Wanted: Someone who will kick me gently when I am not eating or exercising healthily (I know it's not a word, but it fits) I know what I have to do, I know how to do it, I just don't. Like a child I have a million excuses why not, and only me as the excuse to do healthy things for me.
I want to lose one (1) lb per week to my birthday on June 25...that will be 12 lbs. Not undoable, very healthy, and a major success. But I need someone who will say "Cathy, DO IT!"
and then give me a hug because they care. If you want to apply for the job...feel free.

THEN
I hate my house. It's not as easy as saying "move". We rent don't own, don't have any intentions of ever buying...and the rent is right, the landlords are wonderful. But I hate it. My dh isn't a fixer, and I can't do it myself. Our landlord has pretty much told us that he isn't putting big money into this house, because when we move, he will sell. So it's going to be cosmetic things we do. But $$ isn't there to do it....and help is another problem.
What mags or ideas or places can I look to find inexpensive ways to clean, update, redo, fix my home, so that I am not totally ashamed to have people over? I see many of you have done redo's and I am so envious. Please share your sources of information and inspiration.

Ditto to everyone else's suggestions and here is also a good site:

http://organizedhome.com/index.php

Cathy,
I was thinking of you today and hope all is going well for you!

Cathy,

I'm with you on the house bit. I don't even really have anything but photos on the walls. If you came to see my house, you're in for a big disappointment. If you came to see me, come on in!

I was going to suggest the library when Jen had already suggested it. Don't forget that if YOUR librarry doesn't have what you want, they can try to get it through inter-library loan.

Good luck. Maybe you could find a walking buddy like I did. We prod each other. My weight loss this year hasn't been significantly large, but it's still significant - to me!

Linda

In the area of minor fixes, the PBS show "ASK This Old House" is a good resource.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/tvprograms/asktoh

I understand if there are circumstances I don't know about (and you're under no obligation to explain them or even respond!), but have you considered purchasing the house from him? I'd talk to your bank (or *a* bank) about it. Many of them are losing their shirts on folks who can't pay their mortgages; several years of steady rent payments are bound to count for something. Just a thought!

(Then, if it's YOURS, you can do whatever the heck you want, within reason.)

quote:

Originally posted by cobismom:
We need to sit down with the landlord and ask him to be up front with us about his selling the property. He is in his 80's and his wife has cancer...he wants to get out of the landlord business, w hich is very understandable. But we want to stay here for at least 2 more years. Maybe he would let us paint, etc and take it out of our rent???? It's surely worth asking about.

Thanks for the input again...you are all angels in my life.

Sounds like you have some good action plans. Good luck with the landlord.

quote:

Originally posted by cobismom:
Thanks for all the ideas and support.

It's not my birthday that is the motivator or the achievement, that is an arbitrary date I can focus on. The motivator is my health. I just had an A1C done, and by gollee, it's 5.1 --- that is great for someone who started out their diabetic life as a 13.9!!!! I know a lb a week is doable, and doing it despite the stresses of meds and pain will be tough, but I think I am just mad enough, and focused enough to do it.

I am going to the library (aren't they great places) and find some pics, show them to dh...maybe we can paint two rooms a month, which should n't be too hard to financially handle. We need to sit down with the landlord and ask him to be up front with us about his selling the property. He is in his 80's and his wife has cancer...he wants to get out of the landlord business, w hich is very understandable. But we want to stay here for at least 2 more years. Maybe he would let us paint, etc and take it out of our rent???? It's surely worth asking about.

Thanks for the input again...you are all angels in my life.

Cathy,
When making the pitch to your landlord regarding painting and making some small updates, point out that he will be able to command more money when he does sell, and that the property should sell faster.

Dawn

Cathy,

I would love to see you post on the What's for Dinner? thread. I do it daily and it has helped. If you would like I can give suggestions to your daily menu...plus encouragement of course!

Motivation is a funny thing. It sounds like you are "mad" enough to get back to business. You can do it!

I love and hate my house. It is old so it doesn't have a lot of ammenities I would love, but the character makes me smile. Paint is my best friend. I have taken down all wallpaper and painted almost every room...with color! This summer I will be doing our bedroom and office area. I try to do 1-2 rooms every year, so don't get too zealous with your projects.

This past week I focused on sprucing up our office area. I always had the ironing board set up, but it looked too cluttered. I found a used over the door ironing board for $10.oo and it works great. I through away a lot of papers, donated a lot of junk and rearranged stuff. It needs paint, but that will wait. In the mean time it is clean and fresh looking and only cost $10.oo.

I tend to find a look or style that I like and plan it for a while. It drives some people crazy, but works best for me. I have been wanting to redo our bedroom for 2 years, but had a look in my head and have been slowly buying things here and there (a lot from garage sales). Today I found the comforter I have been dreaming of...really and can't wait to paint and get it ready this summer.

I've been reading a book by Merille Hemingway (I think that's her name) which talks about taking time to redo rooms....not necessarily buying new stuff...just using what you have. She says you can get a high that you might normally get from food, shopping, etc. because you are creating a new environement. I think it is very true. I love going in the office that I just redid and just look at what I did.

Sorry this is so long, but I have been working on these areas as well

I also love watching home decorating shows where I get some ideas...I might not like a whole room, but I may get one tip. One of my favorite tips that I did was a mosaic backsplash in my kitchen. I collected plates for 2 years, broke them one day, glued them up (had to buy more dishes from thrift stores) and grouted the next day. It was cheap and I did it all myself
I also love that people are always surprised that I did it myself!

Okay...enough from me. Hope to see you on the What's for Dinner thread soon

Thanks for all the ideas and support.

It's not my birthday that is the motivator or the achievement, that is an arbitrary date I can focus on. The motivator is my health. I just had an A1C done, and by gollee, it's 5.1 --- that is great for someone who started out their diabetic life as a 13.9!!!! I know a lb a week is doable, and doing it despite the stresses of meds and pain will be tough, but I think I am just mad enough, and focused enough to do it.

I am going to the library (aren't they great places) and find some pics, show them to dh...maybe we can paint two rooms a month, which should n't be too hard to financially handle. We need to sit down with the landlord and ask him to be up front with us about his selling the property. He is in his 80's and his wife has cancer...he wants to get out of the landlord business, w hich is very understandable. But we want to stay here for at least 2 more years. Maybe he would let us paint, etc and take it out of our rent???? It's surely worth asking about.

Thanks for the input again...you are all angels in my life.

Like Steph we do baby steps. My mantle is a 'hot spot' (to use Fly lady language) and getting stuff off it helps. I used to live in CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) and it isn't perfect that's for sure... mostly it's getting rid of stuff that helps. Hubby helps me a lot...does the final touches because I stink at that. You definately don't have to spend $$ to decorate or make your house a home. Less is More. As far as mess I was just told a hint by someone..."if you are coming to visit me stop by any time. if you are coming to see my house- call first."

So for me with the house I took serious baby steps. I mean we are always trying to throw things out and donate things we don't need or want anymore---or at least I am.

But here is one thing I did that I love the results of. We have a fireplace and mantel. The mantel was all crap on it. I took it all off---took 2 framed pieces and put those on the end and 2 items of the crap on either side and then a wooden letter of our last name which i painted.

I have to say I am really impressed wiht myself. Those little steps right there make me proud of that room.

I always hear and heard--take what you got and use it in the room. What are things you can use?

I would recommend going to the library rather than buying a bunch of books and magazines. I love Cottage Living too -- a lot of the ideas could be adapted to a smaller budget. But I agree that most people would notice the biggest difference just by sweeping out the clutter and adding a new coat of paint.

As for the weight loss stuff, if you figure out how to always stay motivated, just let me know because I could use the help. I think sometimes just getting out and doing the activity can help create motivation -- it's the first few times that are the hardest.

Hi Cathy

I know how it feels to want a kick in the pants guru - can't we all just have a Bob Greene come and do the motivation part for us? Sadly, no. This has been my solution, and I have quit three different habits using this concept. I hope it is helpful, but if it isn't, keep hunting for your answer!

I am actually doing this again for myself because I put 5 lbs back on, grr, so I'm back into the mindset that was successful for me two years ago. You have to turn what seems negative into positive for yourself and grow your want muscles toward that thing in order to get what you want for your body. Straight deprivation just doesn't work unless one is a person who thrives on sacrifice and gets an ego boost from "no pain no gain", and there certainly are lots of those guys.
In a sense, what I mean is that it really helps to fall out of love with the bad foods and fall in love with the good foods. Using a food diary and daily weigh-ins helped me to learn what worked and what didn't, and I just taught myself to get a payoff emotionally from a different way of eating until I preferred it for all of its benefits. It's a new way of thinking but it doesn't take long when you see it work because that is automatic payoff. I'm into the payoff aspect of this idea because that is what motivates me. But I think anyone can find what their payoff is and use it. However if the payoff you are using (your birthday, right?) isn't actually functioning for you, you need a better one. More personal, more meaningful, the real deal reason, even if you are the only one who knows it.

Does that make sense?

Cathy,
I am right there with you. I have been struggling with this scale number for a while. Seems like I have been working hard, but the scale isn't budging. I ,too, would love to lose a pound a week, but can't seem to get there.

I was feeling o.k. about things until I saw some pictures from Christmas, and the party last weekend and thought ugh!

I don't necessarily have much advice to offer, but I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone out there.

As far as redecorating goes, there are some good books out there on faux finishing. Paint is fairly cheap. I highly recommend Porter paint. For a while I worked as an assistant to a mural painter. She used Porter almost exclusively. It is affordable and very durable. The Hi-Hide line is my favorite.

And I second the recommendation of just decluttering and rearranging. Sometimes just moving things around will make a huge difference. Maybe you could stamp up some cute storage boxes to help reduce clutter.

I am reading a great book called Organizing your Life from the Inside Out by Julie Morganstern. I would highly recommend it if you need some organizational help.
--Francie

Cathy,
The dramatic change in my kitchen was taking down wall paper and painting it a soft neutral color, and decluttering.

If you're willing to put in the sweat equity, it isn't a particulary expensive project.

We did put in new floors, but that didn't change the look that much. It was the walls that made the dramatic difference.

If you don't have wall paper to take down, it is an even easier project.

Dawn

I'll second "Real Simple", and raise you Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook. Yes, it's $48. Yes, I think it's worth the money. We were overwhelmed with the number of projects that we need to get done in our house. Every Sunday, we do something from the book.

We have cleaned out a closet, cleaned the stained glass in the house, cleaned the windows, gotten a handle on the dog/cat hair in the living room (it's a constant battle, but we're winning right now), put up new window treatments in two rooms...

She gives very practical storage and organization advice...I don't know if your issues revolve more around making/keeping it clean or making/keeping it organized, but her advice (for me) is spot-on. There's a list of things to do every day, a list of things to do every week, every month, every season, every year. That keeps me on track.

Our house is 950 sq ft, so without some organization and a SERIOUS commitment to trashing useless items, it gets overrun quickly. I also like "Cottage Living" (magazine) for neat decorating ideas--it's focused on small houses. We have shelves now where I never would have thought of putting them before (like over our kitchen window) and it's helped me really enjoy the charm of a small home.

Also...have you been to Home Depot or Lowe's (or Menard's, or Ace Hardware, or...well, you get the idea) and looked around? There are a ton of projects that a woman can do alone and workshops to walk you through them. I'll be honest--I don't CARE if other people like my kitchen. *I* love it, and poured my heart into making it perfect for me. I'm proud of it, and so long as my guests respect the work we've done, that's good enough for me.

All of the embarrassment I used to feel about this house is gone. It's where I live. People who don't like it don't need to come back. So what if it's not 6,000 sq ft with a master bathroom with 2 garden tubs and 3 showers? It's where I live, and where I'm comfortable.

Hugs from me too. I am not a decorator, but I agree about looking around for ideas that are not $$ and not too difficult.

I like Brie's idea of breaking your goal down into weeks and days. How will success look today? What is your food plan? How might you get some extra movement in?

Maybe posting on What's for Dinner Thread would be helpful.

12 pounds in 12 weeks sounds like a lot to me. You've been struggling a lot lately and a pound a week for me would me being almost COMPLETELY on track. Do you feel prepared for that? Or maybe you lose more easily than I did.

I appreciate your post and all your involvement and input here. You've made some great changes and are really on the way.

More hugs...

First off - big hugs Cathy! Wish I had the magic answer to staying motivated and on track with diet/exercise but Cathy, you CAN do it and you do, do it most of the time. Don't let a hard week undo all the success you've been having lately.

So, what's your plan for this week? How are you planning for Easter? Will there be chocolate temptations you will need to avoid? What's your workout plan? Is it in your calendar in ink?

As for the house stuff, I really like Real Simple for ideas for de-cluttering, cleaning and decorating. I also like to go through magazines (even ads) and find rooms that speak to me and then try to mimic them in terms of color and feel.

There are also tons of shows on HGTV on decorating by just re-cycling stuff you already have, some paint, etc... The HGTV website is pretty good with ideas too without having to watch the show. Better Homes and Garden has a good website as well.