Miss Know-It-All Says Hello!

Unpacking can certainly be an eye-opener! I'm finding so many things I had forgotten I had - like this charming little dictionary.

Isn't it cute? It was published by Pony Tail in 1959 and was designed for a girl's desk. It has a puffy pink vinyl cover with an illustration of a girl at a desk and is titled Miss Know-It-All. With illustrated definitions of "Goose-step" and "Papoose" it's the studious girl's best friend!

What treasures have you rediscovered in a move?

The High Cost of Moving - Cutting it Down to Size

I've been madly packing, getting ready for my move. Being the frugal lass that I am, I'm appalled by the cost of packing material! Boxes, wrapping paper, tape, it all costs an arm and a leg. I have some solutions that I'd like to share with you, though.

When it comes to boxes you don't need to contribute to the deforestation of the earth. Repurposing boxes is a great way to save the earth and save a buck at the same time. Finding boxes is as simple as asking for them. Liquor stores are more than happy to get rid of their boxes and the ones they give you are perfect for packing books! Supermarkets, big box stores, even your building super are great sources for boxes. Just ask!

A move is always a good time to purge yourself of unnecessary belongings. One of the things you can get rid of is financial records older than 7 years (according to my accountant). Keep your actual tax documents, but all the support documents - bank statements, cancelled checks, old bills, receipts, etc - can be gotten rid of. Don't just throw these documents away. They need to be shredded, preferably by a cross-cut shredder.

I had documents dating back to 1986! I spent evenings for a few weeks sitting in front of the television running these documents through my shredder. After shredding them, I put them in big bags and set them aside in anticipation of my upcoming move. I've been using the shreds to pack my breakables!

It's a great, free source of packing material for me and works perfectly to fill out the boxes and pad the china and glass. I wouldn't use them to ship your eBay sales for fear of identity theft, but they're perfect for moving and storage.

Moral of the story? Don't let the cost of moving deplete your renovation and redecorating budgets! A little creativity will cut those expenses in half.

#03-06 Come Out of the Closet - Or at Least Make it Pretty!

This week on the show we’re beginning our renovation in the closet. We’re making the closet a joy to open and a delight for your clothes. Most people paint their closets white and there is a practical consideration for that – white closets make it easier to find what you’re looking for, but if your home is nice and bright you can indulge in a flight of fancy and make a statement with your closet. I used colorful paint that was left over from other projects so, for me, it was a thrifty project as well. But you can brighten your closets with pretty paper or other paint schemes as well. Make your closet pretty enough and you may never want to leave it!