We hired a professional organizer

[Patri]

Elaine, can you believe how popular and meaningful this thread is? Who would have guessed. I was already in the organizing mood, but this has inspired me to keep going. Yesterday, I went through a couple boxes that had not been opened since we moved into this house 8 years ago. I found places to put some things, threw some, will donate rest.

Also went through binders of managerial material of DH's job from years ago. He has switched careers and will never need the info again. (Plus everything is on the Internet these days). At first he wanted me to keep it all. Finally realized all he really needed were the binders for current projects. The binders were on floor under pool table, or on boxes in store room. I told him we didn't build this large house so his stuff could be under the pool table. Some of it dated to 1991!

I will tackle more this afternoon. I am determined! And really, just working on it for a short time is enough. The progress is evident.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

The George Carlin skit about "stuff" reminded me of a conversation I had with my DH several years ago. He travels a lot on business. After the children were grown and gone, I suggested we sell the house and get rid of everything except the clothes, etc we could carry in a suitcase for traveling. Then, I would travel with him. Technically, we would be homeless without a car and much in the way of belongings but we would be staying in nice hotels and driving nice rental cars courtesy of business expenses. If ever there was down time such as a vacation, we could find a timeshare or live off the accumulated hotel points, etc.

I thought this was a good idea because we could spend more time together and we could save more money if we were careful.

DH said, "you may be able to get rid of your stuff but I need my stuff and I have to have a place to keep my stuff."

To me, your idea seems terrific! Even better that the basic expenses for car rental and hotels would be paid for by the business. It is the essence of full time time-sharing with someone else footing part of the bill --- and you aren't limited to timeshare destinations.

I wanted to try full time time-sharing when Ian and I retire. He, who used to dream of full time RVing in a Sportsmobile (a Ford F350 outfitted as a mobile home on 4 wheel drive platform - we are talking small!

He wasn't interested in full-timing in timeshares -- the locations are too limited.

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Timely topic. Just today I got an email inviting me to participate in a survey about "compulsive hoarding". (Is there any other kind?) How did they get my email? LOL.

My dad and stepmother grew up in the depression and were hoarders. My dad mostly with food. They moved a huge cache of canned goods from California to Texas and then back a number of years later. Same cans. My dad would always by the same items whenever he went shopping, no matter what was in the house. We'd come to visit and find five pounds of butter in the fridge. Now he lives in a one bedroom senior apartment that is not cluttered and he doesn't go food shopping without help. But I haven't looked in his refrigerator lately.

I've come to admit that I have that hoarding tendency, too. Part of my problem is that I have emotional attachments to "stuff".

DH has been working on the basement for about 6 months. Mostly he won't let me look at what he is pitching. Don't ask about our garage.

That is a strange survey topic!!!

It took my sister, working by herself, three days to go sort, donate, pack and ship my mother's belongings. This included going through photos and letters. Everything that we kept fit into the trunk of my sister's 1999 Grand Marquis. She really was a minimalist. (One of the biggest insults that she would bestow upon people was to call them a consumer).

On the other hand, my father and stepmother both grew up during the depression. They have too much stuff. Every time my brother goes to visit, my dad asks for his help building another storage building. They are up to 6!!! And they have a fully loaded attic and basement.

I was about 12 when they first got married, I was going through the refrigerator and cleaning it out. The refrigerator was so packed, that you couldn't find things. And there were many things that were WAY past their prime. My stepmother came home and looked in the trash. She left the moldy things there. But, the 8 months past its expiration mayonnaise and salad dressings were picked out and put back into the refrigerator.

It is understandable to me that people might want to keep something that they "might need." It is unfathomable to me to keep something that no one in their right mind would ever use or consume.

My sister and brother and I agree that we are hiring dumpsters to start on their job. My brother says that those storage buildings mainly hold stuff that should have been thrown out. Only one has grills and seasonal items like patio chairs. The other 5 all have crap in them.

When I visit, there is not even enough room for new groceries. And the stuff in the fridge isn't edible. There is no counter space for preparing food for cooking. I am thankful that they live within 30 minutes of Seaside so I can rent a timeshare and have them over --- when I go to visit them!

On top of all that, my dad regularly has guests over. His answer is to cook outside. Then he doesn't have to mess with the kitchen.

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

This is definitely an interesting thread. I cannot imagine paying someone to help me organize my stuff. Now, paying someone to keep the stuff out of my house in the first place though….

My "issue" is all the crap that MUST come in, that I have no interest in. I DON'T want a letter from capital one, asking me what's in my wallet? every day. I DON'T want catalogues (I know you exist, and I know how to find you on the web, stop sending me paper catalogues). Junk mail drives me batty.

I also don't need to have every scrap of paper that my adorable little one generates in school, to come home. I don't need a flyer every time the baseball team, cub scouts, etc, etc, etc, decides to have a meeting, or whatever. Between school, kids activities, charitable organizations, the list goes on, and on, and on, and on, everybody "wants something". Wants money, wants me to fill out a permission slip, wants me to read this, do this, watch this, emails, phone calls, voice mails, ENOUGH ALREADY! No, I don't need an organizer. I need a personal assistant.

Hi Laura - You are similar to the way my mom was. My sister and I knew better than to bring things home: no projects, no papers, just report cards. If something required a permission slip, we just didn't go: it simply wasn't worth the wrath of bringing something home --- it doesn't sound like you are that extreme.

So. for the kids stuff, you can train the kids not to bring those things home.

There are solutions for junk mail. This is a great piece:

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-stop-junk-mail-being-delivered-your-4074459.html

Hope it helps!

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Elaine, can you believe how popular and meaningful this thread is? Who would have guessed. I was already in the organizing mood, but this has inspired me to keep going. Yesterday, I went through a couple boxes that had not been opened since we moved into this house 8 years ago. I found places to put some things, threw some, will donate rest.

Also went through binders of managerial material of DH's job from years ago. He has switched careers and will never need the info again. (Plus everything is on the Internet these days). At first he wanted me to keep it all. Finally realized all he really needed were the binders for current projects. The binders were on floor under pool table, or on boxes in store room. I told him we didn't build this large house so his stuff could be under the pool table. Some of it dated to 1991!

I will tackle more this afternoon. I am determined! And really, just working on it for a short time is enough. The progress is evident.

I am a little surprised.

I hope it has been helpful. It has been helpful to me to write about it.

I have been a little side tracked by buying, wrapping and boxing Christmas presents. My goal is to have the Christmas presents finished this afternoon so we can put the paper, bows and boxes away.

And get back to organizing the office.

elaine

 

[laurac260]

Hi Laura - You are similar to the way my mom was. My sister and I knew better than to bring things home: no projects, no papers, just report cards. If something required a permission slip, we just didn't go: it simply wasn't worth the wrath of bringing something home --- it doesn't sound like you are that extreme.

So. for the kids stuff, you can train the kids not to bring those things home.

There are solutions for junk mail. This is a great piece:

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-stop-junk-mail-being-delivered-your-4074459.html

Hope it helps!

elaine

Yes, I will definitely check out that link. No, I'm not "extreme". I just need to be more (gasp!) organized about the way I manage the stuff that does come in. If the kids bring something home that requires my signature, I should just fill it out and be done with it, as soon as it comes, right?

 

[SMHarman]

Yes, I will definitely check out that link. No, I'm not "extreme". I just need to be more (gasp!) organized about the way I manage the stuff that does come in. If the kids bring something home that requires my signature, I should just fill it out and be done with it, as soon as it comes, right?

That's the trash or action or file process with any piece of paper.

Pretty good at trash
Ok at action
File goes in a holding pile and actually gets filed properly every 6 m or so.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[rickandcindy23]

I talked with my sister about this thread, and she has a much older friend who is removing a large trash bag of stuff from her home every Saturday. She goes through various rooms and finds items she never uses, and she bags them up and takes them to Salvation Army. One bag at a time doesn't sound fast enough to me. I would have to set my goal to four or five bags a week.

Speaking of Costco, the cleaning supplies are taking up a lot of room in the laundry cupboards. Why do I have so much toilet bowl cleaner, Swiffer wet cloths, and cans of glass cleaner and pledge? Everything comes in quantities of 3-5 bottles/ cans/ boxes. I don't have room. I don't use enough of any of those items to warrant this much supply. And the boxes of trash bags are a problem too. I have huge boxes of both kitchen and lawn bags under the sink.

Bath and Body Works needs to stop having sales. I cannot resist.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

I talked with my sister about this thread, and she has a much older friend who is removing a large trash bag of stuff from her home every Saturday. She goes through various rooms and finds items she never uses, and she bags them up and takes them to Salvation Army. One bag at a time doesn't sound fast enough to me. I would have to set my goal to four or five bags a week.

Speaking of Costco, the cleaning supplies are taking up a lot of room in the laundry cupboards. Why do I have so much toilet bowl cleaner, Swiffer wet cloths, and cans of glass cleaner and pledge? Everything comes in quantities of 3-5 bottles/ cans/ boxes. I don't have room. I don't use enough of any of those items to warrant this much supply. And the boxes of trash bags are a problem too. I have huge boxes of both kitchen and lawn bags under the sink.

Bath and Body Works needs to stop having sales. I cannot resist.

Cindy, your sister's friend would SEE the difference if she was systematically going through her home room by room rather than randomly picking things up. Still, even doing it randomly is better than not doing it at all.

And, I love Costco, but I agree. There is a reason that I have 5 year old ketchup and grape jelly. We don't use either one very often. We still shop there, but only for the more "normal" sized things: rotisserie chicken, pre-made salads, and some of their lunch meat items (they carry a large selection of nitrite and nitrate free lunch meat). No more multiple bottles of anything!

elaine

 

[Rose Pink]

....

DH and I can't agree on some areas of the house. There is now a huge Precor elliptical machine in the guest room because I wanted it out of the living room. The bedside cabinets are now crammed into the closet and the bed pushed against the wall. It was once a nice guest room but is now ugly all because of a piece of gym equipment. I wanted to clean out the garage and turn it into a home gym but DH says no. I can't even get into the garage without mountain climbing equipment and letting someone know to come find me if I don't make it back out. DH says he can only organize it with DS #1's help. DS#1 lives in Italy and won't be back for a few years. (And the last time he tried to help, he passed out with a seizure--never had one before or since--and had to be taken by ambulance to the ER.)

Speaking of gym equipment, I have a pilates reformer but can't use it because DH has piled boxes on top of it.

So, I considered building an ell extension onto the garage so DH could have his garage stuff and we could still have a home gym. No, he thinks that is a stupid and expensive idea and would cram the swimming pool he plans to build after he retires. I suggested putting the pool inside the garage with the gym equipment so it could be used year round. No, he plans to heat it year round. Yeah, it's 9 degrees outside.

Funny post, I know not funny to you but reading it reminds me of reading some of Patrick McManus's stuff. He's an outdoor comedy writer who talks of the mountains of stuff in the garage.

I think your husband is correct, building the ell won't work, it will just get filled in a short time.

Yeah, making room for more stuff typically doesn't work. We have a 4 car garage. I had actually started building the foundation of an 8x12 shed to put the odd-sized stuff in (lawn mower, pressure washer, air compressor, table saw, etc). Then I realized that I just needed to get more organized. So I spent a weekend putting up shelf brackets and plywood shelving up near the ceiling around the perimeter of the garage. Bought a bunch of rubbermaid tubs (18 to 30 gallon size) and sorted thru my stuff. Put a strip of duct tape on each end and on the lid and wrote on the tape with a Sharpie what was in each tub. Turns out, I didn't need the shed. Previously, I had a rack and tub system as described above, but it just took up too much floor space. Having the shelving up high is sometimes a drag, but at least there's room to get around.
I also planked the attic area above the 3rd bay of the garage and put in a pull down ladder. So we have an attic full of stuff like holiday decor and outdoor toys (sleds, float tube, raft, etc). Oh, and my 2 spare sets of golf clubs. :hysterical:

I don't know, guys. I'm pretty sure I need one of these. If you build it, I will exercise. Just look at the view! http://www.houzz.com/photos/1818322/Colorado-Contemporary-traditional-home-gym-omaha

As for the garage, I have decided to leave that space entirely to my DH. Next summer I am having a side yard wall built that will be just deep enough (about 24 inches total) to enclose my garden equipment like shovels and rakes. That way, I won't have to venture into the garage. If you can envision something like this except the niche would be a gate between the front yard and the side yard. From the front (street view) it will just look like a garden wall/fence. And the doors on the private side yard would open to reveal a single row of garden tools. Nothing deep that would just invite more clutter. http://www.houzz.com/photos/50424/shwa-mediterranean-patio-portland

------------------------------

DH's father and mother were hoarders. My FIL had a small room in his basement filled with hardware including hundreds of small bottles filled with various types of screws, nails, fasteners and odds and ends. He had these jars bolted to wooden straps on the ceiling. Basically, he bolted the lid to the strap and then could just screw the bottle to the lid. It kept everything off the small counter space (except for all the other equipment he had on the horizontal surfaces). He even had some jars attached to a round drum that he could spin to locate the jar he was looking for. It was a clever system IF a person has a need for all that stuff. Some of it was probably from DH's grandfather who reupholstered furniture (or something). Some of it was airplane hardware as my FIL was an airplane mechanic. So, there are decades and decades of accumulated nuts and bolts and whatnots that no one ever used and GUESS WHAT!!!! It's all in my garage now. DH works now and then when he has time (and when the mood strikes him) to attach the hundreds of jars to our garage ceiling.
Of course, being below freezing this time of year, nothing is being done on that project. It's cold as a glacier here and that is how fast our projects move along. In fact, we get so bored with one project that we move onto something else before the previous ones get done. Still waiting to get backsplash tile on the kitchen we remodeled almost three years ago.

I can't blame DH for all of the delay. I have my own inertia which brings us back around to hiring an organizer.

Elaine, thank you for the links and for starting this thread. We have had similar threads on TUG in years past (one even started by me, I think) but it seems to be a perennial and universal problem for folks.

When I had a professional designer design my office, my DS posted on FB that it would be just like all my other office spaces and be cluttered and useless. I hadn't realized how true that was until he pointed it out. IOW, I just moved my office to another room rather than clean up the mess.

And, yes, I did go for pretty rather than practical as, at this point in my life, pretty is very crucial to my mental state. I don't need project space in my office. Just a place to pay bills, have my books (which aren't many these days) and some pretty pictures of flowers and my family. I also have a tiny electric baby grand piano (when I say baby grand, that is the shape but it is much, much smaller than an actual baby grand). After we remodeled the living/dining space, there was no room for it and I thought it would look pretty in my office--much prettier than more shelves or filing cabinets. I play it maybe once every five years for about five minutes. But I can't seem to get rid of it.

The problem in my office is the stacks of professional magazines, etc that clutter the floor everywhere! I don't know if a professional organizer can help me with that. I just need to start purging them. I am no longer working and I don't need them and I don't read them. I just haven't gotten rid of them because I might read them.

Maybe if I clean up my own space, I will be able to have a clear conscience when I tackle the basement and DH's need for storage there. I figure if he gets the entire garage to himself, I should be able to have a pretty house.
Clap if you agree.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

I don't know, guys. I'm pretty sure I need one of these. If you build it, I will exercise. Just look at the view! http://www.houzz.com/photos/1818322/Colorado-Contemporary-traditional-home-gym-omaha

I might exercise with that view. Stunning!

I can't blame DH for all of the delay. I have my own inertia which brings us back around to hiring an organizer.

I understand inertia --- and it can be debilitating when beginning a task which is overwhelming.

Elaine, thank you for the links and for starting this thread. We have had similar threads on TUG in years past (one even started by me, I think) but it seems to be a perennial and universal problem for folks.

I would have liked to talk to ANYONE who had hired a professional organizer before going for it. I could not find anyone that had used one. It was my desire to know what working with one was like that motivated me to start the thread.

When I had a professional designer design my office, my DS posted on FB that it would be just like all my other office spaces and be cluttered and useless. I hadn't realized how true that was until he pointed it out. IOW, I just moved my office to another room rather than clean up the mess.

And, yes, I did go for pretty rather than practical as, at this point in my life, pretty is very crucial to my mental state. I don't need project space in my office. Just a place to pay bills, have my books (which aren't many these days) and some pretty pictures of flowers and my family. I also have a tiny electric baby grand piano (when I say baby grand, that is the shape but it is much, much smaller than an actual baby grand). After we remodeled the living/dining space, there was no room for it and I thought it would look pretty in my office--much prettier than more shelves or filing cabinets. I play it maybe once every five years for about five minutes. But I can't seem to get rid of it.

If your office is pretty and it is meeting your needs, you don't have a problem. If you want to read those magazines, it isn't a problem. It is only a problem if you aren't getting what you want from your space.

I personally don't think that accumulate stuff have a problem unless it isn't meeting their needs.

I think that my mother wasn't meeting her children's needs by keeping our house as stripped down as it was. And my brother is just like her. During our last sibling trip, my brother's partner wanted to buy a sweater that looked really good on him. My brother completely nixed the idea --- takes up too much space, don't need it, etc. It was like hearing my mother word for word.

The problem in my office is the stacks of professional magazines, etc that clutter the floor everywhere! I don't know if a professional organizer can help me with that. I just need to start purging them. I am no longer working and I don't need them and I don't read them. I just haven't gotten rid of them because I might read them.

I don't think that you need an organizer for that. Some day, you will either decide to read them or you will decide that you aren't ever going to read them.

I had the same problem with my scrapbooking supplies. One time, I made one page of a scrapbook. That was more than 10 years ago. The supplies weren't in my way. They were in the closet in my guest room. And, they were completely organized. Ready at a moment's notice for me to scrapbook. I donated them when I realized that I wasn't ever going to do it. We weren't even working on the guest room. I just decided that it was something I wasn't ever going to do.

Maybe if I clean up my own space, I will be able to have a clear conscience when I tackle the basement and DH's need for storage there. I figure if he gets the entire garage to himself, I should be able to have a pretty house.
Clap if you agree.

Couldn't find a clapper - I hope this counts: :whoopie:

elaine

 

[Jestjoan]

DIY Organizing

Get Organized and The Container Store are participating in the 2013 Free Shipping Day. There may be others...........

 

[Rose Pink]

Yesterday I started on my office. It will take a long time but already I see progress. I find it is easy to throw stuff in the recycle bin or for charity but 1/3 of the stuff I need to address in some way by filing or taking other action. That is the hard part. That is why the stuff was on the floor in the first place--I didn't want to attend to it at the time (or was waiting for further info).

However, now I am doing something about it! Nothing like being accountable to a group of friendly strangers on the internet. :hysterical:

Thanks, y'all!


(And, I am doing this with a cold and food poisoning at the same time.)
(PS, if you get a cold, try the Puffs brand tissues with the Vicks in them. So much nicer than smearing the sticky goo under your nose. I put a tissue on my pillow and it really helped last night.)

 

[Sandi Bo]

Thanks SO much for this thread. The information is great, and very timely for me. I have just started purging and the information here is more than helpful and well as inspirational.

As "one of those" who wants to see SOMEONE use something rather than throw it away, any suggestions on what to do with old text books or a set of encyclopedias? What about about all these old computer disks and VHS tapes? Are they of value to anyone or do they do to go in a dumpster?

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Get Organized and The Container Store are participating in the 2013 Free Shipping Day. There may be others...........

Right on time! Tomorrow is free shipping day. I have been a Container Store fan since they opened the very first store on Royal Lane in Dallas. I have elfa storage units in BROWN --- they only made it in brown for the first two years that it was out. Love Container Store.

I have never heard of Get Organized ... want to see what that looks like.

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

However, now I am doing something about it! Nothing like being accountable to a group of friendly strangers on the internet. :hysterical:

Thanks, y'all!


(And, I am doing this with a cold and food poisoning at the same time.)
(PS, if you get a cold, try the Puffs brand tissues with the Vicks in them. So much nicer than smearing the sticky goo under your nose. I put a tissue on my pillow and it really helped last night.)

Woo Hoo! That deserves a cheer!

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Thanks SO much for this thread. The information is great, and very timely for me. I have just started purging and the information here is more than helpful and well as inspirational.

As "one of those" who wants to see SOMEONE use something rather than throw it away, any suggestions on what to do with old text books or a set of encyclopedias? What about about all these old computer disks and VHS tapes? Are they of value to anyone or do they do to go in a dumpster?

Here there are some organizations that will accept books and tapes for a gigantic book sale --- our local library does and so does our Jewish Community Center.

I donated those things because it seems sinful to throw books away. Even without emotional attachments, books are difficult to me.

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

True confession time

My husband who is an avid camper decided 6 months ago that we would probably not camp any more. Last year, we spent $2000 on camping equipment. We went camping 4 times --- and had some great trips.

It turns out that he thinks that I am too high maintenance to camp with. I don't just want a tent and sleeping bags. But nice thick pads, cots to raise the sleeping bags off the ground. I love cooking over a camp fire. I made home made biscuits, beef stroganoff with noodles, etc. He just felt like it was too much work.

Of all things, I am the one who has resisted getting rid of the camping equipment. I really prefer timeshares, but I was willing to camp.

It seems like a loss to give up the idea of camping. But, I know if Ian doesn't want to do it, we won't. We had two more trips scheduled that he cancelled. Those are the only trips he has ever cancelled.

So, next thing to go will be camping equipment.

Tomorrow the organizer meets with just me. We are going to work on my needlework. I am interested in her ideas.

elaine

 

[Rose Pink]

It seems like a loss to give up the idea of camping. But, I know if Ian doesn't want to do it, we won't. We had two more trips scheduled that he cancelled. Those are the only trips he has ever cancelled.

So, next thing to go will be camping equipment.

elaine

Consider finding a way to store a minimal amount of it such as sleeping bags and a few cooking supplies. You never know when you might need them for emergencies. We don't camp but have organized (still needs more work) an emergency closet if we need to go to a shelter or stay in the yard. Natural disasters occur everywhere and you may not be able to stay in your home if an earthquake or tornado damages it. You may be able to "camp" on your property if there are no downed power lines, etc.

Our first choice would be to go to a hotel, of course, but they may be filled with other evacuees or, if the bridges are out, we wouldn't be able to drive out of our neighborhood. We'd have to walk with only what we could carry.

I am not a doomsday prepper (referring to the other thread) but have been taught that in the event of an emergency it can take first responders three days or more to get to you. Hospitals, schools, etc are their first priority. You need to have at least a 72-hour kit and then more if you have room for it. You can check the CERT and FEMA websites. If the disaster is widespread, the hotels (if they are still standing) and the shelters will fill up fast.

So, you may not have to give up your camping gear if you can find another use for it.

 

[Rose Pink]

I have been a Container Store fan since they opened the very first store on Royal Lane in Dallas.

elaine

I've been there! Loved that store but I was only visiting Dallas while DH was on a business trip and couldn't take it all home with me.

We don't have one in Utah. We have IKEA and my local Smith's Marketplace has some storage bins I like but I'd love to have the variety of The Container Store. Shopping on-line just isn't the same as being able to see, feel, and examine a product in a brick and mortar store.

 

[Rose Pink]

Thanks SO much for this thread. The information is great, and very timely for me. I have just started purging and the information here is more than helpful and well as inspirational.

As "one of those" who wants to see SOMEONE use something rather than throw it away, any suggestions on what to do with old text books or a set of encyclopedias? What about about all these old computer disks and VHS tapes? Are they of value to anyone or do they do to go in a dumpster?

If you don't mind having something repurposed, some crafters use books to make lovely keepsake boxes or use the printed paper in other craft projects. There isn't much use for old encyclopedias with more updated info on the internet. You can try donating them to your library or to a thrift store before throwing them in the trash. At the very least, throw them in the recycling bin.

http://www.pinterest.com/MaryannWohlwend/repurposing-books/

We had a Savers Store open a few miles from us. It is basically a second-hand store. We laughed when we saw shelves of old 8-track tapes. Some outlets will take just about anything, so you could try that.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Consider finding a way to store a minimal amount of it such as sleeping bags and a few cooking supplies. You never know when you might need them for emergencies. We don't camp but have organized (still needs more work) an emergency closet if we need to go to a shelter or stay in the yard. Natural disasters occur everywhere and you may not be able to stay in your home if an earthquake or tornado damages it. You may be able to "camp" on your property if there are no downed power lines, etc.

Our first choice would be to go to a hotel, of course, but they may be filled with other evacuees or, if the bridges are out, we wouldn't be able to drive out of our neighborhood. We'd have to walk with only what we could carry.

I am not a doomsday prepper (referring to the other thread) but have been taught that in the event of an emergency it can take first responders three days or more to get to you. Hospitals, schools, etc are their first priority. You need to have at least a 72-hour kit and then more if you have room for it. You can check the CERT and FEMA websites. If the disaster is widespread, the hotels (if they are still standing) and the shelters will fill up fast.

So, you may not have to give up your camping gear if you can find another use for it.

Excellent idea! We have an emergency preparedness closet. Ian's goal is to have a one year supply of food. Ian figures that we will be responsible for sustaining about 12 people so we really only have a 30 day supply of food. We also have some basic gardening equipment and a seed supply of heirloom food. We bought ours on ebay 2 years ago. These seeds we keep in the emergency closet, not with the gardening supplies. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUSTAINABLE...057?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac3120181.

After reading this, I asked Ian where he was planning on staying if the house got destroyed by a tornado and our roads became impassable. (My office was destroyed by a tornado in 2000 --- been there, done that, think I'll pass next time). The tent really is comfortable. The cots with pads and a sleeping bag are comfortable for several nights sleep. Using your idea, I asked him if it wouldn't be a good idea to keep the equipment for emergencies rather than for camping. He is considering it.

He has wanted a solar oven. And a generator. He was never planning on getting rid of the camping stove because it is an integral part of our emergency preparedness.

He is considering the camping equipment as emergency equipment. Time will tell what he decides.

Thanks for the great suggestion!

elaine

 

[glypnirsgirl]

Third meeting with the PO

Ian had an appointment this morning and was unable to meet with Melinda. He asked that we work on my needlework supplies while he was gone.

I had been brainstorming with him about different ways to organize my supplies. He suggested that we consider this system from the Container Store: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/...s/whatsNEWfromelfa?productId=10034968&N=81177 - it is a relatively new container store product.

He had told me that he thought this was a great solution. I showed it to Melinda, and Melinda agreed. I let Ian know that Melinda thought that it was a good solution. He said, "hold on, don't go too crazy, don't go buy anything. Now, Ian thinks that we need to find a different solution. --- In the mean time, for the first time, I have pulled stuff out and gathered it together in anticipating getting the peg board. Now everything is sitting and waiting on the dining room table.

Today was the first time, since working with Melinda, that we ended up in the "things will get worse before they get better" category. We had been warned that it can happen.

I am not going to be able to get this stuff organized before we leave for the holidays. Which means we will come back to a mess.

I always clean house before leaving. But, I have had two big emergencies develop today and I will spend the next few days dealing with those, not organizing needlework supplies. I am aggravated because I really wanted the public areas of the house to be really tidy before the holidays.

Not a happy camper!

elaine

 

[Patri]

He is considering the camping equipment as emergency equipment. Time will tell what he decides.
elaine

If he keeps it, tell him you have to test the equipment at least once a year. Then you can schedule a camping trip!

 

[glypnirsgirl]

If he keeps it, tell him you have to test the equipment at least once a year. Then you can schedule a camping trip!

The ironic thing about this is that Ian is the one that loves to camp. I am a willing camper, but I don't really love it. I like it.

Both of us grew up camping. My mom was a great camper and we had lots of good camping trips. But, when we were camping, we lived in places where great camping is a short drive away - Denver, Colorado (Rocky National Park), Visalia, CA (Yosemite), Everett, WA (too many to list).

From where we live, the nearest good camping is 5 hours away. And the weather for camping is not reliable. It is more often TOO hot or TOO cold.

I just feel like we are 5 years away from retiring and I would like to take cross-country trips, using the camping as a way of "bridging" from one timeshare to the other. It took us awhile to get the right gear together to be really comfortable.

This is still a work in progress. Back to work to deal with these emergencies.

elaine