Cleaning out the Clutter

Well, today I started cleaning. I know it's a little late for spring cleaning. What got me started was cleaning the radiator baseboards. I had to move lots of stuff around which got me thinking. "Do I really like or need all this stuff and does it bring me more pleasure than the energy it takes to take care of it?"

The answer is... I don't even know where half of the stuff came from. Eeeeek. It seemed to have babies when I wasn't looking. Time to make it go away.

So, if I don't just love it, I'm getting rid of it. First stop eBay. I'm going to list as much of it as possible and take the money I make to pay down my debt. Whew, I feel better already. The cool part is, I have already sold two of the items I listed today. They are packed and ready for the Mail Lady to pick up in the morning.

If you are wandering around the net, stop by my eBay store and take a look http://tinyurl.com/6zr4ge I appreciate any business you can send my way. I am on a mission to reduce my consumption and make better choices about what I spend. Have a great deal you have found, I would love to hear about it and possibly pass it on.

Well, I'm back to listing and taking pictures of my treasures.

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When the People Around us are Going Hungry

When was the last time you were truly hungry? No, not the type of hungry you get when you get engrossed in a project and can't pull yourself away. I'm talking the hunger you get when the cupboard is bare and there is no end in sight. Hopefully never. But even in a developed and progressive country such as ours, people go hungry. With rising gas prices, people are having to choose.

There is an answer to the food squeeze! It's called http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Angel Food is a non profit food Co-op. There are no forms to fill out and your income is your business. Simply pick the package you want and prepay it. Then on your designated pick-up day, show up and pick up your boxes. If items are not picked up, they are donated to people in need.

I just love the program. It will feed a family of 4 for a week and it only cost $30. You can even use foodstamps for payment or you can pay online with a CC.

The food is first quality, name brand stuff, you have come to love. They also have a senior box. I ordered the senior box for my next door neighbor to make life a little easier.

So go ahead check it out. Encourage a friend or college student to try it. www.AngelFoodMinistries.com

The more people who participate the better the packages will get. There is power in many. So, if you know someone who could use a hand, why not gift them a box of angel food? If you are trying to stretch your own grocery budget it is a smart move. I'm looking forward to October 25th when I pick up my next AngelFood box.

Quick Bathroom Cleaning Tips from the web

Quick Bathroom Cleaning Tips

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Water, Water, just not Everywhere

As winter shakes her frosty view our way, we are confronted in Virginia with a water shortage. It's not bad yet but we are down. At the same time, the costs of utilities are on the rise and consumers are really starting to fret over the coming winter and rising expenses.

When it comes to water there are a few things we can do to conserve. I'm making my list and actively doing what I can to be a better consumer. Here are some of the things our household is in the process of checking off.

• Suit up and crawl under the house to inspect for hidden water leaks. While you are under there, wrap pipes and insulate where needed to conserve energy.


• Take up some space in the toilet. This is an old trick. Simply put a brick in the toilet or fill a soda bottle with some rocks. You will save the equivalent of the used space every time you flush the toilet. And if you can stand it, flush the toilet less often.


• Install water saving shower heads that can be turned off while you soap up. We have this type of arrangement in the RV and it works quite well. I went on ebay and ordered a simple replacement shower head that only uses 1 gallon of water per minute. That will be quite a savings for me over time.


• Replace the aerators on faucets with low flow ones. You will feel like you are using more water but will really be saving quite a bit. It's easy and can be done in just a few minutes for less than $5.


• Turn off the water when brushing teeth etc. Simple.


• Use a dishpan when washing dishes instead of running the water. Wash in one side and rinse in still water in the other instead of letting the water run. Let dishes soak a few minutes before starting to wash. Let the soap and water do the work for you.


• Stop using the garbage disposal and start composting your kitchen waste. It is better for the environment and uses less water.


• Don't water the lawn.


• Go ahead and drink the tap water! Put a pitcher in the fridge and you will always have a healthy, cold drink.

Those are just a few things we can do today. There are many more and I'll be back to share some of them later.

By the way, I love to garden and grow my own veggies, but never use the city water for the garden. I have installed rain barrels that catch the roof water. it's a great way to have plenty of water and be environmentally friendly.

Plug up Those Cold Drafts

As fall moves in, the air starts to cool and drafts start to work their way around tiny crevices. The little crevices around the windows, doors, and pipes, all rob precious resources. With heating oil, electricity, and natural gas on the rise, it becomes necessary to stop the hemorrhaging of money through these cracks.

So, I set out today to caulk windows and doors. First I spent a ton of time in the local home improvement store trying to figure out which caulk was best. 35 year or 50 year, watertight, paintable, colored, clear--oh my, the choices. Armed with a dozen tubes of caulk, I headed home to tackle the project.

At first, things did not go smoothly. I had caulk on my fingers, caulk in my hair, and even caulk in my mouth. Off to twitter I went in search of a real, live, warm, body, who had actually applied caulk before. No disappointment there!

Some of the things I learned. Why don't they put some of this on the package?

1. Cut the tip of the tube smaller than you think you need. you can always snip off more if you need to. Too big of hole and the caulk just oozes everywhere.

2. Rub a good hand creme into your hands before beginning, it makes it easier to wash off uncured caulk from the skin.

3. Use polish remover with acetone to get the caulk left around your cuticles if you don't use step four.

4. Try wearing gloves. this worked well when I could work at eye level, but not so well when I couldn't see what i was doing. i really needed to feel the edges.

5. Use shims of wood or cording to fill in the big gaps before applying caulk. This definitely saved a ton of material and was easy to push in with a flat blade screwdriver.

6. Practice with the caulking gun. A smooth even pressure with the gun moving is the secret!

7. wash up with soap and water PROMPTLY.

I have to say that it turned out quite well. The front door is done and I managed to also complete a window. As I get more proficient, I'm sure it will move along more rapidly. I have no idea how much I'm saving by doing it myself or even how much energy I can save. Would love a link to a website with some estimates. If you have one send it along and I'll post a link.

The process was satisfying. And, this gal did it herself!

It's Only the Beginning

While I've always managed to get everything I ever needed, I realize that at some point I should look up to see where it comes from. 'Rain' silly. No really, eventually resources get strained or run out. I'm on a quest to live an even greener life. I hope you will chip in and help me find the answers. if you have a money-saving, earth-sparing, resource-reserving blog or website, I want to hear from you! I want to pass it along to share with readers. If you have a product I can't live without, I want to hear from you too.

I'll start simple.

Today is the day that I examine every new purchase or acquisition I make. I promise to not take more than I need and to share the bounty with others. This is my pledge.

I hope it will prove easy, liberating, and fruitful.