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With Regular Maintenance

Early this summer I took my car in for what I thought would be a rountine check on tire air pressure, oil, etc.  But the tires had been worn threadbare.  Apparently the mechanic could see the belts coming through!  This is scary.  He also had to flush several of the fluids and a few other things.  Not surprisingly the car is riding extremely well now and I feel much better!
It goes for everything in our lives too - With Regular Maintenance we feel much better.  Of course this year I let things go for the sake of the busy-ness that preoccupies our lives, but no more.  When we are running threadbare because we didn't check our own 'tire pressure' so to speak, we really can't go that fast.  We are jeopardizing everything and everyone else around us.  We don't have the energy to go any further.   So I am making a New School Year resolution to do better this year.  I am going to schedule Regular Maintenance checks and keep myself and our house going. 
Last weekend I took a much needed break to go visit by brother by Myself.  I felt a little guilty, but after a glass of wine and a nap, provided by my loving sister-in-law, things became much clearer.  I could think straight, see problems more clearly, and be more creative.  That Wine Fluid Flush did wonders! 
So this year I am not going to let my hair roots show through (yesterday I ran into someone I have seen in years, and it was not pretty!), I'm not going to get off the running regimen for longer than a week, (I'm being realistic here) and I'm not going to forget the joy of going away, even if it's to the hardware store for 30 minutes.  You find inspiration for personal maintenance there too!

Now, about the house.  
This section  of the kitchen serves as mudroom/office/kid desk space/snack central.  It's a bit crazy.  I really want to tear the whole area out and reconfigure it to be more of a mudroom.  That's not going to happen this year, but if I ever want to demolish it, all that it holds is going to have to go somewhere.  So I'm cleaning out.


BEFORE
Believe it or not it wasn't very long ago that I bought the boxes and reoganized and everything looked so Pretty!
Not anymore.  So, I went through and sorted.  I went through and labeled.  I had the kids do the replacing.  I did a lot of tossing.  The funny thing is, I can't believe what I found in there.  I have hundreds of thumbtacks and NO BULLETIN BOARD!  How does this happen?  I'll tell you - I go into Target or Staples and think:  SCHOOL SUPPLIES and I start buying all they have marketed as such.  I sometimes stop thinking, actually and just start filling my cart.  I got behind a lady in the Customer Service last night to make a return and she went through all her just-made purchases and started returning stuff, seemingly at random.  I can relate.  It would be great to just sort it through one more time in the store and get that money back.  Any way....


Then I sorted through recipes I have saved.  Now this one is from 2006.  That is six years ago.  That's a long time and I have NEVER made this recipe. Nor will I ever.  It is for Indian Pudding.  I don't know what I was thinking.  The claim to fame for this recipe is that instead of steaming for 12 hours, which the original recipe called for, you only have to steam it for 6 hours.  Really?  Six hours?  HOURS?  Sorry, someday when I really can't think of one thing to do, I may miss this.  NO, on second thought I won't.  Hey, if you're up for it, call me and I'll be happy to send you the recipe!
NO, I won't let you get sucked in either.  It is in the trash. 

From 3 shelves to 2.  Less room, less junk!


DURING


Silverware trays (dollar store) work wonders.  Labels work wonders. 
(This is an old trick from teaching that I used.)

Muffin tins are good for small items. 
AFTER

My husband got me the coordinated scissors and tape measure, so I took the picture with the pretty pinks showing.  That probably won't last long.  I have to hide those scissors. 

 
I didn't finish my recipes, maybe tomorrow.  So I don't have those pictures, yet.  But, I am going to carve out 15 minutes every Thursday (have to be specific) to maintain the junk that accumulates in our house.  Hopefully with a little regular maintenance I can keep the house functioning on all cylinders!

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