Truthful Thursday

The de-cluttering/downsizing continues. My new mantra: if we moved tomorrow (across the street, across state lines, across the country---doesn't matter), do I really want to pack it up, move it and unpack it? If not--SEE YA! For example, I saved a TON of the megablocks/lego kits that Parker adored when he was Paxton's age. Now Paxton is in love with Legos too, but he is so wrapped up in his fire and police stations that it's ridiculous to even think of introducing something else. WHY am I continuing to store them then? Well, actually, I'm not. Once I get this post up, I am making a trip to the Thrift store (my second of the day, in fact!)
I culled through my closet and these SIX bags of things are items that I don't LOVE and hence, rarely wear. It's true: you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time! In a perfect world I will get these all listed on eBay to make a little $ (it DOES work, but it IS work) I do intend to click away on the keyboard as a seller until my fingers are numb, but this little thing called my nursing boards is sucking up a lot of my attention for the minute, HA!!!
Man, it feels good to get it out of here =)

Truthful Thursday

WHEW! Tackled the closet. Too tired for many words, HA! Beckett helped me pull it all out. Guess who was NOWHERE to be found when it came time to put it back...

Truthful Thursday

How are those New Year's Resolutions coming along, you ask? Let's check!!
** I graduated!!!! DONE with nursing school!! Unless/until I decide to go back for a BSN degree....
** Sending out cards. Not so good. REALLY not so good. Gotta work on that...
** Keeping the checkbook register up-to-date. Sketchy. At best. Don't look right now...
** Decluttering/organizing. There's a box and 2 bags downstairs waiting to go to the Thrift store. A bag in the works for a co-worker, another bag almost ready to go to another co-worker's niece. Oh, the top shelf in our main closet got an overhaul. I've been wanting to find a basket that would work on the narrow shelf and finally hit paydirt at Target. AND, see all of those empty hangers? Yeah, eBay, baby! I listed a lot of items on eBay and all but 2 things sold. Loving a little extra bones in the account! Of course, the bottom of the closet is enough of a disaster to make one throw up in their mouth a little bit...

Truthful Thursday

Continuing with the New Years resolutions!!!!
The cabinet that holds the "tupperware" (not all of it is the namebrand, house-party variety!) got attacked over the weekend. Not that it needed it--HA! Whose doesn't, really? I returned all sorts of zip-loc containers to my MIL, the good news, by doing so our chances of them finding their way back here with yummies in them has greatly improved!! I got all of the lunchbox items coralled together in the green bin on the top and the lids to all the containers are neatly lined up in the other green bin. I am happy to say that EVERY bottom in this cabinet has a matching lid that fits =)
I have my checkbook register caught up!!! Simple, easy-peasy task right? You'd sure think so. You'd also wonder why its so stinking hard for me to do then!
I've been leaving more comments on blogs! Especially bento-type blogs =)
Decluttering continues!!!! I have been taking bags of stuff out on a very regular basis---to my coworkers, the thrift store and I've got another tub of things ready to go to consignment. Go me!!

Truthful Thursday

An update, even if its not all sunshine and roses, ha!!
Finishing nursing school---never-ending. My fun pink backpack and all the treasures it holds mostly just mocks me since I feel every spare waking moment should be spent with me pulling things out of it, ugh. NCLEX-RN will be 7 letters I won't be sad to see disappear from my vocabulary!!
Sending cards: I can't believe how bad I am at this so far! They are all made, all I have to do is chose one, write it out and mail it and even that seems to be such a hurdle lately =(
Keeping my check register current: um, depends on your definition of current--HA! However, it doesn't even meet MY standard of current!!
Decluttering: this one is actually going well, although you'd doubt it to look at the corner of our bedroom at this very moment!!! I've done lots of listing on eBay and have sent a ton of items out =) Much more to do though!

Truthful Thursday

I'm plugging away!!!!! This afternoon I spent some time snapping a bunch of pictures to get some things listed on eBay, I've had some luck in the past so we'll give it a go again. I've also made 2 nice trips to the thrift store and have passed along several things to others.
My one room RFC is still going MOSTLY good. My classes have started again, so when push comes to shove, studying has to win out---BUT that means I'm working on another resolution, right? HA!!!

Truthful Thursday

Not that I've been a good blogger lately (HA!), but I have been plugging awau at the NYR's =) School starts on Monday, so the next TT update might not be as positive, LOL!!
Tackled some areas in the kitchen last weekend--both sides of the fridge/freezer and the cabinet with spices/baking supplies. Did some tossing, lots of wiping/scrubbing and a little bit of picture taking. Looking better means feeling better when opening the doors!!

Truthful Thursday

I did a few of these last year to help myself stay accountable to my new years resolutions--I think it worked to keep me on track so I'm bringing 'er back for 2011 =)
* Having one room RFC each night: I'm doing surprisingly well with this one!!! Tonight I even steam-mopped all of the upstairs floors except Parker's room--he needs to do some picking up--HA! When I told a co-worker of this little gem, she incorporated it at her own house. Of course, this now means I need to hide whenever I see her husband approach...
* Commenting on blogs more. Trying to average one comment a day, but I'm not sure I'm quite there yet!
* The continuation of de-cluttering: Filled a bag for the Thrift Store today and tackled my "layering" baskets. These two baskets hold nothing but Christopher & Banks layering pieces: turtlenecks, tanks, sleeveless mock turtlenecks, T's--you get the idea! Far too many have not been worn in far too long! I have a BIG pile (the one on the bottom) to send to the above-mentioned coworker and a pile for eBay--that'll be a weekend project! It's been a while since I've done any listing, its work, but the rewards have usually been pretty good so I might as well try it again!

Truthful Thursday--Continued....

It's been awhile since I've made myself accountable with my new year's resolutions! Still meal planning (yes, there was one for this week even though I didn't get it posted here -( still decluttering (another tub went out today!!), trying super hard to stay on top of couponing (b/c bargain shopping is always good--HA!) This is my receipt from the grocery store last night. My list totally revolved around the flier and I found coupons for a lot of what I bought--between the 2 tactics I saved over $45!!! And yes, that is berry-colored nail polish blocking out pertinent information on the receipt, my black sharpie has apparently gone on walk about....

Truthful Thursday--Continued....

So in continuing my el-CHEAPO ways, today I made my weekly jaunt to Goodwill (I usually come away with apothecary jar "fixins" or a book or two) and hit a major SCORE (in my mind anyway--HA!)
They hadn't even put these Adidas Superstar 2G shoes in Parker's size out yet--I spied them in the "ready to stock" area and grabbed them quick! At the mall, these would easily be $70-80, but because I had points on my members card AND the promotion was with 400 points you could get shoes or a dress for free, I paid $0 for these =)

Truthful Thursday--New Year's Resolution Update part 3.....

Still plugging away!! More decluttering (and meal planning) is the bulk of resolution maintainence at the moment!! Our local consignment store began taking Spring/Summer items last month, so I've been working hard to get those items out of here (and earn a few extra bucks while I'm at it--HA!)
Otherwise I've been sending a bag about every 2 weeks to the Thrift store (gotta love that it's right on my way to work--how handy is that?!), as I pull out Paxton's outgrown stuff it goes into a bin for Beckett and his too-small clothes I bag up and take to work to pass along to a coworkers niece. Then there's always a bag going of things I no longer wear that I pass along to another coworker who's as big a Christopher & Banks fan as I am =)
I've got the bulk of my Easter Basket shopping done and it has been cut back from previous years--less stuff coming IN means less clutter once it's here, right?!
How are YOUR resolutions coming along?

Truthful Thursday--New Year's Resolution Update part 2...

Keeping myself accountable again--what better way than to spill in front of the eyes of the tens of readers that I have, right? HA!
First of all, weight loss: I am down 6 from the first of the year, so just about back to where I was before those durned holiday pounds came creeping about, so YAY there =)
Next: DECLUTTERING!! And that brings me to explaining the photos that go with this post! Obviously, this would be my darling daughter all dolled up for her Jr. Prom. Well, Parker's Jr. Prom will be next Spring, but as I'm pretty sure I will not be able to convince him to wear Prom duds that we already own, I needed to chase this piece of pretty out of my house! Enter a local clothing store near where I work. Last year they held an event where you could bring in previously worn Prom attire and they would sell it on consignment. A co-worker did it and had a fabulous experience, so I was all over it this year!
They ask for $5 to take the dress, you fill out a form with the HS that the dress was worn to, how old, designer, original size, any major alterations, etc. They've been displaying some of these dresses all week in the window--lots of pinks and purples, some blues--the 2 ladies gasped when I unzipped the bag on Arielle's lime green dream! (Now, they may have totally been blowing smoke in my ear, but I SO fell for it--HA!) They were excited to see something besides the "usual" shades of dress =) You set the price of the dress and an absolute minimum that you'll take. I had to ask for guidance on that one, I am no expert =) They said usually the rule of thumb is half of what you orginally paid, BUT they both thought of the $400 that her dress retailed for I should ask $275 and go no lower than $225 and they stopped short of guaranteeing that it would fly out of the shop at the $275 price! They take 30% of the final price, leaving 70% for me =)
Honestly, the decluttering and getting that dress on another HS girl is the BEST part of the whole arrangement, but I sure will enjoy some bones in my pocket as a bonus!!!!
One last note about the pics--these were ACTUALLY taken on the day AFTER Prom, I had SO few of JUST her in that dress I made her put it back on so I could get some more, so her hair is all undone--but I still thought it was pretty all curly-like =)

Truthful Thursday--New Year's Resolution Update!

So we're 3 weeks into 2010, and I posted here--for all to see--what I wanted to improve on throughout the year. So far I'd give myself a passing grade: I've been darn faithful with meal planning, paying particular attention to sale items and building from there. I've taken at least 4 nice size bags of items to the thrift store as a result of de-cluttering, and today I tackled 2 problem areas in the kitchen!
Under the sink is a perpetual nightmare, and I think I speak for MANY when I say that--HA! I discovered a watering can (and I haven't had a live plant since I don't know when), more sponges than I can use in a year--all new!, and all of the pieces to my battery-powered scrubber. Said battery-powered scrubber's location escapes me at the moment. I bought a trash can for under here so that I could open up some more space in the taller cabinet that I had other ideas for. In THAT cabinet I was able to slide in a tower of drawers to hold the snacks that the little boys like to indulge in--granola bars, fruit snacks, etc. Not HUGE amounts of visible improvement, but I'm happy that it's done!!