New Year's Resolutions and my new lifestyle.

Do you make resolutions every year?  I stopped a few years ago because I couldn't take the disappointment when in December you realize that you failed AGAIN at keeping something.  Yeah, like everyone loves failing, and being reminded of it year after year, right?  This year I found something interesting though.  On the computer, there was a challenge issued by another blogger.  Get rid of 100 items.  Do this as often as you can or desire to, but, 100 items by December of 2014.  She went on to say that our overabundance of stuff was making us crazy.  She quoted health professionals, her own personal experience, friends experiences when she challenged them.  So, I said, I could do this.

I got rid of my 1st 100 items.  Salvation Army was thrilled.  My husband was REALLY thrilled as I am a collector (hoarder) of so much stuff.  Then I started on my second 100.  Now the real challenge is to NOT go out and purchase another 100 items.  I started by reading a book she said was terrific, "Almost Amish". That book led me to a few others and they led me to a few others.  I kept a list of every purchase (and cost) of all the stuff I buy weekly (serious eye opener!) and it was when I was emptying out my 2nd bin of magazines, I had an epiphany,  I had spent a FORTUNE on magazines that I no longer used and stored them when I didn't want to get rid of them (my hoarder instinct) and used very few if any of the recipes/patterns from them.  A LOT of my time was used in the care and storage of stuff I didn't really use!  I put them on Freecycle and they are gone. 2 bins.  2 18 gallon bins.  Want to guess how heavy that was??  Unfortunately, I have at least 4 more bins to go through.  But I am LOVING this challenge.

I did take many of her suggestions too.  Since I am a serious hobbyist, I got rid of alot of "need to try this, bought it, didn't like it/didn't live up to the hype/don't understand how to use it" hobby stuff.  Got rid of projects I started and then abandoned because they didn't work out, they were not as cute as the article led me to think it would be.......Pared down all my hobby stuff to just the things that define who I am.  I am a knitter, spinner, weaver, crocheter, sewer, needleworker and quilter.  Oh and reader.  But I donated almost all the books I had collected (or are in the process of donating; like I said, I am on my second 100 items).  I now utilize my library to read books I don't want to purchase, check out movies from them that I want to see but not necessarily want to own (Must I really spend $25 to see a movie the very day it comes out?  Or can I wait to see it 6 months later, for free, from my library?).  Pared down my magazine purchases to two, both on spinning.  I've donated some yarn that wasn't what I thought it would be.  Surprisingly, the world did not stop spinning.  No major earthquakes, no riots in the streets.  My bedroom, ever the death trap, is somewhat cleaner.  I am a LONG way from where I want to be, but I am on a woman on a mission.  I haven't felt this inspired in so very, very long.  It is a cathartic feeling. My daughter joined me in this mission and her room is almost empty of what she called "clutter".  My oldest and middle son are somewhat doing this as well.

Want to take up the challenge?  First, do some brain work.  Seriously think about who you are, what you love/are passionate about, what you would take with you if you knew you were going to be stranded on an  island. Ask yourself why you don't have the time to pursue your passion (in my case, it was because life got in the way) and then ask what can you get rid of/delegate to someone else to do/limit your time doing, so that you can live a calmer life.  Check books out of your local library.  Google "Minimalist living"  "Living Simple (or simple living).  Here is what I have accomplished:

I found I spent an inordinate amount of time washing dishes.  Yes, our kids wash them too, but still, way too much time doing this.  So, I took one of my empty magazine bins, and loaded up 85% of my kitchen clutter in it.  This left only 6 plates, 6 glasses, 6 forks, 6 spoons, 6 knives, 6 coffee cups, in my kitchen. One thing for each of the five people who live here and 1 set for company.  I had two full sets of pots and pans.  That's right, I packed up one full set.  Wherever I found duplicates, I kept one, packed one up.  Really emptied out my kitchen. Family objections?  Yep.  But they are coming around.  It takes a fraction of the time to clean up the kitchen. One thing one of the books I read stated was that if you are unsure as to whether or not to donate something, put in a bin and store it for 3 months.  That's right, put a piece of tape on the bin with today's date and then 3 months from today, if you haven't used it, donate it.  If you use it once or twice a year (my turkey pan/platter, my deviled egg tray, my cranberry sauce dish) they now go downstairs and are not in the kitchen.

  Onto the bath.  I have an under-the-sink bin. And 4 drawers.  I took out all the half used lotions/potions/stuff and tossed them.  I took out all the stuff that was expired and threw them away.  If it fits into the bin, it can stay.  If not, well, we must not really need this.

Like I've said, this is a work in progress.  I have agreed to not purchase anymore yarn, fiber, weaving materials until I use up most of what I have now.  So guess who's getting homemade stuff for Christmas?  That's right. Hey look, a money saver too!  I already have enough stuff purchased to make everyone in North America a little (or big) something, now's a chance to pare it down.

But how do I feel?  At first, I felt "this doesn't bother me".  Then "why the hell am I doing this?".  Then I thought of bargaining (You know, if you purchase this skein of yarn/this new gadget/this fiber, it would go with the "fill in the blank" that you already have and would look great together!) Then worried (what if I need something and I don't have it?  I've always had such and such and now.....) but now, I feel good.  Reminds me of a nursing book I read when my mom worked as an oncology nurse, "On death and dying".  It listed almost the same 5 stages. Those were: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  The more I read (library books, no purchased books for me) the more I see how much money I've wasted, how much time I've given away to the care and wellbeing of stuff that I didn't use anyway and how much of a carbon footprint I have left.  And you know what?  I have more time.  Time I spent doing a million of declutter jobs is now time I spend doing fun stuff.  The difference between having life and really living.  You can navigate our bedroom without needing a sherpa guide.  My kitchen isn't as cluttered and top heavy as it was.  Oh look!  Countertops!  Lots of countertops.  When I open a door to a cabinet, I don't need to worry about needing a hard hat.  I am going to let the Jones go on purchasing and collecting their stuff and I am not going to try keeping up with them. Easy?  Sometimes.  Hard?  Sometimes.  But in the end, it's about who you are, what you want to do and how you want to do it.  The less stuff you have, the less stress you have (lot's of medical opinion on that and I was surprised to find that the more stuff you have, the more stress you have).

 Maybe this is why the Amish have a somewhat easier life.