Whole House Detox: Clean and Organize Your Car, Truck, or Van

Apr 24th, 2012

Click on images to enlarge.

I like to have a clean, tidy car.  I don’t always have a clean car, but it’s an on-going goal.  My car is never grimy or full of trash, but it can get messy.  Any day of the week I’d like to be able to say “hey, I’ll take you, hop in” and never be embarrassed by trash in my car.

The condition of our vehicles says a lot about how we travel through life.  Mine says “she works at it and usually succeeds.”  My goal is for my vehicle to say, “it’s a done deal, a non-issue.”

What does the inside of your car look like?  What does it say about you?

I’ve never owned a new car.  I prefer to buy a used car in good condition.  I’m frugal and a utilitarian.  Even though my car is a 2003, it looks good, well taken care of.  We live in such a throw-away society, some people never learn how to take care of things.  They “stomp” all over their cars so they look worn out and broken down well before they should.

If you’d like to take better care of your car, van, or truck, I have a three step solution:

1. Clear out the junk
2. Contain and organize it
3. Clean it

Step 1:  Clear out the junk

Most people have some kind of junk in their car.  It’s inevitable because we spend so much time in our cars and use them for so many purposes.  Here are some kinds of junk we have in our cars:

• Stuff from errands we didn’t finish (e.g., bags that need to go to Goodwill, recycling, returns for the hardware store,  paint chips we need to match at Pier1 or World Market)
• Fast food wrappers and associated trash (e.g., coffee cups, plastic silverware, napkins, straws and lids)
• Chock full compartments (e.g., glove box, console, side pockets, behind seat pockets
• Paper trash (e.g., bills, mail, invoices, books and magazines, homework assignments, class notes, kids’ creative projects, directions, etc.)

Clear out all the trash and throw it away or recycle it.  Complete the errands (recycling, returns, donations).  If there’s anything left that doesn’t belong in your car, put it where it belongs.

Step 2:  Contain and organize it

Our cars help us transport a lot of stuff.  And because we’re in them while we’re in transition from place to place, it’s easy to see a mess and think “I’ll deal with that later” and then forget about it until we get in the car the next day and the cycle starts again.  My experience tells me that the longer a mess stays around, the easier it gets to ignore because we stop seeing it.  It becomes a part of the background.

The main challenge we face is that most things don’t have a place in our cars.  If they did, we’d probably put them where they belong.  So here’s how I’ve found places for things in my car. 

• Maps go in the passenger side door pocket – how handy, there they are!
• Trash goes in the driver’s side door pocket – emptied when I get gas
• The glove box contains the owner’s manual, proof of registration and insurance, directions to places I can’t seem to remember how to get to, $20 underneath everything in case I get stuck somewhere and need cash.  (I just need to remember to put it back after I’ve spend it)
• Because I don’t have a trunk, I keep a TJMaxx bag with handles behind my seat that contains grocery sacks, a freezer bag if it’s hot and I want to keep frozen foods cold, basic car cleaning supplies, a windbreaker, umbrella, and ball cap in case the levee is cold and I’m underdressed for my walk.  If I need to carry passengers in the back seat, I can easily grab the bag and in one motion put it in the back in Toby’s area without having to scrambling to gather up random things messing up the back seat.  This “container” system really works for me.
• Car maintenance and repair– I never seem able to keep repair and gas receipts in an organized fashion, so I bought a small spiral lined notepad to keep behind the passenger side visor.  I reserve a page for each month and write the date, # of gallons of gas purchased, cost per gallon, and total sale.  At a glance I can see how much I’m spending on gas every month.  I also make notes of any car maintenance or repairs that month.  This is great info to plug into my budget (when I get around to creating one!)
• I walk the dogs every day so my car needs to be “stocked” with everything I need because I’m all about efficiency.  In Toby’s area there’s a Toy Story comforter, leash, water bowl with a nonslip base, water container that I fill every couple of days, and a treat bag that I stash in one of the rear compartments.  Toby used to keep romping and digging when it was time to go home so I got smart and reward him a treat when he comes dutifully to the car.  He’ll do anything for food.  It’s the little things….

I keep working on my systems and they get better over time.  Life is easier with systems.  If you don’t have any systems, borrow some of mine and make revisions when you get a bright idea.

Step 3:  Clean it

Things just get dirty and dusty….and streaked.  That’s life.

I used to struggle with dog hair and dog smeared dirty windows—it’s the only thing about my dogs that isn’t cute.  I got tired of vacuuming the back seat so I bought a Pontiac Vibe – Toby gets the entire back hatch area.   Sophie gets a wee dog bed on the floor of the passenger side which is safer in case I need to stop quickly.

I don’t like to climb in the back seat to vacuum and clean windows so I take it to a full service car wash and pay them $13 plus a tip to clean the windows inside and out, wipe the dash and console and vacuum everything out.  There’s nothing more pleasant that driving out of the car wash with a clean car, clean windows, and no dog hair on the floor.  It’s satisfying in a special way.  I visit this car wash at least quarterly and more often if it needs it.  I also visit the do-it-yourself carwash whenever it needs it and am on that side of town.  I keep several dollars worth of quarters in one of the little drawers on the dash.

After cleaning out my glove box and freeing up space, there was room for a microfiber dust cloth.  Now I can easily wipe off the dash and console when I get stopped by a train or red light.  I drive in the country a lot and the dash gets really dusty.

Lots of people eat in their cars so caked on food can become a problem.  To clean my upholstery I use a spray bottle of my own cleaning mixture and a rag.  I lightly scrub the upholstery when it needs it.  This just takes a second if you do it before it’s totally trashed.

My systems have evolved over time.  When I experience a problem or something that doesn’t work, I think of ways to solve the problem and then tweak my systems.

I’ve shared some of the ones that are working well for me to keep my car clean and organized.  What solutions and systems do you use to keep your car, truck, or van clean and organized?  If you’ve got challenges, what are they?  Maybe we can help.  Please comment at the link below.

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Wellness Weekend: People, Pets, and Pho

Apr 22nd, 2012

I was going to write a post about my fabulous dinner and then realized I had a bigger story to tell–my wellness weekend of people, pets, and Pho.  Wellness is so much more than diet, exercise, and stress management.  Wellness includes all things that nourish your body, mind and soul.    Here are a few highlights of what nourished me this weekend.

Friday afternoon I got a chance to hang out with my godchildren Addie and Sylvia.  First we watched the demolition for their school charity event and then set out to play.  What a treat it is to watch children play and to play with them.  They realized that the slide their dad rigged for them would go so much faster if they sat on a cushion and slid down together.

Friday evening I attended a wonderful concert  featuring my friend Cindy Novelo & Tricia Spencer and Darrell Lea & Megan Hurt at the Lied Center in Lawrence, KS.  Amazing local musicians.

Saturday, I met my friend Brenda in Kansas City for outings to the anitique mall, Trader Joe’s, Stein Mart, the Blue Moose for lunch, and back to Brenda’s for a great conversation about life.  Also had a great phone conversation with my friend Lena.   I couldn’t make the gathering of my family in Chelsea, Michigan,  but I got to talk with my dad, sister, brother, and sister-in-law.

Sunday  morning  I slept in, had a Chihuahua playdate with my friend Nora’s and her new Chihuahua, Rosie, and Sophie, my rescue Chihuahua, and of course Toby but he’s a little harder for them to play with  (8 vs 70 pounds).

After a long walk along the levee with Toby and Sophie….and a little shuffling of papers, I made the very best Pho.  Here’s what went into it:

Pho (Vietnamese Soup)

• Box of Organic Pho broth
• Carrots
• Green onions
• Zucchini
• Bean sprouts
• Rice noodles
• Cilantro
• Fresh basil
• Hoisen sauce
• Hot pepper flakes
• 1/2 fresh lime squeezed in at the last minute

What did you do this weekend?  Was it nourishing?

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Whole House Detox: Entryway to Your Home Sweet Home

Apr 10th, 2012

When you walk up to your home, you want to feel “Ah, I’m home!”  You want to feel happy and welcomed not overwhelmed and embarrassed by junk in the yard and on the porch.  You don’t want to see unfinished projects wherever you look.  You want to feel….now I can loosen my belt, take off my shoes, and relax into the pleasure that awaits me in my home sweet home.

The entryway says a lot about who we are and what we value.  As you walk or drive through your neighborhood, you can’t help but notice how all of the homes appear–some messy, some totally overgrown, some tidy, and some spectacular.  Occupants of these homes obviously value different things.

What do you value?  On the value spectrum I’m not on either end.  I’m not a slob and I’m not a neat-nick.  I like to have a tidy home and yard, but sometimes I get engrossed in other things and the yard work sneaks up on me.  Usually the fix is pretty quick because I don’t have abandoned furniture or other junk to clear away.  I just have weeds and trash that blows into the bushes.

I enter my home from the back so I don’t often see the front walkway.  Sometimes it gets messy and out of hand without my knowing it.   Oops!  Now that I’m working in my hard more regularly, I should be able to stay on top of it.

So let’s roll up or sleeves, get on our gardening gloves and spiff up the front entryway.

Good times to weed and trim

• after a rain
• before weeds get really large
• on a cool day
• whenever it needs it
• before scheduled city pickup days
• whenever you have time or the spirit moves you

It felt great to get on top of my front yard.  Here are some before and after pictures (click the pictures to enlarge).

After weeding the sidewalk and retaining walls and weeding and trimming the raised bed, here’s the mess I created.

I used to dread this front walkway project because I’d get started before I had gathered all the tools I’d need for the job.  I’d constantly have to stop and get the right shovel, the hedge trimmer, a trash can to collect the debris, etc.  Now before I dig in, I gather up all the tools I need so I can just work, clean it up, and get it done as efficiently as possible.  Then I can stand back and admire my handiwork.

Speaking of admiring my handiwork, here’s an “after” picture.

You can see how much better the sidewalk and raised beds look after a little effort.

Notice how much more light is shining too – the whole area is brighter (the camera angle and time of day helped too).

Home Sweet Home

Now when I walk up to my home, I smile and feel more on top of my life!  This happy home says welcome!

 How does your entryway look?  Does it need some spiffing up?

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Stir Fried Veggies and Quinoa in a Peanut Sauce

Mar 27th, 2012

I made the most fantastic stir fry with quinoa.  I wanted something different from what I’ve been eating and my business coach and social media strategist, Lena West, suggested something with a peanut sauce. 

I did a quick search and found a fantastic  recipe.  I made a few minor adjustments (used green curry instead of red curry, didn’t measure the peanut butter, and  added cayenne pepper).   I could eat that stuff by the spoonful!  Try the recipe here from SheSimmers.com.

Here are the veggies I included:

• asparagus
• carrot
• green onion
• celery
• spinach
• green beans

 You could add meat, chicken, shrimp, or tofu.  You cook quinoa much like you cook rice (1.5 to 2 cups water to 1 cup whole grain quinoa) and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

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Whole House Detox: Garden Update

Mar 27th, 2012

Finally got the raised bed garden ready to plant and extended the garden into the yard.  Great exercise.  This is what Randi Hacker calls  the Earth Gym – great exercise right there in my yard.

I’ve got the bug to plant things I can eat–healthy eating here I come.  Any sunny spot is fair game!

So far I’ve planted bug repellant plants  (marigolds and cilantro), French lavender, three kinds of lettuce, and strawberries.  Tomorrow I’ll plant blueberry bushes, asparagus, and purple onions.  I have a bunch of seed packets so will need to figure out when to plant them.  This is all one big experiment.

Are you putting in a vegetable garden?  Feel free to tellme everything you know about it.  I can use the help.  Leave your comments at the comment link below.

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Whole House Detox: Building a Spring Garden

Mar 22nd, 2012

What does a garden have to do with a Whole House Detox?  Good question.  Let me make something up….  Ah, yes, a garden is part of the yard and the yard needs to be spiffed up along with the house.  A garden is also a part of detoxing my diet so I don’t have to eat vegetables sprayed with chemicals.

After cleaning up the back porch I decided to work on paperwork so I can get my taxes prepared.   I was working away and then spring happened!  Our weather is unusually warm so it’s time to get the garden ready.  One of my lovely subscribers informed me that our city is giving away compost tomorrow so I quickly had to shift gears to get a raised bed up and ready to accept the new soil.  The first garden handiman fell through so I went to Home Depot, selected the lumber and other needed materials and drove home wondering….now what?

I called my regular handiman with my fingers crossed that he could help at the last minute.  He sent over a couple of guys that had the raised bed in place in about an hour.  How’s that for right timing?  Everything is coming together so well.

And tomorrow Nora (my yard helper) and I are going to drive the borrowed truck to pick up compost and mix it into the soil.  As you can see from the stones, bricks, and weeds, there will be some work to do to get everything in place.

Then because the yard is an important part of the detox project, we’ll weed and whack and wake up the yard after its winter slumber.  The paperwork will have to wait….but it can’t wait too long because I need to have everything to the tax woman by April 2.

It takes a village to take care of a home.  And thankfully I have that village in place.  Over the years I have developed great relationships with people who help me live in this wonderful little bungalow–a handiman, weeder, plumber, painter, and electrician.  People are the best!  I don’t know what I’d do without people.

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Whole House Detox: The Back Porch

Mar 15th, 2012

During the Whole House Detox program there is at least one big rule:  expect the unexpected–expect delays, expect side tracks, and, thankfully, expect that sometimes things will be easier than you expected.

Case in point.  I didn’t expect to post so late in the day today.  But there was a technical glitch with the before and after pictures on my phone–they were gone!  After searching the HTC Inspire forum, I found the solution so was able to recover them.  Guess my phone isn’t so smart after all!

Click on the pictures to see a larger version.

It wasn’t very sexy but I started my Whole House Detox with the back porch.  It seemed like a good place to start because it’s small and because Sylvia said to start there.  Remember she’s my 5 year old decider. 

I thought it would be a quick, though dirty win.  It was dirty alight, but it wasn’t quick.  Right before I started cleaning it out I adopted a rescue Chihuahua and attended the first retreat of a year-long Reiki training program I had signed up for long before I heard of this adorable creature.   So the big rule I just mentioned—expect the unexpected—was in effect from day one with this project.  I worked on this tiny room across several days.  I had estimated it would take half a day.

Here’s how I approached the back porch cleanout.  It’s a tiny space so it can’t hold that much stuff.  But as you’ll see from the pictures, it DID hold a lot of stuff and was therefore hard to clean and organize.  My habit was to just open the door, deposit things in there, and close the door.  I put that ugly little room out of my mind because it worked for the most part.

As I studied the room, I noted that it has basically three purposes:  to house Toby’s kennel and food, provide a home for my recycling, and serve as storage for kitchen items I need infrequently.

Further study made these trouble spots obvious:  I stored various fluids in there but every summer they’d get too hot and every winter they’d get too cold—I’d scramble to move them into the house so they wouldn’t bake or freeze.  What a pain.  It’s amazing what you can figure out when you just stop, look, and think.  So I took all fluids out and put them in the basement.  Why didn’t I think of that before!

There were also a bunch of odds and ends in that tiny space that really should have been stored with tools or garden supplies.  Bottom line:  all this excess belonged somewhere else and it had to go.

Here’s the 8-step process I used to declutter and organize my back porch.  This process will work for any area you want to declutter, clean, and organize:

1. Take a breath and open the door, drawer, closet, etc.  It’s not so tough to open the door, so start there….it creates momentum.
2. Pull up a chair and do a little assessment.  Think about how you use that space, the purpose of the space, what needs to be in that space so you can easily use it, etc.
3. Roll up your sleeves and take everything out (this usually creates a big mess in your other spaces).  This step is essential because it creates a “clean canvas” that invites more open, flexible thinking.  It’s easier to visualize something different when the space is empty.  I’m not really saying to take everything out of your living room, for example.  That would be a lot of work.  This process is for smaller spaces.
4. Thoroughly clean the space.
5. Decide what must go back into that space (you need it, you love it, you use it, you’ve determined that this IS the right place for it).  Don’t just put it back in because it fits or because you don’t want to have to figure something else out.
6. Next, take a look at all the rest of the stuff that’s left that shouldn’t be going back into the space.  Quite a pile isn’t there!
7. Put those things where they really belong.
8. Take any excess to places like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or church thrift stores. 

Time Saving Tip:  You’ll be tempted to take things to a consignment shop or sell them on Craig’s list, but I have found those options to be time consuming and result very little monetary gain.  If you have more time than money, go for it.  But if you have a little more money than time, give the excess away.  It’s amazingly fast to complete a project when you take the excess immediately to Goodwill.  The faster you get it out of your house, the less likely you are to “find another use for it” and keep it.

During this process, you may be tempted to get judgmental and criticize yourself:  Man, this back porch is so dirty….look at all that dog hair.  What kind of a life manager am I!!  Etc., etc.  But so what.  Keep moving.  Tell the voices in your head to take a leap because you’re pushing forward.  And then just keep moving.  If you were a lazy person, you wouldn’t be taking action now, so there!

By now you’ve noticed that my back porch isn’t attractive.  It’s clean and organized now, but it’s not a place I’ll show people when they come over.  Real Simple isn’t always real simple.  You know the magazine that makes everything look beautiful–even under the sink.  Well, some places just don’t look that great—they’re clean and organized and that’s the goal.  You can upgrade at another time.  For now, just get it clean and organized. 

I upgraded a little with the TJMax butterfly bags I use for recycling.  They looked cooler than the yucky plastic bags I was using.  Notice I hung them on hooks several inches above the floor so I can easily sweep all that dirty dog hair out.

Cleaning tip:  Try to keep the floors clear of clutter.  We’re more likely to clean something when it’s easy and we don’t have to move a lot of stuff to “get at it.”

More “After” pictures… (click to see large version)

Comments Please:

Do you have an ugly place that needs to be cleaned out?  Want to get started?  Tell us about it at the comment link below!  If you don’t have any ugly places in your home, I’m eager to hear your story too.

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Whole House Detox: Where do I start?

Mar 14th, 2012

How do you decide where to start? 

Ask a “Decider.”  But I’ve gotten ahead of myself.  Let’s start at the beginning.

When you’re contemplating tackling a whole house of clutter and unfinished projects–after dealing with the feeling in the pit of your stomach–you might ask (whine/wail) where do I start?   Even if you’re just cleaning up one messy room, the question remains….where do I start?

I used to start by turning on the TV and digging in to a pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream with a big kitchen spoon. The thought of decluttering even one room was just too big. Thirty years later I’ve released about three-fourths of my resistance to getting started. Every year or two now, I look forward to tackling my whole house. “Look forward” may be a little too strongly stated.

Humans tend to complicate things.  We’re so smart, we sometimes use all that brain power to overwhelm ourselves with so many options (and high standards) that we become immobilized. What do we do with this overwhelm and confusion? We pick up the remote control, or we troll Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.  Or we grab a big kitchen spoon and eat ice cream.

Let’s not do that this time.  Let’s bite the bullet and start somewhere.  But where?  In a minute I’ll tell you where I started and why…but first a few ideas to get you started if you’re in this freeze-frame pickle.

Six ways to decide where to start the clean out…Pick one!

1. Get the lay of the land.  Make a list of possibilities and rate the level of difficulty or resistance of decluttering that space.
2. Start with the easiest room (or shelf  or closet).
3. Start with the hardest room (love a challenge?)
4. Start where there’s the most urgency:  during tax time, tackle office paperwork; before a party, get the main living areas in order; before a house guest arrives, spiff up the guest bedroom.
5. Go where your energy takes you.  Do what’s most satisfying.
6. Ask someone who is decisive.  That’s what I did!

I asked my friend Sylvia. She’s 5 and very decisive. Doesn’t her picture tell it all? It’s fun to ask her questions and see how she goes about deciding. She’s fast! And I’m slow.

When I presented her with a list of options for starting my Whole House Detox project, without hesitation she said start with the back porch.  Why Sylvie? Because you said it was messy. And she’s right. It WAS messy.

I liked her decision because the back porch is very small and it would be a quick win.  A dusty, dirty win, but a quick win or so I thought.   I estimated it would take a half day to complete…but life happens and it took part of 3 days, 4 if I’m really honest.  When things calm down a bit, I’ll tell you about all the sidetracks I’ve had since I decided to do this project.  Maybe that’s the universe’s way of seeing if I’m really serious about doing this.  I am!

My next post will give you all the gory details about cleaning out the back porch.  I’ll share before and after pictures too.

Do you have trouble deciding where to start and what to get rid of?  Share your story at the comment link below and we’ll see if we can help!  If you’re a great decider like Sylvia, share your secrets.

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Whole House Detox: Why Am I Doing This?

Mar 12th, 2012

During this 90-day series I’ll probably feel discouraged at some point and want to throw my hands up.  I’m going to create quite a mess each time I start decluttering a new room.  And messes can be disturbing.

That’s why I’ve created a list of my main reasons for sticking with this big project.  I’m posting it on my refrigerator to inspire me and perk me up when I want to quit.

12 Reasons Why I’m doing this Whole House Detox: 

1. I have a fairly high tolerance for messes, and I’m finally tired of tolerating them.  The spring winds have blown energy into this project.  Timing is everything.
2. Messes are inefficient and my middle name is efficiency so the messes have got to go!
3. Messes provide too many opportunities for self-criticism and blue moods and who needs more opportunities for that!
4. I’m eager to face resistance in all areas of my life, and there’s plenty to face when doing this Whole House Detox
5. Learning how to release excess without struggle is important to me.  Again, tons of opportunities here.
6. I love creating a beautiful, efficient living space.
7. I want to be able to have company over any day of the week and be ready in 30 minutes or less.
8. A clean, well-organized place helps me think straight.  I feel more peaceful and pleased.
9. I enjoy accomplishing a clearly outlined project—the job becomes easier to do and provides clear payoffs when it’s finished.
10. My two-word vision for my home is “beauty and efficiency” and right now they’re both a little tarnished.
11. A tidy place helps me feel peaceful and that all is well (there’s nothing I’m afraid of or resistant to lurking behind closed doors and drawers).
12. I like feeling competent, like I’m a good life manager.

What’s important to you?  What motivates you to stick with decluttering and organizing?  Please comment at the link below.

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Whole House Detox Begins

Mar 12th, 2012

In this 90-day personal decluttering journey, I’ll share before and after pictures with a few videos sprinkled in when the spirit moves me. Yes, you’ll see the messes–and I do mean messes–including vitamin clutter, overfull book cases, stuffed closets, and my disorganized pantry.  I will go room to room, closet to closet, drawer to drawer, and cabinet to cabinet. I’ll clean out everything that is behind closed doors and drawers.   

I may post several times a day or skip several days.  Instead of  adding self-criticism to an already big project, I’m going to stay tuned in to my inner guidance to make this a positive rather than guilt-driven experience.    But when I do experience self-criticism despite my best efforts, I’ll share how I handle that too. 

And here’s the hardest part, Before moving on to the next room (I love to start things and have a hard time finishing), I’ll finish projects in each room that have been unfinished for years like making the shower curtain and finishing the curtains in my bedroom.  I’ll also change out the accessories in my loft bedroom (tired of orange and green).   Since books and paper are my “final frontier,” there’ll be lots of posts as I slug my way through years of information stockpiling.  And with tax time looming large, I’ll need to start that project soon (ugh!)

As I tackle my own resistance, run into challenges, or get side tracked, I’ll share my experience. I’ll also share my satisfaction as I clean up the messes and create streamlined systems that will help me live more simply. 

My hope is that what you read will make you feel more clear and confident about cleaning out your own life—whether you tackle just one room, two rooms, or your whole house.  I hope my journey is a mirror to your challenges and inspires you to take action too.  Is your heart beating a little faster?

The bottom line is, let’s clean up our lives.

How long will it take? It will take as long as it takes. I’ve earmarked 90 days but if it takes longer, so be it.  Are you in?

Please comment at the link below:  When you think about doing a Whole House Detox, what comes up for you?  What hopes, fears, resistance, excitement, dread?  Will you be joining in….working on your own house?

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