tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28737425394549029712024-03-19T15:33:29.777-07:00Minimalist-ingThe ongoing process of reducing and simplifying.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-72830973065364755762019-03-05T12:18:00.001-08:002019-03-05T12:18:34.403-08:00Decluttering againOur church is hosting a rummage sale at the end of the month, and that was the kick in the pants I needed to look in some of our cupboards and closets for things we don't use anymore. No, as I write that I realize it was just the final kick -- I've been reading Joshua Becker's <i>The Minimalist Home</i>, and Ryan Fields Milburn's <i>Everything That Remains, </i>and Will Davis, Jr.'s <i>Enough</i> and Peter Kalmus' <i>Be The Change.</i> And every one of those books agrees that Too Much is counter to happiness and peace and the health of our planet. So I've been culling my surplus in hopes that it will be a blessing to other people, and also in the hope that it will encourage other people to buy used instead of new.<br />
<br />
It's interesting to me, at this point, to see what we now consider unimportant. We got rid of a vase that was given to us as a wedding gift. But it's my second-favorite vase, so it rarely gets used -- I very rarely have two vases of cut flowers in my house at once. I got rid of some old refrigerator glass containers -- we use them during strawberry season, as once pint of strawberries cut up exactly fills one container, but I don't buy single pints of strawberries, so it's kind of missing the point. We got rid of books we don't read, and won't read. We got rid of a vintage thermos, and we'd get rid of one more if we could agree which one is better (mine is smaller on the outside but holds more. It is clearly superior! But my husband likes the cup that comes with the other one, so in the name of marital harmony we will continue to keep both). I got rid of tea I don't like and spices I used in a gift and I found a place to put my electric kettle so it won't hog so much counter space all day.<br />
<br />
And if I'm completely honest, I'm also decluttering because I want the house to feel <i>clean.</i> I stopped by someone's house, and her home was So. Much. Cleaner. than mine has been lately! Granted, she doesn't have a dog (how can a dog shed that much and never go bald?) but mine is worse than that. Less stuff in my cupboards will give me room to store what remains. With more counter-clutter stored for 23 hours a day, the whole house will look a little more polished. That polish will make me feel more at peace, and happier, and as a result the whole family will be happier.<br />
<br />
So I'm grateful for the pushes that came together to make the house just a little more minimalist.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-34030727498934031422019-02-07T08:53:00.000-08:002019-02-07T08:53:05.019-08:00Simple Living Isn't SimpleI have been obsessively listening to The Minimalists podcasts lately, and I've been finding them really inspirational. For one thing, I get my socks folded in record time (I find it SOOOO boring, but now my brain can be happy and I fold socks the same day I wash them). But I realize that I have been trying to do too many different things, thinking they are the same thing.<br />
<br />
They have a quote (that of course I can't find right now, maybe it isn't them) that says something like "Simple living isn't simple," and I have been forgetting that. I have been all over the map -- decluttering, trying to make money to pay down our debts, parenting -- and I can't understand why things are not matching my vision. I have a vision of a simple, clean, elegant home with happy children. We calmly sit together, talk, drink tea, enjoy being together. The dogs sleep quietly on the floor (not the sofa!). But that's not who we are -- that is a moment in time. And I keep forgetting that!<br />
<br />
I also was hugely inspired by T.K. Coleman on their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJO9ZdwOkPA&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">School podcast</a>. He said that, if you want to do something, then start and learn as you go. So I started talking to my friends, telling them that I am interested in helping declutter homes. If they have friends who need help (because I can't suggest that they need help!) to pass my number along. It's not simple, but it is working toward my goal -- and I'm so tired of paying interest on the car, paying interest on the house -- I want to be done! And that's my larger goal -- simplifying my life so I can enjoy my life.<br />
<br />
I can't have my vision of a peaceful house all the time. I have kids who want to do things, explore the world. I want them to pursue the things that they are curious about! So we will have swim, and robotics, and 4-H, and dogs (on the sofa and otherwise), and homework, and birthday parties, and all the things kids do. And from time to time we will sit and talk and drink tea.<br />
<br />
And this is as simple as I am willing to make my life at this point. I need to remember this. If minimalism is removing everything that doesn't <i>add value</i>, my life is minimalist because the things I do <i>add value</i> to my family (if not to me specifically). And the journey to the life I want is worth the effort it takes.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-50789200245906066192019-01-25T16:15:00.000-08:002019-01-25T16:15:13.900-08:00Decluttering by not buyingI have been working on a lot of tedious projects lately, things that require hands but not brains. I am not yet a person who can remain present while she's folding socks. Maybe I'll be that peaceful some day, but don't count on it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I have started listening to The Minimalists podcasts while I do these things. This week I heard one of them say that when he traveled with his partner, he deliberately didn't pick up souvenirs from places they visit, so he doesn't become attached to them. He then doesn't have to deliberate over whether to keep them in the long run.<br />
<br />
Through the week, I have found myself coming back to that thought again and again. I have not been in the habit of buying souvenirs (I usually get jam, or sometimes alcohol. I like revisiting our travels over toast or a glass of wine at night.), but I can apply the policy of not buying things that I will have to declutter later.<br />
<br />
It doesn't mean I can't buy anything, but I am happier when I don't deliberately bring home things that I will need to re-home later (especially since I have a problem re-homing things, and I feel a responsibility to inanimate objects).<br />
<br />
This requires me to stay away from places where I can buy things I don't need. I plan strategic strikes at Target. I don't go into World Market or Barnes and Nobel to browse. I only stop by Goodwill for a drop-off or when we've run out of clothes. The crazy thing is, when I stay away from shops, I have more time for the type of deliberate living I'd prefer to emphasize in my life. Funny, that.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-90794584659438777502019-01-17T21:00:00.001-08:002019-01-17T21:00:32.261-08:00Guilt, Duty and ClutterI've been working to move clutter out. I would like to get some money for some of it, and this week I've been surprisingly successful! A tea cup, a collectible ceramic butter churn, and a wooden armoire all moved out to a new home.<br />
<br />
I feel better about finding a good home for things, rather than just dropping them off at the charity shop. If they have a good new home, I don't need to remain responsible to them.<br />
<br />
Marie Kondo is in the media again (still), and I really liked some of what she wrote about. But as much as I like her perspective on thanking your clutter for what it has done, then letting it go, I have difficulty -- I still feel responsible to it! I really feel better when I limit what I bring into the house, rather than simply rely on later decluttering efforts to simplify my space. For one thing, if I just don't bring the clutter in, I don't need to spend the day(s) later taking it back out.<br />
<br />
I was really happy today, because I was able to return an unwanted plastic toy to the shop. It was given to me, as a joke gift, over Christmas. I was so happy to be able to take it back, because I was able to tell myself that someone who does want it will be able to purchase it there new, and hopefully one fewer plastic toy will be made. (Yes, I know it doesn't work that way, but it makes me feel better). If I had simply dropped it off at Goodwill (my initial plan) I'd have still have felt guilty, because it wouldn't have decreased the demand for useless plastic toys. I know, I have an overdeveloped sense of guilt.<br />
<br />
In conclusion, I've moved clutter out to other homes, where other people actually want it! Maybe they'll even buy less new clutter, because they are able to buy my clutter instead? And I remain committed to preventing the flow of clutter into my home, because of an overdeveloped sense of duty (cue Gilbert and Sullivan) makes me want to keep my clutter after I know I no longer actually want it. I will embrace the slow move forward, and be grateful that slowly moving forward is better than moving backward!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-86131111364974794942019-01-15T08:10:00.000-08:002019-01-15T08:10:08.815-08:00Clutter CreepIt happens. I was doing so well, than suddenly I realize I can't park in the garage. And the bar in the kitchen is covered with canned goods from a week ago. And a gift bag was left out of the Christmas wrap box, and someone thought the best place to put it was on the entertainment center...not away.<br />
<br />
So I'm back at it. I posted a project armoire on Craigslist. Hopefully someone else will want a project his rainy season. My poor husband would like to get out of the car without rain falling on his head. Weird. I also took a lot of things to the shop (which is over-full, so they're cluttering up my parents' house, but that's a different issue...) so the garage is already a little better. I also posted a couple of vintage drawers that I intended to repurpose for the shop, but since the first ones haven't sold yet, I'm letting these go. If the others sell, I'll look around for more things to paint.<br />
<br />
I have a lot of little things that have been sitting around, waiting to be posted to ebay. They just look clutter-y, and now they're on their way out. I've taken pictures, posted the pics, and now the clutter can go sit in the barn for a few weeks. If no one is interested online, I'll pass them along to the thrift shop and enjoy the space in my home. The cute ceramic butter churn my daughter used during her "Little House on the Prairie" phase. A fiddle-bottle I once used to gift vanilla. A couple of books my niece was getting rid of. <i>Clutter.</i><br />
<br />
And on and on it goes. But I'm glad I caught it early, and I'm able to move these things when they aren't so overwhelming a task, and it only takes a few minutes to post them to the world. If I wait, posting the accumulated clutter will take <i>hours</i>, I'll want to put it off (even if I can do it in bite-sized pieces) and the clutter will get worse. By taking this time now, I've forestalled future clutter!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-70445576617656921092019-01-09T08:39:00.001-08:002019-01-09T08:39:24.301-08:00DeclutteringI spent yesterday helping my sister-in-law declutter her spare room, so it would be useful as a bedroom. She had a lot of boxes from her mother, things that were too sentimental to pass along right after my mother-in-law died, but with a little more distance it was easier.<br />
<br />
My sister-in-law was so brave about letting things go. She is incredibly sentimental, and she has always felt that hanging on to <i>things</i> allows her to resurrect memories. We kept single items from collections, took pictures out of frames (and donated the frames) so the pictures can be scanned and put in a digital frame, recycled a LOT of paper, and just let some things go. The samples of Belgian lace my mother-in-law brought back from her trip to Europe meant that her mother thought of her in Europe, but that was all, and my sister-in-law let the pieces go.<br />
<br />
As much as she wanted her space back, the thing that most struck me was a comment my SIL made, just casually, about not wanting to make her daughter go through all this someday. It is such a loving reason to put herself through an exhausting day, physically and emotionally.<br />
<br />
We took two full carloads of stuff away from the house. Stuffed animals will go to the firehouse to be loved my children that really need a distraction. A coffee table will go to a group of refugees. Frames and miscellaneous went to Goodwill. Many cans of paper went out to the recycling bin.<br />
<br />
We asked questions like: What does this object make you think about? Where do you want to display this? (I'll put it somewhere is not an acceptable answer, that means it will always live in a box.) How will you view these? When will you use this? We also considered the 20/20 rule: if you can replace it in twenty minutes and for less than $20, it's not worth saving "just in case."<br />
<br />
I am so happy my sister-in-law has so much more space, and I really hope she is happier with her additional room. But what I keep thinking about is her motivation to spare her family from having to clear out several generations worth of clutter when the time comes.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-33723125846070307032019-01-05T08:44:00.001-08:002019-01-05T08:44:04.047-08:00HappyHappy New Year! I know I'm late, but the sentiment was there are the same. We had a wonderful, restful holiday. After Christmas day we took a short week to camp a little, stay in an <i>actual</i> caboose a few nights, and watch the Rose Parade.<br />
<br />
The nights in the caboose were beautiful, amazing nights. We were on a redwood grove, with no tv, no movies, no wifi. We just had to hang out together. I felt like it was insight into what life in a tiny home would be like. We enjoyed being together, and we surprisingly seemed to have enough room for the things we wanted to do. However, I don't know if it would have been as charming if I needed to do laundry, and if I had to hand wash dishes every day. I would be willing to try, however.<br />
<br />
I am <i>thrilled</i> at some material redistribution around the house. At a family party, one niece mentioned that she'd like to make almond milk, but she doesn't have a food processor. I have one that I only use when the zucchini are big, so I'm happy that she can use it, decide if she likes it, and even have time to look for a second-hand one. Maybe mine will live at her house permanently, and on;y come visit when the zucchini need to be processed and frozen. At the same party, another niece mentioned that she was considering getting a waterpik. My daughter got one because she <i>so desperately</i> needed it to keep her braces clean -- then she only used it a few times. So that niece gets a free waterpik, and I don't have to be frustrated about resources going to waste!<br />
<br />
Having a community of people that can share what we don't need makes me so happy!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-49697828428877662162018-12-24T08:37:00.001-08:002018-12-24T08:37:46.640-08:00Merry Christmas!I will be taking a (deliberate) break from posting for Christmas. I'll be back when the family goes back to school.<br />
<br />
I wish everyone a peaceful, joyful season. Christmas should be more than one day -- I'd like to carry Christmas with me throughout the year, like Scrooge, but for right now I'm trying to keep the magic through Epiphany (January 6th). I'll be spending time with the family, reading books, walking the dogs, playing games. Napping. Watching movies -- we haven't even gotten around to watching <u>A Christmas Carol </u>(with George C. Scott) this year, and this Needs To Be Done.<br />
<br />
I will take this opportunity to be grateful for my blessing, starting with my family. I little family, who made Christmas cookies by themselves and my husband who wrote the Christmas letter, addressed and sent the Christmas cards. And my big family who have held together this difficult year. And my friends, who held me together when I felt like snarling and snapping even though I knew my family didn't deserve it.<br />
<br />
Is simple living carrying the spirit of Christmas throughout the year? It might be. But at least it will be for the next couple of weeks.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-655053458674609962018-12-18T08:46:00.001-08:002018-12-18T08:46:20.847-08:00Out With The OldI should have this down already.<br />
<br />
I ended up decluttering my clothes a little, because I bought a couple of new dresses. My new dresses are so beautiful -- I cannot remember the last time I loved clothing this much! They're long enough to wear with boots (and I can wear socks, and not have cold feet!), and made by people who are paid a living wage, and absolutely beautiful in cut and color. (I got them from <a href="https://www.eshakti.com/" target="_blank">eShakti</a>, if you're in need to a pretty dress. Or other clothes.<br />
<br />
I bought these dresses -- new! -- because I usually feel like I don't have a dress to wear to church. I get frustrated because I feel like I am too limited by the options that I have. So I bought something I feel good about. (I know, this isn't really the insight of the ages, but it's really unusual for me to purchase something <i>new.</i> I usually stick to second-hand, because I can feel good about used as a responsible environmental choice.)<br />
<br />
It's been two weeks, and I <i>finally</i> realized that I needed to get rid of the dresses I had before that I didn't want to wear. I had a boring tan business dress that I didn't like because it was so boring. I had a pretty green polka dot dress that will not zip with me in it.<br />
<br />
While I was at it, I cleared out a shirt that I just don't like. My family likes it, and always complements me on it, but I don't feel good when I choose it out of the closet. And I don't feel good when I see it, and feel like I ought to wear it, but I don't want to. Who needs this pressure from clothes? Gone. I got rid of a sweater I don't ever choose to wear -- I have one I like better. (I should have gotten rid of this one when I got the new one, but I can't go back in time.)<br />
<br />
I feel so proud of myself for <i>being aware</i> of the increase in stuff, and recognizing that I need to pare back. Make space for the new by getting rid of the old. It should be habit now, but "should" doesn't help, so it really has no relevance in my actions. I do what I can when I realize I need to, and move forward from there.<br />
<br />
But I am really happy with my cleared-out clothing storage, and my new dresses.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-66766011878577837802018-12-17T08:31:00.000-08:002018-12-17T08:31:29.435-08:00There is a SeasonI was reading a friend's blog (Hi, Trish!), and she got me thinking about the season we are currently celebrating. According to the church calendar, we are currently in the season of Advent. Advent is the season of preparation <i>prior</i> to Christmas.<br />
<br />
So why does this matter? Because I always felt a conflict between how I was <i>supposed</i> to feel at "Christmas" and how I actually felt. On more than one occasion I would end up in tears, torn between the stress of the "Christmas" season and the joy I wanted to feel. Christmas is supposed to be joyful, right? So why wasn't I feeling any joy, right up to Christmas Eve or Christmas morning when the joy usually appeared, suddenly and surprisingly.<br />
<br />
I was reading a historical novel some years ago (I have no idea what), and the characters were <i>preparing</i> for Christmas during the season of Advent (sewing or whatever historical characters do), then they <i>celebrated </i>Christmas during the twelve days following. And I was struck suddenly that we do not allow ourselves to prepare to celebrate -- we expect to do both things at once.<br />
<br />
But in real life, we prepare before the anticipated event happens. I prepared long and hard before my children were born. I prepare before a birthday party, or other family party. My daughter prepares, starting in August, prior to our annual Christmas caroling party. We prepare before finals, we prepare before a vacation. We should prepare before Christmas!<br />
<br />
If we waited until the baby arrived to paint the nursery, purchase clothes, acquire a crib, we'd be too busy and stressed to enjoy the baby. (And we'd be too sleep deprived to enjoy selecting colors and all the other things I did.) I enjoyed selecting a paint color, a wallpaper border, and baby clothes while anticipating the arrival of my first child. If I had waited until he arrived, I would either have been overwhelmed by the need to address all the details or I would have skipped them altogether.<br />
<br />
So we now recognize that Christmas doesn't start until Christmas Eve. We do fun things to anticipate Christmas, but we don't have to be joyful yet. We watch the Grinch, we make Christmas cookies, we study for finals, and we purchase presents <i>in preparation</i> for what is coming. But by recognizing that the preparation isn't the goal, I feel free of the pressure to feel differently than I actually feel.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1<span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, Lato, Tahoma, Verdana, Arial;"><span style="background-color: #f5fcf0; font-size: 19px;">.</span></span></i></div>
Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-72746782894495590992018-12-12T08:45:00.000-08:002018-12-12T08:45:17.241-08:00Good NewsIt's been almost a week, and I'm still off Pinterest. I realize it is such a habit to pop over after I check my email, etc, but knowing that I "no longer do that" halts my click. I don't type in the keystrokes to go waste my time.<br />
<br />
It's just willpower, but it only takes a second. I am wasting more time with Ted Talks on Youtube, but since that's educational, I think it's ok. I found a really amazing talk yesterday about<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpTHi7O66pI&t=1032s" target="_blank"> stopping desertification of the grasslands</a>, and it gave us a conversational start at the dinner table last night. Sharing good news, hopeful news about the environment is a really nice change from most of the environmental news I've heard lately.<br />
<br />
Actually, that's not true. I've been hearing a lot of really hopeful news lately. Morning Edition ran a piece about a company, Carbon Engineering, that is <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/12/10/673742751/how-1-company-pulls-carbon-from-the-air-aiming-to-avert-a-climate-catastrophe" target="_blank">pulling carbon out of the atmosphere</a>. They're currently planning to make that carbon into fuel, to create a closed carbon cycle, but they could also bury the carbon, to reduce the amount of excess carbon that is currently in the atmosphere. I also heard a Youtube about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT4Qbp89nIQ" target="_blank">Plastic Bank,</a> an organization that pays people in impoverished countries to collect the plastic litter that washes into the oceans, and Plastic Bank then recycles they plastic.<br />
<br />
Because I listen to Ted Talks while I work, I'm also getting more done. Because this time of year, I can definitely find things to do while I listen, rather than mindlessly scroll down. Presents are being made and wrapped while I listen to happy things.<br />
<br />
I'm so excited to learn about the good things that are going on in the world. People are working to reduce waste, protect the oceans, reverse climate change. And I have learned all this in the week since I stopped browsing Pinterest mindlessly. I knew in my mind that the endless time was a bad use of time, but I'm so happy to learn the difference in my heart!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-67636982588067707802018-12-10T08:11:00.001-08:002018-12-10T08:11:47.698-08:00SerendipityYesterday was amazing, but only by dumb luck. My son had a meeting for one of his activities, so we had to cancel our family plans. We were going to a holiday parade, on the bay, watching the decorated boats float past.<br />
<br />
So we changed our plans. We took a nap after church, and watched a Christmas movie. Then my son left for his meeting. Shortly thereafter, he calls to say that he's on his way back home because<i> there was no meeting this month.</i><br />
<br />
I was growl-y. <i>We canceled our plans for him! </i>But you know what? We were better off for it. We played a couple of games (including a new one we got for Advent, <u>El Dorado</u>, which we really like!) finished our movie, munched on dinner (everyone fended for themselves, which largely entailed eating what I made for myself) and finished the night relaxed.<br />
<br />
<i>I got my simple night!</i> After my initial growl (how can you pay so little attention to not know there was no meeting!), we realized that we were where we really wanted to be. <i>Needed </i>to be. Not running around trying to fit in all the holiday activities, but home, enjoying family time. We ended up with more happiness, more <i>joy</i>, by sitting at home with the family than by rushing across town to sit in the cold, watching the boats drift by.<br />
<br />
I know this. I know that over-scheduling is the opposite of the simple, peaceful life I want. But it's hard to remember, day by day, as interesting opportunities present themselves. So I will just be grateful for the moment of serendipity that allowed me to miss out on the interesting opportunity and enjoy the important one.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-49579039925871710552018-12-06T09:01:00.002-08:002018-12-06T09:01:52.270-08:00In Which There Is a Chicken In My BathroomI have started my Pinterest fast.<br />
<br />
I am hooked on Pinterest, and it does not make me happy. I know I spend too much time just browsing, seeing what's new, instead of using it as the tool I originally intended. It's a bad habit, and it wastes time, but I didn't realize it was actively making me unhappy until I watched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve37Bg4-hPc" target="_blank">this</a> video from a couple who took the entire month off internet. The woman commented that it was making her unhappy to see all the terrible things people did to each other, and that really resonated with me. I do feel unhappy after I spend time on Pinterest. So it had to go.<br />
<br />
I realized that every time I check my email, or do other necessary things online, I finish up with a quick browse on Pinterest. For a half hour or more (that's not actually quick!). And since I didn't have a book I was interested in, I'm browsing Pinterest while I eat, or in the evenings when my husband is reading before bed. I know it's a terrible habit, and I will have to break it. I just need to develop a new habit to replace my old one. And I need to stop by the library for a new book. (In the meantime I'm reading <u>Your Money or Your Life </u>again. I even heard that a new edition is in production!)<br />
<br />
And I think I was more aware of my family. I want to be more involved, since I have so little time before my kids move out, to college and after.<br />
<br />
And as for the chicken: last night, when my son went out to put the chickens away, he found one poor hen just sitting in a puddle in the rain, soaked and miserable. Since our coop is unheated (Southern California!), he brought her in, in a cat carrier, and left her in the bathroom with a space heater all night. This morning she was looking dry and perky, but still sleepy, so she remains in the bathroom. I'm saying this because I'm going for realism. My life if weird, and not perfect. But our chicken is recovering, and my kids are happy that she's recovering. And if life's not exactly simple, at least I'm paying (better) attention to the important parts. Or at least, that's what I tell myself.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-80647979304413955332018-12-05T07:59:00.001-08:002018-12-05T07:59:51.043-08:00A New FocusI fell off the decluttering wagon. Not that I've been ADDING clutter, but I just got to the point that I was no longer finding things to remove. And so I didn't have anything to write about. But that's not really the point of this blog -- I'm trying to simplify my life, focus on my family and move toward financial independence. Getting rid of all my stuff isn't the solution. So I might still post if I declutter a bunch of stuff, but I'm hoping to have insights beyond just the junk.<br />
<br />
We're making great strides toward paying off the car loan -- after that, extra money will go to pay off the mortgage. I'd really like to get to a point where we are not required to work 40 hours a week (as a family). The kids are getting older, and college is looming. Our home won't be the same in a few years -- I won't have anyone to stay home with. Having flexibility to do what we need with our time (as a couple) will be easier if we're not required to work so many hours a week to meet our bills. We might even downsize (eventually), pull out the equity from our home, and do something crazy.<br />
<br />
To increase our auto-payoff plan I began substitute teaching at my kids' school. My schedule works with their schedule -- I can be there for drop-off and pick-up -- and I can stay home for doctor's appointments, dentist appointments, orthodontist appointments...so many appointments!<br />
<br />
My mom's shop will not make us financially independent, but it's a great opportunity to work with my mom and my sister, and the money does help with debt. Thankfully, we're a little more stable now. I don't have as much clothing all over the house; I have been painting some furniture for the shop, based off what I find on Craigslist (I was especially pleased with a desk I painted). Bringing things back from the brink!<br />
<br />
My niece is working with a group of refugees, helping them adjust to the US. I'm facilitating the <i>stuff</i> for them -- finding cribs, high chairs, coffee tables, clothes for them, and spending a little more time seeing my niece. I'm so proud of her!<br />
<br />
I know this is long, and not exactly simple, but I'm moving forward in a new direction. I'm still working toward the same goals, but I find that getting rid of <i>things</i> is only a small part of what I really want to do with my life.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-70548253079261843522018-10-05T15:30:00.001-07:002018-10-05T15:30:39.669-07:00Daily DeclutterI have backed off my wonderful "only shop once a week" plan. My son is taking classes at the local community college, and he doesn't drive yet -- so I have two hours to kill, not close to home, not far from shops. The puppy and I hit a couple of shops and didn't buy anything except a Christmas present for my husband. So despite wasting a couple of hours shopping, at least I didn't bring anything home!<br />
<br />
I posted several items to ebay -- two of which have received some interest! I am looking forward to those items moving on to new, useful, lives. The things that were posted before are off to the charity shop, and hopefully someone there will appreciate them.<br />
<br />
I continue to move slowly. When my son gets his driver's license, things should speed up on the homefront. In the mean time, I am helping my family achieve their goals, which is my ultimate aim. I can declutter later (I'm sure I will declutter later regardless!) Focusing on them, and their activities, will keep me from feeling frustrated that the house remains more cluttered than I would like. But to get more accomplished, I'd have to give up things I want more -- like an afternoon walk by the river.<br />
<br />
I just need to keep reminding myself why I don't get more done more quickly -- because I'm busy doing other things!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-90890747831902627322018-10-04T08:57:00.001-07:002018-10-04T08:57:17.308-07:00Daily DeclutterI have been decluttering bits and dabs, but I haven't had computer access. (My son has been using the computer to do homework. As if.) The bits I have been doing feel productive, so even though I haven't had much said, I feel like I'm doing something.<br />
<br />
I (bravely) moved most of the things I had on ebay to the declutter pile. I wasn't getting any interest, they weren't high value items, and I can use the space for other things. Like the new items I have pulled to sell. I even posted the first item last night! I have a collectible cup and a couple of bundles of silk yarn. I bought a lot of yarn for the wool in the lot, and I am unlikely to use the silk -- so it can go be useful somewhere else.<br />
<br />
I got rid of some picture frames I haven't used in multiple years. Why do I even have those! I gave away some Sculpey clay, brand new, that I bought for a party and never used. Someone else will have fun with that, and I can decrease the size of my craft stash with that one simple deduction. I'd love to reduce all my crafts down to a small plastic box (or vintage train case!) for crafts and another one for paints. (I also threw away a dried up bottle of paint, but I don't feel virtuous for that. It should be obvious. Should.)<br />
<br />
I haven't removed any large items. I haven't even removed a lot from the house (a good bit has been from the storage shed). But I am reducing the overall load of stuff I own. Things are moving the right direction (I spent three hours at the mall, waiting for my daughter to attend a party, and I wasn't even tempted to buy anything). I am making progress!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-55716726050143973942018-10-01T08:31:00.000-07:002018-10-01T08:31:25.158-07:00Daily DeclutterThe clutter has crept back over the weekend! I did send off one item I sold on ebay -- ebay tempted my to repost my other items, but I will be strong next time! Things aren't being looked at, so I suspect they will just continue to take up space in my barn. I can clear that out this week and move on.<br />
<br />
I cleared out the cupboard where I keep jars, appliances and serving bowls (yes, I know there is no overlap in use there. It's a giant, three-door cupboard and I keep things I don't use in the middle of cooking over there.) Jars without lids, lids without jars, jars I don't use and a popsicle maker that I haven't used in several summers all went on the chopping block. I also found a <i>lot</i> of dish towels. I'm having difficulty getting rid of them, because they're useful. And stained, so no one else will want them. If I can soak the stains out I'll put some away for the kids when they move out, and the rest I'll just use up until they get torn or worn through. All in one cupboard! Now I can un-stack my serving bowls so they won't get chipped as much, and they'll be easier to use.<br />
<br />
Little steps.<br />
<br />
However, there are piles on the counter, and piles on the shelf by the front door. Shopping bags have collected on the shelf. (I probably should declutter the shopping bags as well!) I don't have many responsibilities outside the house today, so I'm optimistic that the ordinary decluttering will get accomplished and make a difference in the house quickly. I think I even have time to put the dishtowels in to soak!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-45593331847818517402018-09-27T07:44:00.004-07:002018-09-27T07:44:36.705-07:00Minimalism and SchedulingI spent the entire day (well, most of the day) working in the garage, sanding and painting furniture for the shop. Not glamorous. The painted child's table is cute, but I haven't really made progress with my living space.<br />
<br />
I read a friend's blog, and she mentioned reducing her commitments as part of minimalism. I really like including that aspect of minimalism. Minimalism isn't just about the physical things; it's about reducing the surplus from your life so you can enjoy your life.<br />
<br />
I have a high schooler who attends classes at the junior college, takes a sport, is very involved in 4H and doesn't drive. And another high schooler who is raising a Guide Dog for the Blind puppy (with meetings). And I volunteer at my church, and run a shop with my mom and sister, and try to make a little money on the side. And I'm married, and I'd like to remain so. It's not a simply schedule, and it's hard to determine where to make cuts in order to simplify our lives and our time together.<br />
<br />
Part of me wants to make cuts in our schedule. Drop the sport. Don't get another puppy. But this is out life right now. Kids activities are what helps our kids to grow into the people they want to be. Raising animals, helping people are important activities and I want the kids to be contributing members of society.<br />
<br />
For now I keep our Sunday separate. We do occasional petting zoos through 4H, attend church and occasionally put on a shared meal, and visit my parents on various Sundays. But we usually keep Sundays as our day of rest, spending time together, playing games or just reading in the same room. It gives us the rest, and time together.<br />
<br />
I will continue to look for ways to cut down our obligations, but I don't want to cut things that are important to someone just to meet the goal of minimalism. Minimalism is the tool to make our lives enjoyable, not a goal in itself. If I don't declutter anything on a given day, it might not be a failure. Perhaps I am just doing the things I intend to do in my life.<br />
<br />
Perhaps sanding and painting just give me a lot of time to think.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-83693213406954417052018-09-25T08:41:00.000-07:002018-09-25T08:41:08.014-07:00Daily DeclutterThe problem with clutter around my house is that the stuff starts off as useful. Then it slowly outlives its usefulness and it hides out in my house. At least, that's one of the clutter problems.<br />
<br />
I cleared out the mugs yesterday. There was some grumbling in the ranks, but we no longer have three mugs that no one uses. They are all too small for our giant cups of tea! I need lots of tea to get me moving in the morning. So the cute-but-useless cups can move on to their next life. (The cup in the shape of a dinosaur moved on to my son's memory box. It actually was put away in there. If he has a special child in his life at some point, my son can share his cup with that child. If he runs out of room in the box, he can decide what is really special after all.)<br />
<br />
I also found tour books from past vacations. They won't really be useful to other people at this point (we should have passed them on sooner) but they also won't fill up our bookshelves. Our shelves have become over-full, and display items, pictures and things, had been shoved to the side to make room for books. Just eliminating those few books created enough space to go back to displaying pictures from our trip -- a much better use of space in my opinion.<br />
<br />
I also spent the morning taking a standardized test for the first time in many, many years. The testing format is exhausting! I will give my kids a lot more support when they have to test in the future. If for no other reason than because it reminds me how hard testing is, I'm glad I did that yesterday. Even if it did prevent me from getting a whole lot of decluttering accomplished.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-75164627897349029302018-09-24T08:03:00.000-07:002018-09-24T08:03:27.151-07:00Daily UpdateI have moved every shop-related container out of the house! I have washed and priced and packaged everything, and I no longer have baskets and boxes and bags lying around! Better yet, they are now at my mom's house, to go into the shop and be useful to someone else.<br />
<br />
Just getting that done makes everything else easier. The top layer of clutter is gone.<br />
<br />
Menus are planned for the week -- no emergency last-minute runs to the grocery. Nothing fancy this week, but no last-minute time sucks.<br />
<br />
I finished knitting a Christmas gift. Now I can get rid of the leftover yarn, since I never really cared for the way it knits (but it will work for the project).<br />
<br />
This week I can start to actually work on the second layer of clutter -- the stuff that makes life more challenging. I'll be clearing out the cups in the cupboard -- my husband says they all fit if we just put forth the effort. I'll clear out the ones no one uses, and save the effort!<br />
<br />
Not exactly minimalist, but definitely simplifying: the puppy has developed a schedule, and <i>does his business</i> on command! Less time walking him in circles and fewer rags to wash, so I feel highly rewarded!<br />
<br />
Today I have a written test, so I can substitute teach at the kids' school, so I won't get as much decluttered as I might other days. However, forward progress is my goal, not perfection!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-83762104671635822412018-09-21T07:04:00.000-07:002018-09-21T07:04:43.980-07:00NopeWell, yesterday I did not move forward. I almost did, a couple of times, but I didn't complete anything. However, I am writing about it, which would not have happened in the past. I'm trying to keep the writing going, even if I haven't done anything to report.<br />
<br />
I went shopping, but I forgot my list. So I'll have to go out again for the items I need but which I forgot (I didn't accomplish the "once a week shopping" which is my goal).<br />
<br />
I worked on laundry, but I still have a basket worth to fold and put away.<br />
<br />
I didn't do anything with the basket of clothes for the shop. (I keep dealing with things for the shop. I may have found a source of clutter.)<br />
<br />
I will remain optimistic that things didn't get any worse yesterday. I put away the groceries I purchased.<br />
<br />
And that's about it for today.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-27717730966925772742018-09-20T09:13:00.001-07:002018-09-20T09:13:45.017-07:00Daily DeclutterAccountability.<br />
<br />
In the last several days, since I have felt I need to have something to write about, I have discovered a lot of clutter. I begin to understand why I have been feeling so...enclosed by the house. There's just so much stuff here, stuff I have stopped seeing but continued feeling.<br />
<br />
I noticed a stack of <i>Consumer Reports </i>magazines. I received them as a gift, they showed up in the mail, <i>and I stored them every month!</i> I don't care for this magazine -- if makes me feel I need to go buy things every month, and makes me feel like the things I have are no longer good enough. So I <i>stored</i> the magazine, in case I found that I would need it later. So that's in the car, waiting to be dropped off at the library. If I -- or someone else -- needs to purchase a new mattress or refrigerator or whatever, it will be there. And not at my house.<br />
<br />
I returned the baby-size puppy kennel to someone else who will be getting a puppy this month. It is one fewer thing for me to store, one fewer thing that needs to be purchased. One of the other women in our puppy-raising group was surprised that we didn't have our own. Less to own, less to store is better for me.<br />
<br />
I processed two more bundles of product for the shop. I just have to get them into the actual shop, and I will have a lot of storage space freed up.<br />
<br />
I'm so optimistic about the bits of clutter that I am suddenly perceiving and removing. Since the beginning of the week, I am much more aware of the sources and piles of clutter I have, and I am taking steps to better my environment. Just knowing that the internet is waiting to see an improvement in my efforts is enough to make me more aware. I don't have an agenda of decluttering today -- today is shopping day, and I still need to make a menu -- but I am confident that I will find things to remove anyway. It's a good way to start the day!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-46347390870383196182018-09-19T07:36:00.000-07:002018-09-19T07:36:04.581-07:00Daily DeclutterI am amazed at how much I can do when I feel accountable!<br />
<br />
I posted several items that have been sitting on my "Ebay shelf" since before we left on summer vacation. If they don't sell very soon, I will just donate them and be done with it. Nothing is worth a lot of money, but it <i>seems</i> like too much to just donate. I have not posted the coffee cups from my wedding china, but I hope to do that soon. Maybe someone will want them for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I can only hope someone will want them, and they can move out of my house!<br />
<br />
In my peregrinations yesterday, I also spotted several skeins of acrylic yarn. I hate knitting with acrylic, and I accidentally acquired these. I will pass them along to my young niece, who is learning to crochet. I think she will be happy to have anything to practice on, and not care what the material is.<br />
<br />
I priced a large box of winter clothes for the shop. I have been ignoring it since last spring; now I have a large empty spot on the shelf, and I have one fewer thing weighing on my mind. The worst part is, it didn't even take that long, but I've been avoiding it -- and feeling the mental clutter -- for about six months!<br />
<br />
Even the giant pile of bananas if diminishing. I put a few bunches in the freezer and I gave two bunches to a friend who stopped by and dropped off clothes for the shop. Of course, now I have clothes to sort for the shop, but surely I will get those done quickly, and not let them linger. For I am sure I have learned my lesson on dealing with clothes. (sarcasm font. If not for the sense of accountability I feel when I'm blogging, I'm afraid I would let these items linger -- in my way -- for a week or two!)<br />
<br />
I only dealt with a few items around the house -- most things were in the shed, or virtual, but I already feel lighter, as if I'm moving in the right direction.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-62843727148793201382018-09-18T09:29:00.001-07:002018-09-18T09:29:13.048-07:00Baby StepsI didn't manage to get rid of any clutter yesterday. In fact, I accepted a giant mound of bananas that otherwise would have been wasted (I'm really opposed to food waste!) and I will need to deal with them soon. Many will be frozen for baking this winter, but I will also be looking for homes for fresh bananas.<br />
<br />
I am working on some of the mental clutter. I finished mending a pair of jeans, and continue knitting a pair of socks I started years ago. I feel guilty about starting the wool if I don't finish it -- no one else will want to deal with yarn of mysterious origin, half knitted into socks. So I knit while waiting at the doctor's office. It will reduce the backlog of projects I am still willing to house, and create something useful, possibly a Christmas present.<br />
<br />
I'm also pulled out a box of clothes that need to be priced for the shop. Just moving it out of storage seems like a big move. I will be glad when they are all priced and moved out of my house, and out of my responsibility.<br />
<br />
I'm mostly appreciating the patterns that I have set up. Menu planning made yesterday's late afternoon at the doctor easier, because I knew what I was making for dinner, and I wasn't mentally rushed to try and get food on the table (or worse, be tempted to pick something up. If I buy dinner I make trash and eat something that will make me feel ill). I'm glad I didn't have to worry about running out of milk and have to stop on the way home.<br />
<br />
I need to deal with some of the necessary clutter we've been accepting. I still don't have a permanent home for the puppy supplies, and I definitely need to do something with the bananas! But I did have a clear spot to store the bananas on the bar, so that's a sign of progress!Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2873742539454902971.post-5283485753638612642018-09-17T10:46:00.002-07:002018-09-17T10:46:49.545-07:00Trying AgainBecause that's what life is about, isn't it? Trying and failing and trying again, until you get it right? So once again, I will pick up my pen (figuratively speaking) and try to record my failures and successes as I work toward making my life <i>fit.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I have mostly been adding to my life, not minimizing. Not in material things, but in activities. My son is taking classes at the community college two days a week -- and he is not able to drive himself. But this is an activity I want to support, so off I drive. I try to fit in errands at the same time, but this is contrary to my "only shopping one day a week" plan that I liked to much. However, two days a week is better than four days a week -- he had been going four, but he dropped a class because it was just too much. I am happier, he is happier, the whole family is happier. So I'll call this a minimalist win; reducing the number of classes so he can be happier is better than trying to cram more classes in, so he can take more credits to college.<br />
<br />
I'm taking my friend's mother-in-law to a doctor's appointment. She can no longer take herself. My friend will benefit from not having to be two places at once, and I will make a nominal amount to apply toward debts. Eliminating my auto loan and mortgage is a high priority for me, so the extra money will come out of the simplicity I desire. It's a balance, but it will help out a friend, and that's a benefit as well.<br />
<br />
The most un-minimalist thing I have added is a puppy. He is absolutely adorable, in the nature of puppies. He is almost 14 weeks old at this point, mostly housebroken (we're still working on recognizing his signals when he needs out), and he is being trained to be a Guide Dog when he grows up. This involves a lot of extra training! But my daughter wants to train animals professionally as an adult, and this is a good first step for her. So we have barriers around the house (to keep him from foraging in the kitchen) and puddles on the floor, and regular meetings to support us in training him. Again, not minimalist, but part of life.<br />
<br />
So, if I want to pursue minimalism, and simplicity around the home, why am I adding so much activity to my life? Because life is about people. The people who make up my life come before reducing the number of table clothes I store (4). I continue to menu plan, and combine shopping trips, and reduce clutter (the puppy does help identify clutter, and shoes left lying around!) so I can help out a friend or support my children in their interests. Hopefully, I will also be able to reduce the clutter and distractions around the house, and I want to record and recognize my improvements.<br />
<br />
So once more into the breach! Once again, I will improve my life, and recognize my tiny steps by reflecting and recording them daily.Robertahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14359349687087171820noreply@blogger.com1