Catching up...

Well, it's been a while since I have posted. We bought a house! It's a 1500 square foot home with 3 bedrooms and a family room. I'm so excited. I have so many plans for this new place, that's for sure. I have to admit - I was shocked by the utility bills for this place. I have a goal - and that's to significantly reduce the energy use in that home. I can't imagine paying that much for Gas, that's for sure.

We will have to find ways to better insulate our home this year. We don't have it in our budget to replace the windows and, as they are single paned, we will have to examine our options. I'll buy curtains for the winter, that should be a help in keeping the heat in and the cold out.

I'm looking forward to gardening, and while it's too late for planting a veggie garden, I think I might be able to get some radishes and carrots in and possibly some lettuce as I know that likes cooler temperatures. I also have a clothesline! I'm so excited about that, too. It's a little umbrella type one - exactly what I wanted as it doesn't hang your undies out for the neighbourhood to see, LOL...

It's been a time of purging yet again, as we begin to pack for this next phase of our lives. We joined in with a friend for a garage sale this past weekend and managed to get rid of some of our 'stuff' and have put a bunch of things on craigslist, as well. We've decided that we will have a garage sale one more time after we move as I'm sure that once we begin to put things away in our new home, I will find that there are things that do not fit anymore. I've been putting things into garage sale boxes as I pack. It's hard to believe there are so many things I don't want anymore, especially after the many times I've done this over the last couple of years.

I've been raiding the recycling bin for newspapers to pack in. I bought some tissue paper to wrap the china in, but only one layer as the rest is newsprint. Lots and lots of paper getting another use before recycling. and all of the boxes are second hand - from friends, family and the liquor store. Another re-use before recycling. I also think I'll be able to pass along the boxes again through fullcycle or craigslist after we move. We're moving mid-month - so there will probably be lots of people who could use the boxes.

We are also on septic at our new place, so I'll be even more particular about using natural products and environmentally safe cleaners. That's a good thing - and one that won't be too difficult given that I've been switching over for some time now.

So, while I won't be posting as often as I'd planned - the next few weeks will be seeing me work towards letting go of more, looking for ways to re-use items, packing up our home and trying to ensure that I cover off everything you have to do when you move. (and boy, that's a big list!)

My tip for the day: take shorter showers! I understand the daughter at the home we are buying liked to have long showers - really long showers - and that's probably why they pay near $183/ month for gas. Yikes! We wash on cold, take shorter showers and try to make sure our son has lower water level baths (he's little, so loves a bath - but with his eczema, we use cooler water, anyway). Lots to conserve on at the new place!!!