September 2014 Reading List

The Farmer's Bride Collection: 6 Romances Spring from Hearts, Home, and Harvest
One Little Prayer by Kimberley Comeaux
The Tie that Binds by Susan K. Downs
A Homemaker, A Bride, and A Baby by JoAnn A. Grote
The Applesauce War by Ellen Edwards Kennedy
Sunshine Harvest by Debby Mayne
New Beginnings by DiAnn Mills


The $50 Home Makeover by Shaunna West

Clutter Busting Challenge September 2014 Part 5

I purged 407 items in September so I didn't make the goal of the minimalist game. It’s still a large amount of stuff that was purged. I’m happy for every step closer I get to my goal. I'm going to do A Bowl Full of Lemons “31 Day Purge” in October. http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2014/09/31-day-purge.html


My purge pile this week:
 picture, grocery bag collector, paint kit, and calendar, curtain tie backs, and a bag of parts.

2 old mini blinds

The book I read this month I' donating to the library since its new.

A ladder was given to our son--in-law Richard.

a comforter and a toy

September Outside Projects

We completed 25 outdoor projects this month. We spent $60 on caulk, concrete supplies, paint, and mums. All our other projects were free.

Our Completed Project List for September:

• pull out all old caulk and re-caulk outside 2nd floor windows of the house (multiple days of work)
•  scrap/sand off the old paint on outside 2nd floor windows of house (multiple days of work) 
• paint trim on the outside 2nd floor windows of the house (multiple days of work)
• purge unneeded items from the shed (multiple days of work)
• reorganize and clean the shed (multiple days of work)
• fill cracks in concrete near Pete’s room 
• repair sidewalks with concrete (multiple days of work)
• sweep sidewalks and side porch 
• sweep front porch 
• pickup sticks in the yard 
• weed the gardens (multiple days of work) 
• pick vegetables in garden 
• deadhead flowers 
• remove grass/dirt overgrowth on the sidewalks in backyard and sideyard.
• chop and stack firewood 
• wash out the outdoor trash cans
• pressure wash sidewalks
• pressure wash house
• dig compost pile 
• buy and plant mums
• Set up fall display 
• repair van
• cleaning treatment on car light covers
• pick up black walnuts off ground in yard
• painted 4 main doors and 1 wood screen door white

Before:















After:

You may be interested in:
May Outside Projects
June Outside Projects
July Outside Projects

August Outside Projects

Clutter Busting Challenge September 2014 Part 4

This week we've been purging, cleaning and organizing our shed. Everything we purged this week has came from the shed. We haven't finished but its looking nicer with less stuff. We hope to work on it Saturday and get it done.  We've collected 394 items this month to donate so far.


My purge pile this week:


This was a box of kitchen stuff that we used for camping years ago.














The wood items I'm feeling guilty about cause our boys made them. They don't want them and they've been in storage for years. I can't see them ever wanting them so their is no point keeping them when someone else could maybe use them.

Canning jars and supplies. I don't can that often and prefer wide mouth jars when I do.

A bucket of cabling string for IT work, a tool, a hook, and several pairs of panty hose.

Our Living Room

I wanted to share an update on my living room since my last post 6 months ago Home Tour: Living Room. Wow, our living room has changed so much. I purged a good amount of stuff and bought a few things.  I'm proud of my new living room with a minimal cost of $124. I purged more from this room than I brought. I need to paint the walls, redo the floor, and buy new curtains but it looks so much fresher.

Before:

After:















I purged a large amount of the decorations from the room. I bought the owl and shoe figurines at the thrift store for $3.00. I might paint the little wood box on the floor that holds my grandkids books. I wish it fit on he entertainment center but it doesn't

I bought 2 new sets of pillows for the couches at Walmart for $60, 2 sets of metal curtain tie backs at Walmart for $20, and a new curtain rod above the picture window for $20 at Walmart.

I donated everything that is no longer in the room including my country style pieces like the birdhouse and floral arrangements

I got the little chair for my grandkids at a yard sale for $1.00.

I bought the TV tray set behind the door at the Habitat store for $20.

I need something to fill the empty spot on the entertainment center.

The received the bird plates for mother's day. I moved around some of my decorations on the entertainment center and corner cabinet.