A Run To The Consignment Store

consignment A Run To The Consignment StoreI am on a mission to declutter the house. I guess I am just ready to let go of my mess. I have never been much of a housekeeper typically leaving things piled or boxed in most rooms of the house.  But even for me there is a point where things need to escape my house and find someone who really loves and needs them.

This morning was that morning.  The point of no return for my excess.  Six trash bags and one large duffle full of winter clothing, a box of misc household items and a few new bowls and Santa potato heads later my home looks a bit less cluttered. 

The goal is to sell a lot of my clutter at a 50% profit rate.  What work did I have to do?  Clean, fold and bag the clothes.  Package everything and drive it to the store.  My items will be in stock for 60 days and then I should get a call inquiring if I want my items returned or donated.  After 30 days I can pick up a check for my items that have sold.  While my goal is to declutter and I normally would have dropped off my clothes at the area Christian Needs Center I thought I would give this a shot first as the kids are growing again and we could use some new clothing.

Do you consign your clutter?  If so do you have any tips to share?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

Finally Organized Finally Free

Marcia Gracia is one organized lady and most of the time it is an area where I am lacking. Being a mom to three boys who have ADHD among other things our home is often chaotic. I know that organization and routines are supposed to help the child with ADHD but following through can be quite the challenge without a system to get it all done.

foff home big Finally Organized Finally FreeMarcia has some great programs like Finally Organized Finally Free and the Easy Organizer that will help you develop systems and make your way through the muck to an organized home.

Finally Organized Finally Free has 85 chapters and 405 pages loaded with information, tips and useful stuff to get your home organized. If you need it there is a separate office edition as well.

The Easy Organizer is going to compliment the Finally Organized Finally Free book by giving you printables to make an organized binder of all of your families information. From birthdays to appointments and contact information you can have all of this at your fingertips after using the Easy Organizer.

There is no time better than the present for change. Now would be the time to get organized while the kids are transitioning back to school. While the kids are gone to their activities maybe you can find a free hour in your day to bring some peace of being organized to your home.

Easy Way To Volunteer

As a mom one of the things I love to do is volunteer some of my time for Boy Scouting.  There are several ways to volunteer and at many different levels.  One of the easiest ways to volunteer is to become a merit badge counselor.  Really it is just about sharing and teaching a few young boys about something you are familiar with as a hobby or profession.  The list is long and you can check out each individual badge that you are curious about.

American Business American Cultures American Heritage American Labor
Animal Science Archaeology Archery Architecture
Art Astronomy Athletics Atomic Energy
Automotive Maintenance Aviation Backpacking Basketry
Bird Study Bugling Camping Canoeing
Carpentry Chemistry Cinematography Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Nation Citizenship in the World Climbing Coin Collecting
Collections Communications Composite Materials Computers
Cooking Crime Prevention Cycling Dentistry
Disabilities Awareness Dog Care Drafting Electricity
Electronics Emergency Preparedness Energy Engineering
Entrepreneurship Environmental Science Family Life Farm Mechanics
Fingerprinting Fire Safety First Aid Fish and Wildlife Management
Fishing Fly Fishing Forestry Gardening
Genealogy Geocaching Geology Golf
Graphic Arts Hiking Home Repairs Horsemanship
Indian Lore Insect Study Inventing Journalism
Landscape Architecture Law Leatherwork Lifesaving
Mammal Study Medicine Metalwork Model Design and Building
Motorboating Music Nature Nuclear Science
Oceanography Orienteering Painting Pathfinding
Personal Fitness Personal Management Pets Photography
Pioneering Plant Science Plumbing Pottery
Public Health Public Speaking Pulp and Paper Radio
Railroading Reading Reptile and Amphibian Study Rifle Shooting
Rowing Safety Salesmanship Scholarship
Scouting Heritage Scuba Diving Sculpture Shotgun Shooting
Signaling Skating Small-Boat Sailing Snow Sports
Soil and Water Conservation Space Exploration Sports Stamp Collecting
Surveying Swimming Textile Theater
Tracking Traffic Safety Truck Transportation Veterinary Medicine
Water Sports Weather Whitewater Wilderness Survival
Wood Carving Woodworking

The setting you work in can be rather informal or you can work in a more formal setting of a meeting with the boys.  It is can be as enjoyable as you make it.  You can even find your local troop online.  This type of volunteer work is on your schedule and may only happen yearly or it might be monthly depending on what you choose.  Either way it makes a huge difference in a young boy’s sense of achievement.

mb work 300x225 Easy Way To Volunteer

These boys are spending a little over an hour discussing and learning about music.  Anyone who sings and plays an instrument can lead this merit badge with  little research.

Cook On Strike

canstock3192181 Cook On Strike

Sometimes as a mom I just lose it.  Tonight is one of those days.  While I understand teen boys have the apparent need to eat non-stop they are also old enough to know how to clean up after themselves. 

There is no room left to prepare a meal in my kitchen so there is  no meal to be had until who knows how late tonight.  I will survive if nothing else I have a 90 calorie granola bar in my desk. 

The recycling is overflowing.  There was trash on the counter in the form of tuna packets and tea canisters.  Someone left the bread wide open.  There were even crumbled ramen noodles on the floor.  Hello I guess I live in the city dump.  I mean come on at 12, 13, 14 and 42 don’t you think that something could be handled.  Well dad is in there taking charge and I get to vent via my blog. 

It sounds like each of them has to wash a sink of dishes since they have all skipped their chore.  It almost amuses me to listen to it all but hey I still have to cook eventually.

What do you do when a chore gets ignored and out of control?

Wordless Wednesday 6/16

pulling carpet1 300x225 Wordless Wednesday 6/16pulling carpet2 300x225 Wordless Wednesday 6/16

Over the weekend the guys helped pull out the remaining carpet in my house.  They worked hard and I really appreciate it!