Getting [and Staying] Organized ... and a Giveaway!

I hate moving. Hate it. Hate packing. Hate hauling all the boxes up and down stairs. Hate all the things that go along with moving... getting our address changed, calling all the utilities companies, all that stuff that takes me away from doing what I like to do.

There's one good thing, though. It's FORCING me to get organized. There are so many things I like to do (beadweaving, drawing, reading, sewing, knitting, crocheting, photography, scuba diving, volleyball, racquetball, softball... the list goes on and on) that I have sooooooo much stuff to be packed! My gnat-like attention span causes me to flit from one project to another, and I'm not particularly disciplined about putting things back where I found them. Hey, I gotta go do that OTHER thing!

So, in the midst of hating that I have to pack up everything to move it, I'm organizing stuff as I go. Boxes are carefully labeled with a "code" and the contents are listed in a spreadsheet. I know that seems like overkill, but some of these boxes won't be unpacked for a long long time (while we build a house); and it's much easier to search in a spreadsheet than to try to read labels on a ton of boxes. As I pack, I'm also looking at everything with a critical eye -- do I really need that? could someone else use it? do I want to move it? how many years before I get around to doing something with it? And I'm packing boxes that will be donated to the Cancer Federation. At least someone will get some use out of my excess stuff!

While all this packing is going on, I'm still doing some beadweaving. Not as much as I'd like, naturally. Do you know how hard it is to pack beads??? I try to put them into a box, and they start talking to me... I'm pretty sure there are other beadweavers and jewelry makers out there who know what I mean.

Here are pictures of the two newest items listed in my Etsy shop:

Purple and Silver Swirls

Zuleika (Versatile Ndebele Rope Necklace or Bracelet)

While you're looking at pictures, check out the mosaic for this week's Bead Art Originals Items of the Week. There are some great pieces there and some great deals to be had. (I'm still pouting because someone bought those beautiful black and white polymer clay beads created by my friend Dee!)


It's a giveaway!!!

Anyone have any organizational tips they'd like to share? I have done any kind of giveaway in awhile, so leave a comment here to be entered in a drawing to win a stationery sampler valued at $25! I'm not listing stationery in my shop any more (Allison, of papervictory, has taken over the whole line of products); but I still have a few things left... and I don't want to move them!

To be eligible for the drawing:
- You must be at least 18 years of age.
- You must reside in the U.S.
- Leave a comment with an organizational tip (any kind!).
- Make sure to include your email address or Etsy shop name so I can contact you.
- Deadline for being included in the drawing is Friday, July 10 at midnight (CST).

I'm frazzled! And that's saying a lot, because I don't often admit to being frazzled. There are just so many things going on right now that I feel like one of those guys in the circus with all the spinning plates... and what I hear is the sound of breaking glass. I like to think that I can do absolutely everything (don't we all?), but every once in awhile I find that even the most talented of multi-taskers (that would be me) struggles with all the tasks at hand.

The frazzledness is being caused by our impending move. We have no deadline. We're not really in a hurry, except that we'd really like to be gone before the winter. But there's a lot to do.

This is part of the list:
1. Pack things that will be moved with us. This involves deciding what we're going to keep, as we've decided to eliminate a LOT of our belongings. We just don't need it all! And because I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to packing, everything being packed is being recorded in a spreadsheet. Honestly, that makes it easier for me. I know. I'm weird.
2. Sell "stuff" on eBay. This involves doing some research first (I'm not going to take the time to photograph and describe something that'll sell for a quarter). If the research indicates that it's worth selling, I have to take photos and write up the listings. Then I have to figure out where to put the "stuff" until it sells.
3. Sell bigger "stuff" on craigslist. So far, so good with this one. Our Adirondack style lawn chairs are all gone. So's the chain link fencing that was around our dog pen. I ran into a snag with this today, though. Lots of big stuff was dragged out into the yard for photographing, and I was happily listing away. And then craigslist wouldn't let me list any more. I haven't used it very much, and I wasn't aware that there are limits to the number of things you can list in any 48-hour period. Pooey. There's LOTS of big stuff, though... a full living room set, entertainment center, bedroom set, lots of bookshelves, sofa and loveseat, electronic drum set, ping pong table, dining room set, chest of drawers, darkroom equipment... Whew!
4. Donate to charities. We've donated a LOT already, but we're continuing to gather things for the Cancer Federation, Vietnam Vets, and Purple Hearts. Once again, this means gathering all the stuff together into one place until it's picked up.
5. Yardwork. The lawn needs work. The weeds are growing up through the mulch that was spread last year, so there's weed pulling to be done. Overgrown shrubs have been cut down and the stumps dug up, and now there's cleanup to be done where they were. Flowers need to be transplanted to other locations. Several trees need to have the grass cleared from around them so mulch can be put there (it's just too hard to mow around the trees). We're waiting for three truckloads of mulch to be spread next to the fence and in a few areas around the house. It's been really rainy, so it's been tough to get the yardwork done.
6. Get house ready to sell. We can't tackle much of this until some of the stuff has been cleared out. Oddly enough, getting the house ready to sell will probably be the easiest part of this whole thing! We need to regrout the kitchen floor, paint some of the rooms, have the carpets cleaned, and do just a few minor fixes. We both like building and construction, though, so fixing the stuff in the house will be the most fun.

I know a list of six things doesn't seem overwhelming, and it certainly doesn't merit being frazzled; but each of those six things really involves many many steps. In between all those things I'm trying to make sure we have clean clothes, food to eat (although I'll admit to asking that we go out to eat several times a week), keep up with my Etsy shop, AND have a little fun along the way.

Because... when all's said and done, I really believe we should be able to spend a significant portion of our lives enjoying ourselves. For me, enjoyment is creating, so it's important to me to be able to spend time every day creating something. Beadweaving. Art. Stationery. Knitting. Crocheting. SOMETHING! Enjoyment is also reading, so there's time set aside every day for some reading.

So although I'm a bit frazzled right now, it'll pass. No one's putting pressure on me except myself, so I just have to tell myself to relax. It'll all get done. Eventually. And if it doesn't, it's not the end of the world.

There.

I have just talked myself out of being frazzled.

Life's too short to do that to myself. I'm going to do some beadweaving and watch a movie!
:-)

Susan (aka ClinkscalesArts) assembled a beautiful Treasury yesterday, and I'm really thrilled that she included my Victorian Ruffle necklace in it. (That's it in the third row down on the left.)

I am constantly amazed at the variety produced by the members of the Etsy BeadWeavers group. We all start with these tiny little beads and some thread, but then we go in thousands of different directions. Anytime one of the members gets in a beading rut, all she has to do is to try to think of something for one of the monthly challenges. They're always fun, and even though I haven't participated in one in awhile, it's fun to see what everyone else creates.

I didn't have a chance to do any beadweaving at all today. :-(

In fact, I don't think I did any yesterday. :-(

We're trying to get ready to move, so I'm focusing on clearing "stuff" out of our house. It's slow going. Wednesday we had a big pile of boxes and bags picked up by the local Vietnam Vets chapter. I've been posting a few things on craigslist and on eBay. And still, it seems like it's barely making a dent. I'm sure it'll be different when I finally get around to listing some of the furniture and larger things we don't want to move.

One thing I've been doing is trying to eliminate some of my collection of arts and craft supplies. It's really hard to part with them because I know I could still use everything I have (well, okay, I'd have to live to be about 125 years old), but some of it just needs to be gone. I've done my own framing for a long time, and I have quite a stash of matboard. That's not something that's particularly easy to move, as the sheets are 32" x 40", so I've been cutting up all my matboard into ACEO size blanks and listing them on Etsy. That's keeping me pretty busy. Apparently there are lots of ACEO artists out there who just don't want to cut their own cards! It's great because the stack of matboard is dwindling, and I'm almost out of the stack of chipboard I had; but it's a LOT of cutting!!

When I'm not trying to eliminate "stuff," I'm packing it into boxes so it'll be ready when we finally move. I have to admit to being somewhat obsessed about the way I pack things. Every box is coded, and the contents of every box are recorded in a spreadsheet.

Is it wrong that I use spreadsheets for just about everything!??!? I think not. I've used the spreadsheet method before, and it worked wonderfully. (By the way, we don't move very often.) It makes a great household inventory, which will come in handy if we ever need to file an insurance claim for a fire or flood (fingers and toes crossed here that that never happens). It also makes it VERY easy to find things. No more trying to read the labels scribbled on the boxes. I can figure out ahead of time where every box will go in the house, and when I'm looking for something I just have to search in the spreadsheet and then go to the correct box.

See?

There's method in my madness.

:-)

Our garage is a sight, a pitiful mess.
What are we gonna do?
We have to pack and put it away.
It's a big job for just us two.

But we made the mess, so it's only right
that we be the ones to clear.
I don't know exactly, but I'll hazard a guess
that this might take us a year.

There are tools out there, all kinds of them,
for building and yardwork and such.
There are way more tools than anyone needs,
and some have never been touched.

My husband located a box full of things
he'd purchased many years ago.
He thought he'd use them for something or other,
but did he? Well, no.

There's a drum full of rakes and brooms and shovels,
and there are boxes full of screws and nails.
And in one corner there's a great big pile
of containers, buckets, bags, and pails.

So why are we trying to clean out this mess?
Why don't we just leave it be?
Because, you see, we want to move soon
to the state of Tennessee.

And we need to clean up the house and garage,
not to mention the plants in the yard.
We just never thought it would take this long
or be this dadgoned hard!

We're packrats, you see, and what that means
is that we never throw anything out.
We always think we can use it some day,
but I'm beginning to have my doubts.

I think we need one of those TV shows
like 'Clean Sweep' or 'Mission Organization'
to come and help us get rid of this stuff
so we can take a vacation!

But no, we'll just do it all by ourselves.
We'll be strong, and we won't delay.
We'll toss out the stuff that's broken and bent,
and the rest we'll sell on eBay.

Wish us luck.