A Minimalist - The New Year

What can I say about last year? What accomplishments did I make in my life as a whole? Did I accomplish anything I wanted as far as my home life and hoarding or lack of hoarding?

At the end of each year I do ask myself many questions like those above, why? I want to see where I can better myself and what I do not need to worry about anymore since I have stopped certain behavior, also known as hoarding. 

What did I add to life and what did I take away?

I did in the month of April inherit a whole house full of .... everything! Actually it was three houses packed into one huge house. I got one quarter, gave one quarter away and two others got their part of one quarter each. BUT I did not keep all that stuff. I ended up with a very expensive bedroom suit, A nice dining table I am using in the kitchen nook with a china cabinet, A couch. A few nice or antique accessories . The rest I sold and recovered my travel and moving expenses, And I made a little money to boot.

I also got rid of old worn out kitchen gadgets and bought new ones that would benefit me in the long run. A vacuum sealer, a pressure canner and a meat grinder. If something new came in, something old went out.

Clothing, I must say I have tossed many old and worn items, I sold many of the new things I decided I did not want or was to little on eBay.  I haven`t really bought much of anything, a couple of blouses and some socks, that is it for a whole year.

I still have a huge stockpile and that will be a new year resolution for the coming year, to use it and not add to, unless its dog food or toilet paper because those two are always in need and used very fast in this household.

I have slacked in the cleaning department somewhat. I have not been on the ball about weekly cleaning, dusting and vacuuming. That will change also in the new year. 

Because if the type of business I am in, rental property, the stress is at most times the max, I am planning on making myself another home based business, and slowly sell off the old business, but everything will be built and in a new separate building from my home. Right now its still on the drawing board but the potential is there to make myself a living and not have as much stress.

Being a minimalist, owning your own business and doing everything alone is not easy. However anything worth something is never easy. I will stay for the fight and I will not stand down :)

How are you doing in your minimal hoarding life?

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Tired Of Slacking- Off My Butt

I have done this before so its nothing new, minimalism.

 

But for some odd reason that I cannot come up with an excuse except pure laziness I have been slacking. Making those " I am to tired" excuses.

Just a couple months ago I was working, on line and out in the world. Gardening and traveling and I still keep the house clean and organized.

Yes I got that inheritance and I think thats when I began to get bogged down and was overwhelmed with all this stuff. Yes I loved it and yes it took me months to figure out that I loved it at her house and not in mine.

Today I made every EXCUSE not to leave home and it worked. 

So how have I spent the day? Well I did work online , that is something I can`t seem to give up. But I have cleaned!

I organized the eBay stuff and I have it in one tub and I stacked that into the closet. I arranged the stock room closet and put the huge Ralph Loren ( is that how you spell his name?) Comforter in there till I can afford to have it cleaned and then I will use it, that came with the inheritance.

I then swept and mopped the kitchen, the breakfast nook and the entry way. I still have to sweep and mop the laundry room and pantry. While I was doing the floors I had a load of clothes washing and one in the dryer. While I was waiting for the floors to dry I folded a load of whites and put them away. I managed to file some coupons but I am thinking about shoe boxing them, IF I go shopping I can look for what I need but I am not planning on shopping with coupons the rest of this year is possible.

I have the recyclables out in the can and the plastic in the car to take to the donation bin.

All the trash took out and the food peels in the compost pile.

I have two more elderly people to bake for and then all the gift containers can be put away.

I do feel accomplished.

Did I mention that I have not took time to pull out not one Christmas decoration? No tree, nothing. I do want to put up a tree but at this late date I may not.

How are you dealing with life lately? Getting it done or slacking like I was?

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Wake The ____ Up!

Okay, so what?  I cuss and I know its not ladylike but I am not that ladylike tonight. I am living through the tough journey of minimalism. When it was there and good and healthy it was good but is slowly disappearing. 

No, it has not been one year and I seen it coming when I seen it coming into my home. The home I was so proud of to be neat and clean, well organized, well... semi organized. This past week I did the wake up and smell the freakin coffee thing. I looked at those nice lamps that I do plan to use be loaded into the car and took to the old home place TILL I have time to paint them because I am not so much into brass as I was twenty years ago. Did I need that microwave muffin maker? No! did I need another electric knife when I don`t even use the one I have, Tony claims he does BUT ya know how that is.No I didn`t. 

Somehow my painting materials, canvas boards and poster boards got mixed up with junk. I am separating those now. 

Recipes? Why do I feel the need to keep those torn out of magazine recipes? Because I do cook that stuff, just not right now. Wait, maybe never again. Grrr.

In less than two weeks I will have guess over for a nice but small Christmas dinner and I swear it seems like the more I clean the more there is messed up.

I think I am stuck half way in one world and going into another, a more simple world, the world I crave and have for years.

Imagine a clean house with no junk around, sitting on the front porch sipping sweet tea, dog at your feet and picking the banjo with not a worry in the world.

Oh and no phones whatsoever. Heaven :)

By Andria Perry