1. Get Organized.
I cleaned out the garage yesterday and started filling a section of it with stuff for the neighborhood yard sale in July. I LOVE yard sales. 🙂 Both shopping at them and selling stuff. People are interesting. You get people who walk right up and fork over their money, and people who contemplate a $2 purchase for 10 minutes. I find the whole process exciting.
2. Run, walk or crawl a Marathon, half marathon, 10k, and 5k race this year.
Did I really say that?
3. Remodel our Master Bathroom, Master Closet and Monkey Boy’s Bathroom. Done!
4. Finish Every Room in Our House.
I need a pierce of furniture to place next to the family room window. I was thinking about a skinny recliner with a matching ottoman but all the ones I like cost a fortune. Maybe I need to look for something else to put there. But what? I don’t like clutter {clearly} and I like big open spaces so I don’t want something too big.
Also, I think I need something taller to sit on the red cabinet along the wall. What do you think?
5. Turn Spare Bedroom into a Cozy Home Office Space for myself.
I’ll work on it later this fall.
6. Create a Vegetable Garden.
I called the HOA to find out of I could go ahead and start building my garden boxes outside this weekend {because the fence is being installed next week} and the lady basically said to wait until the fence is up just in case someone complains. Sweet.baby.lambs.
So The Girl and I have been busy setting up containers around the perimeter of the house this week instead. I did tell the HH that we will be buying lumber at the Home Depot this weekend and making the beds in the garage though. That way as soon as those boards go up… so do the garden beds. Giddy up!
7. Build a Path into the Hillside for Easy Access to the Upper Garden. We are building a fence instead.
Lucy is counting down the HOURS.
8. Limit my personal spending to $100 a month.
I didn’t buy any candy this week. That’s saying something!!! 🙂 I’m thinking about ordering these sneakers though. The price is right.
So far in May I’ve spent $3.00
In April I Spent $18.46.
In March I Spent $42.44.
In February I Spent $32.52
In January I Spent $84.33
9. Purge… Weekly. Find 10 things each week to donate to the thrift store.
Our neighborhood is having a yard sale in July and I’ve slowly been going through the storage and craft room looking for things to let go of. Some things {like those man jeans} will be given to the thrift store and the other stuff I’ll try and make a few bucks on. Who knows, maybe I’ll make enough to buy some plane tickets for The Girl and I. I do have a couple of furniture items {large sideboard, coffee table, craft table} to sell so we’ll see.
10. Read 1 book a week. – My goal is to read 52 books this year
A few days ago I started Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune and it is fascinating let me tell you. Sad but very interesting.
11. Slow Down.
Ya right. This is gardening season.
12. Canning –
I made 11 jars of blackberry jam and used up the remaining berries from last summer. I’m hoping to find a free blackberry patch forage this summer.
Did you set any goals for this year? If so, how are they coming along?
~Mavis
Cecily says
How about a nice wingback chair like this?
http://pinterest.com/pin/125045327130027000/?s=4&m=gmail
Mavis Butterfield says
I like it! 🙂 Would you get one chair or two for that space?
Cecily says
I think it would depend on the size of the chairs. Two would make it feel cozier but leave less space. I think one with a matching ottoman similar in size to this.
http://pinterest.com/pin/511369732664719700/?s=4&m=gmail
Mavis Butterfield says
I like that!!! You have such good ideas.
Chris M says
Does the window look out on a secluded (or, soon to be secluded) part of your yard? If so, I’d consider a small bistro table and two small, but comfortable chairs so that you could sit, have a cup of tea or eat something and look out the window.
Irene says
What about putting a large plant by the window? A fiddle fig leaf tree would look really good there.
Mavis Butterfield says
I just checked on google. What a fun looking tree!
Kitty says
What about a hope chest in front of that window? Then you would have storage also!
NCJill says
Plants, of course! That’s exactly what I was thinking. Come on Mrs. Green Thumb! Haha. Also, a tall plant for the table? Perfecto! Love ya, Mavis.
Diana says
The table is calling out for a piece of artwork to go above it. That and a small lamp to sit on it to complement the bowl.
Debbie says
I was thinking the same thing, but using a tall lamp and make the artwork large or use a collage. Use a nice comfy chair, but I’d forget the ottoman. They tend to get in the way.
Kayla says
I vote a small sideways bookcase/bench with a cushion in front of the window. You can have storage space for Lucy’s toys or more garden stuff.
Here is an idea: http://snapshotsandwhatnots.typepad.com/my-blog/2013/12/ikea-hack-bookcase-to-bench-with-a-removable-cushion-cover.html
Lisa says
Hey Mavis,
Have you heard of fallingfruit.com? It helped me find some blackberry patches in my neck of the woods 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! Thank you for the reminder Lisa.
Emily says
I always wonder this. Do your son and husband not like to travel? Seems like the trips are always girls only.
Mavis Butterfield says
They will come along every once in a while but mostly, they’d prefer to stay home. Weird, I know.
Sherle says
That’s okay my husband and son are the same way. Whenever we can travel it’s always my daughter and I.
Susan says
Looks like you have a floor vent right under that window, so whatever you put there should not block it. Do you like the view? I’d go with a nice floor plant with a small bench next to it. The bench could block the plant from getting directly blown on by the vent, and still be available for occasional extra seating or extra table space. Especially if you get one that folds up.
Kimberly says
Overstock has some recliners that are almost identical and have great reviews. They also have a great return policy so if you don’t like it, its not a problem. Definitely worth a look! http://www.overstock.com/search?keywords=recliner+and+ottoman&taxonomy=sto1&ralt=sto35,sto22,sto6&TID=AR:TRUE&searchtype=Header
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Kimberly! That is exactly what I was looking for.