Yea

Dining Room table clear (except for plants) which still makes it CLEAR !!!

Dining Room Table

It has been a goal to clear my dining room table ... to a degree, it has been.

This is what sits on it now:

• My spider plant and several "babies" that I am starting from clippings. They sit atop the table to get sun.
• a metal "bread box" that has misc items inside of it -- wow! I just looked inside of it! It only houses two devotional books and my Quiet time journal !! Very cool !!
• two binders -- my medical info and Quachi Clan
• a large 2011 calendar (from the Chickasaw Nation) that is unused but has beautiful photos
• calendar pages (by the month) that have been ripped off the large (desk size) family calendar that hangs in our kitchen.
• Old dayplanner pages and a small 3 ring binder that contains more of the same
• my old dayplanner (leather binder)
• stacks and stacks of papers
• a small wire basket with papers in it
• some Christmas cards, mostly photos, received last year
• a collectible horse (that I intend to return to my sister, Julie)
• an empty purse of mine
• Newspaper pages (saved for packing things)
• a couple of pads of paper
• a fold-able book stand
• a plastic file folder (stand up) holder (which holds the Christmas cards and pads of paper)

It seems as if I could EASILY clear this table TODAY (or at least by the end of the week).

DECEMBER ... again

December... again. Excessive clutter ... still. I cried last night over the situation. I don't WANT to live with clutter. I don't WANT this year to be like the rest ....putting things away (out of sight, in nooks and crannies, behind closed doors to be ignored ...) so that we can pull out Christmas decorations.

I woke up to some clear spaces. My husband and daughter put boxes out of sight. Our fireplace is clear today. The hallway is clear of stacks of boxes. I can enter my craft room/office easily ... well, at least I can get to the door easily that is.

Somewhere down the road, I must have forgotten the challenge to clear my bedroom. I wonder if my mom cleared hers.

We are house hunting. Since we don't have to vacate this house (we own it) we can have two houses at once ... for a time being. I am hoping that it will help me to declutter. My thought is that I will move to the new house ONLY what fits ... only what I WANT there ... and will THEN clearly see what I don't need (can let go of). It sounds like it will work... time will tell.

To declutter my house would be my GREATEST personal victory .... it would even top reaching my goal weight and staying there.

33 Day Countdown

I accepted a challenge from my mother that we would declutter our bedrooms by Labor Day (which is 33 days from today).

Today I changed my sheets and put on the clean ones that have been crumpled up in a laundry basket on my side of the bed for .... MONTHS !! The clean comforter and one of my quilts were in a second laundry basket, also beside my bed.

I emptied a basket of my clean folded clothes (that have been in my room for at least 2 weeks).

Three laundry baskets gone, makes a big difference!

I also: returned some children's books to the living room bookshelves (the books were beside my bed from when I read to a grandchild), picked up some dirty clothes off the floor, put some of my shoes in my closet, cleared the front area of my closet floor so I could step in and not twist an ankle by stepping on something, threw away old empty medicine bottles (after removing the labels), and put a hair styling brush back in a drawer.

Faced a big fear

Yesterday, I took a friend of mine, Holly, on a tour of every room of my house. Not only was this the first time she had been inside my house (invited by me to come TO my house), but after we visited in the living room for awhile, I felt like today (yesterday) was the day for a big step.

She was very thoughtful and wanted me to feel comfortable through the process. The farther I went, into the inner sanctum of my being (into the places in my house that I wouldn't want anyone to see), the less anxious I felt. She was gracious, she was gentle and kind. She didn't say much. She did ask a few questions, which I told her I was ok with answering.

I can tell that THIS is the beginning of something really, really good!

Took A Big Step

Today was the day. It wasn't the first time I had thought of doing it, but today I felt that I HAD to do it NOW.

I never really stopped carrying a diaper bag

My sweet hubby surprised me with a laptop for Mother's Day. We have an older case (from long ago, and I don't even remember why) that I'm using. The leather on the handle is a little torn. I asked hubby if he had some electrical tape that I could use to tape up that part of the handle. His response to me was to buy myself a new case.

Hmmm .... which of these options will I choose?

1. Buy a new (new to me) case.

"New to me," because I will bargain hunt for one. It will most likely be a used case.

2. "Fix" the old case and keep on using it.

Is this like taping up an old pair of tennis shoes so you can still wear them?

3. Get crafty and design my own handle cover.

Maybe it will be removable so I can wash it and even change it.

Speaking of cases ...

I wonder just HOW MANY cases of (various sizes and purposes) I do have?

• brief cases
• business/officey/executive bags
• student type /over the shoulder bags
• tote bags
• backpacks
• backpacks on wheels
• plastic click/clipboard cases
• leather, vinyl, canvas, quilted, washable, reversible, zip-able, snap-able, file section, water bottle holding, several compartments, pen and pencil location ...

Get Rid of the Guilt

I borrowed a reading curriculum from a friend many years ago ... at least 10 years ago, I believe.

When I was finished with it, I passed it on to another friend to use. Some time later, I found parts of the set that had been "lost" in my abyss of homeschooling stuff. By that time the second friend was about ready to return the set to the original owner ... BUT she was in the process of a move. She asked me to keep the parts until the move was complete.

YEARS later, I still had the parts. I finally boxed them up and labeled the box. I kept the box for another year or two, hoping to see the original owner of the set. She no longer lived close by.

Two months ago I put the labeled box in the back of my van. IF I should run into the owner, I would have the box with me.

Last week, I dropped off a donation of homeschooling curriculum at a resource center. I also donated the labeled box. It is not a complete set of reading curriculum, but just maybe, someone is looking for the items in the box.

What a relief to get rid of that heavy burden of guilt.

Do you have any laying around? Give it away today!

Donations

A dear friend of mine brought BOXES of books to my house, along with some CDs, DVDs and cassette tapes. She is a precious elderly woman. Her daughter is helping her purge.

I appreciate the fact that she knows of my love for good books. The boxes were full of good books. My husband even commented that they were!

After a couple of weeks, I sat down and typed up a list of the books, tapes, CDs and DVDs that I was given. I emailed the list to my immediate family members to peruse. They were as excited as I was to take a peek. A few of the items went to new homes. The rest were donated to a local church for their lending library.

This is all well and good .... except that it didn't make a difference in all the clutter I am already dealing with in my home : )

And

Did I mention that we have found name brand clothing with the original price tags still on them?!

Cheap Thrills

Recently I purchased a wooden rocker for myself. It's beautiful, comfortable and in excellent condition... got it for $12.50.

The first handmade quilt I every purchased, I found at a resale shop. It has the "wedding ring" design. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. I could NOT believe the price I paid for it ... $7.00. Jaws drop every time I tell that story.

I also found a leather (REAL leather) dayplanner binder/purse with a shoulder strap, in like new condition! It was with the purses. Paid a whopping $1.99 for it.

Maybe I should keep the details to myself, but I just can't. Thrift stores are not full of people's cast off "crap" as some tend to think. You would be surprised!

Great Deal

Two weeks ago, I found two paper racks (for holding scrapbooking paper) marked $5.99 each. I was beside myself !! It was later in the day and I was amazed that these were still in the store! I purchased them for just $3.00 apiece!

As soon as I got home, I looked up prices on-line and found the exact same racks for sale on ebay for $159.00 EACH !!!!!

Now, that's the kind of thrill I enjoy getting when I treasure hunt !!

Back at Home

Upon arriving back home my husband will usually ask me what goodies I found. He may ask this question because of the number of bags I bring into the house : )

I point out to him the value of items that I bought at a fraction of the cost, many of them brand new and never opened! He seems satisfied with those facts.

Before I put the items away (they must have a place to go before I will buy them), I take the bags to the computer and record them all. I have a template I made to keep track of what I have purchased including: what category it is, the price marked, the price I paid (half off) and it's purpose. The purpose may be for decor, crafting, to wear, to read, to give as a gift, etc ...

Group Activity

Every other Saturday is marked on our calendars (the females in my family). We all know which ones are Goodwill Half Off days. They don't catch us unaware. We sense them approaching. At least one day prior, and occasionally two or three, we begin to ask one another if she plans to go.

We may not all ride together or even leave home at the same time, but we do try to coordinate a route and eventually rendezvous at a particular location.

There is a joy in locating items that we think one of the others will desire. Excitedly we place it in our cart as we continue around the store, until we meet up. Sometimes the selected item is chosen because we know it is NOT what they would want, but definitely makes us laugh.

My mom and I choose little oddities and sneak them into one another's carts undetected and then linger close by to see the reaction when the item is noticed. She started this little game and I've joined in.

Goodwill Half Off Days

Shopping every other weekend became a habit very easily for me. I am addicted to bargain hunting and treasure seeking, who wouldn't be? Apparently, many others are as the long lines at the registers attest to.

Intentional Living

... realized that I create my own frustration and angst when I am NOT intentional about my time.

... trying to get back in the habit of using my dayplanner -- writing down what I need / want to do-- knowing from one day to the next what I CAN do and CAN'T do in a 24 hour period.

... these are not NEW lessons for me -- somewhere along the way, I just forgot how vital they are.

... being frustrated (frustrating myself) has been one of my reasons to eat (when I'm not hungry) -- To NOT plan, is to set myself up for a slippery slope.

Currently ...

... the dining room table is loaded with "stuff" that came out of the area Bob cleared. There is even "stuff" under the table : ( waiting for me to put it somewhere.

... there is alot of "stuff" in the hallway (mostly in banker's boxes) and a small pantry, because there's no place to put it -- yet.

... there is "stuff" by the front door (waiting for me to work in my garden -- and use them as decorations there) . Should I mention that I don't actually have a garden, yet? It's a plan in my head.

... I am creating a craft room/library. I am having fun with the craft part of it. The more I do with the craft area, the less I have room for a library. Hmmm, and this is not even 1/4 of the books I will need to find a new home for!

... the computer area is cluttered with "stuff" that makes it hard to find what you are looking for.

... my bedroom is still in desperate need of decluttering. I made the decision NOT to lay down or hang ANY clothing in my bedroom (it HAS to go into my closet if I'm not putting it in the dirty clothes hamper). I was (was!) very happy with the decision I made -- but eventually one exception, opened the door to some items laying over the end of my bed : (

Welcome to My World

My husband surprised me this weekend when he told me that he understands how and why I become frustrated decluttering.

• it's hard to get to something, when there is stuff in front of it
  
• when he cleared one spot in order to put other stuff in that location ... he discovered that many times he has TOO MUCH of that particular stuff to fit in the "new" spot
• clearing out an area is just half the battle. Where are you going to put all the clutter you just moved (until you have time to look at it?)
• you gotta keep going when you are motivated! Somehow the wind in your sails dies down after stopping for too long of a period
• background music is a must
• the process is exhausting!
• there actually ARE treasures in midst of the STUFF
  

Clearing out and in the process, making a mess elsewhere

Our house is in the midst of a purging and organizing spree. I am thankful that we're all working, although, not necessarily TOGETHER.

I am emptying half of the "office/work/storage" room. My husband will be able to spread out in the whole room with his tools and ... (ta da!) his work-out equipment. I was all for this move (and even came up with the idea) because I am able to use our extra bedroom for my crafting room! Woo Hoo! Crafting and library... that is, until I actually started moving in.

I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with where to put it all. AND I haven't even made a dent in the books that need a new home.

Self Challenge

Stuffing and stashing is over for the holiday season ... now to reclaim some living space. Today I am challenging myself to gather 27 items that need to go (out of my house). Whether it's in the trash, returning an item to its owner, or donating....they've got to go.

I find this technique works better than trying to purge one area all at once. I started in my closet and found 12 items there. I have already lost 30 pounds. No more big loose clothes for me! And the clothing that I come across and don't choose to wear, those are outta here too! Do I really believe that one day I WILL want to wear the blouse that is too itchy or the one that's already too big in the shoulders? the dress that doesn't hang quite right that I constantly fidget with? or the top with the mysterious stains that came out of the dryer with them (looking like someone set a wet glass on my chest -- a perfect ring). It doesn't make my feel good to have to "pretend" like it just happened today (when someone innocently tells me I spilled something on myself).

Sometimes I have to chuckle ...I found a red taper candle that was broken and taped together with masking tape. Seriously?! Did I continue to use it in that condition? It hadn't even been lit ... that's probably why I kept it this long. I opened a drawer and there it was. Out of sight, out of mind. It can be fun to open a concealed location ... or it can be overwhelming. I am experiencing both emotions.

WIll This Be The Year ...

...that I declutter my home and experience life to the fullest? I hope so! It's really not about all the stuff (each individual item), there's a reason why its all here. There's a reason (or several) why it's hard for me to "just get rid of it."

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

This will be HIS work in me, not of my own determination.