Being Minimal Again

September 4, 2016

I took off yesterday, Saturday, from the daily grind of getting up and going and going and going, even Tony said " it feels nice not to have to get up and go."

But being off from work did not mean I was off completely, I still have my own home to clean, dirty laundry to wash and meals to cook.

As I said before I had to make time and money for the old home place. When you run your own business you tend to let what you have " go" for the need of others to keep the business up and running, the old home place was the one that got neglected. The size is one half of where I live now, around 800 square feet but it had a full basement that I don`t have here and I miss dearly. I worked seven days on this house, not really spending much money but investing time and energy instead. The roof had leaked so I had sheet rock to take down on the inside, a couple pieces had already fallen making a mess.I bagged that and sent it to the dump and then I began to fill the trash can with trash, it used to be my stuff and I walked off and left it when life got real and I could not take it anymore at this house. 

Since I had left it meant I no longer wanted it, the stuff. For several weeks I have been filling trash bag after trash bag with junk that is no good. I do not have a problem just tossing it into a trash bag and putting it in the weekly picked up garbage can. However, Tony is another story he tends to want to hold on to things that are no longer required for his life now, the past is gone and there is no need for some of those things.

When I inherited a house full of furniture last year I sold most of it, keep a few pieces and sold what it replaced, but there was some left over that I kept and I put it in this old home place, going to have another yard sale or another go at Craig`s list. 

I know you have heard " things happen for a reason" and they really do.

 As I was cleaning this place I picked a large kitchen table and a couple chairs , an old t.v. and this computer desk to go to the dump.

What was left was the inheritance, antique wicker lounge, two rattan tables with glass tops, two brass lamps and all of it looks adorable in the living room, I have a bedroom suit there but I tossed the mattresses long ago.  I have nice pictures to hang on the walls, a refrigerator and a microwave.

I got so much done last week that I made myself proud.  

I have not decided if I will use solar power here or if I will move back to town, closer to the hospital since Tony has been sick. If I do I will sell so much stuff because there is no way to put everything here in the space into that tiny space.

Here at home I look around at all that I have put into this space and I am not happy about it, I see so many things that are not necessary that are cluttering my life, making it hard to get things clean and dusted. Although its neat, cleaned and organized I am still feeling it.

Its my struggle.

Now here at home, the house where I reside, I managed to get the bathroom cleaned and mopped but I went a step further. I took down the shower curtain and washed it, put up one of the others I have for change out. I also took up the bath rug, washed it and put down a clean bath rug.

I got all the paper work filed, this time I had doctor stuff and court stuff. Not just the everyday upkeep of the business. I also had a ton of coupons laying out ready to be filed in the binder, put away in the pencil boxes or to share with my friends. 

I managed to get away from cooking and actually clean the kitchen, the counters got a good wipe down as well as the stove and microwave. I swept and mopped the floor. I had to clean out and rearrange the plastic food container shelf, And tossed some of those no longer needed lids. I straightened up under the kitchen sink as well and put all the cleans back in order. However, I have not been able to finish painting the walls, for the most part its behind the fridge and the china cabinet.

I washed all the dirty laundry, three loads of it, and folded and got that put away.

I did not get all of it done but I made a huge dent it this house and keeping it clean and minimal.

How was your past week? Did you toss anything?

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry Note: the lounge picture was taken last year at another house.