Small Home Improvement Project - The Big Flowerbed

 

You missed me last week, didn't you?  It has been crazy busy around here lately.  Good thing I'm retired because who has time to go work.?  Not this girl!  I've been steadily working on the first project to completely revamp my yard.  I finished up the large flower bed and it has been so much fun, plus what a transformation!  It has been amazing, not only in how it looks, but also with how I feel now that it is done.

 

I have a very small yard, my home sits on only one eighth of an acre, but it is plenty for me.  And the way it is laid out and wraps around my house it actually seems larger, at least to me anyway.  Even still, I'm taking this whole landscaping project one chunk at a time so it is manageable and I won't get overwhelmed by the enormity of the overall project.  It's a biggie.

 

I used a garden hose to lay out how I wanted the new beds to go
Then I pulled up all of the lawn edging and replaced it with rock

The rhubarb pland and the daylilies on the left of it were all I had in this bed
I divided the new bed into three sections and got it planted out how I wanted it

I have three large trees in my yard that produce a lot of welcome shade in the hot summers.  I love nothing more than to sit under the canopy of leaves near the pond and enjoy time outdoors.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  I started off by extending the largest flower bed with our maple tree to now include the oval shaped flower bed with the apple tree making one huge winding bed.  I pulled up all of the vinyl lawn edging and replaced it with rocks I already had in our front and back yards.  Then it was off to find the perfect plants I've always wanted in my garden.

 

In then next section I moved the bird bath and added more
plants  as well as a thick layer of bark mulch

The last section of this bed was the area under our maple tree

Over the winter we had added a lot of compost to this area so when I got ready to plant I found the soil was rich and dark and totally full of worms, big fat happy ones.  We've struggled a lot with this soil, but allowing the chickens to run through it for several months and adding all that compost really made it come alive.  In the past whenever I planted something it would struggle to survive and it was incredibly disappointing.  This time around I can already tell a difference.  For one thing, nothing I've planted so far has gone into shock or died.  Every single plant is thriving and appears to be really happy in its new home.  That is a first for me!

 

I added a few plants and more bark mulch

I think this is my favorite part

I moved and set up the bird bath so I can easily see it from the kitchen and dining room windows.  Then, just like the icing on a cake I spread out sixteen bags of bark mulch ($2 a bag at Home Depot) and it really added the WOW factor!  I'm so happy!  I'm going with a lot of partial sun and shade loving perennials this time around so I not only get more bang for my buck, but long term it will be less work each year.  My goal with this yard is low maintenance, less water and manageable plants that will be around for a good long time.  I was really careful with what I chose and where I planted things, giving enough space for growth and not overcrowding anything.  I think I did okay and I couldn't be happier with the results.

 

Time to give the pond some love

Next project up was to move across the yard and work on the other large flowerbed with our little pond.  That one I was really eager to get to work on.  I'll be back on Thursday with that update.  Anyone else taking on any fun landscape projects this year?

 

God Bless America

 

Small Home Improvement Project - Landscape Changes

 

Our weather has been crazy this year.  Mother Nature has thrown a little bit of everything at us this month, including snow!  This week I was super happy to get outside and do some serious yard work which included the start of my big xeriscape project.  I'm going for low water/maintenance, not no water/maintenance.  This has been a project I've wanted to do for years and after a lot of research, thinking over a ton of different ideas and some planning I was all set to do it, last year.  Demolition started and then came to an abrupt halt leaving my yard a Class A disaster.  It looked HORRIBLE!  Embarrassingly , horrible.

 

Grass removed and wintered over
Looks unsightly, but it will be nice once I'm done

Prior we had grass, but due to the large shade trees it never did grow very well.  Lots of balds spots requiring reseeding, plus the fertilizers and weed control chemicals.  I didn't like wasting the amount of money, water and effort to try to maintain a mediocre lawn, it felt really wasteful of both time and resources.  I needed to make a drastic change.  So I started tearing out the lawn and getting it ready for a big redo, but I only got halfway.  Fortunately, my chickens helped me out and they finished what I could not.  Thank you ladies!

 

I removed the plastic lawn edging, expanded the garden bed
and edged it with rocks from other areas of our yard

Initial plans had to change because I'm retired so there is not much of a budget to complete this project.  I'm not worried though because I'm using what I already have on hand as well as a miniscule budget and some gift cards to get a lot of this kicked off.  And hopefully some FREE or low cost stuff from Facebook will help out too.  My youngest daughter bought me a Korean lilac bush for the yard and my oldest gave me a Home Depot gift card to buy more stuff, both were for Mother's Day.

 

I am planting perennials and some smaller varieties of shrubs (gifts & gift cards)
The rhubarb plant has been there for years and I've had the bird bath for ages

I am so happy with the progress so far

The entire landscape plan runs from the curb at the end of our driveway to the backyard fenceline so it is a pretty huge project overall, but I'm eating this elephant one bit at a time, working in sections and once it is to my liking I am moving on to the next one.  For the first time since purchasing my home I am finally going to have the yard I've always dreamed about and imagined in my mind.  So far it is turning out as I had hoped and I couldn't be happier.  I'll keep you updated on my progress as I work on it.

 

Home Management - Back To The Basics

 

I've been retired for six weeks now and in that time I've managed to do quite a bit with a minimal amount of effort.  Last year I was able to keep up on my daily tasks fairly well, however I must admit my efforts at deeper cleaning were pretty much hit and miss.  High on my priority list lately has been to get caught back up on my housekeeping without exhausting myself.  I began with planning, always a good way to start, and that included consolidating all of my checklists into one Excel workbook and tweaking them to work with my life as it currently is.  Surprisingly, that did not require much change.

 

I printed off a copy of my quarterly housekeeping checklist and got started working in fifteen minute increments.  Walls and ceilings needed some serious attention around here as last year they were not a priority at all.  I bopped the cobwebs I saw, but I didn't actively seek them out.  Not this time around, I went after those puppies with a vengeance.  If you struggle with climbing a ladder or step stool to hand wash a mop works wonders.  I have a Swiffer that you can put a pad or wash rag onto and scrub the walls or ceiling with.  Pretty handy.

 

I still stick to my daily fifteen minute chores where every day I devote that time to some type intense housekeeping.  Usually dusting, vacuuming, mopping, emptying the trash, wiping down appliances or cabinetry, scrubbing the toilet or tub, etc.  Doing this has literally saved my sanity and kept my house from going to shambles.  I do not include laundry, cooking, washing the dishes or swish and swiping in that time or my walk through at the end of each day to make sure everything is tidy and put away.  Because I've stayed consistent with my basic housekeeping tasks I found that for the most part things were pretty much kept up on and not as bad as I imagined they might be.

 

Quite often I'm able to incorporate my daily tasks with tasks on the housekeeping checklist and in no time I was checking the boxes and getting things completed.  The checklist is designed to work over the course of three months and even if I don't get it all done I just start over and prioritize those tasks the next time around.  There is no shame or guilt with this process.  I just do what I can.

 

I was super happy when I pulled out the washer and dryer to clean behind and underneath and found it wasn't very dirty back there.  I was dreading it, but because I attend to that room so well on a regular basis not a lot accumulated and that is the beauty of the process.  No more marathon spring cleaning sessions or gross nasties to deal with.  And if I ever have a bad week and don't feel well all I have to do is start again and by the end of one week I'm all caught back up.

 

Along with my daily cleaning tasks I've also been working on decluttering and minimizing a fair bit and I've even got a checklist now for that process too.  I've collected several items to donate, shredded a bunch of papers and reorganized quite a few spaces in the process.  It is definitely wash, rinse, repeat, but it works.  Walls and curtains are getting washed, mirrors cleaned, nooks and crannies are attended to, my house is clean and I'm thrilled.

 

 

Thrifty People Are Not Cheapskates

 

A misconception among many is that thrifty or frugal people are cheap.  That could not be further from the truth.  Thrifty people simply prioritize where there money goes.  I personally am quite content with owning less stuff, living in a smaller home, paying lower utility bills and eating simple meals.  It has nothing to do with being cheap.  I just know what I'm willing to spend my hard earned cash on and what I am not.

 

I am willing to spend money on experiences.  Occasionally I will go out to dinner at a restaurant with friends or family because I treasure that time spent together.  For me, it is more about the experience than the meal.  So going through the drive thru or ordering take out on a regular basis is not something I wish to do.  I find no value in doing that and prefer to eat my own cooking anyway.

 

I do prefer a new car over used, that is my personal priority

My vehicles are nothing fancy, but they are good quality.  I purchased both my car and truck new, which I know is not something a lot of people feel is a good way to be thrifty.  However, it is one thing I do prefer to do as long as I can afford it.  Both my truck, which I purchased in 1997 and my car, purchased in 2015, were on clearance.  The new models were in and these automobiles were priced very low in order to sell them off.  Compared to used options available at the time I was only looking at a difference of a couple thousand dollars in savings.  The idea of paying the extra amount for something brand new that had no previous history (accidents, poor maintenance, aggressive driving, worn tires, clean, etc.) made it more than worth it to me.  And because I tend to keep my vehicles for a very long time as well as typically pay cash for them I knew it would pay off in the long run.  So far it has.

 

These slipcovers have worked out amazingly well for us

When it came to furnishing my home I was practical in the sense that I have children and pets, both of which will do damage, it is just how it goes.  I am willing to replace damaged items more frequently knowing this so it is even more important for me to find what I want for less money.  Even still, I'm not one who has a disposable or a don't really care mentality.  I still want to maintain my furniture and rather that toss it out I will repair it or slipcover a worn item such as our dining room chairs (Amazon $19.99) which are still comfortable and sturdy.  After several years the leather upholstery on our sofa began to crack and give way so rather than send it to the landfill I ordered a slipcover (Amazon $29.99) for it and it looks really nice.  The sofa is still sound so it makes sense at this time to do this.  When the frame on my recliner broke and could not be fixed we replaced it with one we found secondhand on Facebook.

 

I'm very patient and willing to wait for sales, clearance and markdowns or the good fortune to fine something used which saves me a lot of money on pretty much everything I choose to buy.  This has been true for clothing, household items, tools, food and even some services.  It is less about how much I money I can save (anytime you are spending money you save nothing), but rather what is the least amount I can pay for what I need or want and still get the best quality.  Those are my thoughts on the subject, I'd love to hear yours.

 

The Dog Poop Shovel

Many, many, many, many moons ago we were camping and found a shovel left behind at our campsite.  At the end of the weekend we dragged that sorry looking shovel home and dubbed it the dog poop shovel.  It has sat outside in our backyard ever since, a permanent yard ornament with a purpose.  It has been nearly two decades since I've had a dog, but the dog poop shovel as remained, ever present, ever useful, taking care of our chicken coop.  Despite the fact that it is no longer used as a doggie pooper scooper we have never felt the need to rename it.

 

This tape was on it when we found it

Many a turd, dead rodent, gopher and squirrel has been graced by this shovel.  It has turned soil, turned compost and even held a door closed and locked in place after a latch broke.  It is the second shovel around here that no one wants to end up with during a home improvement project, but it still does the job.  Last month I was looking at this poor shovel, which is one you use only while wearing gloves due to the possibility of getting slivers from the rough handle, and thought I'd give it some much deserved love.  After all, it has been loyal and trusted for a good long time.

 

Chicken feed bag makes and excellent drop cloth

I've had this shovel for a good twenty five years and it looked like hell when I got it.  Who knows how long it was in use prior but by the looks of it there has been a lot of history.  Abused and neglected I took it in the garage and spent a good while with the sander smoothing out the rough handle which really should be replaced, but we're on a budget around here.  Since I no longer have any linseed oil I decided a can of purple spray paint way in the back of the shelf would be the next best option.  After two coats of that this puppy never looked better.  Except maybe when it was new.

 

Jack says it still looks like crap

Yep, still ugly

I have no idea how much longer this shovel will be with us, likely forever, but until its final demise it will shine once again in all of its purple glory.  At least it will be less likely to give us slivers.  I'll still wear gloves.  😉

 

  

Now That I'm Out

 

I submitted my resignation, my last day of work was March 31st and my first official day of retirement began on April Fool's Day of all days.  Am I a fool?  I now know I would've been a fool to continue working.

 

I placed myself on house arrest for the entire month of April and even went so far as to declare it a no spend month.  I know me.  Before I even submitted my resignation I was making lists of all the things I needed to get done right out of the chute.  The list was HUGE and ridiculous.  I threw it away.  I knew I wasn't in very good shape, physically or mentally.  I just didn't realize how bad I actually was until I was face to face with myself every day, no distractions. The sheer physical exhaustion was almost overwhelming.  I couldn't seem to get enough rest, I was so incredibly tired.  The emotional exhaustion was unbelievable too.  Those first few weeks were a struggle and initially I kept chastising myself for not being productive or motivated enough.  Once I realized what I was doing I stopped that.

 

Fortunately, I've had plenty of time to come to terms with all the things I've been feeling, thinking and dealing with.  The biggest realization occurred one morning when I woke up with this one very real thought.  My workplace was incredibly toxic.  The environment and the culture in which we worked was not mentally healthy and the sheer enormity of the amount of work each of us was expected to perform was outrageous.  It is no wonder so many of my colleagues are sick and several have actually died.  Young.  Stress makes people ill and it will kill you.  Oddly, I almost feel like I was released from prison and now I'm having to acclimate to life on the outside.  It is really hard to describe.

 

Now I get up each morning and I thank the Lord for the day he has given me.  I sip my coffee and I breathe.  I only do the things I want to do.  It has been just over a year since my last heart attack at the age of 56 and now, I finally get to heal.  My only focus is to get better, stronger and to have my life back.  On my terms.  No giant lists of things I need to get done, no commitments or obligations I don't want to do.  Just living my best life.  I've got a ways to go, but in time I know I'll get there.

 

Decluttering Is A Journey

 

I've been on a mission to declutter and maintain my home and my life for several years.  It has definitely been a journey.  One is never quite finished with this process as items will come and go and life is ever changing.  Once you get through the initial purge it is time to begin again and it always amazes me as I move through my spaces just how much more I am willing to part with.

 

I am currently at a stage in my life where I feel very comfortable with the amount of stuff I keep in my home.  In order to remain comfortable I now work to maintain it and keep it from growing out of control again.  The same is true of the commitments I'm willing have in my life.  Maintenance mode is a great place to be.

 

I think the most incredible part of this journey hands down is the feeling of peace and just how freeing it is to have less stuff.  I have breathability.  I'd heard people say this, but to experience it myself has been truly amazing.  It is incredible to me how much an overload of stuff can weigh down a person and the emotional effect it truly has on us.  Getting rid of things you no longer need or use is truly liberating, it really is.

 

I am a huge fan of using up what I have before buying anything.  However, it is really difficult to know what you have on hand when you are overwhelmed with the items in a space.  One truth, you cannot organize, clean or manage clutter.  It just doesn't work no matter how hard you try.  And here is another thing, why would you want to?

 

An uncluttered home is neat and organized.  We have comfortable spaces to sit, relax, visit, play games, watch movies, eat our meals and sleep.  At any given moment we know where our stuff is. It is much easier to keep our home clean.  Our home does not consume our lives, our thoughts or our actions.  We live in our home and it is our sanctuary.

 

Are you on a decluttering journey?  Where are you at and how is it going?  How does your home make you feel?