Monday, March 28, 2016

Sparking Joy, Part Two


I know just how Mrs. Bird feels about her overcrowded house! Maybe some of that straw is left over from years ago, and, like me, she just keeps adding more stuff without first cleaning her house. Or maybe she feels nostalgic about the first straw nest, when her home was new, and she just can't let it go. No one was home, or I would have told her all about the KonMarie method of Sparking Joy and how well it is working out for me.

 In fact, a new milestone has been reached! Ron and I spent the afternoon at the Medina Antique Mall and didn't buy a thing!! We used to go several times a year and always came away with several treasures. In fact, some of our furniture and most of our dog collection of prints, bookends, etc, was purchased there.



You know how you are kind of embarrassed when the pizza guy recognizes your order when you call for a delivery? Well, some of the vendors and most of the staff recognize us because of our frequent visits over the years.

On this visit, the tables turned. We investigated renting a showcase and becoming vendors instead of buyers! There is something more tangible about selling in person compared to online. I opened my Etsy store , Knitwithlulu,  several months ago  to sell craft supplies online -my SABLE (stash abounds beyond life expectancy) that is.  I sell buttons, needles, yarn, patterns, and some vintage items.  Over the years, I have sold  items via Ebay. Last summer I sold a few things on the Erie County online garage sale. (You pick a place such as the Kroger's parking lot to meet your buyer and it all feels a bit shady like a drug deal). But, a booth or showcase at an antique mall? That is on a whole new level!And, now, without further ado, I continue the episode of Sparking Joy......

I helped Paulie blaze through her clothes and she rediscovered her walk in closet! Bob was next and he, too, cleared out quite a bit of unwanted clothing. Next, Paulie and I cleared out all clothes stored in my attic and I can now fit winter and summer clothes in one small closet and one dresser on the second floor. Ron got into the act and kept only a few overcoats, two sport coats and one tuxedo! Well, he only had one tuxedo to begin with, but, still. All of this was donated to the local thrift store. Next up: books. Paulette weeded out at least half of her knitting book collection and I weeded out TWO books thus far at my house. Meanwhile, you could say I'm skipping ahead by diving into sentimental items as I decide what to antiques to sell.


 Paulie and I did attend a recent antique sale and two estate sales. Paulette didn't buy anything at either estate sale, but she did buy what she stated was her "last ever piece of furniture" at the antique sale. Well, really she stole it!


 I brought home a Victorian bowling game ( I can't explain it, I just thought it was so unusual.....)


This antique game fits on our dining room table. Can't you just imagine someone setting the pins, loading a marble in the pea shooter apparatus and aiming it toward the pins to see how many get knocked down? Now that beats out a video game any time, don't you think? Our cats, by the way, have discovered how to get their paws on the marbles, and, so, this is really a cat game now.

Our attic runs the length of the house and has a solid wood floor and high ceilings. It is where items rest, Christmas decorations are stored, and where I sometimes go to sit in the winter when I get too hot (it isn't heated, of course). Nor is it air conditioned. Hence, I have a narrow window of time in which to engage in Joy factor mode.  At recent count, there are 6 chairs, 3 cedar chests, 7 leather end tables, 4 wood coffee tables, 1 armoire, 1 dresser, 1 high post bed frame, 3 sewing tables, and many storage containers of antique linens up there. There are suitcases, Important Papers, scrapbooks, tablecloths, camping items, and much, much more.


There is a dumbwaiter, intact, which sits above a long open column that goes all the way to the basement.


The rafters are 10 feet high and there are lots of windows all the way around. We do have a resident bat that lives up there. I've never seen him, actually, but, I am sure that he lives there...if you know what I mean.... I'll be up there for a few hours today as it is 43 degrees and therefore a perfectly cool day for me to continue Sparking Joy!



Since Paulie's hand has been out of commission for the past month, I got to unpack and decorate her home for Easter. It was so fun to get out her collections and place them throughout her home!


Happy Spring! Happy Everything!