Help! Where Did All This STUFF Come From?!

Unless you’re in the rarified air with people who are almost obsessively neat and clutter free, then you exist somewhere between the "lived-in look" comfortable abode and the college life of slobbiness.

 We clean out of necessity; we throw away and declutter when our stuff is taking over our living space. It can be overwhelming to get started. But declutter we must, unless we are auditioning for Hoarders. My friend Jan calls it decraptitizing.

 Put decrapitizing on your personal calendar. All this stuff wasn’t accumulated on a weekend, so don’t expect  a couple of Saturday afternoons to get it all sorted out.  If you don’t have big chunks of time, then give it 20 minutes of your time on a regular basis. For example, when I tackle the stack of paper that I’ve discreetly hidden in a basket beneath my desk, I set my phone timer for 20 minutes. I laser beam on getting rid of as much paper as I can during that time. Paper either must be filed, put in a to-do folder with a date on it, or thrown away. When the 20 minutes are up, I’m done, and I leave the remaining paper to tackle on another day (or another 20 minutes later on that same day).

 

I call these 20 minutes a Power Sweep. I apply the time factor to cleaning the bathroom, folding clothes, or any other task around the house that can be done in a short period of time – if we just focus. Let me tell you- multi-tasking is highly overrated and can distract you from doing one thing well and finishing it. How many times have you strolled into your bedroom, exhausted after a long day, only to discover that a few hours earlier you dropped a dryer full of warm towels on your bed, thinking you could quickly fold them and put them away – and then the phone rang, a kid needed your attention, or you stepped away – and you forgot they were there?  20 Minute power sweeps can help. You focus on completing that ONE THING, and you have a very high probability of completing that task. Of course, you can adjust the time-there's no magic to 20 minutes; set a time that works best for you.

 

I learned how to do 20 minute power sweeps while working at GM headquarters. It was an excellent way to keep your desk or workspace clutter free. Time Management 101...and I discovered that it could be applied to my personal life to more effectively manage my time as a working mom.

 

Now, on to truly one of my all-time favorite things; making lists. Be sure to check in next time!!

Letting Go and Moving Ahead

You'll never guess in a million years what this blog post is about today. It's about letting go of STUFF. You know, clothes, furniture, paper, old appliances, etc. With as much activity as Americans generate on eBay, Craigslist, et al, I can safely assume that a lot of you are in the same boat as I am. What to do with STUFF that has outlived its usefulness in your life?

 I'm in DECLUTTERING MODE again. But, this isn't my first rodeo; in the past 25 years, I've upsized, downsized, upsized again, and then drastically downsized when I moved to Florida several years ago. Now, I fight an ongoing battle to avoid clutter and to make sure that everything has a place to be. The new rule if that I desire a new sauté skillet, the old one has to be battered enough to be thrown out, because my small kitchen does not have room for two. On the rare occasions that I buy shoes nowadays ( I have final succumbed to a Florida lifestyle of flip flops and sandals virtually year-round), the new rule is that a pair (or two) have to go to either a charity, resale shop, or the trash heap. This new rule really cuts down on impulsive buying!

If you're being overwhelmed by your stuff or perhaps you're getting ready to move or merge, here's a short list that I've developed over the years that can get you started

How To Systematically Get Rid Of Stuff You No Longer Need

#1. Make a list, then place stuff in broad categories.
#2. Determine if each item is Trash (T), Giveaway (G), or Saleable (S).
#3. Collect all the T's and throw them out. If it's a large item, call your local municipality for their policy on picking up large items at the curb.
#4. Collect all the G's, wash/clean. Original owners manuals, recipe booklets, original boxes, etc. are a plus. Take them to your local charities that resell items to generate income and jobs. I use (in no particular order of preference) Salvation Army, Goodwill, Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, to name a few. You may have a local charity or church that has a resale shop. Do a little research, and then haul all that stuff away! Some charities will pick up large pieces at no cost o you. And don't forget shelters. I once donated a girl's white bedroom set to a women's shelter in Pontiac, MI and they were very happy to get it. I even donated a car to a local charity. Although it no longer ran, they came out and hauled it away on a flatbed truck. All the G's are tax deductible, so make sure to get receipts.
#5. Take a critical review of your S items. Research comparable items on Craigslist, eBay, or local swap blogs or Facebook pages. Do a page for each item that includes at least one picture, description, age of item, specifications and measurements, and a firm asking price. Then go for it! Your trash may be some else's treasure! But be careful...more on this later with safety tips for selling stuff on the Internet.

My next few blog entries will explore each of these 5 options for getting rid of stuff you no longer need.

My Dog Buddy

Today is the first day that I am using voice commands to create and edit documents in Word documents.  I often have fleeting thoughts about writing ideas for either a blog, a book, or an article.  I do not take the time to write them down, so most of them are lost.  Using voice commands is a new way for me to write what I’m thinking, and since I can speak far faster and more effectively than I can type, I pray that I may be able to write more often and more effectively.

Today I want to talk about my dog Buddy.  Buddy is my rescue dog who is a Cocker Spaniel, and our best guess is that he is about 12 years old.  He came to us in 2008 during a period in which I went back to work on a full-time basis after having retired from GM a few years before that.  My dog Honey was an only dog (also a Cocker Spaniel), and I felt guilty that she was home alone all day, despite the fact that I hired a mid - day walking service for her.  So, I began my search online for an adult cocker, male, who was in need of a good forever home.  Within just a few weeks into my search we found Buddy, and it was love at first sight.

Buddy is a lover, and just loves to be loved.  He is an affectionate dog, and very good natured.  He has been a wonderful addition to the Mcfarland household, and a wonderful dog brother to Honey.  It saddens me that Buddy has an inoperable tumor on his left hind leg that is growing rapidly.  The veterinarian says that the tumor cannot be removed, no matter if it is benign or malignant; it is just in a bad spot, and to remove it would mean amputating his leg.  At his age, it is not advised that we do a leg amputation.  So, we have entered a period of the “the long goodbye.”  I will keep him comfortable, will note any distress, pain, or changes in his eating or pooping habits, and show him all the love and attention that I can possibly give.

I’ve never experienced this before with a beloved pet.  I just pray that I will have the strength and courage to do the right thing at the right time.  I love you Buddy.  I promise to take care of you for all of your life, until the end of your life.  That is my a promise to you.

Operating in the Flow

Did you ever have one of those days? I mean one in which you just flow through the day effortlessly, without a care in this world? I've been having a string of them lately, and the only thing to which I can attribute it is that God will give you perfect peace if you keep your eyes stayed on Him.
Retirement can be a beautiful thing, but it's so easy to get caught up in a busy schedule, rushing to and fro, and feeling just as tired at the end of the day as when one had a full time, demanding job. I've had to do a "self correction" recently to clear the underbrush of "make busy" activities that have nothing to do with my God-directed purpose in life.
Some of you know that my only child resides in a nursing home and is fighting the progression of MS. I am her legal guardian and her mother, so my main focus most days is to assure that she is okay. After that, my focus is on the "assignments" that God gives me-some small and some big. God knows me better than I know myself, and although sometimes I complain to Him that I'm retired, He gently pricks my heart, makes my spirit contrite, and says patiently, "Dee, I KNOW. I created you...I knew you before the foundation of the world...before you were formed in your mother's womb. I have plans for you to DO MORE, to GIVE MORE, to LOVE MORE."
I will start sharing with you, gentle readers, some of those God-directed assignments in future posts. Just suffice it to be said today that I am aware that it is my reasonable service to do that which glorifies my heavenly Father. Enough whining and complaining! Let's do this with JOY! Let's operate in the flow of the Holy Spirit leading me into all truth, and being anxious for nothing.
More to come...

Florida Rain

It's June in central Florida and the rainy season has officially begun. Good for the farmers, not so good for the beach goers like me. But I've discovered that the beach can still be fun on a cloudy day.
First of all, it's not crowded; all the sun bunnies have stayed in. So you have lots more beach to roam and not run into anybody (except for the surfers who are enjoying the high tide waves-not Hawaii, but a decent wave to catch every now and then). Second, if you enjoy a sauna, then you can enjoy that feeling right on the beach; lots of heat and humidity makes for a good sweat to clean out your pores! Forget about the hair-frizz is the order of the day-just wash it, mousse it, finger comb it, and let it go. And lastly, take a look at that magnificent Gulf of Mexico that God created! Holy cow, it's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful in all its different moods.
So, let the rainy days come! I will still enjoy God's wonderful nature, especially the wet and wild Florida beaches on a rainy day. That reminds me...better pack my "hurricane tub." If you live in Florida, you know exactly what that is...pack it and pray that you won't need it!

My Home Economics Teachers

I received word last week that two of my favorite high school teachers had recently passed away in the span of a week. Home Economics is not taught anymore, but in rural Monroe, Louisiana in the 1960s, it was taught lovingly and with a purpose of helping girls to learn homemaking skills. We learned to sew, how to cook, clean, do laundry, and set a proper table. Of course, some of us were taught these skills at home by our mothers and grandmothers, but high school home economics took homemaking to a higher level.
Mrs. Alma Ruth Simmons (later she remarried and became Cooper) and Mrs. Marie Adams, along with the deceased Mrs. Ivory Covington, held down the Home Econ wing of Carroll High School. The wing was attached to the main building by a breezeway and the lunchroom, and the wing was shared by the Science department for awhile, until a new building was constructed on the other side of the athletic field to house Math & Science. It was a large school, and more than a little intimidating for incoming freshman.
Our principal Henry Carroll (whose name was on the side of the building) ran the school with steely discipline. We marched in an orderly fashion to our classes, did not talk in the hallways, and were quiet as we could be when allowed to go to our lockers. Boys had to have shirttails tucked in, girls were not allowed to wear pants, and no one was allowed to wear jeans (denim was the stuff that laborers wore).
In this strict, segregated public school environment, there were spots of pure joy for me, a quiet and shy only girl child of a factory worker and a housewife. There was French, where a whole new world opened up to me with Mrs. Major; History, with jovial Mr. Jones, who made history so vibrant that I majored in it in undergraduate school; and then there were my Home Econ classes.
Going into the Home Econ wing brightened my day. We girls would lean forward in our seats to get everything that was being taught. We sewed and made skirts, dresses, and blouses with pride. We cooked and even our failures were lessons learned in the kitchen.
These teachers were teaching us GRACE. Because they all knew my mother, Willie Mae Smith, they took extra time with me, were patient, strict, but very kind and loving. I will never forget the lessons taught by Marie Adams and Alma Ruth Simmons Cooper. Their families are in my thoughts and prayers today and may they both rest in peace as good and faithful servants.

The Rhythm of the Day

It's another beautiful Monday in Sarasota, my retirement destination home of choice. Sometimes, it's still hard to believe that I moved here virtually sight unseen without knowing a soul. But I believe that it is my fate and it is God's will that I be here for this glorious season of my life.
The warm weather, perpetual sunshine and lush greenery suits me perfectly. It has taken awhile, but I'm getting into the rhythm of each day. After some pretty intense volunteer endeavors for the first 14 months here, I have slowed down and am learning how to cherish and relish each day.
I can't believe that I was caught up in a whirlwind of being so busy that I forgot (albeit momentarily) that I love music, and that my day is incomplete without it. After years of piano lessons, I can't play a lick, but I can read and I love to sing at the top of my lungs on most days, and preferably without an audience.
Most of my music is now digitally housed in iTunes, even the myriad of CDs that I copied over. The music is backed up on an external hard drive. I am now a baby boomer purchaser of any tune I hear and want to own. My Sirius XM radio in the car offers so much variety, although my favorite stations are gospel, watercolors and oldies from the 60s. I keep a pad and pen in the front seat to jot down the name and artist of anything that I hear and love.
It's amazing to me how my iPod can shuffle thousands of songs and come up with just the right combination of what I want-no, what I need to hear at that moment. Classical, jazz, blues, easy listening, and of course, my favorites, gospel and contemporary Christian.
I'm contemplating heading out to he beach today, but right now, after a marvelous walk with the doggies, I am enjoying the rhythm of my day.
I hope that you are too.