Goals for June

 I've had a productive and pleasant May in my home.  I accomplished several of my goals and that always pleases me.  I so enjoy looking back and seeing that no matter what else happened, I was able to look at my list and focus when I had time to devote to my plans.

I wish, at times, that I could accomplish all on my list but I seldom do.   So many things happen in a month that are not planned.  Most of my goals are approachable in steps so that I can fit in 15 minutes here or an extended spell of work there and eventually get it all finished up.   

Well May was not nearly done and I found myself thinking about what I'd like to do in June.  I held back though because I never start something new until I've finished up the month I'm in.   I can be scattered enough in my actions without giving free rein to my "Ooh! I need to...." line of thoughts.  That results in bigger messes and less accomplished overall.

We'll start outdoors again this month.    It's going to sound like the same verse but weeding and mulch are needed in existing beds.  I don't know if I'm ever going to get around to building any new ones because I can't seem to get beyond the few I already have!   The bed directly in front of the back porch needs attention.  Mostly mulch is needed and for me to put back some sort of border material down once more to corral it.     I don't need more than a bag of mulch for that space but I'll buy two because I can always spread some in other areas that could use it, like about the hydrangea.      So buy mulch, weed and start a new border.  I'd like to add some colorful plants there.  I'll keep checking around at various places even though Lowe's disappointed mightily at the end of last week.

I bought seeds in May and one hanging basket of petunias.  This month I'll purchase a fern and annuals to pot up to pretty the beds.   I am giving myself a budget of about $50 for mulch, border stones and plants.  No it's not enough to buy it all but I can buy some.  I'll do some.  Small bites get results in the long run.

Get John busy on putting up the fence about his shed foundation.

Not for my house but for the house in town where Katie is living, I'd like to get the flower beds cleared and mulched.  That money will come from a separate fund. Started

I bought paint for the front porch floor.  I'm going to try to get it painted this month, but am researching how well this paint will do over what is there already.  It appears I can use enamel OVER latex but not latex over enamel.  I'll do a test patch and we'll see.

And if there's any way to get a color enamel paint I like for the metal outdoor furniture, I'll buy enough to do a chair or two.  So far I'm tossed between John Deere Green and Ford Blue...Not loving much on either color to be honest.

I'll not plan any more outdoor work.   And it's unlikely, if the summer turns off hot as usual, that I'll get more done after this month beyond watering and repairing damage the dogs do.

For the house overall, I'll tackle projects during zone weeks once more.   Decluttering is in the offing for every area.  Storage is at a premium.  It's time to cull so that I can fit what we actually require/want and keep less of what we seldom to never use. In Progress

In the kitchen: I'll be looking for a piece of furniture or cabinetry to create the piece I want.  I'm mostly researching the cost so that I can begin to save for it really.  But it's research I must do and I can postpone that sort of thing and never do it all.

I want to work on that wall in the entry that I mentioned last month. Done

In the dining room, get the chairs all done at once.  I may find I have to do things myself and that's okay.  Right now, I've been waiting on  someone to weld one of the chairs to repair it but I am gong to be taking it to a body shop to have it done and going on  from there.  All seats recovered and two chairs sanded and painted and welded in the weak spot.

Make the cushion covers for the living room.  Done

There's a mess in our master bath cabinets.  I moved things from under the sink when we had the leak and have never put them back.  The cabinets where I put things are terribly overcrowded now.   One problem is a big box of things that John insists we have.  In all the years we've been here we've never used more than the Ace bandages that are kept in that box.  I'd like to get rid of it entirely but at the very least I will get those cabinets better organized.  Done

I need room for linens somewhere.  It's off season blankets and pillows for guests and the spare mattress pad and things like that that are crowding me out of places.  I've been reluctant to use the space under our bed but I think it's time to store the least used items there in bins.  So bins that are the right size are going on my shopping list.  Done

Do a pantry and freezer inventory in preparation for a July challenge.  My purpose is to again tackle those things we aren't using for whatever reason and also to cull expired or about to expire items.  I will be getting produce bags by then and have a plan for how I'll use my grocery budget in July but that is a July goal!  Freezer done

I'm pretty unhappy with the  stuff we carry in my car.  It's not a lot but it's cluttered.   The backseat is strewn with jackets and Bibles and hats.   There's a bag of masks and paper towels in one floorboard.  There are bags and bags and bags in the trunk.  I would like to find a way to neaten it all up and keep it looking nicer overall.  I don't want to take any of these items OUT of the car because they are all very convenient to keep there.  However, I can surely find a way to make it all a lot neater.  Done

I've found a game I enjoy on the computer.  I've limited myself to evenings, mostly, but like most things for me it's become a bit of a crutch to mindlessly play this game.   So I'm going to curtail my time on the computer and before I can play each day I have to spend at least one hour pursuing something instructional or intentional that will help me in my daily walk as a homemaker, seamstress, frugalite, cook, etc.  Working on it

Make a couple of fresh posts on my genealogy blog.  I thought I'd get that done in May but somehow I missed even thinking of it. 

I'm going to stop here or I'll plan a lot more than I could ever hope to accomplish!  There's always July...