Nice Weather Means Time to Get Outside

It's getting warmer so it's time to get out. I have plans to start weeding this week and preparing the flower beds for planting. We have some flowers that have escped the confines of the flower bed and are in the lawn. We went around today and picked up the trash in the yard. Mostly because we are the bus stop, so there were a lot of gum wrappers, as well as abc gum. For some reason we had a large amount of cigarette butts and filters.

Getting Ready to Plant

 

The weather is getting warmer, and it is time to think about the garden.

 

 

My former high school marching band is having a flower sale, but you have to be careful when buying plants unseen. You don't know what you are going to get. One year I remember on of the flats of red impatients was more like peppermint candies, since they had red and white stripes on the petals instead of being completely red. So if you were dead set on red impatients, you'd have to hope that flat went to someone else.

 

We know we would like to do more perrenials this year. Plants that will last for several years and we aren't purchasing new each year. So, we are waiting for the nurseries in the area to open again for the season so we can go check out the plants and see what we would like.

 

We think we would also like to plant some vegetables. This will help with the grocery bill and allow us to eat fresh foods.

 

What are you planning in your garden this year? Please leave your plans in the comments.

Spring Cleaning

 



Well, according to the calendar anyways, Spring has sprung. So it's time for some Spring cleaning. Time to go around the house getting rid of those things that haven't been used, or are at the end of their life and can't go on.

Donate Items
Donate those items like clothes that have only been worn a few times or are in good condition but don't fit anymore or you just don't wear. This creates space for you to get new items at birthdays and holidays, or gifts to yourself.

Trash or Reuse Items
Throw away those items that even a rat wouldn't touch. If you find a shirt that is a little holey, cut it up and use it as a rag for dusting, or scrubbing. Recycle old papaers that don't have any private or secure information on them, and shred those that do.

Organize
File old bank statements and bills. Also, don't forget to file your taxes and keep a file for yourself. Put DVDs back on the shelves, kitchen utensils like the bleder that you don't use everyday back in the cabinet. Maybe even purchase new tools for organizing, if your just getting started in your new apartment, you may look into a file cabinet or shelving and some binders. The important thing is to find what works for you.

Wipe Down
Now that everything is in it's place it's time to give everything a good scrubbing. Clean the carpets, scrub the mildew off the grout in the bathroom shower, wipe down the kitchen counters. If your like us and have dogs that like rubbing against the walls, you probably want to give those a good scrubbing too.

Now you are ready for a busy year.

Tax Time

So I procrastinated on our taxes; what's new? This year I was going to try something different from Turbo Tax and try to file for free. I'm having difficulty finding a site I qualify to file for free that will also let me file my Michigan State taxes.

My parents mentioned a site for if you know how to fill out the forms and not just answer a few simple questions software asks, which is fine. However the site they recommended does not offer state taxes. The other fun is my fiance and I still are seperate so I have to do taxes for two people.

What sites or software do you use to complete your taxes, or do you go to someone who prepares them?

Miss the Good Days!

Living on your own really stinks. I miss the good old days.

The good old days of waking up and going out to play with friends.

Coming home to a great meal cooked by Mom.

Going to the family cottage to help Dad with the latest project.

Dusting the house and then Mom yelling at me because she can't stop sneezing.

Now, I have to decide what the cooked meal is, don't get invited to the cottage to help with the latest project, dust the house only to have it dusty what feels like 2 minutes later. Somehow, when it wasn't my house, the dust didn't seem to build up this fast.

Now when the toilet starts taking forever to fill the bowl it's me who has to figure out what is wrong, can't just put it off on Dad.

Now I have to decide what the bathroom is going to look like, what sink will be used, what color paint, will it stay a bath or shower?

Now I have to make the living to keep the house in good running order, grumble about going to work, and wish I could just stay home and write the day away.

At least, when living on your own you don't have to be all on your own.

I have my fiance, and our 2 Golden Retrievers, who make sure that dust comes back in 2 minutes, the leaves don't stay outside and should be tracked in the house, add their own touches to the home. Gaming system here, fur tumble weed there.

The Golden's have also added their own idea of home security. There are land mines in our yard and if someone does make it to the sidewalk the bark alarm goes off.

Now I'm the one in the messy house. I think this is because nothing really has a set place to go so I don't know where to put the stuff back once I get it out since it's usually coming from somewhere it definately does not go. Where you ask? Maybe it comes from on top of the desk I use in our Office, or the Kitchen table, or the chair in the Living Room. -- We need some serious organizing.

I would like to add another good days, I miss having friends and family over to help put the Kitchen together so we could move in. Anyone want to come back and help with some serious organizing?

Organizing Finances

A new year has arrived and if you don't already now is a great time to create a budget and take a look at your finances. Having a budget is important so you don't overspend. Check out these articles I wrote to help get you started:

Why Do I Need a Budget?
Things To Consider when Starting a Budget and Putting it Together

New Year's Resolution: Get Organized

This year I swear I am going to get organized. I'm sure my fiance is tired of me being the one who's stuff is always left out all over the house. So, here I am trying to clean up and organize some of my mess, a little at a time, and try not to let the mess spread any further.

Today, I'm working in the office. It's a place him and I spend a lot of time. Him mostly on the computer, surfing the web for NHL news or video game hints, tricks, and reviews. Myself, I download books, surf the web for all kinds of things, or write articles - mostly book reviews - that I publish on Yahoo! Voices.

So, to sort papers, I have a box that is already mostly filled with paper to be recycled. We take the paper to a local public school, they earn funds by people recycling their paper there. I also have a paper shredder for things like old bills, or credit card applications received in the mail.

As a place to keep papers, I have several binders that survived our school years. There are also several folders. Recently I purchased two expandable file folders, started using one for bills and some financial records. Also purchased (and almost visible in the picture) is one of the paper sorters you sometimes see on someone's desk. It has 3 dividers, and it's overflowing with papers I just "haven't had the time" to go through.

My problem has been identified, I'm a television whore. Escpecially when home alone. I can not function, for whatever reason, without a certain noise level. I avoid music since I get up to dance, but moved to the TV which I can't seem to stop watching. Even when little, I did my homework in front of the TV. I spend so much time in front of the TV these days that there isn't much time for anything else. Thankfully, I am starting to get to the point where I don't care for the show that is on, or have seen it so many times that I am able to not really watch and do other things like write this post or sort through important papers.

As part of my resolution to get organized, I am also tackling my TV addiction. When home alone, I make an effor to find or put in a DVD of something I don't need to watch but will take care of the needed noise.