Organizing and decluttering the homestead

[The Porch]

And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 1 Thess: 4:12,13

God likes things done decently and in order~" Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Cor. 14

I pray each morning that I do each day what He would have me be doing and that I work as if unto Him in all things. When it's for God, it's not a heavy burden, as He helps you bear your burdens. I'd likely not be doing any of these things if it weren't for God, nor would I have the strength or health to do it without Him as well. I rejoice that He gives me good work to do and that it honors Him to do it!

A lot of folks look at it and think it's just busy work or that we are neat freaks of some kind, but it's really just an obedience to the Lord and good practice for obeying Him in all situations, not just with the things He gave us stewardship over. I love to work when God's my boss! Easiest work EVER.

YES! SOMEONE understands me This is my favorite quote

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I love that verse. I would do well to commit it to memory.

 

[Beekissed]

Got the large cabinet that had been on the back of the shed burned today, along with some very long wagon sides that were just ancient and rotting. Got all the items out of the cabinet sorted, labeled, eliminated, etc. Ever more hardware....but all is now sorted into labeled bins and neatly in the wall units.

In all my life, I've never had all my hardware organized to this degree, nor had my Dad, though he was very neat in all his work ways....this feels wonderful!!!!

Now, I'm ready to do the lumber rack build and other storage solutions for that area. Can't wait to get those implemented!

 

[Beekissed]

Still working on my scrap lumber rack, comprised of scrap lumber, and it's taking longer than I had expected due to using....scrap lumber. It will look like a hobbled up mess but it will be sturdy and level and, I hope, perform the necessary function.

I put up a size ruler on the front so I could size the boards when I need to fetch one for a particular purpose...crudely drawn but will help me tremendously. I still haven't worked out how I'm going to do all the short board storage but I know I want it to be the most organized part, as that's the most pieces of scrap lumber I have....all the butt ends of 2x4s, 4x4s and stickers, as well as plenty of small pallet board ends and such.

 

[The Porch]

Still working on my scrap lumber rack, comprised of scrap lumber, and it's taking longer than I had expected due to using....scrap lumber. It will look like a hobbled up mess but it will be sturdy and level and, I hope, perform the necessary function.

I put up a size ruler on the front so I could size the boards when I need to fetch one for a particular purpose...crudely drawn but will help me tremendously. I still haven't worked out how I'm going to do all the short board storage but I know I want it to be the most organized part, as that's the most pieces of scrap lumber I have....all the butt ends of 2x4s, 4x4s and stickers, as well as plenty of small pallet board ends and such.

I love it-- you are doing awesome!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Prayed about how to design this rack so I could sort my small pieces into different stacks and God answered my prayers via Eli. Had him look at my build and was telling him I still wasn't sure how I could sort the small pieces and keep them well contained...and he came up with part of an idea, then I finished it and I think it's going to be pretty cool in the end. I'll even label those bins for size so I can store easily and also access according to what size my job is needing.

That's why two heads are better than one! Eli and I don't think alike when it comes to building, which makes it bad sometimes but also great, because we can bounce ideas off one another. He thinks of things I don't and I think of things he doesn't, so when we bring them together we often come to a good solution.

 

[baymule]

Haha, neighbor Robert and I often bounce ideas off each other like that. But when my husband does, it’s usually something that won’t work at all and he doesn’t understand why. His idea of fixing something is duct tape or hit it with a hammer. Needless to say we butt heads and I proceed with doing it my way at while he gripes in the background trying vainly to resurrect his failed before it even starts, idea.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Me: I hatch a basic idea to solve a gardening or chicken or duck or storage problem. Tell hubby the need, want or desire, and tell him my half baked solution.

Him: Why are you doing it that way, using that for materials, or can you perhaps use something already on hand?

Me: I hadn't thought of that. Hmmm...

Him: We'll buy XYZ at Lowes the next time we go to town.

Me: Don't wanna spend the money.

Then we rifle through the materials on hand in the shop, and look at the many saplings that need cutting around the property. (note previous rant on other thread about tree hugging ninnies)

He will often spend a couple minutes getting me started on the project, step in to give a hand with the stuff that I simply can't manage alone, and, we'll get-er-done. Squash trellising accomplished with a handful of saplings, a bit of wire, some zip ties, and a 99 cent hank of thick rope.

Often, our symbiosis will include him getting out the power tool to start the project. Me, the queen of ADHD will drop what I'm doing and come over to "help". Next thing I know, I have the tool in my hand, am whaling into the project, and he's gone back to what he was working on in the first place.

 

[Beekissed]

LG, you sound a lot like me....I'm the ideas guy/gal, then Eli tells me why my idea can't work the way I want it to, then suggests a way it WILL work. Then, my go to is reclaimed materials, which makes the build ten times harder, so Eli has to use inventive ways to make all the scraps coincide in a successful manner.

 

[Beekissed]

I'm on the home stretch now!!!! Just need to label my short board storage according to size, then start putting lumber where it belongs. These racks are incredibly pieced together out of odd pieces of old plywood or boards, so nothing is square or fitting perfectly but it's all level and sturdy enough to hold what it needs to hold.

When I get this done, I can move on to building organization for the rest of the items on the back of the shed. Took a break two days in a row to take care of other things, but was finally able to get back to it this morning.

Now, to reward myself with a big ol' mater sammich!