Your Life Lessons - Clutter weighs you down in many ways

Second day of July, it's a Monday and it is the start of the 2nd half of the year.  Where did the 1st half go?

There are triggers to jump start me throughout the year.  Some are weather related - springtime is to plant the garden.

Some are event related - we have a birth and wedding this year in the clan.

Then often it is just the accumulation of all of the above that triggers the "oh my" need to pay attention to the stuff in my life.

Today - pulled out a bunch of stuff from my NCTV cubby and that's my task for the next couple of days.  

Clearing out "stuff" on a regular basis lightens the load.  I did one of the upper cabinets in the kitchen (again) and found a few more items that could go to the donate box.  Went through the clothes closet and weeded out some of the pieces that I haven't worn or will not be wearing.  In the office, I went through paper files and found that 90% was outdated and needed to go to the shredder!

I was talking with my mom the other night and she is considering downsizing from the house she and my dad built. Yet she continues to lament that no one wants her stuff.  First time where two generations are downsizing at the same time and no one wants the stuff.  Life evolves, you need to rid yourself of clutter or get stuck in the past.  

Remember, when you are de-cluttering --- reuse, recycle, reduce is the way to go.

More Challenge! Are You Ready?

Happy New Year to everyone!  Welcome to the MORE Challenge.

What's the More Challenge you ask?  See the list on the left.   There is one 'more' on the list for each week of the first quarter of 2017! 

Just imagine how you would feel and the change in your life, if, by the end of March, you did each one of those 'mores'?

First - there are the excuses why you can not do all these 'mores'.  I looked to those excuses to find the underlying reasons (not all of them as I'm not a psychic) why we don't get to do MORE.

There are two excuses that seem to resonate on a regular basis -  'don't have the time' and 'don't have the money'.  Really?  If all these items were to be eliminated from life forever in the next 13 weeks, would you change what you are living life right now?  

Here is the MORE Challenge.  Join with me to explore as I share with you some hints and techniques that you can do to eliminate these two excuses. You'll be changed and possibly be richer in the end.  Let's enjoy the 'mores' that will enhance your life, your family and friends around you.

UFO's - UnFinished Objects

What are they......

Here's some random thoughts I have had about my UFO's 

I'll say IT IS MY Choice. Sometimes projects had a great calling to my creative spirit when it was started. There was a challenge, new pattern, stitch, colors, etc. It waned and became a UFO.

About a year ago I ventured on a 30 day Minimalism Challenge (more on my blog). What a difference it made. I organized the UFOs by level of completeness. Then looked at my life and whom would receive the finished item today. Great questions to ask.

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Before I knew it, some projects were re-claimed (torn down to reuse the thread) , some were cut off and added to my 'sample' book, others were tenderly put back for another day (emotional ties).

I gave up on a dozen or so UFOs since that time. I now feel free, I have not lamented over the early terminated projects. I paid a sweet homage to them as those projects were part of my journey. They were holding me back from completing the projects I wanted to do.
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It was almost two years ago that I wrote those words.  Since then I've enter the BIG E twice.  I've moved my studio to a different room and consolidated some items.  Not enough yet, and the new space isn't really working for me yet.  Nonetheless, I've got it in better shape, just missing a few more "ah ha" moments to get it in the shape I need it to be in.

I've been brazen in eliminating unfinished projects.  After conquering the technique or the puzzling pattern, lately written in russian, italian, or spanish, I cut it off and move on! 

 

This year I've entered a Motif challenge at Annual Tatted Lace Motif Challenge on FaceBook.  This challenge has helped me to finish the various little motifs I've tried in tatting.  I'm still having technical challenges with their website, though I'm working at it and the Admin helped me some today.

For today -- it is consolidating more of the ideas, patterns, threads, etc.  I've got to pack for the BIG E...  my volunteer day is Wednesday! I get to demonstrate making lace, see the fair, and enjoy a great day away.

Enjoy the day...............  More Lace!

Cleaning Day - Dread it or Joy?

Cleaning Day, it is such a joyous day for me.

Cleaning Day happens once a month with the help of a friend of mine who has a cleaning business.

My house is clean generally all the time.  I'm a drop it and leave the cluttered and littered mess kind of gal.  Since this day is once a month, the littering and clutter doesn't get too bad.  So the night or two before, I run around and put items back into their places.  Since I started a minimalism campaign about 18 months ago, most items have a place.  Of course one could wonder why I don't put it in its place when I have it in my hand?   Guess I got distracted!

Cleaning Day is a chance to get the big stuff completed and caught up without losing a step in my work schedule.

On the dawn of the Cleaning Day, I begin the wash, make a great cup of coffee and pick up the last few items.  Then Sabina arrives!  We go over any extra items that need to be done and then she wizzes away.  I get back to working on the day's tasks and responsibilities.

We stop for some lunch and catch up on each other lives, and then it's back to work for both of us. 

Then low and behold, she is done and viola it's like a magnificent hotel suite!  There is a fresh smell about, all the laundry is completed, bed changed and made, vacuuming done, trash out just to say a few.  There is an amazing relaxing feeling about my home.    I tiptoe about for several days to keep the feeling going.   

Over these last 18 months, I must say that my home stays picked up better because of Cleaning Day.  A recent article I read affirmed my thoughts that clearing the clutter is healthy to the mind and spirit.  While each of us is different, I do think that a "place for everything and everything in its place" keeps my life in order, saves so much time looking for those bits 'n pieces and keeping the sanity of day somewhat in line.

Hoping you find the joy in Cleaning Day, however you find it.

Minimalism - April

April was not my month to minimize!  That's okay.  Sometimes life get's in the way.  More items were moved to the garage and out of  nooks and crannies.   

I did so some mental exercises as what to do.  What I did arrange to help the load was to have the housekeeper come the day after tax season!  Yippie!!  While I couldn't appreciate the cleaning in the same way (too tired) I made some headway in clearing way more 'junk/stuff' that has somehow accumulated in my place.   

With house guest arriving for the 2nd half of April, the studio needed to get back to being a guest room.  

I've been ruthless in the office, i.e.cleaning out old books, donated or trashed.  Opening old files and scanning and/or trashing the contents.  While not too exciting, there is space being created!

Didn't do much more in the kitchen for the month of April - I did maintain and that is good.

So see ya next month!  It will be a surprising month for me - energy is rising, spring in the air and moving on.



No progress for April --  stay tuned!
Day 21 - kitchen cabinets - only the necessities  - Take one cabinet/drawer a day
0.  Cabinet to the right of microwave -----  December
1.  cabinet left of microwave
2.  drawer below #1 January
3.  Drawer below #2 January
4.  Drawer below #3 January
5.  drawer to right of stove January
6. cabinet below #5 - March
7.  drawer on left side of island  February
8.  cabinet below #7 February
9.  drawer on right side of island- March
10.  cabinet below #9 February
11.  cabinet above to the left of sink
12.  cabinet above sink
13.  cabinet above to right of sink
14.  Pantry closet /February

15.  storage in garage.
16.  storage cube in dining room
17.  Cabinet in dinning room January
18.  Cabinet Below sink!!  - March

Day 16 - Tackling sentimental items

We all have sentimental items.  We have moved them from room to room, from home to home, heck even across the country.  These items hold onto something deep in our psyche - fond memories of people and or events.    We not realize the need to hold onto them.

Back to the family homestead - Mom has lots of stuff.  Some of which is from our childhood.  Years ago, to her credit, and after emptying her mother's home and now my Dad's passing, she's been purging the 'stuff'.  The boxes of pictures are finding their way into albums, other items are  given back to the giver, or just given away.  She just gave to her grandchildren over Thanksgiving a packet of each of their letter's to grandma.  They are almost all in college and she said they had so much fun laughing and poking fun at each other of their notes they wrote way back then.

What she did is create an experience to share with each of them.  Before my move to this location, I spent a year or so cleaning out 'stuff'.  I do have a box - yet to be opened since my move here - that has these sentimental items stored in it.   It still has the shrink wrap on it.  One good thing - nothing has been added to it!  

The little tree pictured here - it has ornaments from both my grandparent's homes.  I so enjoy it that this tree stays up all year long.  The pipes to the right of them are from my Dad - I can play the one on the right - it's his chanter to his bagpipes.  

In thinking and purging 'stuff', look around and say to yourself, if I was to relocate to another planet right now, what would I do with this 'stuff'?   My lace and crochet would go to various guilds that I belong to; the balance of books would go to the library for their book sales; from some of the ornaments I'll give to my nieces and nephews as they get their own homes, pass along a bit of tradition.  

We all have sentimental items.  My question has been asked, now it is time to think about what I would do with those items if I was ready to blast off to another planet!  

If you'd like to read more, visit the creators of this challenge for more helpful hints.  

Success for Day 16 - item for donate box - an extra wine rack from storage that would need to be displayed if it was to be useful - nope, don't need or want it.


Today's Challenge - Day 17  - Declutter your shoe collection - and - find one item to put in the donate box.

Day 12 - Donate items you're holding onto "just in case'

This day's Challenge made me think.  What do I have that is for "just in case"?  I wish I was at my Mom's house.  She is always saving items, more than she nor I nor my nieces and nephews could use in our lifetime.  I did help her unload lots of scrap paper, pens and pencils, assorted items for the no longer  shop/office.  What was the best part - it went from a cannot work on the surface of the desk to be able to work ---- now, some four months later, items have been given away and she is maintaining her desk.

Earlier in my challenge I cleared out a closet that had travel items in it.  I had moved the small bottles, supplies, etc to the bathroom shelves as it would be better there.  That's where I go to back the lotions and potions when I pack - good idea!  Ah ha, I'll use that space as for my challenge today.

So off to the bath - on the left, the Before picture and on the right the the After picture.  I didn't realize that missing from the Before picture was several more bags of 'travel items'.  As it seems, I also needed to clear up the entire shelving unit in the bath.

I don't have any closet or cabinet in the bath - yea I know - crazy 'cheap' builder.  I learned on my last move - I needed to clear up some clutter in the bath.  My house stagger was a bundle of great ideas.  One was to get one of those organizers you hang on the back of a door.  Oh my goodness - I found more of the same - that counts up to three places items were stored!  Shame on me :)

Travel is different today - often times I'm boarding a plane; other times it is a road trip. The former has limitations today - the latter, well heck it doesn't matter as you are not lugging it through an airline terminal.

Out of date items were disposed and recycled; like items put together; all the 'potions and lotions' are now at my reach and will use them up; and then the 'stuff' was disposed of as it no longer served a purpose.  There must be a dozen or more of potions and lotions - my goodness, glad they are now going to good use.  PS - there are empty slots in the door organizer!

What I am finding by being in each of the day's challenge, I'm becoming a bit more aware of my surroundings and how to create a more organized and now more peaceful space - with less stuff!

Success for Day 12 - Donate box -  I did find a small leather purse that I received some time in the past.

Today's Challenge - Day 13- Opt out of store email offers - and - find one item to put in the donate box.