Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Really Important Stuff of Life, Like a Good Filing System

When the realtor came through, he had very few items for us to address. Move a box out of a closet, tuck a door behind the piano instead of in front, and get rid of the guns.

Not that anyone in our house really hunts, but we had two guns on a rack in our son's room, and they went nicely with the hunting dog border and the framed art of men walking through fields and the cowboy hat. So we didn't really think of it as 'guns' but rather as 'decor' with a strong theme.

He told us it might freak some people out so it's probably good we'd already moved Rudy The Dead Deer down to the lakehouse. He told us we could leave the border and the color of the room was great. Since the house has five bedrooms, this one would likely be for a boy, because what were the chances someone with four girls would buy this place? If the new owners really did have four girls, then the husband would immediately claim this room, for a refuge from the storm. But the guns had to go.

Great except you can't leave a gun rack on the wall empty. What looked male and tough and all, would just look silly. So the gunrack had to go also. Which is fine except for the big holes that would be left behind in the wall, when the screws were removed from the sheetrock.

And I didn't have a single drop of the paint leftover. And I didn't think there was a chance I would find the paint strip from the purchase, back in 2002.

File drawer - Decorating; Folder - Bedrooms.


Note to self: Mark an envelope 'paint strips' and toss them all in there, after I JOT DOWN THE SHEEN (so I choose correctly the first time). Buy a quart, not a gallon, since the new owners will likely change the color anyway and it's less paint to get rid of. (Thank you brilliant daughter, Sarah, for that last tip!)

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have little bottle with sponge tops filled with each color I've used in the house. These are for touch-ups, so I don't have to pull out a big can. On each bottle I have listed the room, name of the color, the sheen, and the code from the gallon can. I put these on a label and put it on the bottle and covered it all with tape so it wouldn't get covered with paint.

Now, if I need the paint, I can pull out the little bottle and have everything I need right there. I also have the codes listed on the computer.

Unknown said...

Great filing, Bev! You made an org junkie proud.

I've heard you are supposed to put the little square of paint color with the date written on it, behind the light switch cover. I have never done that because I would spend hours and hours and days and weeks looking through a filing system, give up, buy the paint, prepare the room, and find the swatch when it was way too late.

I like a good folder myself. And a couple of years ago I took Barb's advice and put it all in a notebook (her Good Things book) so that when I painted last week I found what I needed in a flash.

I love good ideas. I say stick with the file.

Gretchen said...

Hello...my name is Gretchen, and I'm never going to be as organized as Bev (or Sarah, or Barbtha for that matter). But I'm learning new things all the time. :)

Susanne said...

I'm stunned here, Bev! Jute is the color we just painted our bedroom in the remodel! I love, love, love it. I originally wanted the Spiced Vinegar but hubby wanted something richer and darker. Good taste, my friend! ;v)

Sarah said...

You can call me brilliant anytime you like--you're still the only person on earth who's ever called me that, by the way :)

And hey, Becky's light switch cover tip is a great one! I'm going to have to try that!