Haniya finished up the monumental job of minimizing and organizing all our CDs and DVDs. Here are two boxes of CDs and two boxes of DVDs, fitting in a small space on the bookshelf. The contents of these boxes were previously taking up space in a huge cupboard (now given over to much needed space for storing mason jars) and a drawer.

We also keep one box near the computer for all computer-related discs.

The girls have one box in their room containing their personal collection of CDs (music and audio books).

I like it. Especially since I didn’t have to do it. No, really, I am so thankful for my sweet Haniya who loves to organize and jumps right in to projects like these. Naomi helped, too, for a good many hours and I’m thankful for her, too!

When I was in college, I could fit all my CDs in one little plastic box. I got rid of the CD cases and put all the CDs in CD/DVD sleeves. Fast forward the 12 years since then; no more sleeves purchased. DVDs and CDs have positively overrun several drawers and a cupboard.

Last week, I started investigating different storage options, pricing them out and such. I ended up right back at CD/DVD sleeves in boxes (this time cardboard, not plastic). There are sleeves that fit into binders, but I found those binders more expensive than the cardboard boxes. The downside of my choice is not necessarily being able to store full-size DVD inserts.

As for pricing, each sleeve costs about 16 cents (free shipping through Amazon.com), and will hold two CDs/DVDs (one in front and one in back) or one CD/DVD with its accompanying booklet tucked into the back pocket.

The cardboard boxes cost $6.31 each, which included shipping from CreateForLess.com. I know I could have saved money on those, but I wanted black, and I wanted online ordering. Each box fits at least 50 double-sided sleeves, but could be stuffed more.

My girls are so excited about organizing, that they’ve taken on this project. Mostly Haniya. They’re doing all the work.

The boxes’ assignments are:

• 1 box for family movies
• 1 box for kid movies
• 2 boxes for music CDs
• 1 box for school/computer CDs
• 1 extra box — probably will be the girls for their audio books CDs

The CD or DVD goes into the front of the sleeve. We slip any paper documentation (which we want to keep) in the back of the sleeve. If the CD or DVD is part of a series, they fill up the front and back of however many sleeves it takes.

The girls have been cutting out thin strips of cardstock to use as labels, which slips into the top of the sleeve. That is, if the CD/DVD case doesn’t provide a usably thin one already.

The CDs/DVDs in each box are filed alphabetically. We had one set of alphabetical dividers from my pre-marriage music collection. Haniya duplicated these for all the other boxes. This consisted of cutting out a piece of cardstock to the same size as the divider (which is handily the same size as a sleeve), then writing the alphabet letters at the top and coloring the top with a highlighter to make it visible. The letters go in sets of three like this: ABC-DEF-GHI-JKL-MNO-PQR-ST-UVW-XYZ. (You’ll notice ST are a pair, not a threesome.)

So at this point, we’re pretty happy. We’re not quite done, but we’ve got two drawers, a cupboard, and a miscellaneous pile condensed down to five little boxes.

Update: Here are 4 of the finished boxes on the bookcase. We have one more box near the computer and one more box in the girls’ room.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GttluC_F2Wk

And just listen to his giggle.

So, enjoy. If you get tired of my videos, feel free to stop watching them. Really, it’s okay if you don’t watch every one.

But recently, in an effort to get our checking account information off the internet, we applied for a credit card to use for all our online purchases and bill payments (we pay it off each month). This added a new level of complexity in entering transactions into our banking spreadsheet. Jeff pointed out that I could get our spreadsheet to do it automatically. I’m sure he is right, but I don’t want to spend time right now to learn how to create complex functions in our spreadsheet. And he doesn’t have the time to do it either. So, I went looking for a ready-to-go, open-source solution. Overall, I wanted to find something more automatic — not only to help me keep track of the credit card and the budget accounts its expenditures effected, but something that would also make even the daily transaction entry and the month-end reporting more automatic. Enter GnuCash, open-source accounting software.

So far, so good. Thank goodness I took a semester of accounting in high school, and the computer program we used then is similar to this. At the end of this month, I’ll know more, when I do our usual month-end budget checkups. If you’re looking for something (free) to help you, take a look at GnuCash.

2. Now I’ve saved the best for last! I probably shouldn’t say anything. I’m probably jumping the gun. But I can’t help myself. I’ve got to share. I’m getting a new camera — a Canon Powershot SX10IS. I ordered it yesterday, along with a case, card reader, rechargeable batteries, and 8gb memory cards (*aff*).

The Christmas after Mikah was born, over 8 years ago, my parents helped us buy us our first digital camera. That was so kind. That Olympus D-490Z has been really, really good to us. But I have been nursing it along for around three years. Sometimes it just won’t work. I have learned the tricks to get it going each time it exhibits its stubborn will (hmm… sounds like parenting). This new camera will not only function consistently (that is my expectation anyway!) but the picture quality, lighting and clarity will be improved over what I’m used to. In addition, I am excited to have video capability and a 20x zoom for real close-ups. We will pass on the Olympus for the kids to share.

*aff* — affiliate link(s)

In the meantime, I was sick of the messes, sick of being depressed about the messes, just sick of it all.

So I got to work, and then the kids joined me and that was a joy for me to have them pitching in cheerfully, sometimes without me asking.

First we had to fix the vacuum. One of my dear children vacuumed up a paper clothing tag during a previous vacuuming, which clogged the hose, which then prevented the roller from turning, which then caused the belt to burn out from the heat of the whatever-thing-it-is-that-turns-the-roller. But with our spare belt, Mikah’s flashlight, my sewing tweezers, and a garbage bag, we had all the right tools for that job.

The vacuuming led to decluttering/straightening/dusting bookshelves, cleaning the yucky space in between the wall and the carpet (no baseboards), putting little things away, clearing off the table, clearing off the counters, planting our living Christmas tree in a pot outside (thank you Naomi), wiping red clay mud marks off doorways, washing muddy laundry room floors, straightening shoe areas, taking cardboard to the shop to join a mountain of other being-saved cardboard…

Today, I will finish the dusting, clean the bathrooms, and clean cobwebs and vents. I don’t have to touch the kitchen because Naomi and I cleaned the top of the kitchen cupboards last week. And thanks to my mom (when she was here in November), all the light fixtures are clean (thank you!)

What I haven’t touched (much) is my sewing area. Truth be told, I’m holding out for a new house and a sewing room with a door that can be closed.

Is it possible, tell me… is it even imaginable to conceive… that a sewing room could ever be clean? Please tell me no. I don’t believe it is and I’m sticking to that.

Even though I’m going over and over it in my mind, I can’t figure out what to do in the living room. Its present arrangement is awkward, yet I can’t think of another way to fit it all in plus a piano. So I’ll have to keep thinking about that room.

This looks like a good guide, so I’m going to follow it.

Clean and Maintain a Dishwasher

By sensible, I mostly mean permanent kitchen solutions made from glass, stainless steel, wood, and bamboo. But also, in the case of paper products, that they be from recycled materials and any wax additions be from paraffin, not plastic, wax.

I appreciate your taking part in the poll!

So I have this week of relative freedom. The fencing and schooling has taken all my extra time for a good two months, what with researching it and now putting it up every spare minute. This week, during the daytime, I have high goals for getting some other projects crossed off my list.

• quilt for a friend — add one row of blocks, then quilt it and bind it
• cotton summer t-shirts for Jeff
• split up that aloe vera plant
• plant buckwheat and sunflower microgreens
• informal dresses for the girls and I

That’s just my list for this week. I will start with that quilt this afternoon. I would like to give it to my friend on Wednesday. Are you making any plans for summer projects? I would love to hear what you’re planning!