Cleaning Up the Clutter

Histogram Mode: Isn't She Pretty?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:53:00 +0000

What's histogram mode? I've no idea. It seems to suite the pup,whatever it is.

Getting to Know Your Camera 101

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000

I wanted to sign up for a class that teaches photo composition. But, instead, I signed up for this class called Getting to Know Your Digital Camera and the Basics of Adobe Photoshop because the price was right, the scheduling worked for my family and the description said it would cover some basic photo composition stuff.

I've had my camera for at least two years and I don't know much about it. It's got a lot of buttons and menu options I've pretended weren't there. I figured if I can't work my camera beyond the basic point and shoot auto mode, I've got no business in a photo composition class.

After the first class last night, I'm so very glad I started with the basics! I learned more about my camera in two hours than I have in two years. Yay! Plus, I learned several tips for taking better pictures.

Now comes the fun part.

I'll be experimenting and posting lots of photos. Here's a shot of one of the four pages of notes I took. The teacher encouraged us to play with our cameras as he was talking. My subject matter was pretty much limited to my notebook and the computer in front of me, least I look like a stalker taking pictures of the other students.

It's no great work of art, but I learned something about apertures and shutter speeds. You have to snap those notebooks quick before they move around on you, you know.

Here are a few tips I learned for those of you that are at a preschool level of photography, like me.

1. Problem: The camera seems to move a bit when you snap a photo leaving you with blurry pictures.

Solution: Keep the arm holding the camera against your body for stability and hold your breath when you snap the photo.

2. Problem: Lighting seems to be off in all your photos.

Solution: Play with the white balance settings on your camera. Most digital cameras have settings for different light situations: fluorescent, incandescent, sunny, cloudy, and flash.

3. Problem: You can't figure out where the white balance setting or anything else is on your camera.

Solution: Read the manual. I know, this seems obvious. But, honestly, I was intimidated by my manual, partly because I didn't know what any of the terms meant. What's an aperture? What's shutter speed? Now that I have a basic understanding, the manual will be really helpful. Don't feel too embarrassed about not understanding your manual. It was a common complaint amongst the students last night. Some of us are hands-on learners.

Your turn:

Is photography a struggle for you? Are you afraid of your camera's manual? What has been your biggest hurdle regarding photography? Keep the comments rolling! I love comments!

Great Debates: Toilet Seat Up or Down?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:33:00 +0000

I'm not bothered in the least when one of my crew leaves the toilet seat up after they do their business.

Photo courtesy of alvmann at Morguefile.

Well, sometimes it annoys me if I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and don't notice that it's up, but that rarely happens.

In my house, I'd be a lot happier to see the toilet seat up than down. When it's always down, I know that means my little guys aren't putting it up when they pee. You know what that means, right?

Pee on the seat.

That's what irks me. I've sat on a wet seat many more times than I've sat on the toilet with the lid up. You'd think I'd get into the habit of wiping the seat down every time I go to the bathroom.

Somehow, the great toilet seat debate has become a running theme in our culture. You've likely heard comedians joke about it, read etiquette columns regarding toilets and grappled with the issue in your own home, depending on what your preferences are.

Check out this Men's Weekly article for the masculine viewpoint. It sounds like he's gracious enough to put the seat up when he pees, but resents having to put it back down again. I'm pretty sure he's over thinking it. What's the big deal? Leave it up if you want. Put it down if you want. We can all get along.

I've lived with boys almost all my life. I grew up with two younger brothers and now have a husband and three sons. I'll take a toilet seat that's left up over a sprinkled seat any day.

Your turn:

Do you have a toilet seat preference? Any toilet seat pet peeves? I love comments, so this is the chance to voice your opinion on this burning social issue. You can, of course, post anonymously. ;)

Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:03:00 +0000

No one ever died from sleeping in an unmade bed. ~Erma Bombeck

Quick, Cute Valentine for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:08:00 +0000

I just put together these cute Valentine's Day cards for my son to take to school for his classmates tomorrow. I found the idea at Just Jenn Rants & Raves. Hers are MUCH nicer than mine. I don't have a color printer, card stock or pencils, so I worked with what I have on hand.

My printer is saying "low toner" right now, but I had enough to get the job done. I printed the pictures on regular paper and glued them onto red construction paper. Good enough. And, I'm pretty sure my 7-year-old son will dig them.

Anti-Feminism: Could Sewing & Aprons Spell the End of the Feminist Movement?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Dictionary.com defines feminism as the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.

Yesterday, I was given a link to this sewing website by a friend who was interested in the apron patterns. I found myself reading the comments, which I expected to be tips for making the aprons, but instead ended up being a politically charged debate about sewing, aprons and feminism.

This gem of a quote was taken from one of the comments, "As a feminist, I worked for years to get out from behind the apron and whilst they can be useful I am worried by the changes in domestic arrangements that may follow their re-introduction."

Yikes. The poor apron is being blamed for a regression in feminist ideals. That's a heavy burden for this practical garment. I always find it a bit ironic when women declare themselves to be feminists yet, in the same sentence, say more to repress their fellow women than Boss Hog did to skewer the Duke boys.

Give women some credit. We aren't going to throw an apron on and all of a sudden not care about equal rights.

In the same comment thread, someone else says, "the resurgence in sewing interest, at least online, often is accompanied by a disturbing attitude of retro nostalgia for a past that didn't exist, and one in which women didn't have basic rights."

As a work-at-home mom, I've heard it all. Most people I know in real life don't know that I also have a freelance writing career. Small as it is, it's what I do besides mothering, home keeping and babysitting.

People assume I'm "only" a stay-at-home mom. Man, I hate putting the word "only" in there, as if being a stay-at-home mom is somehow less than any other choice a woman makes. If I had a nickel for every time I've heard from women who declare they could never be stay-at-home moms because they'd be too bored, I'd be vacationing in Bermuda right now. I've gotten my fair share of disrespect for being a stay-at-home mom. It happens. I don't really care. If I did, I'd have found a job outside the home years ago.

I've noticed over the years that it's trendy for women to act incapable in the kitchen or with home tasks. "I can't cook. I burn water," some poised and polished TV host will say to the latest celebrity chef. People buy the sticky stuff to fasten Cub Scout or Girl Scout patches onto uniforms because they "can't sew". They toss clothes in the Goodwill box because they need minor repairs (which you shouldn't do, by the way.) It's kind of a twisted version of feminism. Women have to declare they're not skilled at traditional women's task in order to prove just how much of a feminist they are.

These attitudes have nothing to do with advancing the social or political rights of women. As a matter of fact, I think those are the attitudes that set the women's movement back 50 years.

What are we telling each other?

1. Women are incapable of having the skills necessary to work at their job, take care of their home and practice a craft of their choosing. Once you've learned to program a database, you don't have any room in your head to bake a cake from scratch or sew a button on a shirt.

2. Some skills give you feminist street cred. Others, especially if they involve thread, needles or measuring spoons, mean you're sitting at home pining for the 1950s.

2. You have to prove you're a feminist by making fun of women who stay at home with their kids, wear aprons and practice traditional crafts.

3. Women who choose to stay home to care for their kids are bubble heads who are bored most of the time.

4. Sewers, knitters and crocheters are setting the feminist movement back by decades.

What do these attitudes have to do with guaranteeing women have the same opportunities, the same pay and the same rights as men?

Not a darn thing.

Real women pursue their own interests, no matter where they work or what their job is.

Real women are capable. They can do practical things like cook, take care of children, balance their checkbooks and sew their own damn aprons.

Real women wear aprons. Feminists wear aprons. An apron won't automatically take away your voting rights or decrease your paycheck.

By the way, the friend who sent me the link to the apron patterns is a single mother of four who works full time. I'd hate for someone to think she's anti-feminist because she's pursuing sewing aprons right now.

Your Turn:

Okay, I've talked about my pet peeve regarding the use of feminism to cut other women down. Now I'd love to hear your opinion. Do you think stay-at-home moms can be feminists or is that a label reserved only for working women? Do you identify with the feminist movement? Or do you feel alienated by the feminist movement?

Have You Read Outliers?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:09:00 +0000

Wow. I'm only 100 pages in, but Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell is fascinating.

Gladwell maintains that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to master something. All the greats in their given field have had at least that much practice to get to their high level of expertise. This includes basketball players, writers, doctors, computer scientists and so on.

Not only that, they've had a healthy dose luck to open doors. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time was their ticket to get that 10,000 hours of practice. Sometimes, being born in a certain window of time was what helped them get the opportunity to succeed. His theories are really, really interesting.

I've definitely got lots to ponder today. I wonder what the next 128 pages holds? Can't wait to find out.

Have you read Outliers? What are your thoughts?

Simple Things: Soap Box First Aid Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:05:00 +0000

Soap Box First Aid Kit

Someone posted a pencil box first aid kit on Pinterest. That's a great idea! But, what I really needed was something small enough to fit in my purse.

Sad News

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:58:00 +0000

With sadness, I report that Jeffrey Zaslow, author of The Magic Room, died tragically in a car accident at the age of 53.

As part of the BlogHer community, I was lucky to review The Magic Room a little over a month ago. It's surreal that he was a part of the on-line discussions during the BlogHer review process such a short time ago and is now no longer with us.

Somehow, reviewing these books for BlogHer, I end up feeling connected to the books and their authors more so than other books.

It was easy to see how much he loved his daughters.

What a terrible tragedy.

My prayers go out to his family.

Calling All Psychics: Help Me Find My i-Pod

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000

I lost my i-Pod about two weeks ago. I've spent a year filling it with the music I like best of all and had plans to add more. Next up was going to be David Bowie's Changes album. Those tunes never get old.

Alas, I've misplaced this modern little invention which has the potential to hold more songs than all the CDs, tapes and vinyls I've ever collected put together. Thankfully, with the exception of many of the CDs, I don't still own most those things. They'd take up too much space.

In all fairness, I didn't have many vinyls because I was in junior high when tapes started to reign supreme. Mostly I just had the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack and Bonnie Tyler's album with Total Eclipse of the Heart before we switched to tapes. My sister had the soundtrack to Grease, which we wore out. And, somehow, we got our on hands on a Kiss Love Gun album. I don't know if it was mine or hers, though. Probably hers.

Even if I count my mom's collection of vinyls, the i-Pod still holds more. She had things like Cher's Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and a slew of others. We listened to a lot of music from a lot of different genres growing up around a record player.

You couldn't misplace one of those.

I put my i-Pod somewhere, away from little hands, so I'd be sure to find it. And, I can't.

A couple of years ago, my oldest son lost his DS. We searched everywhere. Before we knew it, a couple of months had flown by. We were sure it was gone for good.

Back then, I participated in a message board affiliated with Mothering Magazine. As I was surfing the boards one night, someone posted a thread saying she was a psychic and would answer all questions to the best of her ability. So, just for fun, I asked her where the DS was.

She replied she wasn't sure, but felt like it was surrounded by laundry. The next day, we found it in his dresser drawer.

I was a believer after that.

Do you see my i-Pod in the crystal ball?
Photo courtesy of nesquivel at Morguefile.

Now I'm thinking I need a psychic to try to get a read on my i-Pod.

Heck, if you're feeling a little psychic for the first time today, maybe you could test your powers. That might work. Or, maybe your power is simply being good at finding things. I'll take all the help I can get.

If you've got any ideas or visions, please leave a comment with tips about where I should look. It feels like I've looked everywhere, but there must be a stone or two I've left unturned.

I hope it turns up. As much fun as it would be to have my family's old vinyl collection, I don't have room for a record player these days.

The Houseplant Whisperer

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:19:00 +0000

You know that plants produce oxygen.

But, did you know that common houseplants clean carbon dioxide, benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene out of the air?

NASA scientists have been studying houseplants to find ways to keep the indoor atmosphere of future space stations healthy. It turns out, our common houseplants are powerful indoor air warriors.

House Plant
Photo courtesy of Dee at Morguefile.

These days, many of our new purchases "off-gas" (secrete dangerous gasses into our indoor air). Off-gassing is a particular problem for newer construction, which is usually sealed up tightly in an effort to save energy. Unfortunately, this means pollutants aren't able to dissipate outdoors. Ever heard of the term sick building syndrome? This is how it happens.

But, have no fear!

Your common, everyday houseplants will help you breathe easier.

The NASA scientists recommend 15-18 good-sized houseplants in an average 1,800 square foot home.

(I know you're counting your houseplants right now. I have 6. How many do you have?)

Not only do houseplants look warm and homey, they're good for you, too. If you're blessed with a green thumb like my mom, who not only has a green thumb, but seems to be some sort of houseplant whisperer, then you're one of the lucky ones.

What's a girl with a black thumb to do? Learn how to care for houseplants, that's what.

Many of the plants on the NASA list are common plants we've all heard of; English Ivy, spider plant, peace lily and philodendron, to name a few. You won't have any trouble tracking them down to add to your home.
Get clippings from friends and relatives or buy plants one at a time at a local garden center. Take note of how much water and sunlight your plants need before you throw away the little card that comes tucked into the soil.
Add watering plants to your weekly chore routine. Lift the plant, pot and all. If it feels light as a feather, then it needs water. If not, touch the soil. Is it moist? If so, check it again the next day.
Rotate plants to different windows until you learn where they are happiest. It will differ for different types of plants.
If, despite your best efforts, a plant doesn't seem to be thriving under your care, let it go. Stick with the plants that do well for you.
Don't forget to bless your work environment with houseplants, too!

If I can do this, you can, too. I went from one sickly plant last summer to six plants that have been mostly thriving since last fall. One is questionable, but I'm giving it another few weeks. I plan to add more over the next few months. The important thing is to keep trying. Don't assume this is beyond your grasp.

If it works for the space station, it'll work for you.

The source for this blog post is the Minnesota Cooperative Extension article Houseplants Help Clean Indoor Air written by Deborah L. Brown.

Simple Things: Nerf Darts

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:24:00 +0000

Three boys + a few Nerf guns = Nerf darts everywhere.

Nerf Darts

No more frantic searches for Nerf darts. No more fighting over whose darts are whose. They reside in this basket on this counter. The end.

The Seventh Grade Girl in Me Lives On

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:46:00 +0000

Today, my inner 7th-grade girl came out to play. Or, more accurately, to be mean. No sense denying it. It happens to all of us from time to time.

In 7th grade, I got in a fist fight on the school playground with a girl named Cathy. It was eons ago, but I still remember the day vividly. My best friend's name was Paula. She hated Cathy. Therefore, I hated her, too. In my 7th-grade girl mind, it made perfect sense. Mr. Ostrander (God rest his soul) broke up the fight and took us both to the principal's office. It wasn't a shining moment in my junior high career.

Still, that's what best friends did for each other in 7th grade back in 1982.

You passed song lyrics back and forth in math class until you both had all the words to the Go-Go's We Got the Beat memorized and you both got stink eye from the teacher. You talked about the boys you had crushes on and swore each other to secrecy. You signed your notes AVBFF, which stood for "a very best friend forever". You giggled together as you used a big, black marker to put an X through the yearbook pictures of the kids you mutually disliked.

Flash forward to 2012 and I'm still holding a grudge. No, not against Cathy. Her and I were friends after spending a day of in-house suspension together and are still Facebook friends today, as are Paula and I.

My grudge is against my neighbor who went to the police instead of talking to us when my then 11-year-old son fell off a scooter into her boyfriend's truck. On the same day, she accused my kids of teasing her dog and threatened that he would bite them if he got loose. This all happened about a year and a half ago. We paid them $500 for a minor dent and scratch on the truck. They got rid of the dog, though I'm sure that had nothing to do with us. What really made the whole situation awful was the way she handled it. She was so incredibly rude and hurtful, especially about the dog, which my kids hadn't gone near.

I'm mostly over it. Honestly. It's in the past. I've moved on.

But, my inner 7th grader comes out when my other neighbors, people who are my friends, get friendly with said neighbor. That's against the code, right? OK, I know, it was the 7th grade code, but I still can't help it.

Today, when they mentioned her and how great she's doing with her new baby, I couldn't help but bring up the past incident, least they have forgotten this woman is not my friend. I criticized her for something else, too. Why? I was a 12 year old standing there on the playground, that's why.

I know these are grown women. They can be friends with who ever they choose. The mature, 42-year-old me knows that. I'm not much of a mean girl these days.

But, the 7th-grade girl that still lingers around from time to time, she is.

One thing I know for sure, if we were still in 7th grade, Paula and I would X said neighbor's picture out of our yearbooks without hesitation. Then, we'd make some ribbon barrettes while we talked about which boys were totally cute.

The House Fairy: I've Hit Rock Bottom

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:42:00 +0000

It's hard for me to motivate my kids to keep their rooms clean. Really hard.

In all honesty, they don't care. They don't care if the toys are put away, if the beds are made, if the books are all over the floor or if there are dirty dishes on the nightstands. They just don't care. No amount of nagging on my part makes them want to get it done.

This brings up the timeless nature vs. nurture question.

Are we born with the tendency to be a neat freak or a slob?

Perhaps most of us reside somewhere in between the extremes.

If there's a slob gene, it's quite possible my kids have it. Maybe slob is too strong of a word. Maybe I should instead say they are disorganized with pack rat tendencies.

I think, or rather know, that organization and good household cleaning habits can be learned. But, the desire has to be there.

Maybe it's too early to tell where my kids fall on the spectrum. I'll just say that not a single one of the three has ever cleaned or picked up anything without being told. I know some kids do this. I've seen at least one of my nieces do it on numerous occasions.

After years of giving reminders, begging, pleading, being authoritative and bribing to get my kids to do even a minimum amount of room cleaning, I've hit bottom.

Enter The House Fairy.

It's a pretty simple concept, really. I had to drop $15 before I could find out what it was. Still, it seems a small price to pay if the program works. To give the creators credit, I didn't think of it myself. Kudos to them. I won't reveal too much because, if you check out the website, you'll see the premise is a closely guarded secret.

I introduced the program to my four and seven-year-old boys yesterday. Four totally bought it, with the wide-eyed excitement that's usually reserved for Santa Claus. His room is clean for the second day in a row. Seven is on the fence. He's a skeptic by nature, so there's no surprise there. I'm hoping I can convince him it's worth it to get his room clean just to see if the House Fairy makes a surprise visit. He's halfway there, which is a huge step forward.

The real challenge will be modifying the program so my 12-year-old almost teenager will hop on board. Can I get him to keep his room clean? I don't expect perfect. But, I do expect a few basic chores to be done on a regular basis.

How do you motivate your kids to clean? Do you think your kids have the clean gene or the slob gene? What about yourself? Are you a natural born Neat Nick or Slovenly Sal?

What We're Doing: February is Screen Free Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:00 +0000

Last year, my family went screen free for the entire month of February. We didn't watch any TV, play any computer games or use any gaming devices. The experiment was such a huge success we decided to repeat it again this year.

Yesterday was day one. And, honestly, it was a piece of cake. The kids fell right back into a routine of playing after school without the TV. Granted, Wednesday is typically our busy day so we weren't home for a good part of it. We had a visit to a preschool for my just turned four-year-old son, banking, grocery shopping, friends and babysitting kids after school, a 5:00 pick-up from the last wrestling practice, drum lessons, a Cub Scout committee meeting for me and a Boy Scout meeting for my oldest son. Whew! No wonder screen free was easy!

Someone asked me two great questions about our family's screen free month. Why do we do it? Why do we introduce TV and games back into our lives afterwards?

Why do we go screen free for a month?

TV and computer games are a source of fighting for my boys. They fight over what to watch, who gets to play which game, how long each turn is and a million other things. As a matter of fact, I'd say about 80% of the arguing amongst the boys is screen related. How sad is that?

Screen time slowly becomes the go-to habit. We spend time in front of a screen to the exclusion of other activities. It's too easy to sit down and zone in front of the TV. We still read, play outside and play with toys and games, but I feel like they need more of that and less screen. The amount of screen time seems to snowball, especially in the winter months.

Bedtime creeps up later on nights we watch TV. We typically don't watch TV on school nights, but there are occasional exceptions, like ABC's Wednesday night comedies. Somehow, these have become a habit. I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing to have weekly shows we watch together as a family, but for my two youngest kids, it's obvious by the tears and tantrums on Thursday and Friday when they've stayed up later than usual on Wednesday.

Getting rid of screen time for an extended period of time resets their growing minds. They relax more. They start thinking in ways they wouldn't have otherwise. They spend more time on creative endeavors. They help more readily with chores.

Last year, I remember less fighting and an over all harmonious feeling by the end of the month.

We pick the month of February because it's the shortest month and seems like the easiest to get through!

Why do we re-introduce TV and computer games?

I think some TV and gaming is OK. I really do. I enjoy unwinding with a favorite show. Gaming is a social activity for kids, especially boys. They invite friends over to game. They talk about games at school.

Games and TV can be educational. For instance, we love the show Nature on PBS.

Sick days and days with miserable weather are great days to curl up on the couch and watch a movie.

Last year, TV and games came back into our home slowly. When we had electronics on, we got into the habit of turning them off at dinner time and leaving them off until the next day. Quiet evenings make for easier bedtimes. With the Wednesday night exception, TV never came back on school nights.

My oldest son (age 12) and my husband enjoy gaming together. It's one of the activities they share as a father and son. This is important time. Gaming and computers is a language they speak together. I'm more into playing board games like Chess and Scrabble, but my husband will play all the same computer games my son loves. It's a way for them to connect, especially as our son moves into his teen years.

If we can do it, anyone can. It's truly refreshing to take a month off from electronics. The surprising thing is, the kids think so, too.

Lightening the Laundry Load

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:08:00 +0000

“We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry.” ~E.B. White

It's hard not to take advice about joy or anything else from E.B.White. He wrote Charlotte's Web, one of the most charming children's books in existence. My kids and I listened to Charlotte's Web on CD in the car a few weeks ago. It was an old recording, read by E.B.White himself. His voice sounded like the grandfather we all wished we had, one that stepped directly out of a Norman Rockwell painting.

It certainly helped my mind wander to the 1950's Zuckerman farm at which Fern spent her days visiting with Wilbur and all the other farm animals. I could almost see laundry hanging on the line, blowing gently in a warm, spring breeze.

Photo courtesy of Gracey at Morguefile.

Laundry.

Is it possible for anyone to get joy from sorting laundry?

I suppose some people might. It could be one of those mindless tasks that becomes somewhat meditative.

Or, if you've got kids, it could seem like an endless parade of pants, socks, underwear, towels and shirts that dance into the laundry bin to torment you day after day. Could it be the road to hell is really paved with dirty laundry?

"How could I know what a monster it would become?" Kelly Hines wrote of her laundry after having a child in One Mom Lightens Her Load - of Laundry on BlogHer.

Is there a way to tame the monster?

In my house, we reuse bath towels, wear jeans more than once (if they don't get grass or food stains on them) and try to keep ourselves to one outfit a day. With little boys, this is doable because they don't care if they get a spot of something on their shirt. They've all gone through the phase around age 3 and 4 where even a tiny dribble of water on their sleeve means they need a clean shirt, but for the most part, they couldn't care less.

Still, the laundry beast rears its head daily. I'm rarely caught up. If, by some small miracle, I do get it all washed and put away, it's short lived. By the next morning, the bin is full, sneering at me, telling me to quit being so smug.

If laundry brings you joy, then that's wonderful.

Me? I'd rather pick grapes.

Photos Photos Photos: How Do You Organize Them?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:56:00 +0000

Photo taking, printing and organizing has changed a lot in the last decade.

Remember dropping a roll of film off at the local drug store? You'd pick your pictures up in a few days, not really knowing what you'd find when you opened the little envelope. Would the pictures be any good? Would they be blurry? Would everyone's head be cut off at the top? What if there was a picture where you looked absolutely horrid? You couldn't delete it! You just had to hope no one else saw it before you had a chance to throw it out.

If you were like me, you probably ordered double prints from the start. If there was a good picture or two in there, you wanted to have a spare. If you needed more copies, you always had the negatives to use for reprints. You just had to remember not to get your fingerprints all over them!

I still have envelopes of pictures left over from our pre-digital camera days. All of my oldest son's baby pictures are old school. I should really scan them and get them into a digital format.

Digital cameras make it easier to do things like filling picture collage frames. I need to take two pictures the long way in order to get pictures that fit in this one. I can click as many photos as I need to until I get good ones to fill the empty spots.

How do you organize your photos?

I still like to have actual physical photo albums. I print a decent selection of our pictures throughout the year and slide them into the little plastic sleeves. It's fun for the boys and I to look through the photos to see how they've grown and changed through the years.

Most of my pictures, however, stay in digital format. Right now, I don't have a great system of digital organization. Well, I have an idea of what I need to do. I just need to do it. My husband gave me an external hard drive to save back ups of all our photos. I need to transfer everything over. Current pictures reside on my computer or on one of three SD cards I use for my camera.

I know people who've gone all digital and print very few photos. I just can't do that. It seems so easy for things to get wiped out digitally. Doesn't it?

How to Patch Drywall

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Last summer, my middle son developed a habit of kicking his heels on the wall in his brother's bedroom while flat on his back on the bed. Every time I heard the thump thump thump, I knew he was kicking the wall. I'd say, "Stop kicking the wall. You're going to put holes in it."

He'd say, "Whatever," and try to do it soft enough that I wouldn't notice.

He'd do it again the next day. Eventually, he did this:

Two Heel-shaped Holes in the Wall

Someone once told me you couldn't raise boys without them making holes in the walls. This may be true. I remember my brothers putting holes in the walls, too. Though, if memory serves, theirs were usually out of anger and not from boredom.

I mentioned the incident to a neighbor to get ideas on how to fix it. He works at Home Depot and is a handy guy.

I was sure I'd have to cut out a section of the wall and replace it with a carefully sized piece of drywall. Not so, he said. The fix is simple and cheap. As per his advice, this is what I did:

1. Fill holes with spray foam insulation.

2. When dry, shave of excess and lightly sand to make even.

3. Spackle.

Yup, that's my son's hand doing the spackling. His holes, his job.

4. Sand.

5. Spackle again.

6. Sand again.

7. Paint. If you're lucky, you'll still have some paint leftover from when you painted the room. If not, you'll have to do your best to match it. I don't have any of the original paint, so I bought a small container of what I hope matches it. We haven't painted yet, but I think we'll do it today after school.

That's all there is to it. Have you patched any drywall holes?

You may also like Homeownership & Painting: It's All Prep Work.

Found on Pinterest: Brilliant Organizing Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:50:00 +0000

I found this genius idea for organizing coloring books. Thank you Pinterest!

Dish Rack Organizer

I couldn't wait to try it, so I bought a dish rack at Walmart.

This one is for my youngest son's coloring books. Scissors and crayons are in the utensil holder. I love it so much, I'm going to get another one for my 7-year-old son to keep on his desk.

I think it would also be a great organizer for labelled folders of coupons, with scissors, a pad of paper and pencils for list making in the utensil holder.

What would you organize in a dish rack?

If you need an invitation to join Pinterest, e-mail me at cleaningupclutter@gmail.com.

Home Ownership & Painting: It's All Prep Work

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:09:00 +0000

We had big plans to paint and re-do just about everything when we first moved in to our house. We've done a few things here and there, but life has chewed up our to-do list and spit it out in some crazy order that we never would have chosen.

New boiler in 2010?

Slide the new garage door down a few slots on the list. And forget about re-doing the back porch for a few years.

We feel like we're still timid beginners in this home ownership thing. Yet, suddenly, we're at the ten-year point. The plans are still there. We need to stop acting like it's not ours to do with what we like. We CAN paint if we want to, darn it! No need to ask permission from anyone.

The downstairs family room in our finished basement is one of those neglected rooms we've vowed to get to someday. Well, someday is here! Sort of. It needs a new ceiling, new lights, a new carpet, a paint job and some of the trim needs repairing.

What's the hold up been?

Money mostly. Also time, but that's a lame excuse. I'm sure we could have found the time somewhere in ten years if we'd really wanted to. Probably the money, too.

Yesterday, I decided it was THE day to chip away at that particular to-do list. One trip to Home Depot and $60 later, I've started painting. Well, I've at least done the prep work. The actual painting will happen tomorrow and the next day.

This section of wall is taped, washed and ready to be primed.

I wanted to jump in and slather the walls in Pecan Sandie.

But, I've learned that impatience doesn't pay when painting.

Last year, I hastily primed and painted my bathroom cabinets, only to have the old stain bleed through my sloppy priming. Add that to the list of lessons learned the hard way.

The more you know, the better you do. Right?

The basement family room walls are heavily stained. This room houses our woodstove. I don't want any smoke residue bleeding through the fresh paint.

I covertly grilled a somewhat grumpy Home Depot paint counter guy to answer your (my) burning questions about primer. Here's what I learned:

1. Paint and primer all in one products are best for jobs that require light priming. If you're covering up a light color, a few greasy finger prints and general smudges, this is the paint for you. Also use it if you're not sure you need a primer. It never hurts to have it, but you might regret it if you don't.

2. Skip the all-in-ones and get a separate primer when you have projects with heavy stains (water stains, smoke stains, etc.) or if you're painting over dark colors. I'm using the Kilz oil-based primer for my woodsmoke tainted walls. Two coats is a must. It creates extra work when I'm dying to get to the fun part already, but it really is the way to go.

3. If you're painting over white walls that aren't stained, you can skip the primer altogether.

Painting is all about the prep work. If you wash, tape and prime before you paint, your paint job will be one you can be proud of. If you don't do it right the first time, you may not get to it for another ten years. Trust me, you don't want to be looking at a crappy paint job for that long.

If you found this post helpful, you might also like How to Patch Drywall.

Are You Watching Downton Abbey?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:59:00 +0000

If I didn't know better, I'd swear the creators of Downton Abbey had peered directly into my mind and picked all the elements of a story I like best. The dresses, drama, history, dresses, love triangles, class issues, and the dresses, all add up to to one fantastic show. Did I mention the dresses? I LOVE the dresses.

Lady Sybil, Lady Mary & Lady Edith of Downton Abbey

If you haven't seen it, you may want to view season one on Netflix and catch up on the first three episodes of season 2 directly on the PBS website. The rest of season two is airing on PBS on Sunday nights at 9:00 P.M. through February 19th.

I love my historical fiction, whether in a novel or TV show.

If you're watching it, which couple are you rooting for the most? Bates and Anna? Lady Sybil and Benson? Lady Mary and Matthew? Daisy and William?

Which character is your favorite? Which one do you love to hate?

How to Start an Argument Amongst the 10 & Under Crowd

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:38:00 +0000

If you give the kids homemade apple-cinnamon pop-tarts after school, they'll ask you for some milk.

When you tell them there isn't enough milk for everyone, they'll swear they're dying of thirst.

Then they'll want to make lemonade.

You'll have to let them.

On the way to the refrigerator, they'll see more pop tarts on the counter. They'll want to eat them.

You'll tell them the pop tarts are for older brother and Mr. Hacker, who aren't home yet. Besides, there are only three pop tarts and four kids. Fighting ensues. Who should have the extra?

In my book, that means the recipe was a success and the roughly two hours of prep time was worth it.

In the end the boys decided Mr. Hacker should have the extra because he had to go to New Jersey yesterday. I'm not sure I follow their logic, but it stopped the argument, so it works for me.

The kids I babysit are here after school today and one of them is having a birthday. I thought it'd be the perfect day to try out the homemade pop-tarts. If you make them, double the filling recipe. The dough and glaze made enough for 9-12 pop tarts (I made 9, but could have made 12). The filling made enough for about 6. I stretched it to fit the 9 crusts I'd prepared. If you're doing the math, you're probably wondering what happened to the 9th pop tart. We had all agreed ahead of time birthday boy could have two.

Despite the stingy filling, they were awesome. Next time I'll try one of the other flavor combinations, possibly the double chocolate. Yum!

Remember, if you make them, the kids may argue and you may have a sugar and lemon juice mess to clean off the counters.

I found the recipe on Pinterest, my new obsession. In addition to the yummy homemade pop-tart recipe, I've found lots of recipes for cleaners, which I blogged about last week, organizational tips and other cool recipes, some I've tried and some I haven't yet.

Winter Tips for Breathing Easier Indoors

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:52:00 +0000

This week's guest post is courtesy of Jakob from Networx.com.

Winter is synonymous with snow, ice, and freezing cold yet despite the chill it can be a visually stimulating and exciting season.

At the same time it’s interesting to note that unless we’re doing activities like skiing, making snowmen, shoveling or simply commuting to work a majority of our winter experiences occur indoors.

For this reason it’s important to make sure the air we breathe is as fresh as can be and pure enough to keep everyone in the family healthy.

Unfortunately there aren’t any simple devices that can determine the state of a home’s air. However, targeting a few common problems can make a world of a difference:

Dust: Mostly organic in origin and falling arbitrarily around the home dust is a major culprit in tainting indoor air. When it builds up it can be a leading cause of respiratory problems in both children and adults. It can’t be prevented, but by taking a few minutes each week to wipe down household surfaces, it can be controlled. One of the keys to solving dust problems is keeping clutter to a minimum because, in a strange way, having papers, magazines, mail or various tchotchkes all over the place is an invitation for dust. Also, the less time needed for organizing, the more can be spent on getting at the dust itself.
Mold: Every so often it’s a good idea to check areas of the home for mold, which contaminates indoor air. Hot spots include places where condensation occurs and near water pipes, such as below sinks where slow leaks create the perfect mold and mildew breeding ground. Even in drier climates professional contractors like Henderson, Nevada carpenters will highly recommend taking immediate action against mold problems because, aside from polluting household air, mold and mildew can severely damage interior woodwork when an infestation occurs.
Cleaners: Ordinary household cleaners may do the job well, but have you considered the various chemicals which they are made from? Those substances translate into noxious fumes that can cause headaches, dizziness, and worse if a home is not well ventilated. With freezing temperatures outside it’s unlikely you’ll want to leave the windows open indefinitely so now is a good opportunity to start using eco-friendly brands, some of which may still have odors but with less threatening results. Alternatively, homemade cleaners can be made from household ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar. In both cases they will compete nicely with standard products.
Air filters: Do you use a central heating system at home during the winter? Even if you use one during the summer for air conditioning, one of the most important maintenance tasks that doesn't require a serviceman is to change or clean the filters. Filters strain dirty particles floating through a home’s airspace yet when they are clogged these particles will likely re-circulate back into the home and be inhaled. That being the case, doing a check every few months on the filters will improve air quality, everyone’s breathing and also help the system itself work more efficiently.

Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. His most recent writing projects include research about eco-friendly products for professional painters.

Homemade Shower Cleaner: Simple & Effective

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

You know that kind of sparkly clean some people have in their bathrooms when the sink, toilet and tub all look like they're brand new even though they're at least 20 years old?

I don't have that.

Even when my bathroom is at its cleanest, it doesn't sparkle. Does yours? (It doesn't count if your fixtures are actually brand new.)

Forget sparkly vampires, I've always wanted a sparkly bathroom.

My friend Kristin told me a recipe for a homemade refill for the automatic shower cleaning sprayers exists. She buys an automatic cleaning unit, uses it, then refills it with her own concoction when its empty. I've been poking around the Internet with the help of Google to find some homemade cleaner recipes that might give me the bathroom of my dreams.

With little effort, I was able to find this recipe from Frugal Upstate.

One of the great things about these homemade cleaners is most of us have the ingredients on hand. I had to make one modification because I use white vinegar instead of Jet Dry in my dishwasher. I figure if it prevents spots on my dishes, it'll prevent spots in my tub, too.

I also needed to adjust the measurements so it fit into my spray bottle, which was an almost empty hydrogen peroxide bottle. Here's my recipe:

1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide
1/3 cup rubbing alcohol
5 drops Dawn dish washing detergent
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 cup water

All of that filled my bottle to the top. I capped it and shook it to mix everything.

I bought this handy spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide at Walmart.

I sprayed it all over the shower, then cleaned the sink and toilet with it. The shower soaked while I wiped the sink and toilet clean. I'm excited to report, the sink was a bit sparkly when I finished! The tub and shower also had a few sparkles here and there.

I dried everything with a towel and added a thin layer of baby oil to the sink faucet to protect the sparkle. I've read and heard from several sources that you can coat your shower with a thin layer of car wax to protect it from soap scum. I may try this at some point.

Unfortunately, the built-up soap residue on both the sink and tub kept it from being a 100% success. That's something I need to work on. I think I'll try removing the soap scum with the baking soda and Dawn trick I used on the burned pot. Not today, though. I'm determined to work on my quilt today.

Homemade Oxi-Clean: Yay or Nay?

noreply@blogger.com (Barb) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Full disclosure: I've never used Oxi-clean, but have wanted to since I first heard about it's magic cleaning powers. It's a little pricey for me and I could never bring myself to buy it.

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a recipe for homemade Oxi-clean that was getting rave reviews. The recipe and directions are on the One Good Thing Blog by Jillee.

I tried it a few days ago with my knock-off Dawn dish washing detergent with mixed results. Each stain that I treated was lighter, but none were gone completely.

I bought some real Dawn and gave it another go today.

The basic directions are quite simple. Mix 2 parts hydrogen peroxide with 1 part Dawn. Add a generous amount of baking soda. Apply to stains and scrub. Let sit for roughly an hour then launder as usual.

Being the geek that I am, I was quite excited to try this concoction and decided to do it like an old-fashioned laundry detergent commercial.

I tested it on 5 different types of stains: blood (on a pillowcase from a nosebleed), armpit stain, ring around the collar, grease and random food stains on a toddler's shirt.

Safety pins show where each stain is. Clockwise from the top left: set-in blood, ring around the collar, food stains and grease stains

I didn't get a picture of the armpit stain because I added that shirt to the pile after I took the picture. But, really, who needs to see that anyway? We all know what they look like.

Every stain was scrubbed with the homemade Oxi-clean for a minute or two. Then, I topped each stain off with a bit more of the homemade Oxi-clean and let everything soak for an hour. I used my usual All Free & Clear for laundering.

Fast forward about an hour and a half later and I finally get to pull the laundry out of the dryer to check out the results.

Results look pretty good! The safety pins show where the stains were.

Wow! It works!

The homemade Oxi-clean completely removed the arm pit stains, the ring around the collar and the grease.

It removed most of the toddler food stains. There is a bit left, but it doesn't show up in the picture. Still, I'd let my son wear the shirt out in public again since it no longer looks gross.

The blood stain is the only thing that didn't come out completely. It's still there, though it's much lighter. The stain was set in which may have affected the results. I think if I attack blood stains with the homemade Oxi-clean as soon as they happen, I'll have better results.

I'm really loving combining Dawn dish washing detergent with other products to create homemade super cleaners! Next up, a homemade shower cleaner using Dawn, hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol.
Have you tried any of these homemade cleaners yet?

If you're interested in Pinterest, but need an invitation, e-mail me at cleaningupclutter@gmail.com. I'll send you one!