Ashes to Ashes

O.k. so most of us don't think about death, but the sad fact is that our traditional burials actually pollute the earth with toxic chemicals. Opting for cremation isn't the answer either because of the high level of energy expended.

This article, Meeting the Green Reaper, gives discussion of options that are kinder to the earth and help protect future generations from toxic chemical exposure. Eco-friendly options are also easier on your survivors' wallets by reducing the immediate costs of your passing. Given that the loss of your income will be bad enough for your family, it makes sense to let them know that expensive caskets won't help once you're gone. They will also appreciate being able to deflect die hard traditionalist with the defense that they are following your instructions.

So if you want to perform one last act of kindness for your loved ones and everyone else's, opt for eco-friendly. Telling your loved ones now what you want also relieves them later of the burden of planning when all they want to do is grieve. Finding out what your relatives are comfortable with and what the laws in your area require will also assure that your death is handled well.

A full kitchen in a tiny footprint of space

I discovered a cool new design-related site today, Decodir. While they don't cover my area of interest often, when they do it's something very interesting indeed!

Check out their discussion of the Circle Kitchen for Small Kitchen Space from Compact Concepts or Lazy Susan Kitchen.

The designer's site is Das drehbare Rundküchen Konzept die clevere Büroküche

Folding chairs as wall art

Oddly enough I saw this option at a hospital! While my husband was recovering from his heart by-pass surgery I spent a lot of time in his hospital room. If you haven't been in one of late, let me tell you there is never enough room for everything that gets crammed into it. There's the bed, all the electronics and support equipment (including a computer for linking to the hospital wide records system), a day bed for the relatives to crash on, a arm chair for the patient, a bed table for the patient's water and meals, and miscellaneous other necessities. So there isn't much space for extras, like seating for yet more visitors. Their solution was to have nice looking folding chairs which they simply hung on the wall.

The chairs stay out of the way of the nurses, aids and primary visitors but it's easy to grab them if more visitors suddenly need to be accommodated.

I could see this working in an apartment as long as you got the nicest looking folding chairs available. Or you could even make colorful fabric frames to cover each one. That way you have color on your walls and get your extra chairs out of the way.

Are there really green electronic gadgets?

Burning Question: Is There Really a Green Gadget? Well yes, and manufacturers are working to get more toxins out. Check out Epeat, a site that offers "a system that helps purchasers evaluate, compare and select electronic products based on their environmental attributes."

So look closely at those cell phones, digital cameras, computers, DVD players, etc.

What's better for the climate, tofu or meat?

Here's an interesting article, How Green Is Tofu? Basically it depends on what you are eating now. If you are mainly eating chicken, switching to tofu may not save that much energy. Getting more of your food from local sources would have a bigger impact because it reduces the energy used for transportation. Given that 'local' food is often fresher, riper, and potentially less exposed to pesticides and preservatives doesn't hurt either.

Are they really green?

Confused by all the recommendations and claims? Want to do the right thing but wondering if living green is like diets where what's bad for you yesterday is the wonder food of today? Check out this great article about how to judge products, also check out their recommended web sites that can provide more detailed information about specific products.How can you tell if it’s really ‘green’? Everything seems to be marketed with an eco-spin, but is it really?

Portable Solar-Powered Office

This mobile solar-powered office in a retro suitcase just looks cool to me. As Dornob says in their review there might not be too many people in the market for one of these beauties, but if you need an instant office/entertainment center in a remote location with a coffee maker option, this would be a good looking option. Just grab and go!

That said, The Alternative Consumer says this is actually an over the top creation by Louis Vuitton for a Chinese mega-millionaire. So you can't really say it's eco-friendly although it's powered by solar energy.

The trunk was fitted with two solar panels that provide energy for the flat-screen TV, DVD player, two-way radio, tuner and coffee machine. It's covered with Damier canvas and it has a retro style.

Now if someone would do a cheaper knockoff made with green sustainable materials, then workers and others headed for the hinterlands could take their entertainment with them.

Cities more eco-friendly than assumed

I'm reading a fascinating book, Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less are the Keys to Sustainability by David Owen. The premise is that large city living, particularly New York, is actually the most green lifestyle available today. He argues that Americans fleeing to the suburbs and rural areas increase their waste and carbon footprint.

I recommend you give this book a read, it will change your ideas about how to help our world. If you were thinking you couldn't enjoy urban living then get this book!

Crisis is over

My husband's heart by-pass surgery went very well. He was lucky in that they were able to utilize robotic-assisted surgery. That meant they did not need to pry him open as far, which in turn has meant his healing process, especially for his ribs, has been much shorter. In addition, he's been a model patient and has done all his exercises. He's been religious about doing all the walking required.

We've been fortunate in that they found the blockages before he had an actual heart attack. He's now cleared to drive and lift heavier items (important for shopping and chores).

Which is good because I was injured at my work site and I'm wearing a full leg brace. Until I see the orthopedic surgeon I won't know what problems have come from that. I'm hopeful at the moment. But my spouse has to drive me to work and other chores that are difficult without two good legs. Especially since it occurred so close to the holiday. But Thanksgiving has come and gone along with the relatives, so I can finally get back to what I enjoy doing, and that's discovering ways to make my home and maybe yours better.

Medical crisis in the family

I haven't posted for awhile because my spouse needs to have heart bypass surgery. Needless to say I'm rather distracted from my usual interests. Once the surgery and initial recovery is over I'll be back. Until then stay healthy.

Book: Space for Living

Well the relatives have left and I'm getting back to my old habits, like posting to this blog.

Here's a book I'm perusing today:

Space for Living: How to Create Multifunctional Rooms for Today's Homes.
by Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell. Clarkson Potter Publishers, 1999. ISBN: 0-609-89899-x. It's books like this that can make you realize how much more you could do with your home.

Unhealthly furniture

I really don't like to read that even my furniture could be bad for me. Fortunately most of our upholstered furniture is new enough that harmful vapors probably are not an issue. But maybe I'll dust more.

Good advice if somewhat unwelcome. Protecting Yourself from Your Furniture

Under-Stair Storage Space

Pictures can really help you visualize an idea, so take a look at this post by Dornob, 10 Clever Under-Stair Storage Space Ideas & Solutions. Stairs can be real space hogs, but done right they can become a valuable storage area.

Myplace Laptop Table Notebook Workstation

I bought one of these back awhile ago and I have to say I like it. The Myplace Laptop Table Notebook Workstation is a pretty handy little lap table that you can use in bed or elsewhere. It folds flat (one of my requirements), has legs that can fold down for two different heights, which I've not seen on any other lap table. And it's actually wide enough that you don't have to be model thin to use it! There are two separate surfaces that can be tilted up or down as needed. The smaller one on the right has a built-in mouse pad. Over on the left side there's a small LED light that's flexible so it can be moved to where you want it (however you will not get lots of light from it). The larger surface has a lip on the bottom edge so that books (or netbooks) won't slide off.

It's an "As seen on television" advertised product so there are multiple places to buy them. Finally,, and most importantly it stores easily under a bed, chair, or in any other cubbyhole.

If you like working in bed, on the couch, or you're wanting to sit in a particular large comfy chair this is one solution. For me it means being in the same room as my spouse and thus a bit more sociable.

Slick space-saving desk design

I may have mentioned this before but I really like the Dornop site. They cover the design world and post blogs daily with lots of images to illustrate their points. Not everything they cover is related to my area of interest but one post that caught my eye is the Space-Saving Furniture: Home Office Desk & Storage Idea

Going paperless

The paperless office was a much predicted and totally unrealized forecast in the early days of digital. Ironically it appears that computers have resulted in offices (both work and home) having even MORE paper. But as individuals we can cut our paper usage and storage down. Several sites offer solid advice for accomplishing this. The first, and one of my favorite sites on the web, is Lifehacker, and their article, The Complete Guide to Going Paperless is spot on with great advice. I found one user's comments about electronic notary intriguing, I will have to read up on that one later. But as you can tell from other users' comments everyone has a different comfort level that has to be met.

I'm betting you can probably find some files, articles, clippings, etc. that could be scanned and utilized better if they were in electronic form. I challenge you to pick one you think would be more convenient if only it were digital and give scanning and storing it on your computer a serious try.

Mine is going to be all those dratted insurance claims sent to me by my health insurance. They often have multiple appointments, patients, and doctors listed making it impossible to sort properly. They end up in one file folder and stay there. I don't need to save the paper copies but do need to check dates, which doctor, and what's owed occasionally. I could create a word or excel list of the claims, list the basic information (date, doctor, what it was for, and for whom) and insert a link to the related electronic copy. That would not save trees but would free up some file cabinet space.

Even better I could check with my insurance company to see if they could email my claim receipts so that I wouldn't need to scan them myself. That would save trees and time.

Note: I since checked my insurance company's web site and they don't appear to offer electronic delivery by email. I can access my records (in a different form and layout) online but only back about a year or so. Which is probably all one needs. But I think I will call them and suggest this as an option. They'd even save postage, and what company doesn't want to save money?

Other related articles and sites:

• Seven Strategies for Going Paperless - check out the rest of their blog, A Small Notebook for a Small Home. It focuses on simplifying one's life and home and has some great ideas.


• Six tips for going paperless

And naturally there is a possible downside to going paperless, see this interesting article at Going Green: Going paperless has its costs

Lingerie laundry wash bags stop sock loss

Since I was talking about dresser drawer organizing in my last post it seems natural to bring up the use of lingerie and sweater wash bags when doing laundry. I've ended up collecting a few lingerie wash bags (see illustrations below) to protect my delicates when doing my laundry. These mesh bags have protected zippers that protect items while in the washing machine. Somewhere along the way it dawned on me that I could fill the sweater bag version (large bag) with socks and guarantee none of them would go missing.

So now my socks don't get inside pant legs or other strange places and they definitely don't get eaten by the washing machine. I still have socks go missing occasionally but it's pretty rare. This means less shopping, and since some of my socks are hand knitted less anguish. I must not be the only one to do this since Tide sells their own sock wash bag. There's plenty of wash bags available both online and at your local store.

Drawer organizers for clothes

In the fit of organizing that I mentioned in my last post, I also attacked my dresser drawers. I used a few of those spring-loaded drawer dividers (but higher ones) along with some sock & lingerie organizers. Everything has it's place, and in the case of socks they are even organized by color.

Some of you might think that's just too much trouble, but the better organized your dresser drawers are the less time you spend getting ready in the morning. I'd rather spend time folding and rolling in the evening or on the weekend then digging frantically in the morning while trying to get to work on time. For me it's worked out great, I pick out my clothes and then grab socks and what not to match. Because everything is organized ahead of time it takes only seconds to grab what I need. Which is good because I'm not a morning person and the less alert I have to be the better things work out.

An added bonus is when I'm folding and rolling after doing my laundry I can identify immediately which socks are missing mates and can put them aside so that I'm not dealing with them on work day mornings.

I ended up getting several of the sock boxes shown below, they work well and they ship flat which means less packaging. There are other options but these accommodated the various thicknesses of my socks. These and similar products are probably available locally (look for the area where they sell clothes hampers) or via some of the online stores I mentioned in my previous post.

Drawer organizers for the kitchen

In one of my fits of organizing fever I bought some drawer dividers for our kitchen drawers. They've turned out pretty well since it's easier to find things. Mine are simple separators and they fit well because they are adjustable depending on the size of your drawers. Which is good because I don't think ours are a standard size.

Mine are these spring-loaded Dream Drawer 2 Drawer Dividers, avaialble from Organize.com, Bed Bath and Beyond, Amazon, and others. I've found them in different heights and lengths, they're are easy to move, and you can take them with you if you move.

This site (one I'm a little too fond of) also offers a wide selection of what I call "drop-ins" because they are self-contained units that you can insert 'as is' into your drawers. They are expandable so they encompass more of the drawer space available.

Amazon has a variety including wooden ones such as this Axis Expandable Kitchen Drawer Divider.

Today I discovered this site, which has some pretty elaborate drawer organizers. My only criticism is that some of the products are permanent, which doesn't allow for changes either by you or by new owners if you ever sell your home. You also can't take them with you when you move, Lifestyle Systems: E-Z-Organizers.

Another site, and one I've ordered from myself, is Stacks and Stacks. They have a nice selection of drawer organizers for kitchen, office, and bedroom. You can spend a lot of money here so watch yourself!

Be sure to measure your drawers first before shopping online or in your local stores.

Cash for Clunkers

The Sierra Club has launched an online guide to help people interested in taking advantage of the "Cash for Clunkers Program." Or I should say CARS.gov, Car Allowance Rebate System, which is the official name. But 'Cash for Clunkers' sounds so much better doesn't it?

This sounds like a win-win, get old gas guzzlers off the roads by giving people a rebate so they can afford to buy a new, more fuel efficient vehicle. And to my surprise the old vehicles will be crushed and recycled, not resold. You get the rebate, as much as $4500, and if you're clever you'll also negotiate with your dealer for the scrap value of your old car.

Check out Sierra Club's recommendations for that new car. They'll show you how much you'll save each year on fuel.

Picture Frame Folding Table

I like this site a lot, Treehugger.com. They sometimes run articles that really hit my 'cool meter,' like this table that folds down from a picture frame

Additional links:
http://www.ivydesign.at/picture_table.html

DOD setting its sights on cleantech

It is a fact, whether you like it or not, that the needs of war aids innovation. If you can get the military interested in your product (and not have them classify it) it can help fund your innovation enough to take it to the commercial market.

That's why I find this article interesting, "Can the Military Find the Answer to Alternative Energy?

The fashion world encounters green living

Living green or at least starting to (in my case) can result in some interesting reading. Although not a few people/industries could learn a lot from my mother's waste not, want not philosophy in life.

Zero Waste—The Newest Eco-Fashion Innovation?

I had always assumed that waste fabric from the fashion industry was used for embellishments and matching accessories. Or at least sold to others who would turn the odd cuts into more products. Huh! So much for my fantasy of little cottage industries feeding off the larger companies.

Mysterious, Glowing Clouds Appear Across America’s Night Skies

Wired magazine has run an article about how our sky is changing, possible due to global warming.

This really catches my attention, "fundamentally new phenomenon in the temperate mid-latitude sky." The picture of the Eiffel Tower is of fireworks, except you can also see Noctilucent clouds lit up in the background. These appear after sunset and before sunrise and can be seen at twilight and early night.

Addtional links (check out the photos):
Noctilucent cloud, Wikipedia

Noctilucent Cloud Sighting, YouTube

EarthMatters: Noctilucent Clouds, watch the video.

Noctilucent Clouds, Night Sky Observer

Green burials

The things you learn online! The green movement has even moved into the death business by greening up burial (or cremation).

I had no idea how bad for the environment a persons death and internment could be. Check out how they are turning a negative into a positive.

Shipping boxes turned into homes

I've seen some pretty cool designs for turning those big shipping containers (picture ocean going ships laden with them) into summer homes or even mini-homes. But this is the first I've noticed for taking several and making a normal sized and normal looking home. This would certainly appeal to main stream America.

I won't dwell much on the fact that we import so much and export so little that these shipping containers get stuck in this country.

Anyway, check out this article. Be sure to click to see the finished house, the video and the other photos. No one would ever guess it had been made from four shipping containers. It's also interesting to note that it takes half the time to build as a comparable home.

Energy efficient home

I don't know how many of you read CNET but they have highlighted a few things lately that really perked my interest. One of which is this super energy efficient home.

Photos: Modeling the uberefficient house

Follow the link from the above site to view the construction of an Earthship. Earthship homes are self-sustaining and completely off-the-grid.

Book: Virtuous Consumer

Book I like:
-The Virtuous Consumer: Your Essential Shopping Guide for a Better, Kinder, Healthier World by Leslie Garrett

I love Soy Candles

I really love soy candles! I've always liked candles in theory but my allergies haven't. Soy candles have been much gentler on me than the traditional ones made from paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is made from oil by-products and often includes stearin mixed in.

So why use soy candles? Regular candles can give off small quantities of toxic fumes and chemicals, some of which are carcinogenic. Soy candles burn cleaner and will usually give off fewer fumes (but note when shopping what scents and additives have been added to your soy candles). Soy candles are also natural and biodegradable. They burn cleaner leaving less soot and ash residue in your home. Soy is a renewable energy resource that is part of our sustainable agriculture. Finally and maybe the best part is that it reduces our need for oil (with all its economic and international complications).

The only downside to soy candles is that they cost more than traditional candles. However, they also burn 30-50% longer, which nicely off-sets the cost. But shop around, I've been able to find candles cheaper locally than those offered by places like Amazon. Although Amazon does have soy tea lights which I haven't seen elsewhere.
25 Soy Tealights

Official Soy Candle web site - I thought the name was a bit over the top given how many individuals and companies are making soy candles. Turns out that it is the Iowa Soybean Association and a number of manufacturers. The most useful part of the site is the map to find who sells soy products. Just click on your state and scroll down the list. The site is designed a bit funny but the info is good.

SoyCandles.com - News about the 'industry' and provides information not only on the products available but how to make your own.

For a history of candles see Wikipedia.

See Wikipedias take on Soy candles.

Ripping music to save space

If you haven't ripped all your music CDs by now you should. Do a search on 'saving space by ripping music' and you will get lots of links about saving space on your PC. But ripping music can save what I call "premium space". Premium space is the living space located at and adjacent to the best locations in your home. It's ground zero of where you do most of your activities or relaxing, which includes the space around your entertainment system or your computer desk. You can maximize this space by ripping all your CDs to your PC, thereby getting rid of all the CD towers or stacks of CD boxes. It also makes your music mobile, easy to access and to play. I don't know about you, but anything I can get off my computer desk is a relief.

Unfortunately, because of copyright laws, I can't recommend throwing your original CDs away, but you can take all of them out of their jewel cases and file them in a more compact storage case. I ended up putting my CDs and their liners in 3-ring binders and stashing them in a far corner of my study. I have them if I ever want to rerecord the music or prove I have 'fair use' rights, but they aren't taking up prime space.

As for empty jewel boxes, check with your local library to see if they can use your empty jewel boxes. Mine will take some and they use them to repair CD cases that get returned broken by library patrons. Every little bit of reuse helps, particularly with jewel cases, which may not be recyclable where you are.

This site has two ideas on recycling old jewel boxes. Another person says the only practical reuse is as picture frames.

Other sites have suggested that you offer the boxes to non-profits who may be able to sell them.

Micro Homes

The m-ch Micro Compact Home I pointed out in my last post isn't the only micro home out there. Given that the housing trend has been to ever larger homes I find the micro homes surprising. But there are a number of factors that are leading people to consider micro homes. First is the economic slump, people simply can't afford McMansions at this time. A second is the need for energy conservation both because of global warming and for personal cost savings. Third, the homes themselves cost less to purchase and site, lot sizes can also be smaller, and since many are prefabs they take far less time to become move in ready. Fourth, micro homes cost less to maintain and have less to clean. Fifth, many of them are built with sustainable materials and have a 'light' footprint on the environment.

They are obviously not for everyone, families with children, those with lots of personal possessions, who like to entertain large groups, or those who have hobbies that require a lot of work space would not enjoy living in a micro home.

-Tumbleweed House Company
-Micro Homes
-Top 5 Tiniest Prefab Homes
-Why Live In A Micro Home?
-Americans Seen Living Large in 'Micro Homes'
-Small Sells: Homes on Micro-lots Prove that Size Doesn't Matter

Micro compact home

There's small, and then there's SMALL! The m-ch Micro Compact Home is a compact cube that's designed to have zero wasted space. It reminds me a bit of a ship or a camper, where everything has it's place and nothing is left loose. Admittedly it is designed for "short stay living for students, business people, sports and leisure use and for weekenders."

See the company web site above or this article for more details about this micro home,
Deconstructions: Micro Compact Home: A little metal cube takes an energy-efficient approach to Lilliputian living.

Small-space Solutions from This Old House magazine

There is a magazine I like called, This Old House. But don't let the word 'old' stop you. This magazine has new ideas for both older homes and for those not yet built!

The online articles are usually a series of 'slides' for you to scroll through. Here's a few samples:

Little Big Ideas - has some basic but classic ideas for making the most of your home.

14 Kitchen and Bath Space Savers - ideas for maximizing space.

Entertaining in Small Spaces - is a review of party friendly products that have maximum impact for minimal storage. Number three is the folding kitchen island/cart I've had my eye on for my own kitchen. Number five can serve has a hall table until a dining table and four chairs are needed for guests.

This Old Studio Apartment - check out what this person did with only 450 sq. ft.! Never say your place is too small again.

In the May 2009 print edition of This Old House (sorry this article isn't available online), Keith Pandolfi lists 9 tips for saving space, including;

• Painting the crown molding to match the ceiling paint in order to widen a narrow room


• Placing "large mirrors facing each other to create the illusion of more space."


• Maximize square footage and natural light by adding bay windows.


• "Use tall furniture and built-ins to draw the eye upward."


• His ninth suggestions is that you incorporate a spiral staircase, but in other article and books I've seen people add storage or shelving under the staircase. One such book showed how they built drawers under the treads, a large cascading chest of drawers if you like. You could do both and really maximize a small space.

Living Green Magazine

Living Green magazine is an online magazine that focuses, unsurprisingly, on green living. If you want to learn more about green living, eco-friendly products, and sustainable solutions for all levels of commitment, then this is the magazine for you. The fact that it is free, online, and has articles to meet every level of interest doesn't hurt at all.

You can subscribe via email so that you don't ever miss an issue. Best of all you won't have old magazines cluttering up your house or requiring recycling when you are done reading!

Gardening and global warming

If articles like this don't convince you that global warming is real, Climate Change Already Affecting America: Government Study, then the fact that our most standard tool for determining if a plant can survive winters in an area ought to.

According to this article Warming Shifts Gardeners' Maps, the hardiness zone maps that gardeners use to determine what will grow in their area has changed since it was last published 18 years ago. This is an example of climate change that affects me personally every time I choose a plant for my location. I can't think of a plainer, more practical, no nonsense way to show the changes in our environment. When plants that never use to be able to survive the winters in your area now can, how can you deny that our climate is warming?

Be sure to move the tab under the map in order to compare the changes.

For those of you who are gardeners you may want to also refer to the American Horticulture Society's Heat Zone Map. Rather than based on winter hardiness it is a guide to heat tolerance. For even more accurate results try their interactive heat zone map based on Zip Codes.

Greenpods - modular homes

There's many choices these days for energy-saving sustainably built homes. One of the new choices is the Greenpod.

Greenpods are compact, custom-built, modular homes that are designed for energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality, and sustainability. Their vision statement says they choose their materials carefully to maximize "indoor air quality, durability, and environmental responsibility." I like that they emphasize indoor air quality because anything that improves air quality usually helps reduce my allergies.

Their designs utilize movable walls, multi-purpose furnishings, lighting (such as solar tubes), and passive solar for reduced heating costs that creates spacious looking living spaces while also reducing the home's environmental impact. Each pod also uses low flow plumbing. Additional green-living options include gray water recycling, rain water storage, roof gardens, or living roofs.
You can also use 'Diamond Pin foundations" with their Greenpods, which they claim further reduces the ecological footprint of their homes. This article explains why this is a better method for green building.

Their pictures of the Greenpods' interiors certainly look very spacious but their samples floor plans don't provide measurements. I did find on their web site that their pods are 14' or 15' wide, with the standard pod measuring 14' by 48'.

Victory garden comeback

One of the peculiar trends this year is an increase in home gardens. An AARP article, Victory Gardens Are Growing Anew, describes several reasons for the phenomenon.

Some seem to be doing it to save money, admittedly a big concern during this economic downturn. Given the money I spend each year on my garden that seems unrealistic but maybe I'm just not frugal enough. However, because of global warming, the less distance your food has to travel the less energy is wasted. Straight from your back yard doesn't get any closer.

Some new gardeners seem to be coming into it because of concerns over the purity and safety of food after so many food safety alerts and recalls. A few seem to be view gardening as a form of exercise. Others, because of the rising cost of gasoline, see gardening as a cheaper way to relax than travel.

The article claims that gardening is a "45- to 70-year-old prime-time activity." Given how large a portion of the population is now in that age range it would explain the spike in gardeners. In addition, having our first lady, Michelle Obama, drawing attention to gardening by planting a vegetable garden at the White House probably didn't hurt.

For me it's one of the few outdoor activities I enjoy and the taste of home grown food can't be beat. Many of the fruits and vegetables you find in grocery stores have been picked while still green so that they ship well.

Not ready to test your green thumb but still want fresh food? Not to worry! Just find your local farmer's market and you can still enjoy fruits and vegetables that taste great. Plus you won't have to find a place to store garden tools and supplies.

Recession grows interest in seeds, vegetable gardening - from USA Today

How to Grow a Recession Garden - from The Gardener's Rake

Twenty Dollar Recession Garden challenge from The Gardener's Rake.
I could learn some things about gardening more frugally from Denise.

Recession Proof Gardening from This Garden is Illegal

Popup Colander - easy on your storage space

I love colanders but I don't love the space they take. So I've been eyeballing some of those silicone pop-up colanders as a solution. This collapsible colander has a handle and would be easy to use with pasta. But this one is interesting in that it has legs and could sit in the sink but still be elevated enough for draining or rinsing food. That would allow for hands free use and still be sanitary.

Greener Gadgets Competition 2009

I love finding sites like this! The Greener Gadgets Design Competition is part of an annual conference focused on developing electronics that are environmentally sustainable. There's some pretty funky concepts showcased each year.

PCWorld has a slide show about the competition that you may find easier to explore.

Folding kitchen cart

I've had my eye on a folding kitchen cart for awhile but I've been wondering how good it is and how well it would work in my galley kitchen. Has anyone who has bought one have comments about their experience with it?

Here's my favorite so far - Folding Kitchen Island and a review by someone whose has one.

Here are links to some others;

Oasis Folding Kitchen Carts - several variations available

Winsome Wood Foldable Kitchen Cart with Knife Block, Light Oak

Kitchen Island Company has several varieties available

Book Review: Collapsibles

Collapsibles: A Design Album of Space-Saving Objects by Per Mollerup,
Thames & Hudson, 2001, ISBN 0-500-28309-5

TOC:
Introduction, 1. Fold it, 2. Mechanics, 3. Furniture, Sources

This book was written to serve as inspiration to designers as well presenting an overview of man's early and current collapsible products. Man has been creating collapsible products, tools, and furniture for centuries. They include paper light shades, telescopes, tents, fire truck ladders, and umbrellas. Collapsibles can be in all kinds of configurations including stress (stretching), telescoping, creasing, folding, rolling, nesting (stacking), fanning, or inflating (and a few others).

It's an interesting book with plenty of illustrations and you will see a lot of old standbys that you use all the time but don't think about. Saving space is certainly not a new idea, in fact it's looking like it has been around since man started making tools.

Washup - washer/toilet combo

Washup - washer/toilet combo was a notable entry at the 2008 Greener Gadgets Design Competition


Most of us would not look at this concept twice, but if you are really looking to save space and live greener this design bears thinking about. Having the washer hang above the toilet saves floor space, and using the dirty wash water to flush the toilet saves water.

One site noted that this would not be advisable if you have pets who persist in sneaking drinks from the toilet.

Wee House

Johnson Creek weeHouse Prefab Home - simply gorgeous! The wee House is a prefab home located in Honesdale, Pennsylvania and was designed by Alchemy Architects. But at 2,200 sq. ft. its larger than my house!

Check out Alchemy Architects blog about their weeHouse.

I love how much light there is in the main living area!

Desk organizer that clamps on your desk

Twinray makes a organizer called the 'Organize-Up' that can clamp to the edge of your desk or table. I have three, one in my home office, one at work, and one in my craft room. You can use the included base support if the Organize-Up can't be clamped to your work surface.

What I like about it is that it frees up space on my desk, keeps my pens handy, corrals some of the smaller items, and gets my drink off the surface of my desk. I don't have to worry about accidentally pushing my drink over when moving paper around or having it leave a ring on the wood. The cup/glass holder even has a indention in the bottom to collect any drips or condensation. The model I use (Arts & Crafts in purple) has a built in tape dispenser as well.

The fact that purple is my favorite color might have helped convince me to get one but they've more than paid for themselves. When I looked last week only their home site sold the units. I bought mine from one of the catalogs I get regularly, unfortunately I can't remember which one.

For even more organizational joy get a tube of restickable glue and stick small pads of PostIt Notes on the pencil holder. The pads have to be small and not too heavy, restickable glue has it's limits.

I'm back!

I've not posted for a bit because I and mine have been fighting something intestinal. But all of us are recuperating and so my posts will resume their usual frequency. Hope none of you get this one!

The Hobbit House!

At least that's what a co-worker called it. The Earthbag House Plans blog shows a multitude of house plans . Earthbags are also called sandbags and can be stacked in an infinite number of shapes. See these companion sites for more information about this unique building structure as well as others.

Earthbag Building
Earthbag Building Blog
Green Home Building
Dream Green Homes Plans - for additional alternative home plans.

June's quote of the Month

"Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful." Regina Brett, columnist for the Plain Dealer.

I'd add that it should also be either compact or multifunctional.

Netbooks, entry 7, What Software to Use?

My Acer One came with MS Works, but it has self-promotional advertising that uses up some of the valuable screen space. To get rid of the advertising you have to pay extra. The Acer also came with a 6o day trail of MS Office. I uninstalled both and downloaded OpenOffice instead. For what I want to do OpenOffice is just as good and it's free.

I also installed Mozilla Firefox, which is a safer and more efficient browser (at least according to my local sources). The Acer came with Outlook Express, but if your email is strictly Internet-based (Yahoo!, Gmail, Hotmail, and the like) you won't need it. But if you want to upload and download your email via pop3/smtp then you will want to use OE. Especially if you would like to be able to compose or read downloaded emails when you are out of wireless range. Or you could download some other email client program.

The Acer comes with a program called e-Sobi v 2, which claims to combine three Internet tools; search, news reader, and an Info Library. e-Sobi is not a product I'm familiar with so you'll have to read their site or others to determine how useful it could be to you.

Windows Messenger also comes loaded but I’m a fan of Google Talk so that‘s what I replaced it with.

The Acer also comes with Windows Media Player. Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Reader 9, and McAfee security (which I prefer over Norton anyway). Some of the usual games and accessories that come with Windows XP are on the netbook, such as calculator, solitaire, notepad, fax, remote access, and others. You can also get a netbook running Linix instead and people have tested Mac OS X on netbooks.

Keep in mind that the netbook is an Internet tool and it's main purpose is to enable you to connect to the Internet and utilize Internet-based services. Your tools and your storage should be on the net. One such service is Carbonite, a online backup service, a 30 day trial comes with the Acer. My first experience with it, to do my initial backup, was easy to complete.

Related links:

• 10 Ways to Trick Out Your Netbook


• Cloud Computing - Get Used to the Term


• E-mail Client


• Email Software: Email Clients and Email Related Software


• Esobi - from Wikipedia


• eSobi, your Personal Global News Center Chosen by Acer on all Windows-Based PCs


• Recommended software for netbooks - from forum at NetbookReview.com

Netbooks, entry 6 - Not for Gaming

If you want to play high graphic games then this is not the computer for you. Although there are gamers who’ve tried and some have posted what their results have been. Given the small screen, touchpad, and mouse toggle you’d need a add at least a better mouse for serious gaming. But to me adding accessories defeats the purpose of carrying a netbook. If you can’t travel from home without your favorite high-graphics game then check to see what other players are saying about playing your game on the various netbooks. You may want to go with a regular laptop instead.

Related links:

• 12 great games that run on a Windows netbook
• Acer Aspire One Games List - for those running Linux
• Acer Aspire One User Forum
• Games that work on a netbook
• [H]ard[F]orum - forum comments about what games they've tried on their Acer Aspire One netbooks
• Netbook Games List - for an Acer Aspire One
• NotebookReview.com - "Any older games that would work on my Acer Aspire One?"
• Steam - source for downloading games.

See my comments about software in my next post.

Netbooks, entry 5 - Why You Shouldn't get a Netbook

There are some cons to consider before getting a netbook. If you have large hands the netbook keyboard may drive you nuts. I’ve been typing my netbook entries while my spouse has been driving and the vehicle’s vibration combined with a touchy touch pad has resulted in the cursor hopping around unexpectedly. I’ve also found I need do something about the glare. Having bad eyes and a small screen is already enough of a handicap, any glare makes it so much worse.

If the only reason you are looking at a netbook is the price and you need a full-sized computer, then you should NOT get a netbook because you will be very disappointed. If you just want to write simple documents, read and receive email, search the Internet, post blogs, etc., then this is the right choice.

Netbooks are not powerful computers and are without many of the features that we have become accustomed to. There are no CD/DVD drives so you won't be watching movies on the plane (unless you preload the movie onto the hard drive), plus the amount of memory, the size of the hard drive, the quality of the sound and graphics are not going to be as fully featured as a normal laptop.

Related links:

• Are Notebooks a Growing Trend or a Passing Fad


• Five Reasons Not to Get a Netbook


• Three Reasons Why Netbooks Just Aren't Good Enough
  


• Will Netbook Fad End When Economy Revives?
  

See my next post for comments about gaming on a netbook.

Netbooks entry 4 - Internet Access

You can get mobile access to the Internet via cellular coverage but that coverage comes at a price. I've seen talk of plans that run $60 a month. If you have to have access 24/7 then it may very well be worth it to you. If so, you may want to sign up for a plan that includes a netbook at a deep discount (or even free).

But for those who are looking for a small form factor, don’t need to be on the Internet 24/7, and are frugal, free wireless could be enough.

Related links:

• AT&T and Verizon Wireless Bet on Netbooks



• AT&T's wireless netbooks come with strings



• McDonalds' Resturant locator (next to last column of search results indicates whether WiFi is available).



• The Next Netbook Trend: Cellphone-Like Contract Deals



• RadioShack sells $99 Netbook with 2-year AT&T contract



• Verizon Netbook to hit stores this weekend



• Vodafone and Dell in $0 netbook broadband deal: cool



• Wi-Fi-FreeSpot™ Directory - find free WiFi hotspots. (Note: many McDonands, Safeways, and public libraries also provide free WiFi)

See further comments in my next post.

Netbooks, entry 3 - Why Get a Netbook?

The netbook fits in that area between a fancy cell phone or PDA (such as a Palm), and a full laptop.

Netbooks are pared down laptops that are extremely small, very light, extremely energy efficient, Internet-focused, and are usually used without a bunch of peripherals. Just a power cord (and maybe a mini surge protector) and you’re off. It’s great for writing blog entries (such as this one), reading your email, and surfing the web.

If I want to sit in my car during lunch and write blog entries or do a little personal research I can. When I’m done I can just drop the Acer in my tote bag or brief case. Since I’m planning to take a train trip across country, visit with my with family for a week and then ride the train back via another route I’d like to have some computer access but don’t need a fully loaded (and cumbersome) laptop. Since the netbook is really an Internet appliance it only comes into it’s own when you use a lot of Internet-based services, or programs that are normally downloaded from the Internet rather than from CDs.

Related links:

• 5 Reasons to Get a Low Cost Netbook in the Market Today


• 5 Reasons Why Netbooks Succeeded When UMPCs and Tablet PCs Failed


• I’ll Just Buy a Netbook: Why Netbooks 2.0 will do More than Cannibalize


• Picture Proof: Why Netbooks Rock [to some]


• Why Netbooks, Why Now?

See further comments in my next post.

Netbooks, entry 2

I just bought an Acer Aspire One netbook from Costco and I have to say that I like it. You just have to remember what it is and isn’t configured to do. At home I have a true indulgence, an Alienware laptop, but Alienware computers are for gaming and while they handle everything media related very, very well, they are heavier and bigger than your average laptop. Since I’m planning a couple of long trips this year (and I’m addicted to my computer) it made sense to look into a netbook.

Related links:

• Acer Aspire One AOD150-1577 10.1-Inch Diamond Black Netbook - 6 Cell Battery from Amazon.


• Acer One website


• CNET review of Acer Aspire One


• PC World review
  


• PC Magazine review

See further comments in my next post.

Netbooks

My next few posts are going to be about netbooks. You may well ask why, since this isn’t usually a blog about computers. However, I do like to talk about any object that’s “less” but lets me do more.

In the case of netbooks it’s a device that lets us travel lighter. Just as you might weed and downsize your home you’d also love to cart around less when you travel. If you must have a computer, and most of what you do uses the Internet, then a netbook is one way to go. Especially given the extra charges for any luggage carried by the airlines.

Collapsible bowls

We had a friend over the other day for grilled hamburgers and she brought some vegetable dishes in collapsible bowls. I think they were from Rubbermaid and they are available in a variety of sizes. You should be able to find them in your local stores, if not, Amazon has them as well.

What she likes about hers is that they don't need to take up a lot of space in her cupboards when not in use. She can also adjust the size of the bowl to fit the amount of food whether bigger before the meal, or smaller to fit the leftovers in the fridge easier.

I'm not sure that these would be appropriate for heavy everyday use, but if you want the security of having enough bowls on hand for any occasion, without losing a lot of space, then these would be a good choice.

Skandia shelving

Some of our biggest purchases at The Container Store was for Skandia shelving. We have a fair bit of it and we've owned most of ours for more than 10 years. It's been dismantled, moved around, reconfigured, and we've moved some of it at least twice. Except for the one shelf I left leaking plants on (opps!), it's in wonderful condition. But one of the beauties of Skandia shelving is that you can reconfigure your layout and add or remove individual pieces as needed.

It's not cheap but it's fairly easy to dismantle and move. Given how much storage Skandia shelving provides, once dismantled it doesn't take much space to store or move. Although the end pieces can be pretty tall so you do have to have a vehicle that can accommodate their length.

It's a great choice for anyone who moves a lot and it would be great for college grads or anyone in an apartment. It has clean lines and a contemporary look. We've bought two depths, 15" deep and 11" deep.

It appears that the company behind Skandia shelving now manufactures in the US under the Lundia name, but the pieces purchased at The Container Store and those made by the Lundia in the US are not mixable so whoever you decide to buy from is the one you will have to go back to for additional pieces. In addition, when I looked through the Skandia shelving pieces available via The Container Store web site they don't seem to have some of the options that they used to, specifically shelf/table extensions, drawers, and cabinet door additions. It may be that they are available at the stores themselves. Skandia shelves are heavy so ordering online would be prohibitive except for the occasional extra piece.

While I was wandering around the Lundia site I followed their link to their European site. I wish they'd offer those products here. Wow!

The Container Store

The Container Store is one of my favorite stores in the world. When I lived on the East coast it was a favorite jaunt on the weekends. We don't live anywhere near one now and I really miss it.

It's an organizer's dream but can be an expensive excursion. I can't be the only one to think so since my sister-in-law called it a "dangerous place" after I told her that's where she could find the fridge jug.

Go with a list of problems you're looking to solve and/or a budget or you will leave with more than you can afford.

More chilled and filtered water

Back a while ago I bought a plastic water pitcher for our fridge. What's unique about it is that it's rectangular, long, narrow, and has a spigot. The photo on the right shows ours.

It's design uses a minimum of space and has worked out well for us. Frankly it's the best space saver for my fridge I've ever purchased. We also have a Brita water pitcher to filter the water we put in it. Which means we are drinking lots more water! So not only does it leave more space in our fridge, it's making us healthier. It's on my list of purchases that's made a surprising difference in our lives.

There are some other benefits as well per the Daily Green.

My sister in-law wants one and I finally found one online, so if you can't find one locally you can order one from the The Container Store.

Non-toxic paint

I'd like to paint some of the walls in our house this summer. I have a lot of allergies so I'm always interested in ways to improve the air quality inside our home. Which has led me to low VOC paint.

Low VOC paints are lower in the toxic emissions that all paints and finishes release into you home years after application. Because of paint and other materials, your home can be 3 times more polluted than the outside air.

A number of paint companies make low to zero VOC paints. See the list at this site, Non-toxic Paints. Or go to The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality - from EPA.

Has anyone tried this type of paint? What do you think? Any suggestions?

Filtered water we finally drink

I bought one of those Brita Water Pitcher to filter our tap water. See this photo of ours.

You should be able to find this and similar Brita products in your local area and there are lots of choices. You could even get one of the faucet filters or in-line water filters available now.

We use our pitcher to fill a water pitcher in the fridge. So we always have lots of cold, filtered water available to drink. This means we have no need to buy bottled water, which saves us both money and space.

I don't know about you, but I usually don't drink as much water as I should. The Brita really helps me drink lots more water!

Vases in an envelope

I have to admit I picked up a package on impulse because I was curious. Couple of nights ago I finally tried one of the vases. Pretty cool! You get three vases in an envelope, each a different color. I bought the medium size, but they sell larger and smaller sizes too. So in the space to store three envelopes you could have have 9 vases.

This has to be the perfect deal for gardeners, singles, RVers, and dorm and studio apartment dwellers. All the luxury of having a choice of colors and sizes in without taking up any valuable storage space.

I don't think they look as good as real glass as they try to claim, but they are certainly convenient.

Here's a picture of one full of lilacs from my yard.

The package I bought had three (one each in blue, green, and clear). But it looks like neither the official site nor Amazon sell the same set any more. So try your local stores, especially in the "As Seen on TV" displays, I think that's where I found mine. In fact, I'm going to pick up the other two sizes as soon as I spot them again.

Wonder Vase - official site.
WonderVase Travel Collapsible Flower Vase - Med - via Amazon.com

Smart Strip Power Supply

A customer where I work told me about the Smart Strip. So when I got home I looked into it, and it sounds great. I've heard about how our electronic devices use electricity even when they aren't turned on. The Smart Strip purports to solve this problem by detecting when an electronic device isn't actually on and cuts off it's electrical supply. I suspect that devices that have clocks will lose the time, which for many devices is not an issue. For those devices that need power all the time, such as DVD recorders and such, there are a couple of 'always active' sockets.

I found some of the user comments at this site enlightening, Terrapass - Smart Strip, especially in regards to powering laptops.

But I really, really like the idea that we might not need to use so many remotes with our entertainment system, that alone would make it worth the price.

So I've ordered one for myself and I'll give a report on how much energy it actually saves me and if it causes any problems. Should be interesting.

Stack those dishes! Use that space!

After I bought the Corelle dishes I found that I had more room vertically in the cupboards. But space gained is never enough, I always want more! So I added some dishware shelves to further increase the cupboards' capacity.

Here's a photo from Amazon of one, but you should be able to find in your local stores as well. One of the big pluses to using these dishware shelves is that you can pull dishes out without needing to move any other dishes.

'i-house' compact green home

This is a serious contender for the green home market since it can come with solar panels, tankless water heaters, rainwater collectors, and decks made from recycled materials. It's designed to be very energy efficient.

It would be a great green, low-cost home for singles or couples, small families, first home buyers, or for vacation homes. The i-house 1 is about 723 sq.ft. with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, and the base price is $74,900. The i-house II is 1023 sq.ft., 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, with a base price of $93, 300.

The optional 'Flex room' (there are at least 2 models to choose from) gives you an additional square footage, an extra bathroom, and an upstairs deck. Since access to the upstairs deck requires stairs it won't be very accessible for older retirees. From the square footage and the videos it appears that there's room enough in even the smallest 'Flex room' to add a sofa bed for guests. The 'Flex room' is unattached and costs an additional $26,660 to $38,970. But depending on the model you can get an additional 620 sq. ft. and a larger upstairs deck.

--Clayton 'i-house' is giant leap from trailer park
--i-house - official site. Excellent video tours and check out the floor plans.

Trying before I buy @ my library

Lately I have been saving both money and space. I go down to my local library and borrow materials. But no matter how good a library mine (or yours) is, they can't afford to collect everything. But one of the many services the library provides is something called 'Interlibrary Loan' (ILL). This means on your behalf they will borrow books from other libraries. Other libraries throughout the U.S. and few other countries!

My library has a small postage fee, but many libraries will do this completely free. So if there's a book, audio book, video, or music CD you are not sure you want to buy, one trick is to borrow from your local library via ILL. That way you can read, watch, or listen for free. If the item was disappointing you're not out any money. If you loved it, and your library still isn't willing to buy a copy for their collection, then you can still buy your own copy knowing it's money well spent.

Another advantage to using your local library and ILL, is that you don't have to store the material in your home once you're done with it.

One warning, ILL's must be returned on time and often have higher late fees than regular library materials. But you can always ask if renewals are available. Remember that libraries charge late fees to keep people from hogging the materials, NOT to make money. So be prompt and be gracious. After all, they are saving you money and getting nothing in return! In my case, I probably save hundreds of dollars a year. Oh who am I kidding? They save me hundreds of dollars a month!

If you don't believe me try anyone of these library use calculators, or do your own estimates. Books, videos, and CD's aren't cheap.

Library Savings Calculator
Maine State Library
Umtilla Public Library
Jackson County Library Services

Magic Jack

I just got a Magic Jack and I actually like it. It gives me another phone line (as long as my computer is on), and is, compared to the cost of a new phone line and call charges from a phone company, almost free! If I understand the information correctly the service is portable with my laptop, (just note that 911 calls will assume you are at your home address). I haven't tried it with wireless yet though.

For those familiar with VoIP it's not really anything new. However, with Magic Jack you don't have to worry about the other party having a computer or matching software. You can call anyone in the U.S. for free and overseas costs are minuscule. There is only a once yearly charge for the service and you don't need to by a special headset, just plug in your phone. Plus, compared to other VoIP services I have tried, the sound quality is better. You also get many of the same services you can get with a traditional phone line. So far I've used the free local and long distance calling, voice messages, and caller i.d. I've also been able to create a phone list so I don't have to keep typing numbers, and that was much easier to set up then most phones I've used. They claim you get free call waiting and directory assistance but I haven't tried those yet. You can set up your own voice recording for when you are already on a call or simply unavailable.

I can see where anyone wanting a second phone line, or wanting to get a new phone number quick, would want to try this. They offer multiple year plans but I just bought one year to see how well it performs. This would also be great for anyone who's just moved out on their own and doesn't want to commit to a land line. Assuming they have a good computer and broadband Internet access.

Food storage made easy

Smart Spin Storage System, for a "as seen on TV" this has been one of my favorite kitchen storage solutions.

We all have lots of plastic storage containers that we use in the refrigerator and/or microwave. We all end up with lids and containers that don't match, that take up way too much space, and that break easily. Not so with the Smart Spin. First the lids fit all three sizes, so you never have to worry about finding the right size lid. Second, these boxes can be used in the freezer, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher. (Although you might have to see if the lids will fall through your dishwasher rack). Best of all, the pieces fit compactly in the spinner taking up little space on counter or cupboard. Ours sits on top of the refrigerator making it easy to grab a box to fill with leftovers.

The boxes have proven to be more durable than comparable products so I'm really pleased with how well they are holding up under use.

Since I've filled so many with soups and stews for the freezer we've bought more Smart Spin Extra Containers and Lids and combined them into one spinner.

It's a great problem solver and I love it.

Dishes that stack well

We use to have a set of fancy brand name dishes for everyday use. But over time utensils left marks that were almost impossible to remove, even with special cleaners. I grew to hate them and one day I gave up. I hated how they looked and I hated the space they took to stack. So I went out and bought some plain white Corelle dishes.

This turned out to be a great idea! I had no idea how much kitchen cabinet space I would save. The Corelle dishes are not as thick and they stack far, far better. So now I can get 3-4 times as many dishes in the same space! Admittedly I didn't buy the matching cups which helped to save space. We have plenty of mugs (even after weeding), but because we selected plain white dishes, our remaining mugs work fine.

The individual dishes are just as big, or I should say, they hold as much food as the previous set. The Corelle set is for our everyday use and so far have held up beautifully. They still look as good as when I bought them, a refreshing change from my previous experience.

They've made a big change in my kitchen and I highly recommend them. Corelle has many styles and colors to choose from and they're made in the U.S. (at least my set was). If possible, go somewhere where they have enough dishes on display that you can experiment with stacking to get an idea of the space you can save.

In the interest of full confession we also own a fancy set of china that we inherited. We use the china for formal occasions, the Corelle for everday use. All in all, the new everyday dishes have made an unbelievable difference in our kitchen.

Jewelry storage in unexpected places

I recently bought a picture frame/wall mount jewelry case from JC Penney and I have to say it's working out great. Even though I have a large (o.k. huge) jewelry armoire, things were still getting crowded. I use to go to a lot of art and craft fairs, I inherited some jewelry, and I have a good friend who is into jewelry making, all of which has helped to pile the collection up. The new wall mount case handles necklaces, earrings, and bracelets particularly well. This has allowed me to spread out the remaining pieces in the old case to best advantage. Being able to view the collection easily has helped speed up dressing in the morning.

My jewelry making friend has a jewelry case that doubles as a full length mirror. Since she wanted both, that solution works perfectly for her.

In my case I already had full length mirrors on the closet doors, no floor space to spare, and wanted my wall space for pictures. The wall mount solves it all for me. I haven't loaded pictures into my new frame yet but I'm really looking forward to choosing the right ones. Best of all I got this on sale for a mere $59.00 and it's the perfect size for the space I had available.

Here's a couple of shots of the case filled up with my jewelry.

Stationary? Who uses stationary anymore?

I was looking around for something to weed today when my eye feel on a pile of stationary. Huh? Why do I even have stationary anymore? Almost everyone I know I can call or send email to, and that includes even the older relatives.

I think I've had some of this stationary since I was a kid! Which is funny if you consider that I was always a infrequent correspondent and have atrocious penmanship. Back before PCs I used to type all my letters so that friends could read them. One of my oldest friends was once offended that I printed her letter, but she quickly changed her tune when my next letter was hand written. While I use to print my letters on fancy stationary, since the 'computer age' I haven't needed to bother doing even that.

Yet somehow I've still accumulated quite a pile of stationary. A few I can blame on gifts, but the rest were impulse buys. So here's the truth, I don't need stationary and I'm not buying anymore.

So I pulled it all out to look at it. Some of the small note cards can be used for thank you notes, so I did keep a few of those. Handwritten thank you cards are still considered proper etiquette. Darn! Some of the sheets of paper would actually make good note and scratch paper, so I did keep some of that. I like to have paper I can tuck into the non-fiction books when I read at lunch and having a pile at work means I have a supply of paper for personal use.
At home I like to have paper and sticky notes handy when I'm watching TV, on the computer, reading, or just planning my day. So a lot of paper will get used up in a reasonable amount of time. All the the rest and the orphaned envelops I'm throwing out.

Here's a picture of what is going. As you can see from the ruler it's a fair pile and I'm earning back a bit of space in my office area.


So I'm happy. I've made some room in my office and I won't be buying anymore stationary.

Trash can designed for grocery bags

My first thought when I saw this trash can was, "why didn't I think of that!"
Urbano trash bin makes it easier to reuse plastic bags.

My other thought is it won't fit well with more traditional decors. On the plus side it's easy to store extra bags underneath. Waste basket itself is made of recycled polypropylene. Looks like they cost around $20, with black costing $25.00.

Downside is yet more of those grocery bags in the landfill.

Cats - sneaky space stealers

When we moved into our current home we had two cats. In the last two years they have both died. Since I'm technically allergic to cats I'm not planning to replace them. So we've been busy removing all the cat stuff in our house and thereby help reduce my temptation to get another cat. What amazes me after the fact is just how much cat related material was in our home!

There were two kitty litter boxes, supplies of fresh kitty litter, litter scoops, a large cat perch, two sets of food and water dishes, 4 or 5 scratching pads (if you want to save your furniture having lots of these is good insurance), multiple books, bags of catnip, bags of cat food, cans of cat food, kitty treats, grass seed, a pot of grass for the cats to chew on (instead of my house plants), multiple packages of special wipes (to remove cat allergens), tons of toys, 'purr pad' beds, medicines, two cat carriers, two cages from our cross country move, and much, much more. And even though I think we've found everything I won't be surprised anymore if something else doesn't surface! While you can have cats with less paraphernalia, if you love them and spoil them it's easy to accumulate.

And once we haul out or give away the last of it we will have more room in our house and garage. Woo Hoo! Miss the cats though.

I've been trying to share the wealth with the local pet rescue organizations while weeding. They can use any fresh kitty litter, cat carriers, cages, cat food, etc. that is clean and in good condition. If you ever do the same, call before you descend on them to verify what they will accept.

Decisions, decisions

Taking control of our homes really comes down to making decisions about each of our possessions. Which ought to be easy, we make decisions all day, every day, for work, family, and play. But we get home and we're tired, we've worked all day, made decisions all day, and don't want to make any more. But wait, isn't making decisions about our needs more important than all the other decisions? Can't we spare 15 minutes or even less a day to find one thing in the house that isn't useful anymore?

My decision today was to go through the college text books that I still happen to have (I've pitched quite a few over the years). Here's the thing, these books are old and no teacher would assign them to a current class. Some of the information is inaccurate or outdated. Which doesn't make them very useful does it? Besides, I did that, been there, not going back! So all old textbooks are leaving the house. I've stacked them by the front door so it's clear that I'm ready to get rid of them.

Live in the house you have

In 1970 the average single family home was approximately 1,400 sq. ft., now it's about 2,300 sq ft.¹ That means most of us expect to live in a house almost double the size of our parents' homes. Given that the number of children per household has dropped, we should have fewer people inhabiting the average home. Per the U.S. Census bureau the household average in 2008 was .85 children per household, while in 1970 it was 1.20.². What really gets interesting is that the number of people living alone (not counting pets) has also risen significantly. Per the Census bureau in 1970, 17.6% of households consisted on one person. By 2000, it had risen to 25.8%.³ So unless a lot of adults have had to move back in with their parents or we've suddenly had a baby boom we should need less space per household.

So why can't we fit in our homes?

Well in my case we use to live in a 2,250 sq.ft. townhouse, with four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, family room and laundry room. Admittedly we moved and are now living in approximately 1750 sq. ft. home. This should still be plenty of space for two grown adults, especially since we did a massive amount of weeding before the move across country. Yet we have often felt cramped. I have a spacious study (one of the bedrooms) and it is crammed with stuff. But the size difference actually isn't significant, because we may actually have more storage than the old house! In addition to the 1750 sq. ft. of the house itself, we also have a 2 car garage, a 12' by 12' cottage in the back yard that just houses craft supplies, tools, and projects, a new shed to store garden tools, and an old greenhouse. See why I can't understand why our house doesn't seem spacious?

We've lived in this house since August 2004, so we've been here about five years. I love the area, the house, the yard, and the climate. In addition, given the housing market and the economy, selling and moving just doesn't make sense.

So how can I make my home feel more spacious?

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¹ Statistics from the web site by Professional Organizer, Jamie Novak

² Average Number of Own Children Under 18 Per Family, By Type of Family: 1955 To Present (Excel document)

³ Historical Census of Housing Tables Living Alone

Why do we keep so much stuff?!

We are being buried by our possessions. Why else would the home storage products industry make 4.36 billion per year?¹ That's not counting what we pay for self-storage units, other organizing products, books, magazines, and even consultants called "professional organizers" to help us weed our possessions and organize the leftovers.

Why do we put up with inconvenient and uncomfortable homes? How many of us have possessions simply because we haven't looked at them with a critical eye and asked ourselves why we still have them? Not only are we 'material' and buy into the idea that 'things' will make us happy, but we never get rid of anything whether it succeeded in doing what we bought it for or not. In fact, "80% of what we keep we never use."² Given the size of the 'organizer' market we must be on the verge of being buried alive by our possessions. We are obviously not doing ourselves any favors. If you analyze your space and its contents unemotionally, "it costs an average of $10/square foot to store items in your home."³ So if you are thinking of moving just because you think your house is too crammed and cluttered, you're making a big mistake.

"The Self Storage Association (SSA) represents the $22.6 billion (annual revenues) self storage industry in the United States that comprises 51,223 primary facilities with more than 2.2 billion rentable square feet."⁴ So some people are paying for storage rather than move, but they are still probably losing money because of possessions they may not even want anymore!

It's obvious to me that we all want more space! What I call, 'room for oxygen.'

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¹ (statistics from the web site by Professional Organizer Jamie Novak

² The National Association of Professional Organizers - (Barbara Hemphill, Agency Sales Magazine, 4/1/03

³ The National Association of Professional Organizers

⁴ From Jeri's Organizing & Decluttering News: Self Storage - A Growing Business