The order of things

I'm pretty orderly - I prefer order to chaos, but it drives me crazy when I get so stuck on one thing that I can't see anything else. 

DH and I have been working on the latest EXIT Game. The first night, we did two puzzles—easy as pie. The next night, we did one more—and it was easy. Then, the fourth puzzle was a bit of a challenge. We found the three numbers, but they didn't make sense, so we left it. We got the same numbers when we played last night, which still didn't make sense. 

So we decided to look at the clues, and yes, we had done everything right! BUT WAIT—the order of the numbers is incorrect. ACK!!! Then, we couldn't figure out why the numbers were in that order and not the order we thought they should be in. Well, this is where the air got blue at our house! DH went on about the logic, and I looked at it again and finally figured out why. 

A small red herring got in the way, and we couldn't see past that. So, next time we are stuck, we MUST think about the order. DRAT!!!!! But all is good. 

However, when it comes to order in the house? I've got that down, no problem. 

Did you grab a drawer or a shelf? I did - as a matter of fact, I tackled THREE shelves. 

I went back to the batting closet only because I needed to get something from it, and while I was there, I might as well have a better look at some of the stuff. 

On the top shelf, which you can't see, I found three wool quilt bats and one silk one. I've now put them in this empty space, and there is nothing on the top shelf anymore. There is no need for a stool!!! I also found four bags—in of queen-sized batting. 

Sorting the shelves in the batting closet

Two pieces of fusible fleece were on that shelf, and I moved them down to the batting bits area, where there were two giant pillows. 

The batting bits area

The two giant pillows were moved to the other side, which was filled with pillow forms. Good grief! How did that happen? 

Pillow forms

In the pillow area, I also found THREE bags of fiberfill—actually two bags and one of a foamy kind of filling. I might just toss that one since I hate it. I'll go back to it later today and double-check. 

I left the three bags of stuffing in the area with the pillows, and later in the day, I thought of someone who uses stuffing. I checked with the person and yes, they can use it, so I pulled out this bag, which will go to its new home later this month. It's a huge bag, and I'll be glad to be rid of it. 

A bag of stuffing

Anyway, the closet is still in disarray, and I might go back later today and sort through it again. I know --- but while all the "like" things are together in the closet, it's still not sorted to make it easy to find everything, and I still really don't know what's all in there. It's better, but not perfect. Then, I should inventory all the quilt bats, make a list, and post the list in the closet. OR - I should post it downstairs so I know what I have and can pop up and get the appropriate batting when I need it. Yes --- an inventory is just the thing! 

The batting closet is still a mess

So that was a job half done—I'm good at doing half a job. But sometimes, you must go back to the same area several times before figuring out the best way to make it work. 

The next shelf was in the office. I've been meaning to go through it for a while, and yesterday, with the shelf/drawer challenge, seemed like a good time to do so. 

Let's tackle this shelf

What did I find? Oh boy ----- I used to play video games - this is way back in the 80s and 90s. I was obsessed (is that a surprise?) with them. And this was one of my favorites. This is the "answer" book. I don't think anyone needs this book, and I need to get over its sentimental "value". 

King's Quest HELP book

And look at the date. It's in the recycling. 

Look at that copyright date!!!

This was the solution book for another game. 

The strategy guide for Myst

And the date? 

A bit dated

These games are very old—at least in the world of computer games. There is ZERO need to pass these books along, so they are gone. 

Then I found these two books. 

Social Media book

Another book on social media

I have had grand aspirations in the past, but I never seem to act on them due to a lack of time or motivation. However, I was very good at collecting books. I thought of passing these along but look at the date. 

Ten years old - they are ancient in the tech world today

Those books are ten years old, and social media has changed enormously in that time. So, more stuff for recycling. 

I found a software program. 

Software

The software probably no longer exists, and I don't have a license anyway. Gone!!!

I learned from my parents that throwing stuff in the garbage is terrible, or at least frowned upon, and today's society has zero issues about throwing anything away. I'm struggling to find a happy medium, but at least we have recycling! 

By lunchtime, I was down to a small stack of stuff, which I put back on the shelf. I know—I should have gone through everything, but I got rid of a lot, and I'm OK with that. We must remember that anything we deal with is gone forever. The rest will remain for another day. 

What remained from the pile

Oh, I found this as well. What the heck is that for? It's in the electronic waste basket. 

A plug of some sort - gone

Rather than leave that shelf almost empty, I took the blue bin that was ON TOP of the unit and put it and the leftovers from my sorting and put them on the shelf. I couldn't leave that spot open on top of the unit, so I moved some stuff from the desktop to that spot. At least it is neat and tidy, so I'm not sweating it. 

The cabinet still needs work, but a lot of stuff is gone

Remember, my goal is to clear the desktop and the tabletop, so the more I get off them, the better. Yes, I know I'm shuffling stuff, but I'm OK with that. It's how I work, and it makes me feel like something is getting accomplished. 

An empty spot on the desktop!

Yes, I took one of the boxes on the double layer and put it in that spot. We can't have an empty spot in the office, can we? Don't worry—it's all under control, and I will get the office done, one box or shelf at a time. 

Here's the staging area for the Pony Express. I told you that the polyfill bag was HUGE. 

The Pony Express depot

That took very little time, and I'm so grateful I'm doing it gradually. I know of someone who has lived in their house for 39 years, and they are putting their house on the market. Guess what they have to do? Declutter 39 years of crap in one week, so they can list their house. All I can say is there is NO WAY that I want to do that. That would be the worst week of my life. There is no time to sort the good from the bad (maybe that's a good thing), but it also doesn't teach you new habits of not collecting the stuff again! Anyway -- I'm glad it's them and not me!

When it comes time for us to sell our house, the prep work will be easy. We may not have to do anything! 

My cutting table is pretty much ALWAYS clear now. I can't say how excited I get when I go downstairs to find the table like this. It's inviting to work on, and I don't have to shift anything to measure a border or cut fabric. It's a win-win!!! 

The state of my cutting table

I managed to get some sewing on my projects done yesterday. I made excellent progress, but I thought of a slightly better way to do part of it when I went to bed. Do you think I could sleep? Nope!!! So I didn't go to the gym this morning as I was tired. But then there was no spin class because of the holiday!!

But I'll rejig my design today, and all is good. I should be able to finish the step-outs for that project by tomorrow evening, which is good because I have two other things to get done, and time is running out. Well, I still have a week for one and two weeks for the other. 

I also got the binding made for the next quilt on the long arm. 

Binding

I was off to try and find those hangers for my picture. I didn't even know what they were called, but I knew what they looked like. There was nothing at the dollar store. But I was close to the mall, so I went in and found a whole package of them. They are called Sawtooth hangers!!! Now I have 35 of them, so I better find more pictures to hang. I did not get around to hanging up the picture yet. Maybe today. 

Sawtooth hangers

Have a look at this sassy girl on her walk. Nothing unusual, or is there? 






Look at how loose that leash is!! She still has to be in front, but she no longer pulls like she used to. I would like to give her credit and say that she has learned? But I'd chalk it up to being a "more mature" dog. But, we can also walk past squirrels, and as long as I have seen the squirrel first, she is good. She knows I have a good hold on that leash, and she won't get anywhere. I also tell her to look with her eyes so there is much less tugging and barking. Good girl, Murphy!!!

However, the other day, I missed the squirrel and almost had my arm pulled off, so I must stay on alert for the entire walk!

However, she is a devil for dropping her ball between the deck and the posts, so she can't get it. Oh yes --- she then stands and barks for us to help her! She does this intentionally. It's happened way too many times to be an accident. 

Mom - my ball will not roll in the gap!

That's it for me today. I sincerely hope you take my advice to heart and start cleaning out drawers, boxes, or shelves at your house. Would you rather take a little bit of time every day or do it all in a week? If you wait, you cannot enjoy your current house and all it has to offer. When you get it tidied up, you realize how much space you have!! And life is just better in a less cluttered space! 

Your mind (mental health) will also be much less cluttered. I'm happy I'm on this journey, but it's not easy! So I'll encourage you to pick a drawer or a shelf and see what you can do! I cannot say enough about the mindfulness of everything I'm doing. The cup of tea on the front step, the methodical tidying! Yes, I'm lucky enough to be able to do this, but I am also MINDFULLY making the time, which I never did before. I changed my habits - I don't have more time! 

Well, I'm off to walk the girls, and then we have Monday sewing. I've got loads to get done, and I need to get started. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!