This retro mid-century house

If you're ever in a position to help out an older relative or clean out the house you grew up in, the TH blog is now full of helpful hints!


After my dad spent his last six weeks in the hospital and a nursing home, I suddenly became responsible for two households that are 370 miles and three states apart. While emptying out our mid-century split level and taking over the bills, I quickly incorporated a lot of hints from Heloise and Mrs. Meyers.


www.heloise.com/hints.html#heloise_updates
www.mrsmeyers.com



My plan was to keep, donate, or recycle as much as possible, while sending as little as possible to the landfill. Anything sentimental or collectible remains for me and my cousins. Newer clothing and household items get donated. Recycle the usual items, and properly dispose of the hazardous stuff.


Being a 1960s split level, I wanted to incorporate at least a few features from back in the day when the time comes to stage for selling. Realizing not all things retro have mass appeal, I turned to Pam at Retro Renovation.

For more information on the mid-century lifestyle, check out Pam's blog:
http://retrorenovation.com


If there is any distance involved with your project, weekend trips may be the only way to accomplish any work. Think about leaving a few changes of working clothes at the house. It's not sexy, but a sleeping bag on a cot is an easy way to get some overnight rest when there is minimal furniture. Stock up on some snackage
and beverages so you're not running out to the Jewel during every visit. If you're bringing your dog, leave some food, treats, bowls, and blankies at the house.


Storage:
Stackable 12 or 27 gallon plastic storage totes from Lowe's or Home Depot. Nine of the 12 gallon totes fit nicely in the bed of my truck. These are great for hauling things that will be kept, and the hinged lid keeps stuff inside. Cable ties (zip ties) can be used to keep the lids closed. The "Made in USA" collection at
Container Store also has some nice choices.


File folder milk crates for any papers that need to be mobile. Folders hang in the crate, and can hold things like bills and statements.


Smaller cardboard boxes are usually available at your favorite liquor store. Prestige on 55th and Willow Springs tends to have a lot of empties. Always ask if it is OK to take the empty boxes, and that nice merlot will help the packing go smoothly.


Paper ream boxes. Uniform size for donations or storage. The sturdy lid can be used either on top or underneath the box. Look for these at work, or ask friends to collect them where they work.


Olmsted County Recycling Center:
www.co.olmsted.mn.us/health/recyclingcenterplus.asp
One of the benefits here in Rochester is the county recycling center. Along with the typical recycling, OCRC accepts items such as furniture, mattresses, TVs, appliances, and demolition debris. It was easier to drive a load of stuff back here than to locate a recycling location in Chicagoland.


Shredder:
Upgrade your shredder. Chances are there will be bills, statements, and cancelled checks to be disposed of.My recent $99 unit from Staples does a nice job. Don't let your name or address get in the wrong hands.


Savers:
www.savers.com
Similar to Goodwill, and a new Chicagoland location opened at Highland and 88. There is also location in Naperville on 59. Clothing and household stuff are cheerfully accepted, and will help those in need. Keep the receipts for tax donations.
Another option for household stuff is to help any kids who are heading off to college. Think about taking pictures of your donations, in case the IRS starts asking questions.


Half Price Books:
www.hpb.com
Sell those unwanted books and CDs. I love my books, but there were a lot of books and movies in the house that I had no interest in. There is a location in Countryside Plaza on LaGrange Road. Don't expect a huge amount of money, but
the stuff will be sold or disposed of properly.


Tools:
Hang on to whatever hand tools and power tools are in the house. They will get used while getting the house ready to sell or rent. The inexpensive tools were donated, but we kept all of the brand name tools.


Garden tools:
Don't forget to temporarily hang on to any garden hoses, trowels, clay pots, and shovels. There may be some landscaping to be accomplished.


Food:
Unopened food in the pantry and cabinets went to the local food shelf. Make sure any non-perishable food is within its expiration date before donating.


Electrical:
Install lamp timers in the living room and bedrooms to make the house appear lived in. Think about dusk-to-dawn light sensors or motion detectors on exterior fixtures. Install a programmable thermostat, or adjust the existing thermostat if you're not going to be at the house often. Run ceiling fans in the appropriate rotation so that air circulates. The blades should push air down in the summer and pull air upwards in the winter.


Animal shelter:
Bedding and towels would be appreciated by your local shelter. Ask if there are any other household items they may be in need of.


Office supplies:
Donate extra office supplies to your old school, or schools where friends teach. Consider folders, notebooks, paper pads, pens, and pencils.


Magazines and newspaper subscriptions:
Upon cancelling subscriptions, a refund check will be mailed. Payment may take a few weeks to arrive, but every bit helps.


Alcohol:
Learned that hard liquor has an extremely long shelf like, if kept cool and dark. Beer and wine are less fortunate in their storage. Some of my parents' liqour cabinet ironically helped stock a Mad Men party.


Medications:
www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm101653.htm
Older people tend to take a lot of meds, and there were quite a few prescriptions scattered throughout the house that needed to be disposed of properly.


eBay:
For the collectible items too nice to donate, think about selling on eBay. Research the items found to see if there is a market or interest in them. That junk may be some dude's treasure!


Garage sale:
Sometimes it is best to just get rid of stuff as quickly as possible. Remember to keep the prices low so that things sell. You're not out to make a lot of money with a garage sale.


Archival storage:
www.bagsunlimited.com
If you've found some cool collectibles, properly store them.


Documentation:
Keep any and all receipts accumulated during the project. Paperwork from Home Depot, Lowe's, gas stations, and utilites may come in handy.


The trades:
Ask the local friends and neighbors for recommendations on plumbers and electricians. There will be projects that just can't be tackled by one person on a weekend. I was lucky to have a tile setter and a plumber on retainer.


Hopefully these ideas can help those thrust in this difficult situation. Don't forget to reconnect with the neighbors and neighborhood while attending to the house. Writing this update to the blog has been very therapeutic. Thanks for reading!