Oh no, I need a round of de-cluttering!

Hello there! I see that it has again been way too long since I posted. The renovation is done, and I finally started painting again, I mean art works. Problem is, I didn't really think I was going to start doing that again when I bought the house, so now I have my painting easel and all that stuff in the living room. As well as my desk with the computer, a cupboard full of fabrics, a larger cupboard for storing different kinds of things (there is no built in in storage in this house besides some in the kitchen). And we currently have four arm chairs, a bookshelf and a narrow sideboard in front of the window as well, there is a doorway or a window in every wall, and the fireplace. 

Upstairs room is really too low and small for a painting studio, and I have my sewing table there. Plus more fabric storage, which I want to reduce further. I mean, I sew but not THAT much. That one cupboard should be enough space to hold all my fabrics and yarn too. There is an old cabinet upstairs that holds sewing thread and other paraphernalia that goes with sewing. And a cute antique ironing board. 

My daughter's room is under control, she is such a natural minimalist! She told me she hates having around stuff she doesn't need, or doesn't know if she will ever need. I was like, oh I know!!!

I do know. I like to bake and generally just do stuff at home, but I want my surroundings to be tidy and clean, and I don't want excess stuff to be in the way. How many mixing bowls, baking pans and vintage dishes do we need? Turns out, the pretty antique dishes I've collected from flea markets probably have lead and maybe cadmium and other heavy metals in them, so they are definitely not to be used every day for food, preferably never since I have complicated illnesses, and DD certainly doesn't need any toxins that we can avoid.. sigh. I could put a couple of them on the wall, maybe. But will it look clutter, as we already have art and photos and wallpaper... I bake for church about once every three weeks, and host a women's group every few weeks. Then I like to have enough bowls so that I don't need to wash my baking bowls to be able to serve salad and chips from them, you know. I just baked two banana cakes, and I put them in the oven at the same time using rectangular baking pans, so I need two of those. And two large round pie dishes, though often I also just use a baking sheet. I use my small copper kettle every day to heat milk for my coffee, and it is good for melting butter too. Kettles and sauté pans - I have five different sized kettles and only one sauce pan. I could use another, actually. I had to throw away one old one as the coating was peeling off of it, yuck. 

I had a bit too many dry food stuffs stuffed in my cupboard, but I've been using them up and won't buy any fresh ones before they are almost gone. I gave away a bunch of dried fruit that we do eat but I'd bought so many that I realized the best-by date would come and go way before we could eat them all. This way I also have more room to store the glass jars I use for apple sauce, jam, dried herbs and stuff. When they are empty, I mean. 

And the fabric piles frustrate me. I gave away ten large bags to charity and friends already. I think I may just need to give away more. When DD wanted  a skirt, of course I didn't have suitable fabric for it, so I had to buy it. That's how it goes. Yarn I don't have that much, luckily. I knitted a sweater for DD but it turned out way too big. I'm not sure if I will give it away or unravel it.. 

Clothes are not bad either. DD has started to wear some of mine as well, and I'm happy that we can share some clothes, even though she is quite a bit smaller than I am. She also got a few pairs of my old jeans that were too small for me. I have bought new clothes during the last couple of years, good quality things that mostly are not very size specific, blouses, dresses, and a few A-line or wide, calf length skirts that can be cinched with a belt should the need arise. I started to wear nicer clothes every day, even though I don't have a work that requires certain attire. I just felt like a slob wearing sweat pants most of the time! I still wear sweats or other comfy pants at home, but I usually wear a pretty tunic on top, so I can go for a quick errand not looking like a hobo. We still have very limited space for clothing storage so I can't hold on to things we don't wear. I try to not get suckered into buying so-so items, even if they are really cheap. And if I buy something that is not just right, I should just return it. 

But if I see something I really like, I will get it even if it's a bit pricey, because I know I will wear it a lot, and possibly my DD will wear it too. 

I also have amassed a collection. Yes, a collection, of hair clips! My hair has grown past waist since I quit cutting it almost three years ago, and I just got carried away with the hair clips. Oh no, I don't know what went into me.  I have more than two dozen, to go with any color clothes. Of course just one gold colored one would go with everything. I also have a few head scarves. Those are really not a problem though, even though I do not need any more, and I could cull a few. 

Bedding and towels are minimal, I'm happy with the amount we have. Same with cosmetics. We found the perfect shampoo and conditioner that suits both DD and myself and it's such a relief not to have to think about what to get and then buy something that is terrible. I just buy the same things again when we start to run out, and the same goes for deodorant, cleanser, moisturizer. Ah, the simplicity! 

Oh, and I feel like the garden is running me over, it is super lush but the weeds and grass grow like crazy too. I hate mowing the lawn and then it gets too long and is even harder to mow. Parts of my garden are just left wild. Good for the bees and butterflies and other critters for sure... I didn't quite realize how much work the garden would be, and how big this really is for one person to care for. One person who is not very energetic and accomplishing, but more the type to sit around with a cup of coffee or tea and read. I love flowers so much and it has been fun growing grapes and Thai eggplant and super delicious strawberries... And they grow huge and spread and now I am giving away strawberry plants to my neighbors. And the dahlias are so gorgeous, but as soon as the frosts come, I will need to dig out the tubers and dry them and store them. I also need to empty the terracotta pots that have summer plants in them. Roses and mint are perennial and can either stay in the pots or I will replant them in the ground to make sure they survive. 

But I digress! I was talking about needing to de-clutter. Yes, the fabric stash needs serious culling, and the dishes need some too. I should also take a look at my renovation supplies and tools and organize them and get rid of anything I will not need, and figure out where to store them so that they are out of sight but easily accessible. 

Also I will have to take a critical look at every single knick-knack. I don't have that many, but the house is small! I have a large monstera plant that is growing all over the place. I would love to have more room for it! 

And where to put my empty canvases? Upstairs, perhaps, if I get rid of the fabrics. 

See, I almost have a plan. And I have a fleamarket space booked too in a couple of weeks, to get me motivated to do this. 

And then I solemnly swear to get back on track. I will mostly only replace broken things, and think super carefully if I get anything new. If something breaks or wear out or empties or someone else needs it, I will think long and hard if it needs replacing or if I can just do without. If I notice a need, I will write it down in a list. Like: DD needs warm winter boots. I need a new tunic, never have enough for a wash cycle. 

A whole bunch of pictures to follow - but let me ask you, what is your current situation? Is life simple enough, have you been able to keep the simplicity you attained or have you had lapses? If so, when and how did it happen?

After I get back on track, I should make another post with pictures. 

Renovation alllllllllmost done! And a rant about crazy electricity prices.

 

It has been a long, slow process for sure. We have lived in this house for over two years. A big reason it is STILL not finished, in addition to the fact that I needed to save money and also rest  in-between projects) is that my reno guy got very sick, and then it has been super difficult to find workers. I now have a new reno company, but they are very busy and it is still taking a long time, as they have been able to spare me  a day or two here, and a half a day there.. We are still missing quite a bit of electricals, a new thick door in between the cold foyer and warm entrance hall, which has not come yet and I don't know when it will come as apparently the company had a machine break and could not finish my door. And yea, I hear getting replacement parts for things can be difficult. I am also having insulation added under the roof, as well as ventilation holes. 

Which brings me to the hot (eh, pun not intended) topic du jour, namely THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY.
Is it out of control in your neck of the woods as well?

Last spring and summer our officials were telling us that we have enough production capacity, there is no risk of running out, etcetera. Nothing was done to get reserve capacity ready. The reserve capacity we have even now, is not brought online. The price of electricity for many people is between 30-50 cents per kWh and now they dug up a technical upper price cap from under some rock and announced it is 400 cents, or 4 euros, per kWh. And that we had actually already been pretty close to the price getting out of hand and surging to the upper limit. And pretty much that we should all live in cold and dark, not shower too often, and forgo morning coffee because rolling blackouts loom. 

I for one, would much rather welcome rolling blackouts than have peoples lives be destroyed by bankruptcy due to not being able to pay their electricity bills. 

My old contract was under 5 cents per kWh, and many people still have these cheap contracts. Mine ended in October, and I pay +- 30 cents, but it changes monthly and I don't know what it is going to be exactly during the winter months. February is expected to be the most expensive one. This contract ends in mid April and I am hoping to get a better one then. If not I will just get something with a 2-week cancellation time, so when / if the prices go down I can switch to a cheaper one. Or will they stop offering affordable fixed contracts altogether? That could very well be the case, as there is so much uncertainty and craziness. 

So, what to do with 6 to 7 times higher electricity price? First of all, I am so happy that I thought about these things when buying the little house. It is small, so less to heat. It has a fireplace that retains heat. And I have the wood stove now, and a sauna in the garden that is heated with wood. I even have a source of free firewood (the price of which has doubled in two years here in the Southern part of the country at least!) if I can get it cut down and brought home. For which I just suggested a deal to my reno guys, who both heat with wood. It goes like this: They get free firewood as long as they bring me some too. 
When it gets to freezing temps, like it is now, I have to burn wood every morning and evening to keep the house steadily warm. When it gets to really low temps, I will need to just burn more wood each time. 
And burn some in the woodstove as well. 
Then I may have to use the radiators some, if it gets extremely cold, but I try to avoid that as long as possible. 

It is a lot of work, but if I were to just blast the electric heaters, my bill would be over 1500 euros per month at the price I am paying now per kWh. I still need to have the bathroom area heated with the electric underfloor heating, and my daughter uses an electric radiator in her room upstairs. I'm just telling her not to keep tropical temperatures there. Now, our electricity use is very low for a single family house. It was a little over 10000 kWh per year, when I calculated 12 months, and that included winter months when I got tired of burning wood and just heated with the radiators, so with being consistent with heating mostly with wood throughout the whole winter I could easily lower that by some thousands of kWh! I'm taking it as a challenge to see how low we can get to this winter. The summers are not a problem, as majority of the electricity goes to just heating. Last summer our lowest monthly bill was 42 euros with the old cheap contract. What I am not going to do though, is tell my teenage daughter she can't take showers. Okay, so keep them short, but by all means, do wash yourself! I still mostly bathe in the bathtub, but it is pretty small, and I never fill it to the brim, so it has not been an issue, as is obvious from the low energy use during the summer months. 

I have high hopes though that the extra insulation will lower our need for heating, be it electricity or wood. It will be very interesting to see. This will be done the week before Christmas, so it's effect will be fully seen  in January's bill.

A lot of people are very desperate and very angry. The cost of production of electricity has not gone up, and the electrical companies are making a killing. I just hope it's only figurative, and that people are not going to freeze to death this winter! There have been some political decisions made to compensate for the high bills with tax paybacks and social security handouts, but a lot of people will not be helped by them, or the help is too little too late. I for one will not benefit anything from those decisions. 

But as more and more people have their old cheap contracts end and are forced on the 700-1000% more expensive contracts, the discontent and outrage will grow in proportion. So how are the powers that be going to fix this? There seems to be no effort nor will to do anything. It is like - dare I say it - it is planned this way.

Meanwhile, I take this as another job. It does take some work to carry in the firewood, light it up, watch the coals and remember to close the chimney plate at the right time... but if by doing this I save, say 800 euros per month during the cold months, then it is definitely worth my time and effort. It also necessitates a slow lifestyle. You have to bet at home to watch the fire, and this takes hours every day. It would be more difficult to do this if I was working outside of home. 

I am so thankful that I CAN pay my bills and we will get through this winter just fine. 
Even so, come Lord Jesus! 
  





   

The Worst Blogger Award

 

I totally deserve it! I have not posted at all this year. 

My father passed away in January, and shortly after also my uncle. It was a shock, and it has made me feel so lonely! My dad was the person who I felt would always be there to help me any way he could, without counting the favors. Having now lost both my parents and my marriage, it has been a struggle at times. 

I am happy though about having moved to where my sister and her family live. 
I am happy about having this little house to live in with my sweet daughter and our two fluffball cats. 
The garden has been a source of joy, I was so excited about my little grapevine making tiny little sweet grapes, about the tomatillos that I at first thought were Thai eggplants, about the newly planted apple trees and a cherry tree making fruit the first summer, the many many gorgeous flowers blooming all the way from early spring to late autumn! 

I have occasionally been very frustrated and tired of the renovation, mostly because it is very hard to get anyone to come and help out. Last summer I was sure I would have plenty of time to get everything finished before Indiana's birthday, but now I will be happy if this will be wrapped up before Christmas. It has been going on for over two years, so I am really looking forward to being done with the renovations! Obviously there well be things to do still, but those will not affect our living space and will be so much easier. Some painting outside, and adding insulation and ventilation underneath the roof come to mind... I am dreaming of a greenhouse as well, I have collected lots of old bricks and some old windows, and now I just need to find someone to help me build it. It would have been so nice to have it ready for the next growing season, but I have decided to be content with finishing the interiors, then I will rest, and think about a new project in the spring, Lord willing! 

I have trouble with my joints, it has gotten worse and now I finally went to the doctor. There is some inflammatory condition as my fingers swell up when I do something heavy, like carry bricks or dig  in the garden. I am waiting for the test results, and depending on what is the cause, there may be some relief. But this is another thing I need to consider - my hands are not holding up so well and if I overwork them, I will ruin them faster. Even just holding a book or a phone is painful at times... 

Right now I am finishing up the winter preparations in the garden, I have put up protections around the fruit trees and berry bushes so that the bunnies will not eat them, like they did last winter, and I still need to rake some leaves and put some frost protections to the most vulnerable plants. And clean the front of the house of some garbage that needs to be taken to the garbage recycling center. I have done some trips there already, so thankfully it is not that much that is left! 

Inside the house we are just missing some moldings and baseboards and one door that was supposed to be delivered already but there are machinery problems at the factory. The door will be put in between the cold foyer and the warm entrance hall, to keep the heat from escaping. The current door is super flimsy, and with these electricity prices, the new door is worth the investment. 
Oh, and there are lots of electricals to be installed still. 

I did the wallpapering, some baseboards and trims, clay plaster walls, painting ceilings and trims and some floors, ripping out some of the old materials and three silly narrow inconvenient built-in closets.. oh and helped with installing the lovely antique woodstove. 

I am hoping for a mild winter this year, for sure! My electricity contract expired and I am lucky that I got a business contract, so my electricity "only" doubled as of month ago. I am also glad that our house is small, and that we have a fireplace and now a woodstove in the kitchen as well. I mean, if there is going to be rolling black-outs, I will still be having my morning coffee! 
Our total electricity use has been about 10 000 kWh per year, but I know it can be lower with using more wood for heat, as heating the electric radiators is taking most electricity by far. The difference in electricity use between a summer month and a cold winter month can be five-fold. I have an endless source of free firewood at our woodsy lot, but really not the strength and means to cut down the trees and haul them home. Perhaps I could manage some young, thin trunks, if there was no other way. So far I have bought my firewood and also I took some from my dad's house that we sold this summer, and I need to cut some leftover lumber to firewood size whenever we get a dry, sunny day...  So anyway, I'm good for this winter.  

I will share some pictures of the finished interiors when everything is done and I have managed to organize our belongings as well. Right now there are still so many tools and supplies laying about, and things waiting to be designated a place. I promise though that it won't be a year before I post again!

A little peek to our little house

 

 

So there you go, some photos of our home! I see I'm missing overall pictures of most areas, because it just hasn't been tidy enough to take sweeping pictures of the living room and so on! There always seems to be some pile of random misplaced stuff or another - and huge piles during renovation projects - so I need to make and effort to finally organize the rest of it! If you look carefully you will see some wallpaper remnants on the log walls and there will continue to be things to do in the house. I'm not aiming for "perfection" in that sense - an old house should look like an old house, and it's okay to have small projects waiting and obviously so. It's the disorganized things that get on my nerves.

I've used old things in the renovation, kitchen cabinets from the 50's and the cast iron bathtub. They were cheap and they look like they belong here. I don't mind having things from different decades, it's how houses sort of evolve organically. I have original floor planks, windows from the 80's, kitchen from the 50's, some antique furniture and our couch is 70's design. I don't want to live in a museum, and I also don't like all modern everything. Cost and aesthetics are both important but functionality is above all. The kitchen now finally has the moldings.

I'll post more pictures later when I get around taking some.

I will also make a separate post about the garden as I have tons of pictures. I think the garden, especially flowers, are my weak spot! I'm already looking at flowers to plant in the spring. I still have lots of space left in the garden! 

I am very thankful for this blessing of a house that is now our home. 
When we moved in and lived in the middle of a chaos on multiple fronts, Indiana said that this is the most cozy home she has ever lived in. And that she doesn't want to have white walls ever again 😄 I personally have nothing against white walls, but as it is, there are no white walls in the house, though most are light. The clay and stucco walls are tinted with natural pigments and then there are the old wallpapers and now some bare logs visible.

The chimney is going to be cleaned today and I will ask about installing a wood stove in the kitchen, which I would like to do.
I think I will paint this old ladder today and do finishing work on the sweater I knit and finally got done yesterday. 

Then there is organizing the upstairs sewing room that is waiting to be done and two large paintings need a storage place but the larger one doesn't really fit anywhere. It's too large to go up the stairs even. The persistent bronchitis I have has been slowing down my effort to get everything in order for Christmas, but there is still plenty of time. Which reminds me that I still haven't put the lights on our little cone shaped outdoor Christmas tree. Maybe I can do that today as well.

***

And here are some before-photos taken before we moved in. The house was built in 1935 and the kitchen was from the 70's and the bathroom addition was built in 1991. There was some smelly plastic (toilet freshener, yuck!) and water damaged particle board and broken tiles and so on. The kitchen window would not open because it was blocked by a too-long low cabinet. The bathroom did not have modern water sealing, the electric floor heating broke after we'd just moved in and burned the plastic flooring on top and the bathroom was really cold last winter.. The water heater broke, and when a new one was installed, the guy broke the toilet. So yeah, there were some things that needed fixing 😅 All in all the house had been taken good care of, it's just that things break when they get old.
Well, the electrical work was really weird. It's been replaced in the kitchen and the bathroom addition now, but still needs replacing elsewhere as it's not that safe. The radiators are new but made after old models. 

I got rid of the indoor electric sauna and turned it into a walk-in closet with the washing machine there as well. I decided to also get a dish washer. 

The living room floor planks were in a really rough condition underneath the layers, but I love them so much now!