Saturday, July 14, 2012

Conversation With Clutter

It all started with the idea that I wanted to simplify my life. Don't all great de-cluttering adventures begin like that? I've learned some things about myself while on this quest to get rid of stuff.


  • Stuff is sneaky. No matter how many boxes and bags are donated, more stuff magically appears that I need to go through. 
  • Stuff makes you talk to yourself. "Do I really need this? Do I really need two cake stands? Do I even need one cake stand?"
  • Getting rid of stuff makes you deal with emotional stuff...like guilt. Just because my dear former assistant crocheted me a toilet paper cover does not mean that its forever home is with me. My friend passed away last year and though I am not a crocheted TP  cover person I hesitated to get rid of it. I felt guilty because it seemed that I was disrespecting the sweet loving person she was. Then I realized this bit of yarn is not my friend. It has nothing to do with my fond memories of her. And someone else will enjoy it. I will enjoy the memories of my dear friend. 
Donated:

  • I need to be hypnotized into never saying the words "I might need it someday". I will never need all the vases I've received flowers in. The thing is when you get more flowers they usually come with a vase. One nice vase put away in my cupboard with do.
Donated:



Stuff is just that - stuff. In my case most of it is a result of impulse buying. My days of impulse buying are over. I have moved into impulse purging of things I just don't need. I will never be a minimalist, although I do love the clean lines and simplicity of their lifestyle. My eye likes busy-ness. I like groupings of lots of artwork, a variety of textures and color. I like eclectic and I like quirky and I like feminine romantic style decor. 

My new mantra is "Is it something I really use? Is it something I really love?" If it isn't - poof. Gone. 

I feel like it's taking forever, but I do see light at the end of the tunnel. I will have "after" photos soon. My bedroom is almost done. My closet is a thing of beauty. 

Stuff happens...then it gets donated and hopefully goes to a home where someone will really use it and enjoy it. And my home gets clearer and simpler. I have labels on things like organized people do. It feels good. And I can actually find the chargers for my camera. Can the charger for my cordless drill be far behind? 

Friday, April 6, 2012

Where did the time go?

I keep thinking- I really should blog. This blog is how many of my family members keep in touch. I am a horrible letter writer! The letters I write aren't horrible. It's just one of those things that if I think about doing it enough I start to believe I've done it. In my mind I have written numerous letters to all the people in my life. In my real life I have not written a real letter since I believed 40 was really old. When I opened HM&N and saw that I hadn't posted since October I was shocked. I thought it had been about 6 weeks.

Lots has gone on since I last blogged and at some point I will get to all of it. For now I am more than thankful that my sweet kitty has survived emergency eye surgery. Her eye had ruptured due to a viral infection. One day I had a very healthy kitty, the next day she was in the hospital. She's fine now, but what an ordeal. When my girls gave me my kitty I promised to be a good animal guardian and provide a good home for her- because she needed a home. I did not intend to get attached. I am a dog person. When I thought something might happen to her I was devastated. When I tearfully told my daughter that I hadn't intended to get attached she said "that boat sailed long ago". Indeed it did.

You have to look for humor in everything.... and this "eye chart" in the veterinary ophthalmologist's office was just the best:

I had to give Juli 4 different eye meds and 1 oral med every 3 to 4 hours. She was SUCH a good girl. I wrapped her in a towel and she just let me do whatever I needed to do without one complaint. I set up a kitty care center in one of my bathrooms. 


She was very docile the 4 weeks she had to wear the collar. But once the collar came off she was mad at me for 3 or 4 days.



But now, all is well and she seems to love her momma again.