!!!! 

Ciao!!!!!

Decluttering a house can be exhausting, but it can also be fun!!!

I'm not sure how my aunt is faring, but I have to say I go to bed exhausted each night, both physically and mentally. Never let anyone tell you that moving is easy. There is so much to do, I can see why it is overwhelming. And the older you get, the more overwhelming it can be. 

So sadly, I'm going to give you more advice today! You are going to be tired of me telling you this, but you will love me when it's your time to move. 

I think the best advice of all is "call a friend." While it's been hard work, it's also been the most fabulous bonding time. We've recalled so many memories, I've asked loads of questions (of course!), and together we are motivating each other to keep going. Remember, my aunt is 90!!!! 

I will confess I was a LOT jealous when she grabbed a small stool about 10 inches high (if that) and sat on it to sort through some books. Then with no effort, she got back up! So what was it about those chair squats? 

Physically, she is in very good shape!!! And mentally as well - I don't want you to think she has problems because she doesn't. 

We sorted through tons of stuff yesterday. I found so many interesting things, took loads of pictures, and I am going to bore you with some of them this morning. Sit back and be prepared for a few laughs. 

Again, I sent pictures to my nephews, daughter, and brother to share what we are unearthing. 

I'm sorry the pictures are sideways - you'll just have to turn your head. OK -- so where did the jigsaw puzzle thing come from? My grandmother, and apparently someone further back than her (gosh, I forgot, but I'll ask again), also did jigsaw puzzles. That would have been back in the day, when they were cheap entertainment. Heck, they still are a cheap form of entertainment. 

Dare I mention that the Canadian Jigsaw Puzzle Association Nationals will be held on April 30 - May 2. Guess where I will be that weekend? 

Here is my Grandma Mills working on a puzzle. 

Grandma Mills working on a puzzle

And there she is with the finished puzzle. Our family has ALWAYS been active with some kind of puzzle, and my Grandpa Mills always quizzed us and made physical puzzles. There was no laying around the house in my world, which I suspect is the same for most of us in our generation. I believe I still have a puzzle or two that belonged to her. 

Grandma and her completed puzzle

Oh --- look at that little blond beauty!!!! And with her pet rabbit, which was named Jennifer!! My sweet Jennifer, although I think Jennifer was a boy. 

Me and Jennifer - my pet rabbit

And there is me with my pet dog - Dino. Yep -- I carried that dog around in a wagon - don't tell Murphy or Lexi. Wait --- they would prefer to PULL the wagon! I had that dog for several years until it met an unfortunate death, which I won't discuss here. But I only learned the true story many, many years later. Let's just say it was a "hunting" accident and leave it at that. 

Me and my first pet dog - Dino

And here I am at an even younger age!! Gosh, I look like I was born way before I actually was. These photos and the house are from another generation, but that is me!! Don't forget, I grew up in a very repressed area, on a farm, and, like many of you, we didn't have a lot of money. But we had each other, a massive vegetable garden, good morals and ethics, and I think we all turned out just A-OK. 

A very young me!

But when I saw this next picture, I had to include it!! Can you guess who this is? Of course not, but that is me on the left, and I was obviously in my teens. But the person on the right? That's my aunt!!!! We are shelling peas and probably had gallons and gallons to shell. But there is my aunt, so laid-back, and we had a good belly laugh about this picture. She doesn't typically like her picture anywhere, but I warned her that this was going on the blog. I LOVE it, and it makes me smile!! No, it makes me laugh!!! 

My and my aunt

Here's a picture of me at Lynn Valley in North Vancouver, when I was a teenager. My grandparents took me on a trip to BC one summer, and we went everywhere. That's one thing about my grandpa (and my Dad): they had no issues getting in a vehicle and driving. My Dad is still the same. I wonder if that tree stump is still there. I doubt it! 

Anyway, this picture made the cut this morning because that's where Dillon grew up!! I thought he'd get a kick out of that one. 

My in Lynn Valley Canyon

A while back, someone had been to Montreal and visited the Bank of Montreal Museum. They asked if the Elaine Theriault mentioned there was the same person. And yes, it was. My aunt had a copy of the article. I must find the real photograph of that when I get home because my hair looks so different. 

Winner of the FIRST Pauline Vanier Scholarship by the Bank of Montreal

Here's the first paragraph of that article. It was a super exciting time. I'm not sure I could have afforded graduate school otherwise. I was living alone then, and I managed to survive on a scholarship for two years. Before that, I put myself through university at night while working during the day. I was two credits shy of getting a B.Comm. I never finished the B.Comm, so technically, I only have ONE degree. 

Yeah me!!!

Well, that's all the pictures about me this morning. Here are some other ones that I found amusing!! Remember, it doesn't take much to amuse me. 

I have a friend who refers to spoons by size; the large one is the fast spoon, and the middle one is the slow spoon. It's all about how fast or slow you can eat whatever you are having. My aunt uses a TON of demitasse spoons, and we now call that the super-slow spoon. But I tried it for yogurt, and it's the perfect spoon. I must "steal" one of her spoons before I leave. That would be a wonderful addition to the meager kitchen items I covet, and especially special since it belongs to her. 

Fast, slow and super slow spoons

We went through many books, and many of them are now in the garbage. But I snapped a photo or two of some of them. This belonged to my grandpa - way before they even had kids themselves. Dad was born in 1933. 

Inside a hymn book

Does anyone remember this? This is how we did lettering before we had computers, digital cutters, stickers, and embroidery machines. I remember using those as a kid for school projects. Hey -- we did what we could with what we had. I'm sure many of you used those. 

Letraset stencils

I didn't check the date of this book, but what a great idea for under-the-stairs basement storage. And yes, this is still a popular storage idea. So if you thought this storage idea was new - guess again! 

Super storage for under the stairs

And how about this? We found CDs with birth and death records, and many other things. But guess what? We didn't keep a single one. Why? Because it's all on Ancestry or other online sources. There is NO need to be doing static searches anymore. Unleash the power of the internet when you do a search. 

Old CDs -- garbage

And oh my gosh, we have been Googling loads of things. Yep, although we suspected the "serving" spoon we found was sterling silver, we weren't sure. So after searching the internet, we identified it as a basting spoon from England, and it was indeed sterling silver. We kept that. 

This was probably my least favorite job. This is a space over the stairs to the unfinished basement. It's an older farmhouse, with lots of oddities. Thankfully, there was a ladder on the side, so I could hang off it and grab everything off the shelves you see in the back. Then we sorted through all the crap, threw some out, kept a few things, and left a few things for the new owners. The best news: no one got hurt. Only one light bulb bounced down the stairs onto the cement floor and didn't break, and that area is DONE!!! 

The storage area over the stairs

We went through MANY CDs and cassettes. Most are in the garbage, but my aunt saved a few she will listen to. Now, when we get her set up in the new place, we MUST make sure those are handy and that she has her boom box in place so she actually listens to them. I am going to see if the thrift store will take those we don't want. 

These CDs did NOT make the cut.

How about this? A book to make money from your crafts? I guess this has been an age-old topic. I quickly glanced at the sewing section, and then POOF, it was gone. 

Make money from your crafts.

How about this for a laugh? These numbers are from the US, and this is almost 100 years ago. Look at the cost of gas!!!! Ten cents a gallon, and movies only cost 25 cents. It cost 2 cents in the US to mail a letter. But then look at the average income. I'm sure some people earn that in a day!!!! But many others do not. It's a very unbalanced world these days. 

Cost of living in 1931

The weather was a bit gloomier than the day I flew in, and the clouds were so low you couldn't see the tops of the hills across the road. I hope it's clear tomorrow morning, since I fly out then on the floatplane. I was going to change my ticket from Vancouver to home, but I decided against it in case I have to scramble and take the passenger or car ferry across. We'll see how the day goes. 

Low cloud cover

As if all that excitement wasn't enough, our guardian angel stepped in. In the morning, I had loaded the car with stuff that we were going to take to the thrift shop. Now the thrift shops here are different from back home. We are living on an island with a small population, so they only take what they think they can sell. It's limited. 

Then we got a call from a local girl who hauls junk away. She called because someone was interested in one of the beds for sale. We were so excited that we might be rid of that we were practically giddy. So rather than going into town, we kept sorting. 

She eventually came, and the two men shortly thereafter. They decided NOT to take the bed (bummer!), but they took another piece of furniture, so that was good. Then Lucie took all the thrift store stuff with her too (for free, bless her heart). So we unloaded the car and loaded it into her truck, and she also took a couple of boxes from the kitchen. 

That was HUGE. Not only that, but on a whim, I asked her what she would charge to empty the garage. OK -- I'm happy with that price, so she is coming on Friday to empty all the crap (leftover from the garage sale). Sadly, I won't be here to see that happen, and I'd be happy to help her move the stuff. We need to go out today to rescue anything that we want to keep. We want to rescue a few totes and a table, and we'll do a double take on anything else. 

Instead of just hauling the junk away, Lucie tries to keep things out of the landfill. She sounds like a very handy person, and I bet she tries to repair broken things and has tried all sorts of ways to keep junk out of the landfill. Her mom was a hoarder, and this is her way of giving back. We all LOVE her. She is a treasure to anyone moving. 

I brought up everything we want to keep from the basement, and it's almost sorted and packed. About an hour this morning, if that. Then I'll go around with a garbage bag and collect the loose garbage. It's pretty clean, so that won't take long. 

We have one trip to the recycling depot to get rid of hazardous waste stuff and recycling. Once we load the car again and move the garbage bags to the garage, the house will be in very good shape. 

The only thing left is to sort out the dishes in the kitchen, which I don't think will take that long. And then we will be done! 

OH -- and I think we'll have one small stack of papers to burn, and hopefully we can do that today. The more that we can sort and make disappear, the better. The less clutter, the calmer the house will be. And that's all good news. 

My aunt will be sitting around for a week eating bonbons because we cleared so much stuff. 

It's been super fun, OK, that is the optimist in me talking. But because we are doing this together and enjoying the process, it doesn't really feel like a huge task. I HIGHLY recommend doing any of these nasty jobs with a friend. 

But it's also shown me that when it comes time to clean out my parents' apartment, ONE person can do the job. If there are more than one, it gets nasty; too many people make decision-making hard. Someone has to be in charge to do the sorting. If anyone wants to help, they can come and pick up the garbage. But this exercise has also shown me that it won't take weeks or months. I'll probably do it on my own, but I'll get an exciting audiobook, and away I'll go!!!

Remember my advice (YES -- here's another darn list!)

1. Start the downsizing now. ALL of us have stuff in our house that we no longer want. Most of it is dated; some is broken, chipped, damaged, and needs repair. Get rid of it and DO NOT feel guilty about how much money you spent on it. 
2. Be very aware of those hidden areas - the garden shed, under the stairs, along the side of the house, the garage. Get rid of that crap NOW!!!!
3. Invite a friend if you are struggling with your personal stuff. I know my aunt has waffled over many things, and I gave a logical (I hope) explanation for why it isn't necessary to keep the items. DONE, decision made, and we can move on. 
4. I created piles around the house, and the moment an item's fate was decided, I walked it to that area so it didn't have to be touched again!
5. Deadlines can help, but they can also be overwhelming. I think you are better off NOT waiting for a deadline, but setting a personal deadline. I want the garage to be sorted before winter. 
6. Be ruthless: if those CDs aren't going to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, get rid of them. The clothes no longer fit - get rid of them. 
7. If in doubt - throw it out. I know --- NO ONE likes to see things go to the landfill. But if you have no choice, your house shouldn't be saddled with crap because you can't throw something out. Everyone else throws things away, so why can't you? 
8. Try to find good resources like Lucie. This young woman started a business helping people haul out junk; she's kind of like a 1-800-GOT-Junk person on this small island. She's amazing and so personable. 
9. Stay focused - pick one room/area and start at the beginning. Don't just pick up the easy stuff and leave the hard stuff for later. We have done that from the start. When someone veers off track, I bring them back. We MUST deal with this before we do that. 
10. Label and pack the boxes by category (we have mostly done that). It's sometimes hard when packing, but in your home? Put like things together before you cull. So the first sorting can take some time. 
11. Start now! Did I already say that? Of course I did, but it's the most important one. 
12. Start SMALL. If this entire process is intimidating, grab your junk drawer, a dresser drawer, or something small. But you MUST start NOW. 
13. Please do not saddle your kids with this mess. That is totally unfair - they didn't ask for the mess. 
14. Don't save things because you think someone else will like it the next time they come over. Take a picture, send it to them, and ASK - do you want this? Most times they will say no. And in most cases, you will have an answer before you have finished clearing that area. 
15. Don't stockpile stuff for someone else. If they really, really wanted it, they would come and get it. If they don't, or you've been holding onto it for years, they do NOT want it. They DO NOT WANT it!!!!
16. Don't think your children will want your stuff. They may want something special, like a demitasse spoon, or a special mug, but they do NOT want your recipe collection, or your bedroom set, or whatever. They may, and if so, tag it as such, but I bet most of them don't want anything large. 
17. As for photos -- well, I'm a sucker. We have packed all the photo albums and scrapbooks. We'll move it and then deal with it in the new apartment. We need to cull them, and I think it will be a good exercise for my aunt and me. I need to learn to cull, and this will be a good starting point. 

And there you have it -- one more darn list. But please, please, please --- start NOW. Start small, but start now. 

Well, I had better rest up before we start on our last day!!! 

It is going to be a GLORIOUS day!!!

Ciao!!!

More tips for healthy living spaces and your health!!

 I forgot to answer one of the comments about the duplicate winter quilts. That was the second of the $10 quilts that I taught starting back in 2003 or some timeframe like that. Not home to fact-check the date. They were called $10 quilts because the students paid $10 to participate. If they didn't finish their work, they paid another $10 for the next month's pattern, and they got a piece of fabric at the same time. There were multiple variations to that process. Our store (The Hobby Horse) didn't quite follow the same rules as some of the others in the neighborhood. 

Although I didn't do the double quilts on the very first one I taught (Pieceful Year), I did on the next two years, this series of four seasonal quilts. Yes, I have two autumn (ready to quilt), two spring (ready to quilt), two winter (quilted, but need to be bound), and I haven't started summer, but to complete the series, I'll make them. Thankfully they are small. 

I also did two Cabin in the Woods quilts, and after that, I shook my head and said, "no more duplicate quilts!" These were taught in person, and it was easy to have part of it made and then part of it finished to show the students. No Zoom back then, so you could do some work, take a picture, and then finish it. 

The winter and summer quilts were sort of secondary quilts, and we didn't really focus on them in class; they were bonus homework, and probably I and anyone in that class never got them done. My two winter quilts are done. Why did I focus on those? They're on my Visual To-Do list, and the end of the year is coming! Having a list or goal is a great way to focus. 

Other than a few things for new classes and the constant need to make new samples, I have NOT started a project just for fun. And you know what? I'm OK with that because I still love all the UFOs that I'm working on. I can't wait to start one of the Christmas quilts in January. I'll have to study that Visual To-Do list and dream up new projects and goals for 2027. 

The beginning of next year is already taking shape, and I might have a monthly trip for the first few months, so I'll keep that in mind as I plan how much sewing I can do. 

I still have a "few" that I'm not going to finish, but that's OK. I made good progress, and I love the concept, so I'm going to continue with it. Which quilts/projects will make the cut? 

Have a look at the comment that Elle made yesterday. She has added a few other tips, as I know she had one day to clear out her family home. I'm not sure I could do that, but you know, when push comes to shove, you just do it! I'm not sure about the Trust thing, but I know that all the documents are in place. That's out of my wheelhouse here- I'm taking care of my parents, and my cousin is doing that stuff for her mom. 

When packing, FOCUS is the name of the game. It's been so easy to get distracted, and then we have to get back on track. It's not just packing; we are also sorting things to donate, things to throw out, and things to pack. 

It was a dull day here, and we had several personal papers to destroy. We called to confirm that we could have a burn, so we did. Well, that simple little job took several hours, as there was other garbage to burn. But it is done. 

When I first started the fire, I put a wee bit too much stuff in the barrel, and it was smoking like mad. 

My witch's brew!!!!

But then I got the hang of it, and I had a roaring fire for at least an hour. There were bags and bags and bags of stuff to burn. 

My beautiful fire

At one point, I got out a hoe, and near the end, I used it to rake through the ashes to ensure that everything burned. It got pretty hot at times, and I even set the hoe on fire once. Oops. But all is good; we are done with that task, and it cleared out a bunch of stuff from the house. 

Burning is so much fun! 

My aunt sat nearby, and we had some grand conversations! 

We sorted through some stuff that had been hanging around and even had to break into a briefcase. We found a few old bits of currency. I'm not sure how much of this was valid, as one or two pieces were, in fact, facsimiles. Thanks to my Monday Sewing ladies. I think I kept them on their toes all day, asking questions: "What is this?" I knew some of the answers, and I was testing their knowledge. But we had fun with it. 

Bits of old currency

We found some old Canadian currency. That one dollar bill at the back is very old. Those can likely be exchanged for existing currency. It is packed, and we'll deal with it after the move.  

Old Canadian currency

We found some old Canadian pennies. Yep, those are antiques; the earliest is dated 1907. They are thin and about the size of a quarter. They are not worth much, around $8 CDN. 

Old Canadian pennies

I also used the Google picture search function on numerous occasions to find out what some stuff was. That's a pretty interesting thing to do. And amazing how much information is out there on the internet. As someone mentioned, the internet is one big dictionary, or in this case, encyclopedia; you can search with words or pictures. 

We found old passports. For whatever reason, I like to keep my passports, and so we kept these. This one expired in 1965, and it was like a small hard-covered book. It's taller than passports today, and bound in a hard cover with a spine. It's a great souvenir, and it would be fun to photograph the inside to keep digitally. I know there is no reason to keep it, but in the spirit of decision-making, we did. 

Canadian passport from the 1960s

The next passport, this one expired in 1970, was the same size, but with the soft cover we have today. You can see the old (left) and the new (right). 

An older version of the Canadian passport with a newer version

We made a trip to the dump, yep, like everywhere, you need to pay to get rid of things. But it was good to get rid of some of the small odds and ends we no longer need. 

As for the hangers, I don't care if an organization can use them -- we got rid of the wire ones. We are donating the nice wooden ones today, but the rest goes. We are dealing with a situation here where the clock is ticking, and time isn't on our side. We have amassed quite a bit of stuff to take to the thrift store today. 

I have two days, and while we are on track, we are just slightly behind where I envisioned we would be. We have tackled both bedrooms, and while there is still stuff in them, we've decided whether it gets packed, dumped, or what. Also, everything is packed in those rooms. So that is good. The kitchen is very large, with a huge eating area. 

The eating area is a bit of a shambles, so after dinner last night, we started on one side and worked systematically around the room. We made it about halfway around last night. We must continue this morning because that room has to be clear and packed by the end of today. I also need to bring up everything to pack from the basement. While I've had a look, I'm not really sure what is being packed and what is being dumped. 

And then we need to tackle the kitchen proper. While my aunt (bless her soul) has already done a lot of clearing and sorting, there is still a lot to go. We have two days! I want to try not to panic pack if we don't have to, but tomorrow might be a panic-packing day. 

Not to worry - we will do what we can. The important thing is not to leave odds and ends around -- the goal is to work around the rooms.

Packing with seniors (I'm allowed to say that because I am also a senior) means they look at the obvious stuff but don't look behind doors, under beds, or in those little nooks and crannies. So that is my job, and then I ensure that a decision gets made about everything! My aunt will be very happy to see me go!  

You know what I'm going to say next. It's not the big stuff, the towels in the linen closet, the dishes in the kitchen, that's troublesome to pack; it's all the crappy stuff you didn't deal with because you didn't know what to do with it. 

MAKE those decisions now. Clean out the junk drawer. Deal with the stuff that belonged to a loved one who is no longer here; yep, we are dealing with some of that as well. It's all these piddly little things that eat up time when you're getting ready to move. So if you take a little bit at a time NOW -- then guess what? When you are ready to move, it will be easy. 

It makes me want to run home (OK -- I'll fly) and then spend three days in that office and literally just dumping stuff. But I can't just toss an entire box without looking at it. I need to touch each thing; do NOT try to change me- that is how I am wired. And then, without putting it back in the box because you don't know how to deal with it, you MUST deal with it! This is the HARDEST thing about decluttering. Make a decision, relive the memory it brings, and then decide whether you want a SMALL box of little mementos or a picture, and toss it. Be ruthless! I mean RUTHLESS. 

I am looking for a word to signify 2027 (the word for 2026 was goals), and I might just take on RUTHLESS for 2027. I can make it on the embroidery machine, and then I'll carry that darn thing to the office or wherever I am decluttering. How can I embellish the word ruthless? I mean -- how to enhance the word. For GOALS, it became a soccer theme and is quite cute. I'm sure you all remember that little wall hanging. 

Whatever you do, DO NOT set it aside to decide another day. I've been sending pictures to various people asking if they want such and such. In ALL cases, the answer was NO. So don't assume your family/friends want your castoffs. They do NOT!!!! 

Yes, I could work faster, but this is NOT my stuff, and I don't have the authority to rip through it. And I'm OK with that. My aunt and I are having the grandest of conversations as things bring back memories for both of us, or I hear more of her stories. It's been a great time so far, and we still have two more days! 

Someone must have been reading my blog and prepared the following words of wisdom. There were more in the series, but I got the most fun from these. 

How many times have I said this? 

Chair squats!!!

Or this? 

Bone density!!!! 

And here is one about healthy eating. OK -- so I had a muffin yesterday. I'm OK with that - I might have one today, and then I'm back home. I'll be OK. 

So true

I don't care if pills will help -- I want to live my life WITHOUT pills for as long as I can!!! I can sacrifice eating those sweets! It's really no big deal. 

This one doesn't really apply to me right now; I think I'm pretty good at seeking help when I need it. 

See medical help if you need it.

And this one is definitely me, which is why I'm back at the gym, staying active and eating better. 

Speaking of eating better, I found this yogurt in the grocery store, and I bought some slivered almonds for my snack. It's plain, so it's a bit bland; I'll flavor it at home, or I'll check how much sugar is in the vanilla flavor. 

High protein yogurt

And when we were at the grocery store yesterday, someone was handing out samples of this. Some of these shakes are horrible, but I tried two different ones nd they were pretty good. So I found a couple of healthy, high-protein snacks to replace the muffin. YEAH!!!!

Protein shake

It's so easy to get complacent in anything in our lives. What we eat, what we ignore at home, and so many other things. I do NOT recommend moving frequently to take care of that stuff, but sometimes we need to look around our houses and at our bodies and really take a look. Do we like what we see? If not, only YOU and ME can take care of ourselves and our surroundings. 

And it's best to take care of it sooner rather than later. I don't want to worry about clearing out clutter when that time comes. If that means clearing out the clutter NOW, then when it comes time to move, there will be so little to move that it will be a non-issue. That's what I'm going to aim for. And imagine how easy it will be to move, no matter your age! 

Imagine that on the day you decide to move, you simply pack your clothes (one suitcase), call the moving van to box up your few possessions, and that's it. The rest is already gone because you don't use it. That's my ultimate goal. Then, no matter how old I am, I'll be able to handle it. Think of all those hidden places - the garage, the basement (OK - so I'm still in denial about that darn basement), the top shelves in your kitchen cupboards, the linen closet, under the bathroom sink, the garden shed, the side of your house- yes, people collect crap along the side of their houses. GET RID of anything you do not need. And trust me, those spaces can hide a lot of items. I've been through most of those areas at my house, and I've left very little. 

One of the bathrooms upstairs is completely EMPTY. Except for a few items in the linen closet that should be donated, the 12-foot-long vanity is EMPTY. I'll take a picture when I get home! 

And guess what? If you are no longer physically able, hire some young men, a junk removal service, or something. Why not ask your kids for a junk removal service this Christmas if they want to give you a gift? OH, that's a great idea: junk removal, a decluttering agency, or you can hire me! I'm RUTHLESS, especially with other people's stuff, and I don't take no for an answer! I will make you decide, or I'll do it for you! 

And keep the lines of communication open -- I'm chatting with various family members to see what, if anything, they want. Taking pictures of items, sending them, and asking questions as you go means things don't sit around while you wait for them to come to you. Get it done NOW!!!!

I've got a lot of work to do! 

It's going to be a glorious day!!!!

Ciao!!!!