The 2017 Resolutions - Check In For November - What Did I Accomplish?

Now lets tale a look back at the month of November and see just what I did get done toward my resolutions for the year, remember I make two easy and two hard each year, sometimes I make them all but more than likely its three out of four.

This year I also picked a word for my year, what I wish to accomplish. My word for the year is : Satisfaction. I picked this word because I want to feel satisfied with everything I do in the year 2017.

My 2017 resolutions are :

1 - Buy Solar Panels and the accessories - Get off the grid

Nope, I have not purchased another solar item. I have looked a few times but not actually shelled out the money, yet.

In October I got the greenhouse up and a few plants inside but I was fast to learn I will have to do this or that everyday. So I have put off growing anything as far as food wise because of the holidays and I may not be home daily to do the air in and out thing. Purchased water barrels for the so called solar heat that they will emit inside the greenhouse. I am learning as I go, even with the greenhouse.

I figured if I am to get off the grid I need to learn to grown my food all year long.

A 50/50 success rate.

 2 - Write more- Finish the book and write another. Blog more for money

I have gotten back to writing but not as much as I would like. 

As far as the books are concerned that is a no, I have not worked on those at all. 

As far as blogging I am doing more and I have added ads to my blogs so hopefully I will make some money.

A 50/50 success rate.

These are two other blogs I write  -  get off the grid  And  Cooking with Angie

3 - Lose 25 pounds and get back on a vegetarian diet

Well this one is a big fat no. 

I am having more vegetarian or vegan days but I am not off meats altogether as I wanted to be.

Weight loss? Nope I am stuck and cannot get off anymore weight.

100 % fail!

4 - Learn to ask people for help

A complete repeat from last month.

This resolution is the hardest one of all, I have always hated to be needy. People become mean if they think they have something you need, even if its just a ride and or to talk to about a problem.

I cannot say I asked for anything from anyone last month. Nothing comes to mind.

So this one is a fail 100% I am not cut out to ask for help, I am to dang independent or hard headed, one or the other. 

November was not my month to get things done toward my resolutions but that is not to say I did not accomplish things in other areas of my life. Regardless if I work on my resolutions are not I am moving forward and working, I am not really sitting idle waiting for life to happen.

In life we never know what will happen day by day, Just when you think that you did not get anywhere with the resolutions you made for this year, you look back and find that you accomplished a resolution from last year or the year before. 

Life is funny like that.

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - Anything Counts

Ahh, the months of the holidays, Some like to do a special cleaning but sometimes the way life is just cleaning anything counts. 

We pull out more to have to dust but hey its the holidays! Right? I have learned to put other things in the empty boxes from where the decorations came so that its not piled upon each other. Just the Christmas items displayed for these few weeks.

Since I did not have a huge get together on Thanksgiving day and I spent the evening alone I decided to clean up the house. 

 What Got cleaned? :

I stripped Tony`s bed and got a load of laundry going.

I began in the living room and I vacuumed and dusted that room. Next was the connecting dining room, it got the same a good vacuuming and dusting. 

In the kitchen I cleaned up the dishes and whipped down all the counter tops, I swept and mopped the floors, I also dusted, swept and mopped the connecting breakfast nook.

Last thing I accomplished for this one evening was I filed all the paperwork and went through all the coupons and filed or threw them away.

Yesterday I got to my bedroom and I stripped my bed sheets, washed a load of clothes.

I was still tired from going to work on Friday I did not do nothing else, just kept up what I had already cleaned.

And we all know the daily washing the dishes (I hand wash) and its back down again to washing laundry a couple times a week and a couple loads each time but in the Winter with the pants, jeans, socks and long sleeve shirts seems I always have that extra load, its much easier in the Summer with the shorts and little t-shirts.

What is new? 

I cannot recall buying anything but I do seem to be getting rid of more around here but for the most part its trash.

For The month of November I only bought newspapers once for the coupons so I have even slowed down in that area as well.

The Plan :

Well, the plan that I wanted to accomplish did not make it, working outside, it seems like I had to work every single day and the hours were such that I had no daylight left when I got home. I am somewhat getting adjusted to the new Winter hours and I am learning to work outside in the day and clean after dark.

So, that is still the plan! I need to clean the garage and shed.

I had also planned to clean my closet, I did not but it has to be done sooner or later, I need long sleeve shirts.

At work, I was looking around the old homestead and there is nothing there of real value and I was thinking about where to take and give this stuff away, a place or to people? Just thinking about how much easier it would be to clean it up and get it painted.

Nowadays I have to look at life as "anything counts" when cleaning or getting rid of things, small or big.

How well are you doing during the holidays? Can you part with things? Have you asked for things? 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. com and affiliated sites.”

My Minimal Hoarding Life - Am I Normal?

November 13, 2017

Minimal can be a struggle. Hoarding can be a struggle. Reaching that middle comfortable area is where I wanna be.

If you are embarrassed for anyone to see it, then its time to get rid of it or clean it.

I have felt this way for a while now. I am embarrassed about how the garage and shed looks, the wind has blown things over and some out into the rain ruining it.

The Weekend :

Saturday I began the long and slow process, I did have to add stuff but I also cleaned up a section, hoping that all snakes have went into hibernation. I am a long way from getting this area complete but I did start by taking a trunk filled with trash in bags to the office trash can, filled it to the max.

Sunday I did the normal cleaning around the house that included vacuuming all the rooms and wiping down the living room, not dusting but wiping it down with a wet cloth and then using a dry cloth. 

I did what I call a job not finished to my bathroom, I cleaned the sink and toilet but did bot tackle the shower. 

Washing clothing and washing sheets was the deal. I had a load of colors and a load of jeans, next was bed sheets and towels, I feel like I am always folding clothes and putting them away. I chose to use the dryer and not hang them out.

I did not buy coupons this week so not clipping and filing. I did file all the paperwork so the dining table is clear.

What is new? 

This week I bought myself a pair of jeans, I had too I am low on pants, I have several pair but one pair fits just right, if I am bloated any, can`t wear them. The other pair is straight leg and one pair drags the ground and needs hemmed. The new pair is looser but just right in length. 

I also bought a load of lumber, its seconds but that is okay, at times with the rentals I need a board to fix something and it does not have to be pretty because usually its not seen.

What Left The House? :

While I was working inside Tony finished the electric fence so all that stuff is not longer in the breakfast nook. 

Magazines are in the car ready to go to my sisters.

The Plan :

The plan for this week is to finish cleaning the house and clean out the closet, switch Summer clothes for Winter. And possibly getting rid of some of them.

Get another load in trash bags, cleaned up from the garage. 

If I can manage this little while still working I will be doing good.

Life can look messy even being minimal but with the right organizing tools, containers and cleaners you can have stuff and it look very nice on your home. 

How was your past week? Did you clean something or  toss something in the trash?

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”

My Minimal Hoarding Life - Lazy Days Over?

November 5, 2017

That moment when life feels like Deja vu and you stop and think " I feel like I have already been within this moment in time." But you carry on and let that moment pass.

However, I do feel like some things have already happened before or that they happen for a reason.

I know I am overworked with not enough rest and with that being said I threw caution out with the wind and did something very stupid, I cut down poison oak vines, not just any but straight off the mother vine that is now as big as a small tree. 

A few days later I wake covered in a rash that did become giant blisters before the day was over. I treated it as I always do but it seemed that each day it got worst and worst, so I ended up at the clinic and on prescription medication. I was completely stopped from working outside and for the most part in public with wrapped itching arms, or full show of leaking blisters. 

AND....

This careless lack of good judgment caused me even more work, I have to back tack to everything I touched that whole day that I was clearing the small area in the backyard.

I wiped off every door knob and handle in the house with hot soapy water to begin with.

Next I took off the bed sheets and made sure that every time I wore an outfit it was washed. 

I also wiped down the inside if the car, just in case.

To The Normal Cleaning :

I have been battling laundry, especially this week, seems I get three loads done and I see another three waiting. But I have been dealing with this and doing well washing, drying and folding, plus putting them up, right away.

I had a day or so that I was so.... feeling bad with this rash I let the dishes go and Tony washed those :) but since then I have kept the dishes washed and put away. I have cleaned the microwave. 

I scrubbed the main bathroom, swept and mopped. I also changed the bathroom rug.

I have filed all the paperwork and went through the coupons, filed the ones I kept. This cleaned off the dining room table.

I have the recyclables ready in the car to be taken off tomorrow.

Last week I brought in eight house plants/ tree, I keep the mother plants and put the plants I plan to sell down in the new greenhouse. This makes the house feel so good because I am not cluttered up with plants all over the place. 

Outside : 

When I took all the plants down to the greenhouse I did a massive cleaning on the front deck, nothing left but the table and chairs and the grill. I also cleaned those two windows outside and the glass screen door.

I mowed the front field down and started on the back field. Cut down and cleaned off grown over shrubs in the back yard.

What is New? 

I did buy a new bathroom rug last week, an unplanned buy. It was $20, marked down to $5.80. Its also a purplish color so I can swap it out when the other one needs washing and hung out to dry.

Within the past few weeks I have bought new shoes, a pair of walking shoes and a pain of what are called riding boots.

What has left? 

Nothing. I have not gave away anything, well besides a bottle of lotion and some food items to my sister but nothing as part of bring one in and take one out. I will work on that this week.

In my own defense, I will say I am working two full time jobs and doing 98% of the homestead alone. Not to bad for a working sickly girl, huh? And a wonderful excuse. 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry