Pants and purging and perusing

A lady at church gave me a couple of yards of light fleece. I drew up pants patterns based on sweat pants my kids already had, and then made five pairs of pants for them.  Very simple, back side same as the front side, zigzag stitch throughout.  I re-used elastic from their old pants for the waistbands. But sometimes the elastic is stitched in too well to make getting it out worthwhile. I like pattern drafting, and my children are constantly growing, so I usually draw up a new pattern every time.

I had enough fabric left over to make one small dress. And to lengthen the pants for one child who wanted his pants longer.

Since then, I've been working on the first task of moving, which is a huge purge to minimize the amount that needs to be moved. I try to keep things decluttered as we go, but there is always more that can go out the door. This week I have been working on cleaning behind and under as many pieces of furniture as possible. It is amazing how many toys and odd objects find their way back into the dust bunnies.

I have been reading Tsh Oxenreider's Organized Simplicity. My reaction (after one reading) is mixed. It felt like the book was aimed at people living large and complicated lives in McMansions; as a writer I understand the temptation to write to a straw audience, but it made it difficult for me to meet the book where I actually am. I have been working for a long time on a simpler and more efficient lifestyle, and never had anything very big in the first place, so I have already picked most of the low-hanging fruit that she is offering her readers in this book. Still, there were several interesting ideas and organizing principles that I took note of. The appendix of recipes for homemade cleaning recipes and personal care products is very good, and includes many that I use myself.

But I differ with her on washing windows; instead of newspaper, I have a scrubber and a squeegee. With a towel (to wipe the squeegee and window edges) and some warm water with a little dish soap in it, I can wash the windows very quickly. It's very similar to washing the car's windows at the gas station, now that I think about it...treat your home like a car.