I do feel like I accomplished a few things this weekend… some decluttering, some cleaning, some administrivia errands, and some general relaxation.
I scanned a pile of old documents – things I’d like to have records of, but don’t need hard copies*. The total residue was a full bag of shredded stuff and an additional half-bag of stuff that didn’t require shredding. That cleared out enough space that three file boxes became two, and shifting things around I now have three free shelves in the library. I’ll move stuff from the guest room shelves out to the library – so I’ve furthered my goal of getting the free space in the guest room to do some built-ins.
I also got in some work outside and managed to clear enough trash off the patio and out of the garage that the enormous trash can is full… and there’s a pile by the recycling bin as well. But I’ll need to do much, much more before the garage is usable as a woodworking space again.
I find myself measuring progress in the square footage of horizontal space (shelves or floor) reclaimed. I need to clear probably another 30 shelf-feet of stuff from the house before I’ll feel truly decluttered. And I dunno how many from the garage.
I managed to work out both days. I watched several entertaining home-improvement podcasts. I answered a few emails.
I read most of “Three Cups of Tea”, a novel about a guy who started a charity to build schools in rural Pakistan. The backstory comments about the politics in Pakistan over the past 20 years have given me interesting insights into the current Bhutto/Musharraf (spelling?) confrontation – as Bhutto’s being painted by the press as a white-hat now, but it sounds like Pakistan under her and Sharif was rife with corruption and misery.
How is it Sunday night already?
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*Fr’ex, I scanned all my old electric bills. I know I don’t need them for any documentation purposes, but I want the usage data on file so I can compare old to new when I do a home improvement that’s intended to save energy. Comparing the pre- and post- data after installing the new, more energy efficient air conditioner, for example, was impressive. In the summer months, it’s saved me up to a hundred bucks per month and that’s despite a sharp rise in prices during that time.