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.

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - 2018 February 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


Grow more? Sure why not?

At the moment I am growing inside, the house because I have an unheated greenhouse. I have blooming tomatoes that I will move outside in a couple weeks, into the unheated greenhouse. I have bell pepper plants, two different stages. Eggplants, cabbage, garlic and basil.

I am off to a good start.

Stop buying :

I have worked two jobs for just about the entire month so I did all the buying for the rental house as an investment.

I bought no newspapers for the coupons. However I still use coupons and I still get them from others.

I feel this resolution was a 100% accomplishment for the month of February.

2 - Clear land - Set up rentals

This resolution is one of the harder ones, I  have not worked on this one at all, but I have done some of the thinking of how and what needs to be done.

First I have to get the county to do its job and clean out that ditch and the pipes. I have noticed that the rain water is just flooding my land! Since this piece of land goes from street to street I see one street has deep cleaned ditches and the street less used is being neglected. There is also a pipe that is needed, the county needs to run the pipe across my land and into the other streets ditches, this would stop all water from sitting and flooding my land.

What else I am seeing is that this stopped up drain pipe is causing the road to wash out and is making deep ruts in the road, maybe, just maybe they will fix that problem to save road repair.

So I am seeing a lot of talking this year to get this rain water directed appropriately, we`ll see how far I can get with this big problem.

I will say this is a 25% accomplishment because I am working on this mentally.

3 - Clean, declutter and organize


I got the so called "bomb" dropped on me the first day of the month that a tenant was moving and that meant I had to stop anything that is home related and go into full work mode. I had rented to this tenant before so I assumed just a good cleaning would be all that was needed but I was so wrong!

She left a couple truck loads of trash, one was just plastic so I recycled that. Three truck loads of toys, baby clothes and furniture. All was gave away as donations or to people, the trash went to the dump.

I did the minimal to keep my home going and it has taken a whole month to get this house back to ready to rent.

100% fail but that is okay, making a living come first.

4 - Take a vacation

I have thought about where I would like to go, I have several places in mind but I have not planned any vacations.

However, I did take a afternoon off and drove over to lake Harris and fished, enjoyed the peace and quiet. So I think I am trying to find a way to get gone on a vacation.

I still have to say I fail on this one all the way as well because till I actually leave and stay gone, its not really a vacation from home and the home worries.

There are my resolutions and how I have worked to make them happen/ or not happen for February.

How did you do this  month?

By Andria Perry
Photos By Andria Perry

My Minimal Hoarding Life - When We Do Not Feel It

I am sure each one of us have those days when we are just not feeling it. We take a day, or week, and we let things go at home. 

We think, I have to have a break! 

And you are be right. 

Women have so much to do daily and we have our woman issues to deal with as well, so we have to take a day or a few off from time to time to allow our selfs not to be admitted to the hospital due to exhaustion.

The Cleaning :

I have been maintaining. That means keeping the stuff picked up off the floor, washing dishes and keeping the clothes clean.

I do change the bedsheets, that is a must since I am a caregiver and in my home.

But the past week, I have not done any major cleaning here at home due to out of the house working for a living. I have to pack as much work as I can in a few hours and get back home. to the other job, caregiver.

I do find it easier to keep things put away when they are organized, Click Here  to see how easy it can be.

What Went Out?

I do not recall taking anything out last week except the trash and recyclables. 

I recycle to save on the trash bill and to help mother earth Click Here to see what I use, its easy to just fill up and take out.

What Came In? 

I also have not brought anything in, not even food. I am sure I have everything I need right now. 

I have passed up on many good deals for clothing that is on clearance, but I have more clothes than I can wear now, plus I have not cleaned out the closet this year to see what no longer fits or is totally worn out. 

I will say that I usually do find discounts on clothes for Winter this time of the year, If I need something I will buy and have it ready for the following year, after all the styles last for several years.. The key is balance click here to see more, I have seen prices of just $1.99 and in all sizes.

Just because I am becoming a minimalist does not mean I do not like to dress nice, and why not get nice for the least amount of money?

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

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry - Trash at a rental house

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - Minimalism Monday On Tuesday

Working and getting rid of clutter plus cleaning house can be a very hard job to do. You would think that when you are not home so much that things would not need cleaning or the house would stay neat but that is not the case.

I have been juggling two jobs for a couple years now and its hard to clean house but I am managing, even if I just do one little thing each day.

The past week I have had to work full time at both jobs, how? I bring one job with me to do another, the caregiver job.  I will leave him at my uncles house in the neighborhood or he will sit on the porch and chat with the neighbors. If I will not be long he will sit or sleep in the car, but he says its better than staying at home all the time.

The Cleaning :

The past week I did manage to clean, somewhat, and keep the house neat regardless of going out to work.

I changed the bed sheets, washed them, folded and put them away, I have a couple sets for each bed so as soon as I removed the dirty sheets I have a clean set to put back on.

I vacuumed the living room, dining room and my bedroom, I did this one evening after work before I sat down to relax.

I swept the kitchen more than once but that is a must when we cook daily.

I always wash dishes daily, usually after dinner to get them done and out of the way.

I washed a few more loads of laundry and put those away, most of the time I do those on one day unless I work 7 days, that is when I will start a load as soon as I walk into the house coming home from work.

I did the paperwork, filed it and have a pretty clean dining room table but I am still doing taxes so I cannot have it all cleared, not yet.

What Went Out?

I did gather a few more bags of trash up and took it to my sisters trash can, she has pick up, from the yard clean up. I also had several bags for the plastic recycle bin.

I moved some plants into the spare room and I needed to relocate the dehydrator, so I cleaned out a cabinet in the kitchen, wiped it down and put it under there, I do not use it daily but I do use it and I will keep it. 

From that kitchen cabinet I removed plastic storage bowls and ash trays ( Tony does not smoke anymore ) I loaded all that up and gave it to my sister. I told her if she did not want it to give it away, or toss it.

Recyclables. I took all those to the recycle bin except one bag of soda cans and I will take those off when I get another. I usually take two to four at a time and collect money for those.

What Came In? 

The past week was a week of buying only for work and nothing was bought and brought in other than a few food items for the fridge.

So, I have maintained the housework and went to work also. 

At the end of the day, do not forget to sit down and have your cup of coffee :) How was your past week? 

By Andria Perry

Photos By Andria Perry

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My Minimal Hoarding Life - Week One and February goal

There are many parts to life and cleaning and having stuff is just one part. This one part can consume our lives if you allow it. Nowadays its very easy to allow stuff to rule us, how well do I know this fact, but we can let go and learn we do not have to live for stuff, get out of the habit of bringing in more things that we really don`t need and taking good care of what we do have.

City dump

Cleaning and getting rid of things. Cleaning and organizing what I keep. And then there is just everyday/weekly cleaning.

I wash laundry twice a week, usually two loads each time and I wash dishes daily, by hand, usually at the end of the day. These two chores are a must for me.

Last week I kept up with the changing the bed sheets once a week for me and twice a week for Tony.

I have made sure to vacuum all the carpets, and sweep the kitchen nightly.

I cleaned both bathrooms.

I make sure I take the trash out daily or very other day, by just doing this my house smells so much better.

February Goals ........

I do make the four resolutions each year and each year I am finding it easier to get them done, if I apply something. I find that breaking them down makes them more doable, I go to each resolution and apply something, anything, to just get it started toward accomplishing the whole resolution. 

Last Month, January, I picked the kitchen and pantry. #3 of the resolutions, clean, organize and remove clutter. I accomplished that monthly goal toward the whole resolution.

Since we have had some really nice days I thought I would make the garage and carport my goal to clean up for February. #3 resolution.

I began this clean up in late January by building a section of the fence but on Saturday Feb. 3rd. I kicked it up a notch and got busy. I worked three hours non stop. I completed another section of fence and I removed everything from under the carport/ shed. At the end of the day I had several piles, one rotten wooden stuff to burn and one plastic to recycle and another of metal stuff to recycle. I had two very large trash bags filled with trash that I took to my sisters trash can.

I parked the car inside this carport! And I only like a 4 foot section of fence to make and erect, then fence will be solid across the back. (I may have a section of fence at the old home place I can put into place here, I have to check that before I buy any more lumber)

I do have another car inside this same carport and beside it is a few things that need to be removed but that should not take an hour to clean up and clear it out and this project is finished.

As far as the debris I removed, I can get that cleaned up in no time also, That is the plan for my Tuesday Feb. 6th.

When I get this goal completed I will make another smaller goal for February toward the big picture, resolution #3.

How do you do life?

You might also like : New Year, New Goals  

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry