My Minimal Hoarding Life - 2019 Resolution - October 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

After losing a few pounds I did have to buy a couple new items, but the good part of being a hoarder, yes the only good part, is that I do have a few smaller clothes I can wear, in the wintertime switch out tub.

Other than buying materials for the online store 'Sunshine`s Homestead Creations' I am doing great, with no impulse buys. 

75% Accomplishment

2 - Reduce Stuff By Half

This is a "Hell Yes!"

I have cleared out half of the junk here at this place. 

I have cleaned out the old home place. It is down to bare bones so I can get the work done on it, so much easier than there is no stuff in the way.

I have ditched/ trashed more clothing.

I am eating from the deep freezer and the home canned foods.

I still have to go through the shed but its yard sale junk for the most part.

100% accomplishment.

3 - Set Up Sunshine`s Homestead Creations Store

Nope, not there just yet. However, I got a call just last night and it was good news about the building.

Fingers crossed!

I did work more on the book, that will be part of the new store. I am also adding more than just body products to the online store. I have hand made salves from organic plants harvested here on the homestead.

Things are moving along.

The online store is open and ready for your business "Sunshine`s Homestead Creations"

75% accomplishment

4 -  Cut Out Sweets - Kick diabetes ass!

I went back to the doctor, they have a new one at the clinic and I was disappointed because I want the other doctor to know my progress and that I did follow the best I could a 1200 calorie a day diet.

I have not got my A1C numbers back but I am sure it is down and I will call today.

Total weight loss is in for this four month check up: 

I began with a weight of 154 back at the end of June. 

Now at the end of October I weigh in at 141, a 13 pound loss. I do intend to lose those last 7 pounds this year.

I have to say that I do feel better on this 1200 calorie a day diet, as long as I eat more vegetables. If I eat 1200 calories of junk food I feel blah and tired.

I know I can do better so this is just 75% accomplishment.

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

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - Inspired By The Show

The show "hoarders : buried alive" was always an inspiration to get busy clearing out my own stuff and cleaning up the house.

While its been a little while since I have did an update on what I have done in a days time, just daily cleaning and what I have cleaned out and reclaimed my space.  I am starting back with the inspiration of the show I watched today.

Life is ever changing. I stopped shopping for most all things except food, animal food, cleaning supplies and toilet paper. I do not need anymore stuff.

Working from home can be hard and you have your work stuff that you have to organize and keep separate from life in the home.

I have separated work from home, so that really is a huge difference in how my space is feeling. I keep all of Sunshine`s Homestead Creations online store things in one room, that I work out of just for the store and I have a lock on the door, its private and not for anyone to come into. 

I have the Landlady stuff in a tub, mostly papers, and the repair things in the garage.

The writing? I do have a few books started, I have those files online as well as printed, the printed are also in a tub.

As far as being a caregiver, he lives on the opposite end of the house and never, I mean never comes into the office. There is no need for him to.

By organizing my home, from my working from home life, makes things run smoother. 

Now, what about the homestead? That is the outside part of life that revolves around the "what is to come" new part of the online store. Well..... I have a section in the garage for the things I have began as well as the closet in the office/Sunshine`s online store.

Seems like life requires more than one job nowadays but with organization we can make it all work out.

Are you inspired by the t.v. show?

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - The Mother Of All Clean Outs

While I talk about hoarding and getting rid of stuff, I don`t talk to much about the mental parts of hoarding or minimalism. For one I am not a doctor, but being a minimalist, a hoarder and back to minimalism, I do have some experience in some form of the why part. 

Some people have labeled this as a serious mental illness, in some cases it is, from trauma one has endured in life.

Some have labeled this as being nothing more than lazy, in some cases it is.

The mind is tricky, we do things to protect or to be in charge.

In my opinion/experience its about control. Being in control of what will be in the home. Sometimes we feel trapped with no way out of a situation and hoarding or being extremely minimal is the way to have some type of control.

Past

I was raised minimal, but nothing extreme, when we got new toys we sold or gave away the old toys. That was how my parents did things to keep a small house filled with children clean.

Fast forward.

I did go through a rough time in life when I did not have any control, over anything, so I tended to hoard what I got, I used things as a cover to make life look like I had more, I did but not mentally. Mentally I was abused, mix in some physical abuse that no one seen, but knew about, that was my reason for that type of control. Stuff. I had stuff. Everything looked okay from the outside.

Now 2019

Its been ten years of healing. The hoard is gone. The minimalism is not extreme, I have just the right amount. I did not go to a doctor, instead I walked away from all of it, the hoard and the people. 

Clearing It All

A new cleaning of my home.

I allow a few of the people from my past around me, a few to chat in passing, others for a short visit.

I have learned that these people leave behind negative energy, polluting my home in a different way than with stuff. Many still try to give me "stuff" and I really don`t want it, I refuse to take it, even things have the wrong feel.

I know this may sound OCD but believe me its not something I enjoy having to do, I do a clearing of my home, getting rid of negative energy left behind from the visitors.  I use salt and prayer. It`s traditional to use burning sage but I have someone with lung problems in the home and I cannot use sage. 

I have learned to do this properly, following the wall line I place a thin layer of salt, making sure to get the corners of the room as well, even closet.  In each room as I apply the salt I say my own prayer of  "Only good can live here, in the name of Jesus," in each room and closet. When I get to a back door, or front I open the door and toss a little salt out the door and then I make a line across the door opening to seal it so no negative can come back in. 

I now have a "clean" home. Cleaned of unwanted things and energy. And Yes I began to do this energy clearing before I got all my junk to the trash can or donation box, but the house feels better and I can work better in a positive space.

It is a wonderful feeling to have peace and control of your own life.

If you would like more information on Reiki attunments, Reiki Healing or Past Life Reading or healings please contact Brenda  @ thespiritualmystic@yahoo.com

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry and Brenda Fluharty