A Minimalist - A Place For Everything

This to me is the most important part after cleaning out the hoard .

Being organized ! 

Living in the same household as someone that wants to see everything is the biggest challenge I have ever dealt with . But every year I find a new way to conquer their fear of not being able to find their stuff .

For me its assigned areas . 

He had a bad habit of putting his stuff in drawers with his clothing so if he was looking for something everything in the drawer was tossed around to find what he was looking for , if not in that drawer move down to the next . 

Solution ? Clear tubs . I bought many of the small shoe box size, clear tubs . And I put alike stuff in each with a label at the end on each and then I put it in his line of view which is the top shelf of the closet .

Since I did this his drawers are for clothing and nothing else . 

As for myself I did the same , I have many music CD`s as well as photo CD`s . I separated those and put them in the small shoe box size, clear tubs . I keep those in the office area of my home ( closet ) because that is where I view the photo CD`s and I listen to the music Cd`s .

Why did I do the small tubs ? because they are easy to handle and rearrange . If the tubs are to big you will not feel like moving those heavy things and just go buy what you was looking for and that begins the hoarding cycle again .

As for the closets for the clothing and shoes I also keep the shoes in the small shoe box size, clear tubs . But Since I do not wear my " super dressy " clothes except for funerals I keep those in a CLEAR medium size tub . As for every day shorts / sweats and pull over t`s I use the chest of drawers for those .

Do you think you could do this ?

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Financial Freedom

When the day comes and you have went through ALL of your belongs and you see that you do have plenty , That is the day you have financial freedom !

I am not saying this will feel easy because its not . 

I have been in marketing a little here and there ,  not at a professional level , but I understand the aim . And thats you . 

Marketing is everywhere and we are not even paying attention but its soaking up into our heads . 

Marketing is to take our money and most of the time we really don`t need what is being sold , most things we buy are made to last as long as they are taken care of properly .

Bigger house now reduced from $500,000 to $300,000 . More clothes because there is a 70% sale . New furniture because its the 50% off Forth of July sale. End of the year blow out clearance " get your new car Now ! " sale. 

See what I am talking about ? 

Now imagine Living in the home you fell in love with and feeling satisfied . Driving the car you loved and all it needs is for you to maintain it . Only buying clothing and furniture because you wore out what you have . 

Then taking a looking at your bank account to see you actually have money , the money you have worked so hard for . Money that you can  take that long deserved vacation . You have the money you worked daily for to live on and not HAVE to live pay day to pay day always in debt. 

I can say its not easy resisting all the ads and refusing to be brainwashed by the big companies but it is doable .

I am sure you are on your way to Financial Freedom !

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Your Style

I am sure I can hit home with what I am about to say and I know that they thought good thoughts but I don`t like that .

For years I lived life of hand me downs . People was always giving me stuff , stuff they did not want anymore , their style !

This is a true story about how I am finding my style from just listening to words from another`s mouth , place was at my old home place , I lived there for 23 years .

This friend came over with his new wife and I invited her into my kitchen for coffee while the guys talked hunting in the living room . She sat down and looked around and said " Wow this looks just like my grandmothers kitchen " . I was speechless ! After she left I walked into my kitchen and seen what she was saying , I did have a nice collection of antiques .

I slept on those words that was still nagging at me the next day and I realized I did like other styles and this was what came to mind " so -so gave me that , and so-so gave me this " This was actually someone else`s style that was pushed on me !

I can tell you I did a major pack up . I bought tubs and I packed up all the old stuff and I started new , but just in that kitchen . BUT it was a start .

Now that you may have all the old stuff ready to go , make sure you decorate in what you like and settle for no less ! It will only stay clean if you enjoy your surrounding .

By Andria Perry 

A Minimalist - Backtrack - About Me

I grew up in a big family but we did not have a hoarded house . My Mom passed and my dad raised us the same way with minimal things . He remarried and he began to hoard stuff , pretty what not`s to set around , everything for the kitchen . But I think he thought he was being good to her but it was hard to clean a room filled with what not`s on every table / shelf .

I moved out early with just the basic for life , one truck would move what I owned . Thats when people would give me a couch and later someone else a chair . Nothing matched but I did not care , this was good enough for now .

Then I moved in with a hoarder , not that his house was piled up high but he " saved " things for later . So now there was two of everything :/ . I tried my best to get rid of things but then the guilt trips would come " but so and so gave that to you " or " you better keep that I am not sure if I will have the money for new anytime soon " . The basement went through many hoards , only for each to be hauled to the dump every few years . And No , it was not piled up in my living area , most of it was always in the basement or in the yard .

I discovered Feng Shui and I found some inner peace with this practice. A minimal lifestyle . What I was raised to be , a minimalist .

About a year later  I moved and I changed my life . I told him he could come but ALL that was not . I walked off and left the hoard . AND it was so hard to leave your stuff . I would move a truck load out at a time to sell off , get some of the money back , sometimes I would just give it away to get rid of it .

 With the big move and change of my life I had some clothes , a couple dishes , a sofa , a t.v. and a bed . That was 2009 and its been a struggle .

Right now I am living in a three bedroom home and I am feeling it becoming to full and why ? Because I just inherited a house full of furniture and their life . Does this ever end ? I will be writing about my struggle as a minimalist and the love of things old and new . 

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Don`t Beat Yourself Up

Since no one in this world is perfect its okay to fail , just get back up and get back to what your dream is for your home and life.

Sometimes I will go months without getting rid of stuff that I know I should not hoard back . And then one day I have time and I make a go at it again . We do have to remember that this mess ( our hoards )  we created did not happen in a day or a week but years .

I do know that some days I just want to have a dumpster pull up to the window and I want to toss it all out but I know thats not how life is and I have to keep some things to make life better , its the choosing  that is the hardest part .

But I know that after a little while you begin to breathe better and feel better not just about having pride in your home but in yourself for making good decisions .

That stuff is not ruling your life anymore and you are in control .

Learning how much is enough don`t come easy , it will take time .

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - That Kitchen

I am a cook by nature . I love to cook and create in the kitchen so this is where my downfall is at for the most part . 

I would see that advertisement for the newest , fastest , easiest way to prep that I just " had " to have this gadget !

In the end I found myself not using it and it poked under the cabinet to collect kitchen dust / grease .

Next was the dishes , I would find this set that was just beautiful and buy them . A while would pass and I would find this other set that was just beautiful so I put the other dishes I loved on the top shelf and used the new ones . And it continues .

At my worst I owned five full sets of dishes . Some moved from the kitchen to the tub in the basement . I had a serious problem .

When I decided to start clearing things out I asked my sister first " do you need dishes ? " She told me her boyfriend did so I have him a full set of dishes with the serving bowls and platter .

Next I had a yard sale and I sold all of them except one set .

Now I had all the blenders , food processors , This thingy that miracle kitchen have to have .... they had to go .  No I did not leave my shelf bare . I gave the processor away , I put the blinder in the yard sale stuff ( if it doesn`t sell it will be donated ) I tossed all those gadgets together and gave them away . Instead of 50 things to make my life easier in the kitchen I bought one item , a ninja 2-1 food processor and blender . Its small compact and get the job done .

I will say this was one of the hardest things I did , cleaning out the kitchen because for some reason I thought I needed all of that stuff to make daily meals and I didn`t .

By Andria Perry

A Minimalist - Dont Just Move It !

Since we are talking about the clutter bug or rather " our hoards " I have to say I have did this myself once , cleaned that messed up room and became so proud of myself only to walk into the next three rooms and have them bombarded with what was in that room. 

I will say its easier to clean one room at a time but before we make that big move we also need to think about where all that stuff is going ?

Some people chose to keep their stuff and have massive yard sales , some people donate everything to battered women and children centers or homeless shelters , some people rent storage sheds because they are not ready to part with their stuff .

I chose to do two things : One is to have a yard sale and two is donate after its over . 

At one time I had so much stuff that I had a yard sale , made a couple hundred dollars back and then I gave ALL the stuff to this family for them to have a yard sale ( different town ) and they made money . After they were finished they donated what was left . I did this more than one time , yes I had a nice hoard of new items .

So when you do watch those shows on T.V. and they set up " piles " , it does work and be ready to take it out the same day that you clean that room . 

1 ) Trash out !

2 ) Donations in the car / truck and take them to the place .

3 ) Yard sale stuff should be stored in an area , in tubs , garbage bags etc. for no longer than a month , have that sale and get money back !

I look forward to hearing you feedback !

By Andria Perry