blog is a many splendored thing

I realize I haven’t updated you on my decluttering journey for a couple of weeks.  I’ve had a few lumps, bumps, bruises, and breaks along the way.  But I wanted to share some of the progress that my dear husband and I made a couple weeks ago, before the crash and burn I experienced when everything got dumped into my multipurpose room.     I still haven’t dug out from that but, I’ve accepted the idea that life happens, setbacks occur, and it’s likely going to get worse in here before it gets better.   But I’ve also decided that I need to celebrate every little success!   And, if I’m celebrating, you’re celebrating with me; so...  grab your party hat and read on!   On M onday and Tuesday, July 6 & 7, Ray and I methodically decluttered, downsized, donated, tossed, and then cleaned and organized our remaining kitchen tools, gadgets, and supplies.    We washed everything in the kitchen down, lined the shelves, and the...

I'm still with you; but I'm really discouraged.   My dear husband and I embarked on a whole house declutter at the same time as I set out on my multi-purpose (MP) office/craft/sewing room declutter.   We agreed to spend one hour a day together decluttering "somewhere" in the apartment.   He would do the heavy lifting, I would do a quick sort and make the quick keep, toss, donate decisions; then, for the more complicated boxes, I would bring them into the MP room to work on papers and personal clutter until a decision was made.   This process usually meant six to eight more hours of work every day for me than for him; but I didn't mind.   I was able to clear some of the clutter in the shared areas of the apartment and make progress on clearing the clutter in the MP room.   I had even cleared enough flat space that I could craft or sew if I had the notion.   Last week we got the entryway closet cleared out and made significant progress getting th...

Yay!  Amy has signed on to this project.  She will be here next Saturday for an initial walk through and for us to start making a detailed plan of action.  Meanwhile, I thought it would be a good idea for me to set down some of my smart goals on paper so I could remember why this is important to me as we get started.  The hard work that is coming means that I need to define what I want out of the project, what I consider a success, and basic guidelines for moving forward. When Amy comes we’ll discuss details, start some project lists, and discuss a realistic plan of attack so we keep moving in the right direction.  It’s important for me to keep my dreams in front of me so I don’t give up when times get tough. Goal let go of the stuff and let God use me S Specific Simplify my life by ridding myself of stuff I do not use. Use the stuff I keep to honor and glorify God . Define Keep or Go Keep – useful stuff we ne...

Yesterday, I shared that I wanted to get healthy and lose weight.   My motivation is that I am sick and tired of being sick and tired; it is too hard to stay motivated and productive when I am in chronic pain.   Those are strong motivators to change my eating habits, to get a little more exercise, and to keep busy at productive endeavors.   I want to live a healthier, happier, less painful life.   I want to serve God and others with my whole mind, body, and soul. Today I will share something that only a few close friends know.  I am a stuffer, (NO, I did NOT say hoarder – I am not ready for that kind of painful admission yet).  I said stuffer, and just for today, I am sticking to it.  I have stuff stuffed everywhere; there is stuff on shelves, in boxes, on tabletops and underneath them, in chests and dressers. I have stuff piled on beds, and couches, and chairs, oh my!  There's stuff shoved under beds, and couches, and chairs, oh my!...

I hope you enjoyed my last couple of posts (lists2 and lists3).  We had a lively and detailed discussion of Daily Lists and Project Lists.  I hope you will be able to incorporate some of the ideas I shared into your lives.  At the very least, I hope you’ve gained a new appreciation for list making, and that you’ll try it.  I’d be wandering about aimlessly without my lists! Today we’ll finish this topic with the more easy going “Someday Lists.”  Someday lists are far less structured than daily lists and project lists.  I jot down things that interest me; things I might like to – see, do, cook, read, have, make or accomplish – someday .  They are not so much lists of urgency or need; but, rather, of imagination, hopes, and dreams.   My Someday Lists include ... People ideas:  We like to encourage others.  It’s fun to do something out of the ordinary and surprise people with a call, a card, or a letter.  It’s nice to give...