Dear FlyLady,

Like so many families here in the Northeast, we got water in our basement during the awful rainstorms we had last weekend. Fortunately, it was only a skim coat of water running across the basement floor and emptying into the sump in the far corner of the basement. Many other families had 2-3 feet of water and lost belongings, the furnace, etc.

This weekend, we have a date to clean up the basement. But it won’t be bad.

First of all, when DH heard the weather forecast, he went downstairs and got everything possible up off the floor. Thanks to our decluttering efforts, there wasn’t much to move around!

Second, DS and I went downstairs with the wet/dry vac and slurped up a lot of water. Thanks to our “redding up” (a Pittsburgh word for “5 minute room rescue”), we sucked up WATER, not trash, dust bunnies, etc.!

Then, because everything was where we could get at it, DH was able to set up fans all over the basement to start drying things out. We’ve finally decided to toss the old dresser DH had when he was a boy, because it’s pretty beat up now. We had been using it to store gift wrap, etc., but I think we can toss some of the “etc.”, too! DH is also planning to install another sump at that corner of the basement… something he’s been thinking about since we moved in 25 years ago!

I think “Do It Now” is kicking in!

So even though we have a lot of work ahead of us, it won’t be too bad. Saturday is supposed to be absolutely beautiful, so we’ll put on some tunes, open up the basement, and get busy. If the basement had looked as bad as it used to, we would be facing a real mess.

Thanks for salvaging most of my weekend!

Love,
Kate

FlyLady here: If you have never looked down into a wet basement, consider yourself lucky.

Much of the stuff you store in your basement will have to be tossed if it floods. If the stuff you are storing is important to you, then find a place for it in your home. If you are hanging on to it just because, find a good home for it now!!

You can also FLY right through a wet basement!!!

It is promising to be a wet spring after all this late snow. Keep your rubba sweepa handy to help you move that water around with the squeegee.