Seven mistakes to avoid when decluttering your home

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by Christina Giaquinto

The spring cleaning season is always such a great time to refresh your home and everyday lifestyle. Are you already planning to deep clean your carpets and rugs, clean all of your home’s windows, and wipe down all counters and cabinets? These are all fantastic steps to take, but have you thought about taking the time to declutter each room? You may not know it, but if you have a cluttered home, you are unknowingly hurting your mental wellbeing.

It’s true — clutter takes up physical space, uses your mental energy, and can amplify stress and anxiety. In my experience as the Professional Organizer and Brand Ambassador of Modular Closets (a DIY customizable closet system that organizes any space in your home), I have found that decluttering and organizing your home is one surefire way to live healthier and happier. That said, if you want to declutter your home this spring cleaning season, avoid these blunders:

Mistake #1: Thinking You Need to Throw Everything Away

Oftentimes, when one thinks of decluttering, they falsely assume that any and all clutter should just be thrown away. Their reasoning is that if articles of clothing and other clutter have been strewn around the home for a long time, the items are obviously not important and it would be easiest to just toss them out. However, don’t make this mistake, as it can lead to unnecessary waste in landfills. You may also have friends and family who would love the items you no longer want, or you can donate them to charitable causes that need them.

Mistake #2: Keeping an Item You Don’t Need

On that same note, don’t make the mistake of holding onto an article of clothing or other product because you think you might use it in the future. If the item has been sitting in the back of your closet or laying forgotten underneath your bed for months (or years!), then I recommend donating it, giving it away to a friend, or trying to sell it. You get the benefit of less clutter, and the item will go to someone who truly wants to use it. It’s a win-win for you both! Don’t let objects take over you — remember that you always control the items.

Mistake #3: Starting the Decluttering Process Without Planning Piles

I get it — when you finally decide to declutter and organize your home, it can be tempting to just go all-in and start tossing all the items strewn about into one box to sort through later. However, you will streamline the whole process if you plan out your plies first — you can designate a pile of items you will keep, a pile to donate, a pile to sell, and a pile to throw away. Then, you can sort all of the items as you go — then you can easily box up the piles to donate to Goodwill or another organization, place all the items in the “Throw Away” pile into a trash bag, etc.

Mistake #4: Decluttering With Everything Still in the Space

Many people make the mistake of decluttering their drawers, closets, and entire rooms with all of the items still in the space. Don’t commit this blunder, as you can really optimize the decluttering process by first emptying out the closet / room / space before sorting the items. You will be much more cognizant of the items you decide to place back in the space and consider more if you really want to hold onto certain items you haven’t used in a long time. Also, you won’t overlook items that may be hidden under others.

Mistake #5: Keeping Clutter for a Garage Sale That Isn’t on the Calendar

Garage sales are a fun and effective way to rid your home of items you no longer need, make a little profit, and give someone else the chance to enjoy your old items at a very low price — as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! However, if you want to hold a garage sale to sell your old items, it is absolutely key to schedule the day and time you plan to hold it. Otherwise, you may end up having to keep pushing the garage sale out as other obligations come up, all the while still holding onto a bunch of items cluttering up your space.

Mistake #6: Decluttering Without a Goal and Intention for Your Space

Having a goal you want to achieve for your space will further optimize the decluttering process. Do you finally want to sort through that jumbled junk drawer in your kitchen? Are you ready to organize all of the clothes in your master bedroom’s closet? Do you have a ton of makeup and other beauty products you really want to declutter and organize? Set your goal and declutter accordingly. This will prevent you from being distracted by any clutter in other spaces — as you achieve one goal, you can then set another goal for another space. One step at a time!

Mistake #7: Decluttering Without a Snack On Hand

Trust me, decluttering and organizing any space can be tiring! This is especially true if you are moving heavy boxes and equipment around. So keep your energy and momentum up by having a tasty snack nearby at all times. This can also make the process more fun and enjoyable!

To Wrap It All Up

Are you ready to declutter and organize your home this spring cleaning season? Good for you! You can make the decluttering process much more efficient by avoiding some common mistakes others make, like thinking you need to throw everything away, decluttering while everything is still in the space, and keeping clutter for a garage sale that isn’t yet on the calendar. Also, do not be so hard on yourself, because this process is a lot! The fact that you are working on your space to make it better is truly such an accomplishment. Good luck!

Christina Giaquinto is the Professional Organizer and Brand Ambassador of Modular Closets (DIY customizable closet units that organize any space in your home).

Easy home lawn care for Mainers: Tips and tricks for a beautiful lawn

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Hey there fellow Mainers! Keeping a beautiful lawn in our great state can be a bit of a challenge, given our cold winters and unpredictable weather. But fear not, we’re here to help you make lawn care a breeze. In this article, we’ll discuss easy home lawn care tips, including how to repair damage from snow plows, fix bare patches, and revive grass killed by cold.

First things first, it’s essential to choose the right type of grass for our Maine climate. Cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue, are better suited for our cold winters and can handle temperature fluctuations. These varieties will give you a lush, green lawn once the snow melts.

Snow plows can sometimes wreak havoc on your lawn, leaving deep ruts and torn-up grass in their wake. To fix this, start by removing any dead grass and debris, then fill in the ruts with a mixture of topsoil and compost. Level the soil with a rake, and reseed the area with a grass mix suited for Maine. Water the area regularly, and you should see new growth in a few weeks.

Bare patches can be an eyesore, but they’re relatively easy to fix. Begin by raking the area to remove any dead grass and loosen the soil. Mix some compost or peat moss into the soil to improve drainage, then spread grass seed over the area. Lightly cover the seeds with soil and water regularly until new growth appears.

Cold temperatures can cause grass to turn brown and appear dead, but don’t give up on it just yet! Rake away any dead grass, and give the area a good watering. As temperatures warm, the grass should start to green up again. If it doesn’t, reseed the area following the steps outlined above.

To keep your lawn looking its best, follow a regular maintenance schedule. Mow regularly, but avoid cutting the grass too short, as this can cause stress and encourage weeds. Aerate your lawn in the spring and fall to improve air circulation and nutrient uptake, and fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer formulated for cool-season grasses.

To minimize your environmental impact, consider using organic fertilizers and pest control methods. Collect and use rainwater for irrigation, and leave grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and return nutrients to the soil. Planting native plants and flowers around your lawn can also help support local wildlife and pollinators.

Taking care of your lawn in Maine doesn’t have to be a daunting task. By following these easy home lawn care tips, you’ll be on your way to having a beautiful, healthy lawn that’s the envy of the neighborhood. So grab your gardening gloves, and let’s get to work!

Browntail Moth Update from the Maine Forest Service

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Browntail moth caterpillars can be identified by the two distinctive orange dots at the tail end and white tufts along the sides.

This week, we observed browntail caterpillar emergence at all of our monitoring sites. It should be noted that although emergence was seen at every site, not every web has had caterpillar emergence. This is likely because of the recent rainy weather we’ve been experiencing across the state. Rainy spring weather is a great start for an epizootic outbreak of the pathogens (fungal and viral) that attack browntail caterpillars. Although it is still a bit early for the fungus and virus to have a huge impact on the caterpillars, we welcome the coming rain. Rain is also very beneficial to the health of the host trees since the state has had relatively dry spring weather the past few years. These rain events will help invigorate host trees and allow them to tolerate some of the defoliation they will experience.

At most sites, we observed that many host plants (oaks, apple, cherry, crabapple, elm, birch, poplar, shadbush, and rugosa rose) had newly emerged leaves, which make nutritious meals for the young browntail caterpillars. Even though they are small, their hairs readily break off and can cause an irritating rash to areas of exposed skin. Please plan ahead to avoid exposure to hairs and treating symptoms related to exposure.

Maine Wolf Coalition captures video and photo documentation of another apparent Maine wolf

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In the winter/spring 2023, trail cameras placed by The Maine Wolf Coalition, Inc., captured photos and video of an apparent Maine wolf. (photo courtesy of John M. Glowa Sr.)

Submitted by John M. Glowa Sr.

A fourth apparent wolf has been documented in Maine. Prior to this current animal, wolves were killed in 1993 and 1996. In 2019, The Maine Wolf Coalition, Inc. (MWC) documented a live Eastern/Algonquin wolf through collection of its scat. The 2019 animal was the first DNA documented live wolf in the state.

Since 2019, MWC has been conducting ongoing wolf research in Maine consisting of the placement of trail cameras and the collection of canid scat. To date, they have collected nearly 200 different scats. Most of those are awaiting analysis at Michigan Technological University.

Trail camera photos and video collected in Spring of this year show an apparent male wolf as it chases an animal, walks up towards the camera and displays a raised leg urination.

Here are links to MWC’s Youtube and Facebook pages which contain videos of the canid.

Maine Wolf Coalition Youtube page
The Maine Wolf Coalition Facebook page

Wolves are legally protected in Maine and the rest of the northeast by the federal Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, neither the state nor federal governments are attempting to document the status of wolves in the northeast. The canid mistakenly called a “coyote” has lived in the region for nearly a century. These animals are actually coyote/wolf hybrids or wolves and their killing by hunters and trappers is largely unregulated. This has led to the killing of multiple wolves in the northeast states, the most recent of which occurred in New York in 2021.

It is virtually impossible to differentiate wolves from “coyotes” when hunting, especially at night. They plan to return to the area later in the Spring to try to collect scat samples and have DNA analyses conducted which may help to determine if the animal is part of a breeding wolf population.

Wild canids in the northeast desperately need some measure of protection to protect wolves that are attempting to recolonize the region from Canada and the Great Lakes states. The state and federal governments must stop ignoring the law and start administering it.

The Maine Wolf Coalition, Inc. is a non-profit 501c3 corporation. Our mission is wolf recovery in Maine through research, education and protection.

KVYSO senior spotlight on Breckon Davidson

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Breckon Davidson, left, with his grandfather, John Shields. (contributed photo)

Submitted by Jen Tuminaro

The Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra (KVYSO), is proud to feature Breckon Davidson, a senior at Erskine Academy, in South China, in our Senior Spotlight article. He is a talented, diligent musician whose participation in KVYSO has added to the quality and level of ensemble community.

Breckon began his musical journey with piano lessons, from age six until he was nine. At that point, he picked up the cello after seeing Pineland Suzuki School (an organization of strings teachers in central Maine) perform at Granite Hill Estates.

“Working with Pineland in the beginning of my cello playing was amazing, and they had such a refined program for beginners. They had so many group classes, activities, and just made learning cello something that I had a ton of fun to do,” explained Breckon, eventually joining the Allegra Orchestra (Pineland’s beginner ensemble). “My favorite piece that we played with them was the theme to Jurassic Park.”

After auditioning for Kennebec Valley Youth Orchestra (KVYSO’s intermediate orchestra), he was not able to play with them that year in person due to Covid restrictions, but it “only fueled my excitement further. In the fall of 2020, we were able to play in person for the first time in what felt like forever, and it felt exhilarating to be part of an orchestra again.” After a year with KVYO, Breckon began playing with Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony (KVYSO’s advanced orchestra). “That was a huge deal, because that would be the first time in my life that I would be playing a full, unaltered symphony in concert. This was the real deal, and I took it very seriously.”

Around this time, Breckon joined Capital Strings (Pineland’s advanced ensemble) and started taking lessons with Jon Moody. “In Capital Strings, we got to play incredible arrangements of so many kinds of music, whether they be film scores, contemporary classical, folk music, what have you, and it was a joy. Eventually, I started doing the Bach cello suites, and have loved working on them ever since.”

In addition to being a member of KVYSO and Pineland, Breckon is also a part of the Jazz Band at Erskine, where he recently picked up bass. “At first it was like a whole new language, playing bass, but eventually I got the hang of it, and recently played in a concert at Erskine where I played bass in the Jazz Band and a jazz quartet, and played cello for a solo and for my composition class group.”

Music has been part of Breckon’s life for a long time. “I absolutely adore music, and it is an ever-present part of my life. There’s rarely a time that I’m not listening to music, the majority of it being classical. I’ve loved classical music for so long, and I find its rich textures and harmonies to be unlike any other type of music that I know of.”

As for future plans, Breckon plans on going to college as a biology major to become a psychiatrist. “As much as I love music, I also have a great passion for science, and find psychology to be the most fascinating one to me, so I’ll make it my career.” We wish Breckon well as he pursues his goals after his time with us at KVYO is done.

We invite you to support Breckon and the Kennebec Valley Youth Orchestras for the Spring Concert on Friday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m., at the South Parish Congregation Church, in Augusta. Daniel Keller will be conducting our KVYO, with Jinwook Park conducting our KVYSO. The concert will feature the music of Mendelssohn, Debussy, Vivaldi, and more! In addition to joining them on May 5, please consider following them on Facebook and Instagram (Kennebec Valley Youth Symphony Orchestras). If you would like to donate to our program, please visit their website at https://www.kvyso.org/. They truly appreciate your support of our program!

Benjamin Reed achieves rank of Eagle Scout

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Eagle Scout Benjamin Reed. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)

by Chuck Mahaleris

Delayed for two years due to Covid mandates, Vassalboro’s Benjamin Reed received his Eagle Scout rank during a ceremony on April 16, 2023, at the Vassalboro United Methodist Church.

Friends and family joined Scouts and leaders of Troop #410 to witness the presentation of scouting’s highest honor to Benjamin Delbert Reed.

Reed, who graduated from Erskine Academy, in South China, and now attends the University of Southern Maine, completed all requirements for the Eagle Scout rank in 2020 but was unable to be presented with the award due to Covid mandates. He was home from college on break for this ceremony,

Troop #410 Assistant Scoutmaster Christopher Santiago explained how challenging it is to receive the award. “Of any 100 youth who become scouts…will learn something from scouting. Almost all will develop a hobby that will last through their adult life,” Santiago said. “Many will serve in the military and in varying degrees profit from their scouting training. At least one will use the skill he or she has learned to save another person’s life, and many will credit it with saving their own.”

Santiago added, “Four of the 100 will reach the rank of Eagle and at least one will later say they value their Eagle Scout badge above their college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and scouting contacts. Seventeen of the 100 youth will later become scout leaders and give leadership to thousands of other kids. Only one in four youth in America will become a Scout but it is interesting to know that of the leaders of this nation in business, religion, and politics, three out of four were Scouts.”

Scoutmaster Stephen Polley recognizing Cole Fortin and Nathan Polley. Cole attained the rank of Star Scout and Nathan reached Life Scout, the last step before Eagle. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)

Scoutmaster Stephen Polley said, “When a youth joins scouting, there is within them something that we call Scout Spirit. The youth may not know that it exists, or know its meaning, but by following the trail to Eagle, the scout is enlightened. The spirit of scouting embodies the principles of the Scout Oath and the Scout Law. It becomes a shining beacon of inspiration. Alone, this light may seem feeble, but when multiplied by the more than 57 million youth and adult volunteers in Scouting around the world, it is powerful indeed.”

The award was pinned to his uniform by his mother, Jennifer Reed, and his father, Kevin Reed, presented him with his Eagle Scout certificate. “Becoming an Eagle Scout is not the end of the journey,” Kevin said. “It is the beginning. As an Eagle, you have far greater responsibilities than you had before.”

“Scouting has had a huge impact on my life, and through it I have learned more about myself than I would have had I never been in the program,” Eagle Scout Ben Reed said. “I’ve learned a lot about leadership skills and how to be an effective leader.”

Reed had served as patrol leader for the Ghost Recon Patrol and as the Troop’s Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Chaplain’s Aide. “I learned very quickly that being a leader is not simply ordering others around, but instead it is being generous with your time, and delegating tasks and responsibilities to your peers.” He said, “I remember coming into this program being brought by my parents. I didn’t really know what I was doing at first but as the years went on I started thinking about what I was doing in scouting and who I am as a person.” He credited those he worked with in scouting with helping develop his confidence in life.

Troop #410 also presented the Star Rank to Cole Fortin and the Life Rank to Nathan Polley.

Local artists score big at national country music competition

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Fred Couverette captured three awards at the North American Country Music Association International competition in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. (contributed photo)

Becky Daughty garnered two awards at the North American Country Music Association International competition in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. (contributed photo)

Fred Couverette and Becky Daughty, central Maine country music artists, recently attended the North American Country Music Association International competition in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, March 15-19.

A country music show was held at American Legion Post #205, in Augusta, in October 2022 as a fundraiser. The show was held with the help of the Maine Academy of Country Music and the Down East Country Music Association. All the musicians donated their time and talent, along with many other donations of time and money.

Couverette and Doughty thank all who helped raised the money needed for them to go to Tennessee.

At the competiton, Becky took third place in both the female vocalist ages 21 and up, and the female entertainer, ages 21 and up.
Couverette took second place in each category of country gospel song writer, male traditional country vocalist, and the male traditional country entertainer, and third place in the country song writer category.

The two performers especially want to thank Venture Ltd., Asset Management, and Gosline Insurance.

 

 

 

PHOTO: China sunset

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John Gardner recently captured this sunset over China Lake.

A true friendship story between two centenarians

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Theresa Gagne, 104, left, and Lucille Caouette, 102, have been friends since school, in Brunswick. Both now reside in the Waterville area. (contributed photo)

Submitted by Pauline Rancourt

This is the story of Theresa and Lucille who grew up in Brunswick, Maine. As lifelong friends they went to the same schools, married and later both moved to Waterville.

THERESA’S STORY

Theresa Wilson first lived on Golf Links Road, in Brunswick, and was part of a family of seven girls and three boys.

They would walk to school every day and meet up with other children at the cemetery, on River Road. From there they would walk to St. John’s school. Theresa did this every day, including Sundays for church. It was a good three miles for them. She and her sister Yvette became friends with Lucille during these walks. Theresa attended school up to eighth grade. Remember that in those days girls were only allowed an eighth grade education.

Once her formal education was completed she needed to find work. She was only 15 at that time. Some strings had to be pulled in order for her to get a job at the Freeport shoe shop. One night her ride was unavailable and she had to walk home from Freeport to Brunswick. It was dark when she got home. Her father was very upset that his daughter had to walk home that distance. Theresa needed to find a new job. Just say that was her last day working there. Strings were pulled once again as she was only 16 years old. She found a job at the Brunswick mill. She worked the dayshift and was responsible for the operation of 40 weaving machines.

During this time there was a guy named Emile who would travel from Waterville to visit his friend in Brunswick. During these visits he met Theresa and they dated for a good year. They married and she became Theresa Gagne, and were soon awaiting the birth of a child. It was a girl! Unfortunately, Emile was called into the service of our nation and had to leave the day of the birth of their child. When he returned from the service they continued to live in Brunswick and had three daughters. Emile had trouble speaking English and could not find work due to this issue. They ended up moving to Waterville, where they lived above Emile’s parent’s home. Their family grew with the birth of a son. After the passing of Emile’s parents, the family moved downstairs where Theresa lives to this day.

Theresa worked at the Bates Mill, in Augusta, and Emile worked at the Waterville post office.

Sadly, Emile passed away in 2010.

LUCILLE’S STORY

Lucille Menard also lived in Brunswick on a farm located on the River Road and was part of a family of six girls and three boys. Lucille would meet a group of friends, one of them being Theresa, at the cemetery, and they would all walk to St. John’s school. Lucille only made it to the seventh grade. She had health issues which kept her from completing the eighth grade. When Lucille turned 18, she worked at the Brunswick mill. She worked the night shift on the same set of weaving machines as Theresa. Lucille started by loading bobbins on the weaving machines. Her cousin noticed how well she was keeping up with the demands of this job. He moved her onto the weaving machines, and she was responsible for the operation of the same 40 machines as Theresa.

Then Ray came into the picture. He also worked at the mill, but in the cloth room. He wanted to meet Lucille so he noticed that she would go to the park and listen to the music and asked his friend to go talk with Lucille to see if she wanted to meet Ray. But her response was, “if he wants to meet me, let him ask me himself.” Lucille held off for a few months before she said yes. They dated for a year and then were married. She is now Lucille Caouette, and they lived in Brunswick. After the birth of the first three babies, in Brunswick, they moved to Waterville. Ray worked at Augusta Distributors, a division of Eastern Inc. After their eighth child was born, they moved to Winslow where they added two more.

Lucille was a stay at home mom until the last child started school and then she got a job working at St. John the Baptist church rectory, in Winslow.

Ray passed in 2002.

THEIR STORY

While living in Waterville and Winslow, they would see each other once in a while. It was when Theresa’s sisters, Yvette, Pauline and Doris came to see Theresa that they really started to see each other more often. Theresa and Lucille would often meet and go to lunch together.

  • Both are from Brunswick.
  • Both went to the same schools.
  • Both worked at the Brunswick mill.
  • Both married and moved to Waterville.
  • Both got their driver’s license in there 50s.
  • Both are now the only living family member.
  • Both have their birthdays in April.
  • Both celebrated their 100th birthday.

Now they both celebrated another birthday. Theresa turned 104 years old on April 18; Lucille celebrated her 102nd birthday on April 25.

A friendship that has lasted a very long time. How sweet is that?

Ice Out Winner 2023

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The Town Line’s official ice out judge has ruled that ice went out of China Lake on April 12, 2023.

Although no one guessed the exact date, the closest was Carrie McGrath, of South China, who missed it by two days, with a guess of April 10. Congratulations!