Replacing Stuff

I have a very nice pas holder which I kinda abuse. It's not really torn up but it looks worn out and I am not happy with how it looks. The cord is still in good condition so I decide to keep that with the key ring attached. It does pains me to see it go, the pas holder was a gift I got from a colleague at my oversee internship. It's classy and useful but I still needed to change it.

And the result is Elmo, I have this one laying in my souvenir box from Beijing. I think it cost 1 or two yuan. I wanted to use it so now it´s the time to get it out of the box. 

Replacing the holder has been bugging me for a while. I wasn´t happy while I use it, it´s bulky but still useful. To replace something that I use frequently is hard to let go but I also needed to boost up my happy space. 

Take a Picture first

Yesterday I started to get my mother room organized. The thing is, I didn't want to clean or organize stuff for her but lately she started coughing often. In her room there were four closet/drawers. I knew for a long time that her room is accumulating dust.

So I used the opportunity to "scold" her about her stuff and that it's so difficult to even vacuum the floor. Next to the bed there is a clothing closet which is basically a storage dump for her. She uses some cloth to cover her clothes for dust. I took al lot of stuff out and replaced her furniture for better excess and vacuuming.

I regret not taking a picture before starting cause the difference is huge and impressive. I used one day to just replace bedding in a different room. Got rid of one furniture and folded all her clothing neatly back in the closet. I found my old clothing which she secretly kept but today I donated it in the bin.

It's really a must the before picture and the after. It makes me realize that it wasn't all for nothing.
Remember take a picture first before starting a project.

Feeling Frustated

I have been thinking about getting rid of the television on my book case. It takes up so much space that I really can use. For example my printer could be put on top of it instead of sitting on my desk. But until I find a great place to put it on I can't move it.

It's a burden to me, I was really happy to get it in the first place. I am currently "babysitting" other peoples stuff. Another "free storage" is diapers in the attic. It's super expensive when bought at retail price. So whenever there is a great deal we make a stock pile of it.

Now the stuff I am throwing at a snail pace away. I do feel that I became less attached to stuff laying around. I don't want to donate anymore when stuff has been sitting around for too long. So today I choose to choose for myself and didn't separate plastic. I filled one bag easily in an hour. Paper always get recycled in my house, out of habit but the small plastic is not a habit yet!

Get that spot

I am challenging myself for these couple of days to move my so called office to the first floor. I love the attic, the desk and warmth but the temperature during the summer/fall/spring has been making me sick. Due to the drop and fall of temperature I have been feeling unwell. Downstairs is cool like an ice house but the attic is like an oven on fire.

My productivity has dropped too, so when I noticed it, the solution didn't fall from the sky. I though it's because of the crapped up feeling due to my printer on the desk but that wasn't it. After putting it away, I still didn't visit my neat desk. 

Is it the stuff around that made me less concentrated. Um, not really because last month or couple weeks ago, I made sure my desk environment was pleasant to me. I also decluttered a lot of things away. 

So I took my laptop, my source of inspiration and work to another place. The old desk of my sibling, it's cooler on the second floor and I am able to work. I honestly think, I can make my stuff shrink significantly and put a lot of data in a external hard-drive to clear away 50% of my shelving space. 

The goal is having at least one empty shelve just like my one empty drawer.

Once you pop

I am not really fan of the Pringles chips. Okay, I used to go crazy for those chips, just not anymore. For one crazy reason I still buy those impressive cans of chips when in sale.

After eating the chips the can becomes a piece of craft or reuseble item. I use one of those normal size can as a stand for my electric fly catcher and back massage thing. The only downside is that I still need to counter the weight by putting something heavy in it. It stands nicely but when in a hurry it tends to fall on it's sides because of the light weight.

Another thing of course are the smaller size 'travel' size cans. I use those to put my phone charger. Till now my mom hasn't asked me where the charger is. She knows I put it inside a can and just by looking inside she knows what in it. Those clear see plastic lids are just fantastic.

So Pringles may not be the best chips in the world but their cans are incredible. I can get those larger cans for €1,- with chips and after eating, I still have a nice can to make things or reuse. I mean which dollar shop sells those quality can for $1,- and give you something to eat, I really would want to know.

I just use some pretty paper and put it between the gaps around the can and taped it down with washi tape.

Relocate stuff

A few days ago I was planning to clean a cabinet in the living. I pulled the stuff out and I discoverd this heating curler. It's my mom's, she used to curl her short hair but these past 4 years it hasn't been used and has been sitting just in that spot. So I decided to take a picture of it and put it in her closet.

Things piled up easily if you don't check things regurlary. I love the curler, I used to play with it all the time. In a time that I didn't understand the beauty of my own natural straight hair. I was looking at it and knew that upstairs there are still of those things in a box but never used. I really have to take out a day or two to put all my stuff online to sell. It shouldn't take more than just a few hours if I am concentrated. 

I also made sure to get excess stuff out of the house. Relocate everything that I don't need in boxes or bags to donate or to throw. I have put a lot of stuff in the sell box but also in the donate box. I have been very carefull of my stuff and hope to get some money out of it. 

This relocating stuff also made clear that I still have a lot of places undiscoverd with things that shouldn't be in the house anymore. It's not only about relocating stuff but also about locating those hiding places for stuff to creep in.