The cleaning of the basement
May. 26th, 2011 10:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ksmith...has kinda begun.
After phutzing round for the last few weeks, I finally got myself downstairs to assess the situation. I did fill one garbage bag, and there are a number of cardboard boxes that I can break down. But I'm having second thoughts about a few of the things that I thought I would get rid of. Frex, the four *very heavy* dinette chairs that an old roomie and I bought at a Salvation Army-type store way back in 1981. They were cheap and very sturdy, but oh so ugly. Dark brown stain. Brown plastic upholstery. But they're captain-style chairs with arms and some interesting woodwork, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to have them refinished and reupholstered. Good side chairs can cost several hundred dollars, and I am guessing that these chairs are better made than most of the stuff that's out there.
And I went and checked, and saw that they were made by Shelby-Williams, which is a commercial furniture maker. That explains the heft. I still think that with a lighter finish and new upholstery, they could look, well, homier. Less institutional. I checked the catalog, and the current price for similar-looking chairs is anywhere from $500-650. I should probably hang onto them.
Then there are the dishes. My dad inherited them from my grandmother, who in turn inherited them from a friend. They are these dishes, Embassy pattern EMB50. Here's my own photo, which is a little easier to see:
The set isn't complete. I think there are 10 plates and soup bowls. Way more saucers. Not sure about the cups. I also have the serving bowl and platter, and iirc the sugar bowl and creamer. It doesn't seem to be a common pattern--I can't find pieces for sale online. Maybe I should hold onto them, and use them. They're not really my taste, but they are different. Nice for a holiday.
I have no intention of finishing my basement. I intend to keep using it for laundry, storage, and possibly craftwork. I do need more shelving, and I have my eye on metal shelving units with wheels. To make room for them, I had to get rid of a useless jury-rigged table that was here when I moved in.
I'm kind of ashamed that I didn't get rid of the blasted thing years ago, but there are always other things to do and time goes by. But tonight, I grabbed a crowbar and a hefty hammer and knocked the thing apart.
Over the next few weeks, I'll clean out the corner and get the shelving units and stash all the things I decide to keep. Eventually I will have to call some junk hauler to get rid of the two, count 'em, TWO metal desks that my dad somehow maneuvered down the basement stairs, along with the blown treadmill and other assorted heavy bits. But I'm hoping that by the time fall rolls around, I will finally have that space cleaned up.
It used to be that I just needed to have my office under control. Now, it's the whole house, the yard....
After phutzing round for the last few weeks, I finally got myself downstairs to assess the situation. I did fill one garbage bag, and there are a number of cardboard boxes that I can break down. But I'm having second thoughts about a few of the things that I thought I would get rid of. Frex, the four *very heavy* dinette chairs that an old roomie and I bought at a Salvation Army-type store way back in 1981. They were cheap and very sturdy, but oh so ugly. Dark brown stain. Brown plastic upholstery. But they're captain-style chairs with arms and some interesting woodwork, and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to have them refinished and reupholstered. Good side chairs can cost several hundred dollars, and I am guessing that these chairs are better made than most of the stuff that's out there.
And I went and checked, and saw that they were made by Shelby-Williams, which is a commercial furniture maker. That explains the heft. I still think that with a lighter finish and new upholstery, they could look, well, homier. Less institutional. I checked the catalog, and the current price for similar-looking chairs is anywhere from $500-650. I should probably hang onto them.
Then there are the dishes. My dad inherited them from my grandmother, who in turn inherited them from a friend. They are these dishes, Embassy pattern EMB50. Here's my own photo, which is a little easier to see:
The set isn't complete. I think there are 10 plates and soup bowls. Way more saucers. Not sure about the cups. I also have the serving bowl and platter, and iirc the sugar bowl and creamer. It doesn't seem to be a common pattern--I can't find pieces for sale online. Maybe I should hold onto them, and use them. They're not really my taste, but they are different. Nice for a holiday.
I have no intention of finishing my basement. I intend to keep using it for laundry, storage, and possibly craftwork. I do need more shelving, and I have my eye on metal shelving units with wheels. To make room for them, I had to get rid of a useless jury-rigged table that was here when I moved in.
I'm kind of ashamed that I didn't get rid of the blasted thing years ago, but there are always other things to do and time goes by. But tonight, I grabbed a crowbar and a hefty hammer and knocked the thing apart.
Over the next few weeks, I'll clean out the corner and get the shelving units and stash all the things I decide to keep. Eventually I will have to call some junk hauler to get rid of the two, count 'em, TWO metal desks that my dad somehow maneuvered down the basement stairs, along with the blown treadmill and other assorted heavy bits. But I'm hoping that by the time fall rolls around, I will finally have that space cleaned up.
It used to be that I just needed to have my office under control. Now, it's the whole house, the yard....
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-27 07:35 pm (UTC)Now, it's my life.
I was making progress last year--I'd made a vow that I would throw out and/or donate at least the equivalent of one utility sized garbage bag of stuff every week. Then family stuff intervened and I lost momentum. Now I'm hoping I can get back in that mode again and make a dent in the clutter that has taken over virtually every room.
no subject
Date: 2011-05-27 07:55 pm (UTC)I cleaned off the dinette table last week, and it's already cluttered again.
I'm going to the hardware big box this evening to take advantage of the Memorial Day sales. I may not get the nice metal shelving after all--kinda pricey--but I will get something. If I can put up the shelving and get rid of the cardboard boxes this weekend, I'll be happy, for now at least. I have a couple of coffeemakers to donate to a local drive. A large box of coffee mugs--jeez, how those things accumulate.