Brand Brush

I wanted to say “brand new brush”, but, ya know.      But, then I thought, “But it is a brand brush- it’s Norwex!      Ta Da!!”       Yay for the alliterative title working perfectly!!

Here’s a pic of the old, tired, plain yucky toilet brush.

Yucky old brush.

 

 

 

 

 

(Yeah, good question.       Why DO I have 2 plungers??      Well, one is mine, and one was here.        But probably safe in assuming there won’t be a 2 plunger emergency any time soon.       Please, God!!       So, maybe 1 could go??           Perhaps.      At least to the laundry room, fer sure!)

And, it’s new home.        (Probably 1 reason it was so nasty, was it didn’t have a home before; just rested on the floor.      EEEewwww!         So, half not his fault at all!!)

Yuck!! It’s right where it belongs!

(Yes, I know you can see the Norwex cardboard packaging, and the aluminum can.       The 8 house doesn’t have the easy recycling system that I had in the park!)

Now, presenting a new and improved toilet brush:  The Norwex brand!!

I super love it!!     I know it’s cray-cray to love a toilet brush, but I do!

But you can probably just call him “Nord”.      (Norwex-wex  and brand-bran.)       Here’s Nord’s sleek, stylish new home, a brush condo!        (Without the exorbitent monthly fees!)

I love the thumb, and finger rests!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And oh!    The little extra brush, on the side is FAB-OH!!   It gets up under the rim, at the same time you’re brushing out the bowl!!        I never would have thought I’d get so excited about a new toilet brush!          That’s the power of Norwex, folks!

And the bristles are hard thick rubber, not thin little nylon bristles, like ordinary brushes.        So, I’m sure Nord is gonna be around for a good long time!

I  might even start swishing and swiping more than once a day, just to get to hold him again!

Did I mention that I’m love with Nord??

Nord in his new neighborhood.

He’s settling in so nicely, beside his new neighbors.       They’ve become very close.

(Yeah, yeah, I know, get rid of one of the plungers.)

 

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Norwex posts:          (This is my business link.       I make a commission on any sales.)

Norwex is the best!

#1      #2      #3     #4

(Yay!!  Solved my icon problem, by using theirs.  Duh!)

June Jottings

Another 8 house post.

I’ve worked in my room several hours, now.       Days even!!

But, I still haven’t written all, about all the times, I’ve worked in here.    Today, I’m gonna go back in time, and reconstruct the job, hopefully!

First, I need to go fetch some pix, to remind me of what it looked like, and what I did, exactly!!          Back in a flash!

 

(I want him to move!!)

There, didn’t even miss me, did ya??

What I did: Uploaded my June 10th files.       Yes, file”S”.        I had 2.         Then deleted off my hard drive.          So, I’ll just mosey on thru the pix, and say what’s happenin’, (IF I can remember!)

First of all tho, know what’s 1 good thing about me??           I never do anything by halves!!             When I’m blogographing (Photographing for my blog; you’re welcome to use this word, btw) I either obsessively document every.little.thing.      OR  I forget altogether!        June 10th was an obsessive day.

These are all from Sweeter Sweatin, so no need to talk about them again.

 

Another annoying cord, that I just want gone, but Sweet Friend won’t oblige me.      {pout, pout}             It hurt when I’d accidentally step on it!

So, I just pushed it back behind the filing cabinet, I think.      [Checking]         Nope, under the bottom left black shelf.      

        Obviously I was determined to eat healthy that day!!    Behold the salad!!

I was emptying that random box, partly onto my bedside table.      The old, probably more than 5  years old, party horns left the building.       Accompanied by the linen napkin.    We aren’t linen napkin people, much as I want us to be.        Just not.         Disposed of the candles, because I haven’t needed them in the past 4 years.       And was too scared to burn them in the trailers, even if I had!

I don’t think I had previously written about any of that.

Kept all 3 pix, cuz my girls.        Threw away the hideous frame, that I’ve always hated.

Threw away the Allen wrenches.      Ikea has plenty more, right??        Put the other tools in the laundry room, the knife in the kitchen, duh!            Comb went to the bathroom, not that anybody in this house needs it!         But, never know, one of us ladies might get a wild hair, and grow some! 

Pure trash!

This is probably where I need to talk about the one I let get away.        When I was going thru old pix, and cards, etc, I came across a little card.         It was house shaped!! And was a cute cottage, with roses, etc.        I thought, “Awww!    That’s really cute!”   Then cavalierly tossed it aside.       But I can’t remember if I tossed it the #13 file, or back into the keep box.       Later, when I was still struggling to find an icon for the 8 house, it hit me- I had had the perfect icon in my hand!!         ARGH!!           And I haven’t had time, ok, the will to live, to go back and try to find it.       Because if I DID throw it away, I’m gonna beat myself up some more!!         

But what if I DIDN’T throw it away, you ask??         Then, I’ll be thrilled, go back and add it to all the 8 house posts, and STILL beat myself up, cuz I waited sooo long!        So, either way, I’m gonna get a beating, so I’m trying to delay that as long as possible!         Do ya blame me????

 

The 8 house posts:

#1            #2           #3           #4          #5           #6         #7         #8            #9         #10

#11      #12       #13        #14        #15         #16        #17          #18       #19        #20

#21 

Whew! This is my longest series yet!!      And still not done!

 

Strawberry Strolls

Everybody already knows I love PP, right??

Well last week, I proved (once again!)   just how much.

For her birthday party, she requested strawberry cake, with pink icing, and a cherry on top.

So, I duly bought the mixes,    ahem    Who bought the mixes??         To be technical, I did. I just didn’t actually go to the store.       (Oh, what would I ever do without XH, and Sweet Friend??        My whole matrix would collapse!)

Anyway, the ingredients were purchased, by whomever isn’t relevant.

Birthday girl’s request.

and proceeded to bake!       Yes, ME!     Bake!

Not picture perfect, but made with love!!

When she got home from day care, I let her frost them, and put the “Cherries” on top.

Yes, we’re pretending those little dots are cherries!

[No way was I gonna spend all that money on a jar of maraschino cherries, when the kids would just probably spit them out!!     I’m not Pinterest Omie, or anything!]

These are the survivors, from the party, that we had at a park.      So all the clean up required was to throw the trash away!!        No sweeping, mopping, nuttin!!        No decorating either!         Boy, weren’t we smart!           {And broke, but that’s beside the point!}

Now, back to loving her so much.         Did I ever mention I’m allergic to strawberries?? Along with the gluten, and blah, blah, blah??              I made cupcakes, that I couldn’t even eat!!         That’s love, folks!

everything2bloog.pl

 

Rolls’ Roles

I mean teepee rolls, of course!       And the many roles they can play in our lives.

Pig pen:

Unhappily, the rest of the pig didn’t survive the raid of the 2 little Indian girls.

Now I can de-clutter the poor little pig’s head.   OR- I can make hog’s head cheese!    Anybody up for that one??        Of course, it might taste a little rubbery…..

Giraffe hobble:

Now he ain’t going nowhere any time soon!! I’ve got him hobbled good!!

(At least we will pretend so!)

Animal Corral:  

Boy, Goggling "animal corral made from tp roll" sure saved me a lot of time! It brought up this, and the heart Stamper, AND the Doll crowns!!   

This is not exactly what I had in mind, but it’s so cute, I’m going with it!!   Pinterest

Doll crown:

 Pinterest

Bracelet:

Bracelets that might fit PPJr!! LearnCreateLove

Ring for me:

I have very plain taste in jewelry.

Stamper- heart shape on paper:

Not my baby. Why bother going to all the work of making something, when you can just look on Pinterest for an image??

Lazy woman’s way to craft!!

Cord keeper:   Tame Cords

“Keep extension cords, Christmas lights and electronic adapters tidy and tangle-free when there not in use by winding them up and slipping them inside of a toilet paper roll. You can even make a note on the roll to remind you what the wire is for.”

This site will give you a wealth of other uses.      I’m only listing the ones I thought of myself!

 I was hoping for a visual here….        Found one!!        (You can find literally anything you want to on Google, right??)

OurThriftyIdeas.com                        These are even pretty!

Christmas craft angel:

Not mine!!          This is from : LearnCreateLove.com

I had all these grand plans, of staging these pix, with the girls….      But I’m tired!!             And Google and Pinterest just sing their siren calls constantly!!

3 outta 9 ain’t bad!         To mis-quote Meatloaf.

Update: My friend Patience, of Pressing Patience, sent me this:

Thanks, P!

And of course, I HAD to add it!!

 

Past Purdy

Look at this:

Past Purdy spot

Pitiful.   Just how long ago was it, that I posted about my spot ‘o purdy??      

Aha! That’s it!! Perfect!

I know it can’t have been that long ago.        Oh no,  <groan> now I’m going to have to do research.      <shudder>    A word that is so close a cousin to math, that it gives me the heebie jeebies too.

Groan, it was only June 27.      Yes, this year.        Amazing how fast clutter accumulates!

So, once I recognized the problem, (That’s the first step, right Gary??), I determined to restore the spot’s former glory.

• Put garbage bag in the can.    Naturally after taking out the full one.      I even went all out, and took the kitchen trash too- all the way outside to the bin!!
•      Replaced the filter in my Brita, put the rest of the box in the pantry.        (Where hopefully I will remember to look for it, next time I need it!)
•       Filed the blue, and purple polka dotted calendar, along with the bills, and the check!        (How in the world did I end up buying an extra $69 money order for last month’s rent??       Well, you know how me and math don’t get along!!)
•        Put the glitter glue away in the craft cabinet.    I actually have a place for it now!!         Yoo hoo!!!

•        The little pink box in the back is baggies, so kitchen cabinet.     They even have a designated spot, too!      I’m on a roll!!
•        Unpacked the cardboard package, and put stuff away in bathroom.
•        Placed stapler in desk cubby.
•        Stashed the 4 magic towels.        Just don’t ask me where…..
•        Put pink box of new earrings, in donate spot.      And they’re already gone!!
•        Trashed the $1 microfiber towel, since I’m selling Norwex now.       (And then what happens just yesterday??        Barb, from De-cluttering the Stuff, challenged me to do a side by side comparison between a cheap microfiber cloth cleaning job, and a Norwex one!       Herp derp!        NEVER throw anything away!!      No, wait!      Wrong lesson!       Do get rid of anything not useful, or beautiful.       And it only costs a dollar to replace.      And it’s only 1 item I’ve regretted getting rid of, out of about 1 million[??].     So, I think I’m on the good side, there!)

And then, Ta-Da!!

Here we are, back to Purdy!!

Yes, it’s the exact same picture.  But it looks exactly the same, so why waste my time taking an identical pic??

 

Another 8 house post, brought to you by the letter P, and the number eleventy.

 

RIP Recliner

I sat in the recliner, and gave a little, sideways, jerking twitch, to move it over away from the wall.      Which I have done many, many times before.     And to my surprise, the back came half way off!!

Oopsie! That’s a problem!

Thankfully, XH was here, and put it back on, but warned me to be careful.       Of course, I promised I would.

Friday, I was holding PPJr, and rocking her to sleep.     When her lights went out, I leaned to the side, and pulled up the lever, to recline.    

To my horror, and her terror, we both fell backwards, almost to the floor!

(I was too traumatized to take a pic, even later.      I just averted my eyes, from that whole corner, outta respect for the chair’s pain, and pride.)

I jumped up, as fast as I can, holding a 28 lb screaming baby, and came into my room.   I’m so grateful someone gave me this rocker, as a housewarming gift!!

1 solid piece!! No detachable parts!

Finally soothed the baby back to sleep, and put her down in bed.       I climbed in beside her, and nodded off to sleep myself.       We both slept for 2 hours.     I guess it took that long to recover from the trauma!!

And the recliner stayed there, backless.      Gaping wide open, in pain, and humiliated.  

Till Sunday night, when PopPop, (SF) came over.      I begged him to see if he could help it in any way.

Happily, he was able to put the back on again.    

All better!!

  But he warned me that I had bent the supports…..      So, I’m thinking it’s only a matter of time…..

 

Sweeter Sweatin’

The 8 house series:

House’s Home

Wandering Wonderings

De-Clutter, De-claim, De-cline

De-clutter, De-claim, De-cline, De-clusion

Eight Eighths

Sweeter Sweatin’

This is the second hand account of the second time, working in my sweatshop widdle woom.       Where the sweatin’ is always sweeter, when it directly benefits me!!

Now, if I can only cast my mind back, to remember what I did!          (More than 2 weeks have passed, and I’ve worked on other things.      Why don’t I write things in the order I do them???     Because that would be too logical??)

Before Pic, for this go round.

Filing cabinet fiasco.

As Dana, (Nony), says, some clutter is “Procrasticlutter”, delayed decisions.    The 2 black boxes, and the 2 cardboard boxes would be the illustration beside that word, in her dictionary!

The cardboard boxes are full of Verizon equipment, that I’ve been meaning to return.  Since before I left XH.      4 years ago, on July 1st.        So yeah, procrastination, at which I am a pro!        

But, I can’t just get rid of it!      I have to return it!!       Cause they already put it into collections, and its on my credit report, and everything!!        But, its been 4 years, and you haven’t done it yet.        But, I’m gonna!!         Are ya really??           Cuz I call bull hockey!

DD1 put it into perspective for me.        “Mama, you already have the ding on your credit.       Verizon has already written it off.       They don’t want back 5 year old equipment.        Dump it already!”

So I did.        Finally freedom!!      No more nagging sense of “Gotta do it”!!          Whew!   Really did give me some mental relief!!

Whittling it down to size!!

And the 2 black boxes???        They are Dish boxes, from the former owner, of my former trailer.        Yeah, I moved 2 heavy pieces of electronic clutter, that weren’t even mine.

What in the world??

Yep, so I trashed ’em without a single qualm!     Along with the sparkly purple (broken) gift bag, squooshed behind there.

So much empty space!!       Nice!!       Now to take care of the other piddlin junks up there.

The de-tangler spray and bristly brush went on top of the girls’ dresser, within easy reach of PP, for after her bath.      Returned the little white drawers to DD1’s custody.      And so on, and so on.

Ahhhh! Clean, empty space! So much easier to breathe! But, it does look kinda bare…

                                    That looks better!!

 

But, I think it still needs something…..

Aha!    That’s it!!      Perfect!

The glass jar was a birthday gift, from Cindy D.       Hey girl, hey!!

It look so gorgeous now!!      I stare at it, just to enjoy a purdy piece of calm!!

But, it takes vigilance to maintain the clean look!     I want it to stay pretty, and I’m the only one who lives in this room, and yet I’m constantly having to declutter the same little spot!      What’s up with that??        But the effort required to keep it clutter free, is so worthwhile!!

Now, if I only I could do something about this….

This makes me blue!!

I asked Sweet Friend to just cut it off.      He refused.       The nerve!        He said “I don’t know where it goes, and you’re just renting this house, in case you forgot.”

Oh, that makes a difference???         Who knew!  

Maybe I can paint it white????          Try to shove it all the way back up thru the hole in the ceiling??         Cut it off myself???          Try to ignore it???

Sigh.         There’s always something.

Anyway, the sweatin’ was all the sweeter, for the sense of serenity, and the piece of prettiness, that I ended up with.  

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I love my daughter!!          As I was finishing writing this, she came in, and I complained about her daddy not removing it.         She promptly climbed up on a stool, and….

Voila!! Cord be gone!! (Almost)

Blue bugger banished!!

De-Clutter, De-claim, De-cline, De-clusion

Alrightey then.

In De-clutter, De-claim, De-cline, I pretended to work in the sink room.  In D,D,D,De-clusion, I really AM gonna work in there!  Promise!!

The other 8 house posts:

House’s Home !

Wandering Wonderings

De-clutter, De-claim, De-cline

Now we’re in the conclusion of D,D,D- the De-clusion.   (At least I assume it’s the conclusion!     But you know what happens when ya assume!!!)

Alrightey, let’s refresh your memory of the sink room counter:

I know, I know!     The hamper is NOT on the counter!       But, it’s significant, so must be included!

First, I found this hamper, as we were unpacking:

Purple hamper!! Plastic purple hamper.

And I filled it with toys, and toiletries that needed to come to the bath sink room.      You know me, gotta save those steps!       I realized, it would be so much more practical, in the flood sink room, when it rains.       So, that was first on the agenda.

There, much better, drier.       Also, the plastic will not attract bugs, in the same way the woven grass would!

And we already had a pre-existing palmetto bug problem, no need to add fodder to the fire!

Palmetto bug, in its final death throes. I chose not to video it. You’re welcome!

These bugs are huge!!    (Those are 1 inch tiles.    JK!!     But they are huge!!   The bugs, not the tiles.)

As I was moving the woven basket, to replace it, all kinds of roaches scurried out and away.   Yuck!!       Thankfully, DD1 had just walked in, so she was able to help me with La Cucaracha dance!

Good move (ha!) on replacing that hamper, Melinda!!            Thanks!!       Sometimes I DO use my brain well!!

Woven roach motel gone!

So, 1 major space taker, in the donate pile right off the bat!      Yeah!!

Gorgeous purple, woven hamper, I love ya!      But I gotta let ya go.      I love my new, clean, roach-less room better!         Adios!

Toys, and more toys.      Since they haven’t noticed them missing till now, I think I’ll be safe in donating them.       Yay!!        Gonna fill up that rejected hamper!!

Do the girls really need a wardrobe of toothbrush choices?? Apparently, yes.

Sometimes their teeth might not feel like being brushed with a red brush.       They’re sensitive, and need to be pampered!         Teeth have feelings too!!

Oh yes, the classic, “3 band-aids left in the box.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We like to be prepared for any rash emergency. Or are we just too lazy to finish squeezing out all the remainder??

Since “remainder” is a math term, I’ll let you decide!

2 of these things don’t belong…

Since they don’t belong in the sink room, they got banished to the laundry dungeon!

A butter knife?? To cut the medication dose in half, or what??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the donation box basket, with you!!

Yada, yada, yada, more junk.

Look, Ma- drawers!!    

Who needs combs, and brushes in this house??? Oh yeah, the girls…. Don’t worry, I do NOT use that nasty wire brush on them!!

All done!                 

Ahem!! Not by a long shot, are you done!

Okay, since it’s only 1 box, it’s only a short shot, then.

AND!!      You haven’t cleaned yet, either!

Dirty sink. In the sink room. Imagine that.

You’ve read all the same slob blogs I have.       De-cluttering comes first!!        So cleaning comes easier!!

There ya go! All nice and tucked away!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, I’m done done!

So nice and clean!!         Ahem!!         Oh uh, I mean de-cluttered!!        I can’t do it ALL in one day!!        That’s just crazy talk!

The rocks are from PP’s carefully curated collection.      Yes, we meant to leave them there.

Don’t these just say “calm, and serenity now” to you??

(Have I mentioned how much I HATE this black , faux leather, contact paper, that is on every flat surface in this house??       ARGH!!)

Oh yes, yes, “Calm, and serenity now.”

Take a well deserved break, Melinda!       The sink room counter is lovely!       And the black highlights the rough, natural texture of the rocks.

 

ARGH!!!!!

 

Router Ruse

Hide-a-router-in-a-book      

Lol, took ya a minute to even find the router?

This is pure genius!!      I hate my ugly router.  

U to tha G ugly.

I can’t wait to try this one!   But, but…. desecrate a BOOK?????   I’m not sure about that….. BUT, I hate my router!!    So, if a ruse like hiding it in a book works……  Maybe, just maybe I need to try it!   I might like it!

Hmmmm, I don’t have any hardcover books that size.   Shopping trip!    Thrift shop, or Salvation Army here I come!!

So, would this be recycling, up-cycling or re-purposing??  I get so confused!!

 

(Another golden oldie post, that has aged beyond good cheese.  And I totally took care of this problem by cancelling my internet!     Saved $1.25 for a used book!!)

Seven Seconds Sinking

http://simplydesigning.porch.com/7-hours-to-a-decluttered-home/

Poor Ashley Phipps, doesn’t know me, or my home.       I’m thinking she would run away screaming, if she ever stepped foot in mine!

Seven Seconds

Second Seven Seconds

Second Seven Seconds Sequel      

Seven Seconds Scullery 

Seven Seconds Scullery Spices

Seven Seconds Scullery Scape

Seven Seconds Scullery Sunder

Seven Seconds Scullery

Seven Seconds Scullery Spices

Seven Seconds Scullery Scape

Seven Seconds Scullery Sunder

Seven Seconds Scullery Scrape

Seven Seconds Scullery Scaffolding

Seven Seconds Scullery Second Scraping

SS Scullery Scrapings, Scobblelotcher

Seven Seconds Sisters’ Scene

Seven Seconds Scullery Skippy

Seven Seconds Shed

Seven Seconds Shed Seconds

Now we’re here:  The bathroom.

Or, as I’ve called it,  The “Sinking“.

My heart is sinking, just thinking about going in there.      Yes, the new floor is wonderful!  

But that ugly blue shower curtain just grates on my nerves!!    

I really gotta do something about that!       Who has time?   with all this de-cluttering??     

De-cluttering is more important than decorating, right??       Well, it is when you’re in the middle of a series on de-cluttering!

(Update: Yeah!  I finally did something about that blah blue curtain!!    And my shower time is so purplicious now!! )  

Isn’t she so lovely?

  

And then there’s this horror:

(No, not the faulty faucet, the other horror.)

This picture does not do justice to the glaring hideousness of the (60’s? 70’s?) bright avocado green color.      Shudder!      It makes my hands still feel dirty, even after I wash them!     From the green reflection on my skin!

The Sinking!!

But wait!     We’re not here today to bemoan the hideous state of the bath decor!          We’re here to de-clutter!!

Alright, I’m going in.

First, I looked at the counter.

Not a great pic, but it shows what ya need to see.

These can probably go:

junk

Yeah, I know there’s still soap in there, but it’s been here since Christmas.

And without any angst, too!!         Yay!

And the pot went back into the tub, where it belongs.    What???    You don’t keep your toy pots in the tub??

Clutter be gone! Dirt stayed at home.

There!  Much better already!!

Happy Heater can go.    NO!!!      Not out the door, goofball!!       Under the sink!!

Happy Heater’s Hot Home

This needs to stay, tho.    

Necessity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I so wish these 2 would go!    In the trash!!

Useless

So useless!        Do they even make those tiny Dixie cups anymore??       {Wow, this is turning into a photo essay.      Hope y’all enjoy!}

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Ya know what??       While I’m here, I’m gonna clean some too!         Don’t get your hopes up!        Nothing too wild n crazy.       Just swipe a wipee around.

 

I included the trash can, just so you’d have the full experience! You’re welcome!

Might as well do the toilet.       I know, all the germaphobes thank me from the bottom of their hearts!       You’re welcome!        

But I had already put the wipes back on the shelf.      [facepalm]

Back in closet. So efficient, returning it to where it belongs!!

Except when it’s not, because I have to immediately get it back out again!

Leave it to me, to make more work for myself!            

 

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Disaster!    

While I was wiping the seat, after the handle, or was that backwards???      Anyway, the wipee fell into the bowl!      Oh no!!        No pix, just grabbed it up real quick before it completely soaked up all the water!       Thankfully the trash can was right there!

Whew, a deep breath to recover from that trauma.

So, that was the end of the toilet cleaning.     I had already swish-and-swiped the bowl the day before.

I’m coming up on 600 words here, so gonna cut it off here.

More tomorrow!

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House Time Before: 12 hrs 28 min.

Today’s Tub Time: 15 min.

Total House Time Now: 12 hrs 43 min.