My Minimal Hoarding Life - 2019 Resolution - March Check In

Wow! A month already gone but that is life, we have to make the best of the time we have because before you know it, time has 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 easy and two are hard.

I make a word, or phrase, of how I plan to be for the year and this year I have chosen " Dream it, Do It." I chose this because I am making my dreams come true a little at a time, the time to get them finished is now, year 2019!

Here are my 2019 resolutions :

1 - Reduce Spending By Half

I don`t think that I spent any less this month, at work, both jobs, I had to spend most of my savings. But that is the life of a small business owner.

March was not a good month for spending.

100% Failed.

2 - Reduce Stuff By Half

I will say this one has been moving along very nicely. I have cleaned out an entire house of "stuff" and most of it was things given to me, and it was sitting in an empty rental house. In one day I hauled off a truck load to the dump, another to donation, another to a tenant and I gave one load to a man to sell for scrap.

In between work and home, I am getting rid of more here at home as well, slower, but still moving forward.

100% Accomplishment!

3 - Set Up Sunshine`s Homestead Creations Store

I have several things going on all at once, both are for the same purpose. However, I am only one person so I have to pick what needs to be done here and there. 

Since I got so much done last month on this project, I did allow it to slow down here.

This is a 50% fail and a %50 accomplishment.

4 -  Cut Out Sweets - Kick diabetes ass!

See I knew this one would the hardest of all! Maybe I shouldn`t have picked this, seems I am eating worst that before.

All I can say is 100% fail!

So, that is how I am doing with my 2019 new year resolutions, how are you doing with yours?

By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - The Hiccup - Getting Rid Of The Hoard

Seems like this is what always happens and it seems I always bounce back.

Just as I was getting into the daily grid of getting so much work accomplished an emergency surgery happened for the man I tend to (I`m 24/7 caregiver) With that said I lost a week of working on clearing this place out. This is life and how it happens.

The Old Home place 

Since I did not get to write about life last week, I will give a little catch up. 

After I got the upstairs cleaned out, for the most part, I got busy on the downstairs. The basement has junk that belonged to several people, a few dead and most o it gone bad. Just a musky smelling rotting hoard.

I was surprise that when I asked some if they wanted their stuff they said no throw it away. so I did! With the things that are still good I did donate those, like lamps and ski`s and things that can be wiped down and used.

I filled the large trash can and set it at the road.

When the following Monday came around I had to let this place go and work as a landlady, a hot water heater had went out and I dealt with that.

Then the emergency surgery came and everything was on hold.

He got out of the hospital on Friday so Saturday afternoon I went to the basement and filled the trash can again, its not much but every trash can full is less. Less is the goal.

The Plan

Today I plan to stop by and move the trash can, maybe fill it again, I will load the car trunk full and take it to the donation box, I have a few more things that are in very good condition. If I have time I will move everything that will go to the dump outside, I hate to do it this way but I do need to paint the basement.

Back To Home- My Living Space

I have made some good changes around here too! 

I got the vacuuming and dusting accomplished, for now.

All the clothing is clean, folded and put away.

The dishes are done daily.

The one thing that got on my nerves was done! the tape, rubber band and "tie" drawer. It was out of hand so I cleaned it and tossed half. Now its all neat again and I can see everything.

The house is not really dirty, it is organized and that is all I have to do is put things back when I am finished using them and do a deep cleaning once a week.

I have started mowing so the lawn is clean and neat. No trash hanging around!

The Plan For Home

The lower kitchen cabinets need cleaning out, decided what to keep and what to donate. Wipe those down with Lysol. 

That is the only plan I will make for home at this time, if I get to more that will be good, if not I did get the one things accomplished.

So there is my accountability for a couple weeks and my hoarding life, how are you handling life and hoarding?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - Getting Rid Of The Hoard

This has been slow work, only because I work a couple jobs and I cannot spend as much time on the project as I want, but no excuses this will be done and very soon. 

The other house, while my home is not to bad the other house is, I found that I have once again started hoarding stuff that I have no intentions of using, I guess I am thinking I can sell more or give to someone who needs it.... whatever the reason its going, a heaping load at a time to the goodwill and more to the dump.

The Back Ground

Years ago, (10) I gave up a hoard, a lifetime of kept things, many of which was kept so not to hurt the feelings of the person who gave it, and got back to my minimal lifestyle.

Then came more stuff, from an inheritance, while I liked the stuff I have found that I no longer want it, after a couple of years I am ready to get it gone, all of it. Its not really my style, I am more modern with clean lines, not so much into the dust collecting designs, although they are beautiful to look at, not so much fun cleaning.

My old home place need to be lived in, needs life again, the work begins.

The Work Begins

I have packed up a few things from my home now to give away, only because someone said they would take these items if I gave them away, and I bought trash pick up three weeks ago.

Each week I have that trash can packed full of stuff that I feel is no longer usable, mostly old plastic items. Even if I only get to this act for the whole week, I got some of it gone.

The First Week Of March

I worked, earning a living, a lot this week and most of the work kept me out of town and on the road, so I only got one days work in.

I got busy with the kitchen cabinets, they will be removed, and I got rid of everything except a few cast iron skillets that were my dads and part of my childhood, I may ask my sister if she needs any.

When I finished those I went to the bedroom, I opened the chest of drawers and emptied four drawers, only keeping one short that still has the tags hanging, its new. Next I went to the dresser and I could only get to one top drawer but all of it went as well, old clothing that will never be worn again, actually mostly work clothes. The bedroom is where I have most of the  good stuff to get rid of, however, the basement has things to go to the dump, so I could not get to the rest of the dresser drawers.

I need a couple sunny days that I can call off days from work and get this done.

Back To Home- My Living Space

Life can be busy and full but there is always things that just have to be done, bathing and eating!

I have not done much cleaning other than the bathrooms, who wants that nasty? 

Washing dishes because we have to have clean to eat out of.

Changing bed sheets just because I need clean sheets. 

And laundry, well I want clean clothing and towels to dry after baths.

Things pretty much stay neat but neat is not clean, I see dust but there is only so much I can do before collapsing. 

So there is my accountability for the week of my hoarding life, how are you handling life and hoarding?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry