someones trash is anothers treasure

So with my twin moving to NY there's a lot of cleaning happening - her place and ours. We've started organizing the rooms, getting more organized with new furniture from IKEA (and thanks to the dandy handy electric drill we bought himself has whizzed through the putting of the furniture). Thankfully he's very patient while doing it, growing up I wrote a story once on my Dad doing DIY (do it yourself) in which I mentioned how the 3 inch nails graced the floor like the curses in the air.. The teacher said it was a very realistic story. Not surprising as I was sitting there watching my Dad try to fix the washing machine and cursing away. Finally they found the problem, a fried mouse on the electronics board of the machine. Even my Dad couldn't see that one coming. So we have two new dressers from IKEA, one that we can put a changing table onto and we need a couple of more bookcases and we can then recycle some more furniture and organize some more.

So twin left Tuesday morning and dropped her to airport at 5am. I couldn't be too sad as I know our paths will still cross and we still intend to move out East Coast wise in a couple of years. I'm still amazed that she was able to sell her car (twice after first one flaked!) in half a day. So she asked us to help clear out last of apartment rubbish as things got crazy before she left. I have Eva my wonderful cleaning lady going there for a move out clean as a going away pressie next week to do the spit and polish. Figure it was a better pressie than a vase !

For those who have never had the pleasure of real good cleaning folks whizzing through house - its still the best thing ever I discovered in the horrendous move from apartment in Willow Glen to 17th street all those years ago.

Horrendous move marked by movers 8 hrs late. Who never moved then a whole apartment of stuff as the truck was too full (which we found next day and then had to rent a truck ourselves to do). Then they billed my credit card twice, and also for an extra 5 hours that they hadn't worked, illegaly signed my name and mis-spelled it (this was their office not the hardworking chaps by the way). And oh yes the topper was discovering at 2am that the money taken out to tip the three hardworking guys was stolen. The guys in fair part were overbooked and ill-informed hence the delay and small truck, but still the tip money was stolen from purse and finding it in the 4th ones shoe including extra money he turns out had stolen from the head guy just topped the bad move.

But after all stress and misfortune, it was first time I had used cleaners for a move out clean and I was so impressed (I remember tears of joy as only thing that had gone right!) I started using them every 3 weeks or so to clean my house and have used them for all the move out cleans. Moving is stressful enough without worrying is the fridge or oven as clean as it could be and you're so tired and done for its even harder to do. Better to have the wonderful 4 ladies swoop in and clean away. Having them clean the house is wonderful too. Working so hard during the week, keeping house neat is hard enough and generally clean without all that scrubbing of bathtubs and floors. My back and my free time in general thanks Eva and her wonderful ladies. Even if they keep moving some rugs around to where they think they should go. Its a small price ladies and gentlemen to pay for that wonderful house clean and spotless smell.


Twin was very good and suggested we use1-800-got-junk to help clear her place before cleaners come next week. She realized that wasn't enough time nor manpower to try and do it before she left as movers came Monday afternoon and even with her good friend Monica's help too much to pack and still clear out it all before flying Tuesday morning. Which was good as when I went up to the flat there's no way could have done it without them. Even if we got help to clear it all out and then bring all the stuff downstairs and from garage, then of course there's the problem of where do you put it? So booked http://1800gotjunk.com/ yesterday online and scheduled a two hour window mid afternoon as I knew if I did it later in afternoon would be harder to do. Went over and started clearing cupboards to make it as quick as possible. They came on time, two healthy strapping college kids and cleared in no time at all. They filled up a truck to three quarters full about 27 bags. Have to say excellent service and now place is ready for Eva and her girls to whiz through. Great idea on twin's part and one I will use again if needed to clear out as they were fantastic.

The funniest was the two wee boys age 7/8 ish who turned up asking if they could hunt for treasure while we were mid cleaning out. (At one point they had jumped in junk truck in their eagerness). They found a small bowl of quarters in garage and asked could we split the treasure three ways (very honest to a T these wee pirates..). After they helped bringing down stuff let them split it among themselves. They also were delighted re finding her old stage makeup box finding costume jewellery for their Mums and said makeup for sister but keeping the fake blood and the box which they assured me would be great for not only holding fishing tackle but fish themselves..

My Mam was laughing at that when I was telling her, as she remembers us as kids bringing home what we thought of treasures as only kids can. We once bought her this perfume that could only really be described as smelling like a bad cheap whorehouse for mothers day or birthday or something like that. Being kids we bought the one that was the biggest bottle and cheapest to boot. Big bottle is best we thought and poor Mam - we would make her wear it daily as a testament of how good the present was. She said she got smiles of sympathy from all the other mums as she wafted by leaving tears in other folks eyes with how powerful the astringent smell was.. She tried to spill the perfume bottle dry with no luck. She said took months to go through.

So all this cleaning and I have also thanks to my old boss Sarah found a wonderful website http://www.freecycle.org/ its basically on concept that your trash is anothers treasure and rather than put in landfills its local yahoo community groups in your area where you can give away items and another person picks up from your porch or you want something and go pick up from their porch. Saving some mullah before baby Hobbit comes I've found some great stuff on the site and also given away items too. Its only for free stuff and I now have an old sewing machine to learn from and some great baby stuff as well. Well worth while checking out if you haven't before.

Its a great way to do it as sometimes hauling to GoodWill where you don't know where it goes isn't as satisfying. Where as I know now that David the chap who picked up our two wine racks is putting them on a wine shelf he was building before the project turned difficult and seeing I was giving away the racks thought - why don't I just put wine racks on the shelf instead !

Someones trash is another persons treasure folks. Have a great week.