Sunday, August 16, 2020

Organizing Shelves on Sunday

Today was not quite as hot as yesterday.  I practiced the piano in the morning before it got too hot and, again, in the evening, when it was a little cooler.  I also started the car and was happy when it started without any problems.  

I watered the front garden in the evening and discovered that someone had stolen one of my succulents plants!  It was a red tinged star shaped succulent which M had given me.  We planted it in the front, along the succulents border.  Here is an old photo showing the plant:


Reddish Star Shaped Succulent in the Front


Since this photo was taken, I re-positioned the logs to widen the planting bed and the star shaped succulent was inside the border of logs.  It was there, last week, when I watered the front, but, it was gone, today!  Of course, I don't know who might have taken it - probably someone passing by who happened to see it and decided to take it!  I think I really need to have a fence installed!  The next thing to be stolen from my garden will be the pomegranates when they are ripe!  It has happened, before!  At least, as my daughter pointed out, they didn't try to steal anything from inside my house!

Today's project was to reorganize two of the shelving units in the family room.  They are bookcases originally bought for my daughter.  When her collection of books outgrew the shelves, we bought her taller bookcases and these two found a home in the family room, under the kitchen pass-through.  One contains mostly daughter's stuff; the other one went from being a bookcase to a storage unit!  Lately, I've been bothered by how visually cluttered it all looked.

I was brave and took a "before" picture to share:

Bookcases/Storage Shelves: Before

So, today, I removed everything, shelf by shelf, dusted and wiped the shelves, sorted through the stuff, found other homes for some of them, went through the binders of old appliance manuals, etc., and tossed the ones for appliances I no longer have, and boxed up some of the empty binders (have to find storage for that box!).

Here is the "after" picture:

Bookcases/Storage Shelves:After

Daughter's shelves are more or less the same; I removed a "melt and pour" soap making kit she had received as a gift (stored that in a drawer in the coffee table until she comes home to make them) and the empty plant pot.  I am storing these particular plant pots inside the house as they are the ones I use to grow cat grass for Dancer (he already went over and checked them out to see if there was anything growing in them!).    I could probably store them in the garage now that the garden cats can't get into the garage, but, right now, the garage is another big mess!

The smaller fabric covered box is currently empty.  I might find a use for on the desk in my bedroom, but, for now, I am keeping it where it is.  I have some curling ribbon and Christmas  bits and pieces in the two plastic shoe boxes.  Something else to sort through, another day.  The tall stack of plastic drawers need sorting through, as well.  

Today, I am grateful for:

  • The slightly cooler weather
  • The car started at the first try
  • As my daughter said, nobody stole anything from inside the house!
  • Getting the two shelving units cleaned and organized
  • Phone calls from friends and neighbors
Today's joyful activity was organizing the shelves!  It really was something that made me happy, as it was something I had been meaning to do and putting off.  

Tomorrow's planned joyful activity is to cover a few more boxes, I think.  I've many more shelves that need to be organized!  

Monday's To Do List:
- Practice the piano
- Piano lesson
- Dust living room & dining area
- Clean the fridge
- Take trash cans to the curb for Tuesday trash pick up

How was your Sunday?  What are your plans for Monday?

18 comments:

  1. Well done on the shelf sorting. We planned a BBQ for yesterday. But it rained, so we ate inside. My plans have had to change completely - I'm here for another fortnight of Grandma's Nursery School. Our government has messed up totally with exam results, so the Universities are caught in the middle. As daughter & partner have responsible jobs at a top uni, they need me to look after Rosie for a little longer whilst they work from Home

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    1. Thank you, Angela. It's good that your plans are flexible enough to accommodate changes, whether it is eating indoors instead of out and extending Grandma's Nursery School for another couple of weeks. I'm sure Rosie will have fun, but, make sure you don't get too tired! I'm sure your daughter appreciates you being there for them. :)

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  2. The shelves are looking good and tidy and your newly covered boxes look great on display. I'm sorry one of your succulents was stolen. I can't imagine why anyone would do such a thing. X

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    1. Thank you, Jules. I'm pleased with how the shelves (and the boxes) turned out.

      The succulent was unusual and attractive; someone obviously liked it and wanted it for him/herself. Didn't matter to them that it was growing in someone else's yard. They helped themselves to it. :(

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  3. It's hard for me to believe that someone would take a plant. I don't understand people sometimes, but as your daughter said, it's not from the inside. She's very good at pointing out the positive.

    I thought your before picture was the after because the shelves looked pretty neat to me. But the after is really nice. Good job.

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    1. I, too, couldn't believe that the plant was gone! I kept looking for it, and checked, yet again, this morning, too, just in case I was mistaken! But, no, the plant is gone. And, unless it developed some legs and walked away, I have to believe that someone took it! But, yes, as my daughter pointed out, at least no one took anything from inside the house! She is good at pointing out the positives, isn't she?

      Oh, thank you! There were too many miscellaneous things set out on the shelves, earlier. Partly because there wasn't any room for them somewhere else and partly because it was a convenient spot to stash things! But, I am pleased with how the shelves look, now. :)

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  4. Well done on sorting the shelves. It's a shame one of your succulents has disappeared. Maybe it was taken by a child?

    I'm making efforts to do the housework today but it's taking ages for some reason. I want it all done and out of the way so I can get on with the bulk cooking tomorrow.

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    1. Thank you, Eileen. Whoever took the plant made sure to cover the hole!

      I hope you were able to get your housework done, today. Tomorrow sounds like a busy day with the bulk cooking. I've plans to dust a couple of rooms today.

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  5. If you thought your shelves were a mess I shudder to think what you might think of mine!
    I understand how tempting ripe pomegranates would be but geez, you just don't take what is not yours!

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    1. Oh, I have messier shelves elsewhere! I might even be brave enough to share pictures of them! But, this set of shelves are what is directly in line with my vision when I am on the sofa and the mix of things on it was getting to me.

      I just don't understand the mentality of some people; I guess they feel entitled to it!

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  6. Your shelves look very nice - all clean and tidy and organized. It will be much more visually pleasing for you now plus just to have things cleaned out and organized feels good doesn't it?
    Your covered boxes were a good idea and they look nice on your shelves.

    I cannot believe someone took your plant. As we all know, you have some very nice neighbors but along with those there are a few that are a challenge.

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    1. Thank you, Debra. Yes, sorting through those shelves was one of the things on my to do list for some time, now. Every time I'd see the binder with the warranties and user manuals, I'd say to myself, I really should go through that, but, then, it got pushed back for another day. I guess yesterday was that other day. :) There are, at least a couple of other shelving units needing a good cleaning and sorting out, but, it's too hot to do anything much, right now! At least, that's my excuse! :D

      Yes, the good neighbors are very nice; they make up for the others! Maybe the person who took it needed it more than I did! I'll consider it a donation and add it to my decluttering list! :)

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  7. Your shelves look very neat. Though I don’t think they were untidy before. 😊
    I also have to go through the binder of manuals and toss old ones.

    I have a friend who discourages me every time I want to plant edibles closer to the road, saying that people would pick them. I guess she is right.
    I can’t believe someone stole your plant.

    Have a wonderful week, Bless.

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    1. Thank you, Nil. I guess I was just tired of seeing the mix of items I was storing on those shelves. Just too much visual clutter.

      Yes, your friend is right! Unless you have a wall or fence around your property, some people will help themselves to what you plant!

      Thank you, Nil. Hope your week is off to a good start and the first day of classes went well.

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  8. Nice job tackling the bookshelves - a little more breathing room always looks tidier, doesn't it. Why I can't make that work in my craft room is a mystery. (Not really, just too much stuff.) I was thinking about moving some things around in the rest of the house later this week to freshen up the place. I will dig into my "decor closet" and switch some things around.

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    1. Thank you, Susanne. Yes, a little more breathing room! Plus, a little less visual clutter. Seems to work for me. Have fun moving some things around your house! I hope you share some pictures because I like seeing what other people do with their spaces. :) Hope you have a good week.

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  9. What a pity about the succulent. I am amused by your perfect shelving which is now even more perfect! But these projects are satisfying and help to get things clean underneath and it actually does look better.
    We had a dramatic hailstorm yesterday afternoon, part of s string of storms. Thank goodness we were indoors and no vehicle outside to be pitted, although the hailstones were fairly small. The internet went off in the evening. Today's forecast included rain and a possible storm so the bedsheets have gone into the dryer.

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    1. Yes, well, I guess whoever took it needed it more than I did! I did want to be less attached and more giving, didn't I? :D

      Every now and then, even the shelves that look neat and tidy begin to look a little too cluttered to me. Besides, it had been too long since I last wiped it all down. :)

      I'm glad there was no damage from the hailstorm! Parts of our state had hail storms, too, while other parts are burning! We have been told to expect rolling blackouts due to the heat and higher than expected demands on energy use.

      Stay safe and dry!

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