My Minimal Hoarding Life - 2018 January Check In

Wow! A month already gone but that is life, we have to make what we of time because before you know it, time had slipped passed us. Don`t put off what we can do today till tomorrow.

I make four resolutions, or goals, to accomplish each year. Some years I make it with all of them, some years I do not. Usually two are easier and two are harder.

I have began to pick a word, or words, that I try to also apply to my life for the year. This year I chose the words "No Regrets" because I do not want to regret a single thing I go for this year, whether I make it all the way or I fail, I will learn either way and make myself better.

What are my resolutions? 

1- Stop buying - Grow more

Grow more food :

You maybe thinking how in the world can she grow food in the Winter?

Well.....

I can sow seed inside for an early garden and that is what I have done, I have tomato plants and bell pepper plants, I have cabbage babies and I am waiting for the eggplants to sprout. 

Stop Buying : 

When I say "stop buying" that does not mean just for stockpiling canned goods and the such but also to shopping to "Get something" and I did walk away from shopping for January. 

 Another plus, I only bought newspapers once this whole month for the coupon inserts, saving me $32 (yes Sunday newspapers we up) And that one time I did purchase them I only bought half of what I would usually buy.

I bought no clothes at all.

I feel this resolution was a 100% accomplishment. 

2 - Clear land - Set up rentals

This resolution is one of the harder ones, I am trying to ... hmmm... make myself get out of the habit of thinking I have to do everything myself and hire people to do all the work.

I have not began on this resolution yet.

100% failure.

3 - Clean, declutter and organize

Since it is January and since it has been cold more than its been normal and warm, I have worked inside more than not.

I usually start with the closets and get rid of more stuff that was bought in the past years but this time I looked around and found what was the worst, what I had let go the longest and was in deep dread to do and I started that.

The Kitchen :

I have been dreading cleaning the upper cabinets, why? Those are the hardest for me to do. I have to climb to get those done but I took an evening and I cleaned them with grease lightening.

I have put off finishing the painting of the kitchen, I had half done from years (yes years) ago. This was also harder for me because of my neck pain, I do not talk about it much but I do have a bad neck and upper back. After painting I will hurt but I refuse to allow this to stop me from being clean in the house and keeping it nice. 

I took a week and I got most of the one long wall painted, Trim too!

BUT I still have one small wall left to paint but I have to find someone to help me move the china cabinet away from that wall and then back after I get it painted with two coats of paint.

The Pantry :

While it was for the most part organized some things had made its way into that room that did not belong there so that was put into its place. I also went through every store bought item and made sure it was still in date, what was not went out. I also went through my home canned jars of food and what I felt was past its safe to eat date went out also.

This resolution is a 100% accomplishment.

4 - Take a vacation

Now I am sure this one will be a fail each month till I actually take the vacation and by vacation I do mean a week off and not at home.

But I can take days off or weekends and have mini vacations. 

I have thought about where I would like to go, I have several places in mind but I have not planned any vacations. 

So another 100% fail.

There are my resolutions and how I have worked to make what I want better in my life.

How did you do the first month of 2018?

For more about this months cleaning and work check out :

January 1 - 2018 

January 7 -2018 

January 15 -2018

January 21-2018

January 27 -2018

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry 

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - Don`t Burn Out

As we all know when January hits we all have these big and wonderful plans to get like back on track, to clean and organize our homes and life.

So we jump in and begin to make things move, we clean and re-arrange and organize and then.................... There is just to much to do! 

Fast burn out!

And that is why a resolution does not work, we try to hard to make it happen in January.

How do we handle this differently? 

This is where a little planning comes in, lists!

Depending on where you live is how you want to do things. I am in the deep south so I can do somethings people who are in Idaho cannot.

If you are in the snowy area I would suggest cleaning out closets or kitchen cabinets.

The clothing closets seem to take me the longest because I try on most of the clothes so I will either " love it or toss it."

The kitchen cabinets can be just washing up what is not used as often to checking expiration dates on foods.

Since I live in central Alabama I can paint. I love painting the interior of my home, its not as hard as some people think and since I am inside for January I try to get this part done. (Note : its in the 50`s here during the day so I can open the door for fresh air)

A sample of my list would look like this.

Things to do in January :

1- Clean exterior of kitchen cabinets

2- Clean out Kitchen cabinets - interior

3 - Paint kitchen

4 - Rearrange pantry

See how I did that? I stuck to one area so that I would accomplish that area and move in to another room.

What have I accomplished? 

Before painting

The past week was a work week and a work at home week too! 

Monday - I did nothing at home because I was not here all day, I worked away from home with job #2. 

Tuesday things got real, I cleaned the kitchen cabinets. I have to say I have been ashamed of them for some time and there is nothing like grease lightning to get rid of kitchen grease! I did the upper cabinets and then got the lower. I also cleaned out the open face spice rack and cleaned out, removed old foods, from the upper cabinets.

Wednesday - I had to go to work at job #1. Cut up downed trees and removed the debris at the rental house.

After removing tiles and painting.

Thursday  I decided it was time to finish some of the painting that I had started last year. I did have a couple walls already painted and each wall I finished I had do so in the corner so there was not over lapping to mess up the color of the new walls and the old walls. Since I have always hated this little tile border (that I did paint from wine to brown many years ago) I took it down! I cleaned the wall and I painted it.  I also got on the ladder and painted the wall above the cabinets, everything got two coats of paint.  I have only one small wall left to paint and it has the china cabinet in the way. And calking the counter top after removing the tiles. I used a pale gray for my color, it does not clash with the counter tops that will be replaced one day.

Friday  I had a a few errands to run so I did not get to more painting, instead I took a couple of hours in the evening and cut down some bushes and separated junk by the garage. Since we are having a few warm days I am starting on another area that will be cleaned up and used outside. Plus its a good way to get out for fresh air and out of the house.

Saturday - Today . Since the rain got here earlier than I wanted, I will either paint the molding/trim white today or/ and I will organize a little out in the garage.

I do feel like I accomplished a lot last week on my off days, or my working at home days, and each small step I see a huge difference that makes me fool good.

What about housework?

Yes there is always the normal work in the house that has to be done no matter what projects we are going to make our homes nicer.

Usually when I am working away from home and I come home I will do laundry, a load or two, whatever I can handle, and I that chore under control. 

I always wash dishes after dinner, if I skip a night its because I am exhausted and I will do them first thing the next morning.

I also have to change bedsheets once a week, that is for two beds. Tony`s gets it twice a week. 

As far as dusting, vacuuming and the rest of the house cleaning, This week I was good since I have just done all that last weekend.

Click this link to read more about that : Cleaning and Cleansing  

What Went Out? 

This past week a lot went out. Since I cleaned out the top cabinets I tossed all those boxes of foods. As much as I loved those boxes rice meals, I no longer eat them since I am trying my best to control diabetes in this household. I have away the mixes that were still in date. I also game away 5 huge boxes of cheerios, thy are good and still in date. My family benefited from those.

I also had an invasion of ants, so the dogs enjoyed the vanilla wafers and chips the ants were eating. The birds got what they did not want.

I take the trash out just about daily as well as the recyclables. I have almost three trash bags of aluminum cans in the garage that will be recycled for money next week, I try to make sure I have enough to make it worth the trip, or I just drop by when I am in town, I do not make a special trip to recycle.

What Came In? 

Nothing! I did not shop last week at all besides a few fruits and vegetables, diet coke. But that is not something that will stay for very long. :)

Now that is how I get things done and I do not burn out. Each project has a season, if you make the monthly list and use the season you are in I am sure you can accomplish your goals.

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - A Cleaning And A Cleansing

This will not be your normal de-clutter and clean up article today, but I did accomplish that and more. 

Things had gotten very strange here the past month and I did not know why till something happened not once but twice to me and then something totally different happened to Tony.

Let me explain. Some my blow me off like I am a total nut case while others will understand. I do not expect everyone to agree with me or like me, that is just life and I accept that fact.

One  night I was laying in my bed reading, getting sleepy, when I smelled and tasted something nasty. Cigarette smoke. I just whispered " Go away and leave me alone, I can`t help you." I turned over and went to sleep.  I thought nothing else about this, till..... a few days later I was washing dishes and the same thing happened, once again I said the same thing. 

Another evening I was taking a bath in the main bathroom so Tony went to use my bathroom. I could hear him walking back and forth but I didnt really think nothing about that. I came out of the main bathroom and Tony said "I seen a black thing jump off your bed and run into your  bathroom where it disappeared, so I salted your room and the bathroom." I asked "What did you say as you salted the area?" Tony replied " I told it to get the fuck out of here!"

That is when I knew that something was here and was not leaving and Tony said the wrong thing. Time for me to get the cleaning and cleansing up and going.

How?

I started in the spare bedroom, The office and the main bathroom since I have already cleaned those areas the week before. I toss salt in the far corner of the room and work my way around the room, tossing it against the walls to make a solid thin line, going into the closet and back to the doorway, making it last, and drawing a thin line of salt across that doorway to block anything evil from coming back in.  While I am spreading the salt I am saying over and over "In Jesus name all evil spirits must leave."

Next I needed to clean up my bathroom and bedroom so I cleaned the bathroom first, mopping and even washing the rugs. I vacuumed and dusted my bedroom and put away all clothing. I salted those rooms, closet included. 

I got to the entryway to the front door, swept and mopped that area, wiped down the screen door on the inside. I vacuumed and dusted the living room and dining room and I salted those areas, making sure I put a line of salt across the entry to the font door. 

Now I have the kitchen, laundry room and pantry.

After lunch I swept and mopped the kitchen first, wiping off the counter tops and making sure everything is put away. I salted the kitchen, being more careful with the salt to make sure it stays by the wall and not all over the  floor.

I swept and mopped the pantry and then the laundry room, since these two are by the side door they got it last. When the floors dried I salted those rooms leaving the door to outside last. Before I poured the line to block whatever it was from coming back in I tossed salt out the doorway to the outside saying " In Jesus name all evil spirits must leave."

So I cleaned and cleansed the house.

This may sound strange too but I have been battling this flu since the first week of December, I would get better and then bad again, no matter how much I kept the house cleaned and wiped down. Today I woke up and I can breathe, I can take a huge deep breath, no coughing or wheezing. 

What did I do extra? 

I cleaned out the microwave and I cleaned the filters to the vacuum cleaner.

I have kept the paperwork filed! No pile ups so far.

What went out?

Besides some evil spirit, I took out more recyclables that I will toss into the local recycle bin later today.

I took two huge throw pillows and put those in the car, They will go into the yard sale I am planning in the spring, I have began to get that stuff together at the old home place, what does not sell will be donated from there, its much easier for me to take it there instead of piling up here. I am not sure anyone would come to the woods for a yard sale, so it will be in town at the old house.

That is about it on the going stuff, we had snow and I was trapped at home for a couple days so I did not pile the car to full.

What is new?

I have not bought anything new but there is good news about what I am doing that is new.

I have skipped buying the newspaper for coupons two weeks in a row, meaning I am ridding myself of that addiction, however, I will buy them when I see they offer plenty of coupons for animal feed and toilet paper. Seems that one week of the month the inserts are good and that will be the only time I buy them. So far this is 3 months in a row that I have been staying away from coupons. 

Resolution #1 - Stop buying. I did not make this resolution for nothing.

Train the brain!

This is the hard part, always had been. Training your brain to say no. I have found that if I put a huge goal on something and I fail I will slip back into old ways and then after a while have to start it all over again.

"So how do I get out of this cycle?" 

I think of something I want badly. Something big. Something I have always dreamed of and I stop myself before I buy that shirt, or go out to eat when I have a fridge filled with food. I put that money aside and I do not allow myself to spend it.

I am thinking before acting. I am working my butt off and not for more junk weekly, but for that one special thing. I applied meaning to why I am working, not to just survive but to get that "big" what I want.

It is hard but I am doing it, second week and I am doing it!

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - Clean it - Organize it

Those are the words stuck in my head. Repeat the words and do. Clean it, organize it. Clean it, organize it.

January 8, 2018

I worked on Monday so I did not get much accomplished as far as cleaning or organizing. And I did add to the stockpile but before you roll your eyes and think " this is a joke!" let me tell you what the stock was.

Toilet paper and washing liquid. Cough syrup and over the counter cold medications. Since we are sick right now we needed the over the counter stuff and it was dirt cheap with coupons.  I should not even have to explain toilet paper or washing liquid! That stuff is always being brought in.

With me bringing in stuff, no matter what it is, something has to go out. I am trying my best to stick to this, hard but I am sure its doable.

January 9, 2018

On Tuesday I went by my sisters house and I dropped off one bottle of the scented All washing liquid, I also gave her a bottle of Palmolive dish washing liquid. From cleaning out the office/ ebay closet I gave her a grocery sack filled with T-shirts. From the pantry I have her three packs of Knorr noodles and a box of Zatarain`s rice mix.

Later Tuesday evening I cleaned out another kitchen cabinet. It was boxed foods, rice mixes , pasta mixes and potato mixes. Since I am not allowed any of those with diabetes I will give them away or if they are expired I will cook them for the animals. All that went back in was a bag of croutons. I think I will rearrange the dishes and put not used as often dishes up there.

January 10, 2018

Wednesday - Since I had to go into work mid day, and run errands for medication I did not get as much accomplished as I intended.

Nonetheless, I did three loads of laundry that included washing, drying, folding and putting them all away. Changed Tony`s bed sheets (part of the laundry did) and cleaned the kitchen, meaning washing all the dirty dishes, by hand, from cooking all day, drying them and putting them away.

January 11, 2018

Thursday - My off day, My day to do whatever. For the most part I did not clean the house but worked with my plants. I have seedlings and they were repotted, well some of them were.

The rest of the evening was ruined by a neighbor.

January 12, 2019 

Friday - I got up early but not to do anything around the house, I had places to go and get things done before the three day weekend began. 

I bought diet cokes and produce from Aldi and that was all the shopping I did.

Later in the evening I got a phone call from someone I had tried to make connect with earlier and he asked could he come to my home for a meeting on Saturday, Of coarse!

So I cleaned the house. Mostly it was just stuff needed to be put away. I swept the floors and took out the trash. I picked up the scattered paperwork I was working on and put it neatly on the dining table. Washed up all the dishes. Nothing major.

January 13, 2018

Saturday - since I had company coming I did not start any cleaning or chores. He spent most of the day here talking and getting his I`s dotted and his T`s crossed. When the day was over he was after dark so I just rested and went to bed early.

January 14, 2018

Sunday - Since the house was still in good shape I did not do that much.

I changed my bed sheets and Tony`s bed sheets and washed those, dried and folded and put them away.

I did not feel like cooking so I took Tony out for fish, I had shrimp so minimal dishes to wash and pot away.

I did not buy any newspapers today for coupons because after previewing the inserts I do not use anything offered with coupons this week.

What Came In And Went Out 

Sunday I did scan the CVS and Walgreen sales paper online. 

At CVS I needed to restock the Boost for Tony and I got four 6 packs for $7.00. I bought nothing else.

At Walgreens I wanted a couple cans of pink Salmon at 2 for $5 and a couple packs of butterball turkey bacon 2 packs for $2 so I spent $7.70 there.

I have to say that th past few days nothing went out but trash and recyclables. There was just to much going on to start ripping the closets apart, or even loading the car with things that needs to go. I am sure that I will get something accomplished this coming week.

How did you manage last week? 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

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