Lies I tell Myself

[kestrell]

"So, after culling a bunch of books from my library and putting them in the 'Free books' box, and redistributing the books in the aerye bookcase, I have this shelf which is *totally empty*, which means I can take this pile of books in the crate next to my computer desk and put them on the no-longer-empty shelf, which means I only have one box-worth of books taking up the incredibly limited floorspace in the aerye. "

"I am strong and self-restrained--witness my virtue as demonstrated by the neatness of my books. Go me!"

"I will sit here and bask in my virtue and...hey, how on earth did I manage to miss that triple column of books on top of my dresser?"

(On a totally unrelated note, do not open the door to the Closet of Mysteries unless you are wearing head protection. And maybe body armor. A luck charm or two couldn't hurt, either.)

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

May I add a dust mask? (Why oh why do books offer such an hospitable environment for mold?)

Congrats on the book-wrangling, anyway.

[kestrell]

Well, I live in the attic of a very old house, which means dust comes with the territory. Also, being an attic, it is very warm and dry, so while there is dust, there seems to be little mold--I'm pretty susceptible to the smell so I'm almost positive I would notice. On the other hand, due to the summer of hot and humid weather, my towels have begun smelling mildewy after just a day of use, although I think I figured out that this is in part due to using dryer sheets, which contribute tot his occuring, and if I wash the towels in baking soda and white vinegar, I can get rid of the residue which causes this.

I have been reading some "how to unclutter" and "how to clean anything" books, and I am beginning to scare myself. Although LifeHaker.com is still pretty addictive.

Now I just need something on a stick that will help me to clean the bathtub without having to overstretch my short little arms. Have you seen any adaptive devices that have a scrubby of some sort on a stick?

[jesse_the_k]

Mildew. Yuck. Fight on against the damp forces of slime! (We have mildew hanging off the street signs, like live oak.)

Various scrubby tools exist. This adjustable head nylon scrubber is AT, and therefore $24 + shipping. I have a similar device with a rigid plastic handle around 20 inches long, to which a nylon-net scrubber is attached with high-tech rubber bands. I've been unable to locate its mate on the net, but I bet a swing through the "charity" store circuit (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) would yield something. Better yet, a toilet bowl brush comes with nicely rounded edges, and its a tool precisely designed for cleaning wet environments at arms' length. Store 24 has more *grin*

[kestrell]

I think I may just go with the toilet brush--it makes me a little crazy that so many adaptive tools cost so much, when you can rig up something cheaper from everyday materials. I'm thinking a couple of these clothes rubber-banded around the toilet brush (I have a plethora of rubber bands due to my upcoming tie-dye party):
The Heininger InstaCloth is a condensed, pill-sized cloth perfect for your purse, go-bag, or glove compartment. Dampen the little pill, and it expands to
a 9-inch by 9-inch cloth for quick cleanups.
A 32-pill pack of InstaCloth towels will set you back $9 at Amazon.
Heininger 1031 CommuteMate InstaCloth Towelette (32 Tablets)
via
http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/004591.php