Comments for Housedeclutter.com

Comment on MyNewWaterfrontHome.com live in Ontario and beyond … by ed faulkner

ed faulkner — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:33:38 +0000

Hi Linda: A great idea. We live just down the beach from you with the south end of Hillman Marsh on one side and Lake Erie on the other.
We also have “Herons’ Haven of Hillman Marsh” cottage rental and we have the same people every year as the area is so beautiful and stocked with almost everything they might want. Our website, http://www.heronshaven.com has a vertual tour which our visitors enjoy.
Best of luck, Ed and Sandy Faulkner

Comment on Living with cathedral windows by Laurie Lee

Laurie Lee — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:29:30 +0000

I also have cathedral windows and high-up places for dust to land so I share many of your problems.
While I don’t like spiders, they are interesting to read about. Did you know that it’s a myth spiders “live” in drains in your house? What they’re actually doing in and around damp places, like sinks and faucets, is looking for a drink. Sometimes spiders drink water that falls on their webs as dew. I’ve even heard of someone watching as a spider seemed to drink the water from a snowflake that landed on its web and melted. And some spiders, like the black widow, don’t drink in any conventional way. They get their required moisture from eating their prey!

Comment on How to see clearly – even in winter by Marian

Marian — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:00:55 +0000

Yes, it’s true! Mom always loved a clean window, and Linda and I suffer from the same affliction.
I don’t have the nerve to go out in freezing weather, and lucky for me the windows at my work are three floors above ground and don’t open, so I’m not tempted to clean them on even a sunny day.
But I do appreciate a clean sparkling view, and when weather permits, I go out on my front porch, stand on my little step stool, and clean my windows in record time too. I like to hose the windows and door down first and then finish with a good window cleaner and clean paper towel.
Let the sunshine in!

Comment on Get healthy — declutter your cupboards by MaryLee

MaryLee — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:54:17 +0000

Linda, Loved your take on junk food in the cupboard! And in fact with a few pounds having made their way to my midsection over the Christmas and New year’s holiday season, I’ve started paying more heed to the ingredients list on packages in the store. Can you believe some people think the ingredients list is a waste of time and space? Not me. It’s become my favourite reading material these days.
I don’t think it adds all that much time to a trip to the supermarket to stop and compare labels and I get really ticked off when they make it hard for me to read them. Some of the labels are just printed way too small.
The value in adding a few more minutes is fantastic because I’ve learned that two seemingly similar products can vary quite considerably in terms of their calories, fat content and carbs.
And salt! Don’t even get me started. We should all rise up and make the food industry cut back on salt. Just compare products on our shelves to those in Europe to see the difference. Salt is simply unnecessary, just a cheap way for food processors to make their products last longer.
Better yet, go for fresh food more often. I’ve learned how delicious a few carrot sticks and celery sticks can be — maybe by adding a dollop of low-fat, low-calorie dip for some pizzaz — as an alternative evening snack.
Banish the chips, I say. No more trail mix laced with sugar-laden dried fruit for me. I have decided to declutter my cupboards and live healthier.

Comment on How to see clearly – even in winter by Bruce

Bruce — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:39:22 +0000

Hey, Linda, I laughed as I read about how your mother is so fanatical about washing her windows, summer AND winter, thinking back to my own mother’s more laid-back approach to such tasks.
I was also reminded of the TV commercial about the two birds enjoying the sight of the human walking into a big patio window and knocking himself silly because it was so clean! It’s sort of a birds-eye version of The Three Stooges.
A little bit of dirt on the window never hurt anyone, I say. But on the other hand, I can see why you wouldn’t want any specks of grime getting between you and that great view you have.

Comment on How to turn shovelling into art by Marian

Marian — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:19:34 +0000

Absolutely right! This is the only time when “cutting corners” means more of a good thing, not less.
Imagine pulling out of your driveway and being able to see the road, and still having a cleared radius of snow-free pavement in which to safely manouevre your vehicle into the street!
Of course, I belong to that immediate family of crazies, and yes, I even taught my own daughter this family secret. How proud she was of her handiwork, when the amateur snow shovellers on our block stood leaning on their shovels to admire her work of art.
It’s all about planning ahead for more snow and setting the stage early.

Comment on Dust, dust everywhere… by Garry

Garry — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 19:35:38 +0000

Hey, Linda, just wanted you to know that guys like a clean house too.
I’m a clean freak myself. I can’t stand stains on my sneakers and end up buying about five or six pairs a year.
When it comes to the house, I spend two hours, twice a week, cleaning and polishing, not in case someone drops in, but because I just like things spic and span. Call me possessed — as some friends do — but clean’s keen; dirt has gotta go.
So don’t apologize for cleaning and decluttering. You wanna see clean and decluttered? Come on over to my house. Maybe I’ll even take time out from cleaning to show you around. Bring your white glove!

Comment on For book lovers and poets by Marian

Marian — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:51:49 +0000

I love books too, and was just thinking about how many I have passed along to others, loaned out to some, only to never see them again, and even thought about those I have tucked out of sight because I don’t want the clutter, but can’t give them up entirely.
Why, I even sought out the name of a Stephen King book I read years ago – it was a used tattered paperback, and I threw it away after I finished it. For some reason I thought I would read it again, if only I could remember the title.
So I searched the Internet and found it – it’s called Insomnia. Hmmm…. Maybe I can find it at the libary, read it and return it (they can have the clutter), or I can buy one of those new digital book gadgets that Oprah raves about – Kindle, a wireless reading device, can hold 1500 titles, and can even deliver your newspaper! Check it out: Amazon.com/Kindle
I wouldn’t mind getting one of those in my Christmas stocking!

Comment on Time to take out that picnic basket by Kim

Kim — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:09:40 +0000

Thanks for all the great advice. I absolutely loved the ending to your suggestion..

Comment on Unleash your deck’s hidden value by Sherry

Sherry — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:43:51 +0000

Wow! You’re right, Linda. We went out and bought a power-washer after reading your blog and I’ve gotta say, it worked wonders! The grime just peeled right off. We can’t believe we’ve got the same deck. I even forgot what colour it was.