My Minimal Hoarding Life - Do While The Doing Is Good

Minimalist - Hoarder. Minimalism - Hoarding. Becoming something. Becoming everything.

Life is short and the days are going by faster and faster. What have we done with our lives? Gathered stuff for what? To make life easier? Sure but then we are slaves to the stuff because we have to pay for it, clean it, take care of it with repairs.

I often wonder when or rather how life got to the point of "we have to have that or this to live." Things to make us happy.

The fine line, that is where I am at today. Not one or the other.

Today I think to much.

The Minimalist 

Days and days of cleaning, I can hear the facebook group right now " Don`t clean it, get rid of it!" but the facts of life is that we do own stuff and we do want stuff, I am not sure if people really live like some claim to live.

There are days when I wished I was a hermit living in the woods, on a one room shack, skinny as a rail and living on fish I caught free in a public lake. Only caring about getting free fire wood in to keep me warm and a quilt to wrap up in and sleep. That used to be the life.

 The closet:

I cleaned out my closet this past weekend, I made sure to try on everything but I did not toss much out, A few shirts that were way to big. A couple pair of worn out work shoes. A huge bag of plastic hangers. I put away my nicer winter clothing, most with new tags because I did not get to go anywhere to wear them the past winter.

The spare bedroom :

I also made it to the spare bedroom/ stockpile room. Opps! I said a dirty word " stockpile" but yeah I have one because I can my own food as I grow it.

I got rid of pictures that were under the bed. and cleaned that room  well. 

The Hoarder

 The closet:  

I bought a couple more tubs for my huge closet, the clear ones so I can see what is inside them. I took clothes from the solid blue tubs for the paperwork I need to keep for the business, how many years to keep? I have no idea. then I put those clothes and the winter clothes into the new tubs, why keep them? Most of them have new tags and that is clothes I won`t have to buy next winter.

The spare bedroom :

The canning jars! I do have enough, so far. I am sure I have more empty than full at the moment and absolutely NO, I will not get rid of them. These jars will last me for years and years, future food will go into them. Less and less money will be spent.

And More:

Its Saturday and I am about to get busy cleaning the home office. Its not to bad, just needs a good dusting and a few things put away. 

Its Spring and I will next enjoy the great outdoors and a pick up truck, loading up junk from the shed that needs to go! :)

How is your life going?  Did anything Major? 

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

Don`t forget Mom! Mothers day is coming soon, buy her the perfect gift of jewelry, its small and won`t take up much space. 

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - There Is Me and There Is Me

 I feel like I should be further along in this journey than I am. Seems like every time I get to that place of peace and minimal enough to load up and go when I want and not be bogged down, someone leaves me stuff.

I mean why couldn`t they leave me money or a house? Why stuff? I already have a lot of stuff. And their stuff is not my style, although its not ugly, its not me. Then comes that guilty feeling that I should keep it even though I am not into it. I pack it back, hoping to forget about it and years pass and I still have whatever it was in those tubs.

Now I am facing doing that work once again, looking at it all and donating it, maybe let some family riffle through it, get what they want. Man! What an unnecessary job to have to do, I should have walked away from it all. But No! I could not allow that little creep take what she wanted me to have.

I am getting back to this..... this.... mess. I have been hard on the subject the passed few days since I know for the most part I am off this week, clean up that mess, get it outta here.

The cleaning 

First things first, I got 2 acres mowed, it liked to have killed me but I did it. I swear even with a riding mower it will beat the shit out of a century old body.

Next I got to all the paperwork, I got all of the tax prep done and to the CPA, filed more receipts and got rid of old coupons. Clean dining room table!

I had one day alone so I jumped on that time and I cleaned, vacuumed and dusted and put things in their place, the living room, dining room and kitchen. 

While cleaning I had laundry going, each time one load finished I did another and took the dry load to my bed.

I took a break from cleaning and made dinner. After dinner I washed up those dishes and put them away, still a clean kitchen.

Next was my bedroom, I had vacuumed it when I did the other rooms so all I had to do was dust and fold about a million loads of laundry piled high on me bed, I refused to sleep with it.

What went out? 

Over the weekend I cleaned out a few drawers, for both of us, I did the underwear drawers, out went all of those holey socks! I had an entire small plastic grocery sack filled.

Next I tossed a pair of old work shoes, they hurt my feet anyways.

I took all the recycling to the drop off bin and I bagged up a trash bag filled with aluminum cans to sell next week.

Not much so far but hey! its better than nothing at all.

What came in? 

As far as food just produce, fridge stuff, nothing to stock up on.

I bought more solar power stuff but I am not looking at that as junk, its going to save me money in the long run.

I am pretty sure that is about it.

How was your past week? Do anything to get to your cleaning or organizing goals? 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry 

After thoughts

Just because I want to live a minimal lifestyle that does not mean I don`t like nice clothes and pretty jewelry, with that being said I do shop for both. I just try to find that happy medium and not become a hoarder. I apply the one in and one out, even if I gift the used stuff to someone I know.

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - 2018 March Resolution 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

Ahhh, the sweet warmth of Spring! It is spring here in central Alabama and I am proud to say that I have planted several early tomato plants outside, all have tomatoes or are filled with blooms.

I put one potted sweet green bell pepper on the deck but it did not take to the coolness well and I brought it back inside.

As far as food is concerned I am still buying, not as much but its a must right now.

The buying of stuff? 

Yes I have bought a few new things, one obsession I still have is shower curtains and bath rugs to match. Yes I did but new and a couple new towels as well, I am still keeping the others as well.

I did buy a new dish drainer and the old one went out, it was old and the plastic coating was flaking off the metal so its outta here.

Other than that I have not done any serious buying.

Yep, This is an accomplishment because I controlled myself and spending.

2 - Clear land - Set up rentals

This resolution is one of the harder ones as I have stated before, sometimes I can achieve the hard one and sometimes it will spill over into another year.

So.....

I did see someone I know with equipment that can clear it and I did ask him to do a drive by and give me a price, but I have not heard back yet.

I have not had time to get with the commissioner about the drainage problem but that I can do sooner than later.

On the right track = Accomplishment coming my way!

3 - Clean, declutter and organize

I did not get my life back till around the 11th. of the month and then the other job kicked in so March was not a month for my needs, as in home, but more as another whole month of working.

Even with that said I did haul off a truck load to the dump from the outside and I have gotten most of the front yard under control once again. 

I gave away a car, so that one is out of the way.

Last night I did an inventory of my over the counter medications, when I did I also cleaned out an entire cabinet, organizing it and I made more space.

The cleaning is beginning to happen again in my home, one thing I accomplished was throwing out all the coupons that were expired, I have not bought coupons in almost two months, however, I am still getting them from a friend each week, most of the time I use the ones for toilet paper and animal feed, that is all. I always seem to have a lot of paperwork/mail/I have no ideal why.

Life can be hard when you have to work and then come home to work but I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and that is what matters.

I will say this has improved, its an accomplishment. 

4 - Take a vacation

Well, we all know from reading above this did not happen. 

But I have tossed around a couple ideas for a Summer vacation, somewhere I have never been. 

I won`t say where just yet because I have not done the homework on these places, the cost of motel and the price to visit the places I want to see.

And I am thinking about hitting up 2 destinations at once, one on the way to the other or vice versa. 

Not a complete fail because I have just about made my mind up, if I cannot afford where I would love to go, I will do these other two places. 

There ya go the third month of the year of 2018 gone but I am working on what I want to happen in life.

How about you? graining ground?

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - Don`t Jinx It!

 Since I got the rental house redone and rented I get to stay home more, somewhat. 

Seems like when one job ends and I can rest and get back to home life the other job kicks in, and it did. 

BUT.... enough with those excuses to be nasty and hoard, although I want to whine and just take naps, Yes I did off and on for a week :)  it is spring and things are kicking in high gear, grass, pollen and dust, you cannot just stop.

So, where was I before getting interrupted by making a living? 

Cleaning the outside! Yes cleaning around the house before snakes and other critters get to roaming around.

I had cleaned another section of this place that has not been used at all, then I moved junk out of the garage into that area, separated the recycling from the take to the dump from the keep pile. BUT.... then I had to just leave it to work a month.

 After a day of recovery from working so much, I got back into the grove of cleaning up my own. First I took off the plastic and metal to the recycle center, then a few days later I loaded an entire truck with garbage to go to the dump.

I still have a little to do in that area before I let the dogs inside it for hiding out, they will make that their hide out I am sure.

Next I took an evening and I mowed around the house, I did the small area in the back and around all the trees.

The next day I got out the riding mower and mowed the entire two acres, even what was left to do from last year from before I got the rider.

AND.....

Today was the biggie! I gave a car away.

Back in the year 2000 my dad bought a car in my name, he said it would be mine clear when he died, all he asked was to drive him to his doctor appointments and to get groceries, he never drove it. Its a 1995 Subaru, Legacy. 

Now I know you are thinking " that is an old car!" and yes it is but its still looks good and it will run, just needs a battery and an oil change, just stuff like that. I gave it to my sister since she gave up drinking several years ago I feel its okay for her to drive again.

One more thing gone that cannot hold me back if I need to just go.... move. Not that I have plans to move but there has been talk of looking for a summer home.

She was excited when the roll back delivered it, I could hear it in her voice.

Okay, now to the what was brought in.

I did buy a solar panel kit and battery, I wished when a storm passed a few days ago and we lost power that it was up and going but I have not made it that far.

A relative also gave me a couple kitchen facets and that type stuff that was nice for me to store for the rental houses. I try to be careful about what I take because it can become a hoard and pile up, when you cannot find what I need I end up buying another.

So I think that is a pretty good balance, out with the old and in with the new..... not just the new but solar! The beginning to the next end.

More cleaning?

Yes I managed to get the living room, dining room and my bed room vacuumed, the living room and dining room dusted. 

I moved the citrus trees outside, I usually leave those in for another month but the blooms were so strong smelling they had to go out just to breath.

I have changed the bed sheets this week.

I have kept the laundry and the dishes cleaned up after use.

I had started on the kitchen but I had cleaned out the truck and the car so I had boxes of stuff that needed to be put away/organized sitting in the corner.

Although I did nor complete the house cleaning I do feel like I have accomplished a lot in the last couple weeks, all the while still working most days.

I would like to say I think life is getting back to normal around here for me, I do not want to jinx myself :) how about you, how is your minimal hoarding life?

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

NOTE : I have included several awesome books to help people learn how to get rid of things, things they they want to keep but have no need for them. As hard as it was for me, I finally gave away a car I was not driving. You can get rid of things and make life easier.

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.”