It’s spring weather sort of…rainy, gloomy and partly sunny.
Over the winter I’ve watched some of the Netflix series Tidying Up and read the Cozy Minimalist. I’ve been inspired to remove some of the things in my home.
But…
The idea of piling all my clothes on the bed and donating the ones that don’t bring me joy sounds like a bad idea. I’m tired of wearing my winter clothes and it’s not warm enough to switch over for the next season. If I followed Marie Kondo’s advice next winter, I’d have to shop for an entire new wardrobe. Sounds like fun.
But…
My bank account has been following the minimalist life style too long for me to purchase much of anything new.
Then there are the books. So many books in my house and I’ve donated a lot of those already. I’m going to say the ones that remain all bring me joy or like the ones my laptop sits on earn their keep.
Collections to pair down? I had to think about that one. I don’t seem to have those either unless you count the millions of files and photos on computer. I suppose I could take the next ten years and tidy those up. Nah. Can’t see those so they can’t possible count as clutter, right?
There is one room in my house that could use some tidying.
The sewing room.
Shudder. That room is a scary mess. So many things were piled in there when my son and his wife and my grandkids moved in while their house was being built. Sure they took their stuff out but the room is ‘out of sorts’ in a major way.
This is where following these plans becomes tricky. It seems to be the area that I’m not ready to let go of that causes me and maybe others to hold back from letting go.
That room will take a long time to go through and I’ll have to evaluate if I want to keep sewing. I think I do but honestly, I haven’t sewn anything in five years. But I want too, I think. I don’t have time until summer to tackle this issue, but it is weighing on me. And that’s when the tidying up and minimalist people say it’s time to get to work and find out what’s important enough to stay.
I’m giving going to set a deadline for next September to have that room back together or packed to donate. Pray for me!
What about you? Have you hopped on this crazy train of living like a minimalist?
I’m giving going to set a deadline
Leave me a comment to help me get started on cleaning out that room and On April 1, 2019, I’ll use Rafflecopter to pick one winner in the United States to send an autographed copy of The Rails to Love Collection.
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I’m currently reading the Rails to Love book right now.
Yay@ there are so many good stories in that book.
As much as I like a tidy, clean house, I’m just not ready to jump on the minimalist bandwagon yet. I just started to teach myself to quilt without having a sewing room. I also enjoy reading and don’t want to give up my books. I could probably go through my closet and purge there. If you are goal oriented then by all means, pray about it and if you are urged to do so then you can set yourself a goal (time line) and accomplish it.
I love that. Pray about it and see if I am urged…I am not urged. 🙂 Even with prayer. So much work and I do like my things. Still a little letting go might not be a bad thing.
I went forever without a dedicated place to sew and the first few years of having my room I loved it. I need to get back in there.
I need to hop on the declutter train for multiple reasons, but I just don’t have the energy or the time. Praying that I’ll get a chance to at least start when the school year is over.
I’m looking forward to the end of the school year too. I’ll still be working but not as much. My to-do list is really long for a short summer. 🙂
I completely know the feeling!
LOL I think most of us have that feeling!
Except maybe for those parents of our students. LOL
LOL so true! Parents have a love/hate relationship with summer or at least I did.
15 minutes sounds like Fly Lady. I followed her for a long time and she was a life-changer. When I get something new, I get rid of something old. That helps cut down on clutter. Let go of what you don’t love. =)
Oh yes! I remember the Fly Lady and it worked for a while but I fell off the plan.
I have not hopped on the declutter train yet. I likely should – especially since we’re starting to toy with the idea of moving. Right now, I’d just like my YA daughters to remove all of their stuff from the house. lol
Ah yes, the stuff left from childhood. I have most of that back to the rightful owner. Took over ten years. 🙂
I had the same problem…almost! My sewing room/office was turned into our adult daughter’s bedroom/haven after she moved back home! But, I have to say, I gave her free rein, and she really came through! I would never have believed she could arrange that room to suit the both of us, but she did!!! Now, I must say, I don’t know where everything is just yet, but she sure does. All I have to do is ask her where such ‘n such is, and she goes right to it. The only problem??? She’s not ALWAYS home!!! I bought several (6) plastic drawers to put lots of my stuff in, not to mention four stacking drawer units. Two of those had three drawers each and two had 5 (graduating in size) drawers each. Oh my stars what a help they were!!!! I swore I was going to through ALL CARDBOARD out…and I did! Now, everything is stacked up (on top of each other) and my what floor and closet space THAT opened up!!! Now I have a three drawer stacker next to the sewing machine on both sides so when the top opens for me to use the machine, the lids lay on top of the drawers, supporting the tops of the cabinet on either side! The rest of the plastic drawer stackers are on either side of where she has her TV cabinet. It doesn’t look half bad at all!!!
It sounds amazing. I’d love to see a photo of how you did that. I have a lot of drawers and small cabinets in my sewing room but arranging them has been a problem for me.
I have a lot of material that isn’t quite big enough for a project I need to figure out what to do with too.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your clutter grow! It’s not clutter around the house that piles up for me – I can keep ahead of that. It’s my desk top, file drawers, linen closet – places I close the door or drawer to. FISHINGJAN’s comment hit the nail on the head. Discipline to choose to spend 15 minutes at a time. I need to do that. Join us Diana!
Ah the pressure!! LOL! FISHINGJAN is really on to something with that 15 minute challenge. Where to start? I could spend 15 minutes deciding. Probably the cabinet with the glasses and mugs. It really does not spark joy at the moment.
Well, I’ve not become a minimalist but I sure do realize I need to purge! We are remodeling our bedroom/bath and everything is in our living room. In thinking about putting things back together, I know I need to donate lots. And the first thing my girls would say is mom, get rid of the books! Yikes! And the sewing room…we won’t even go there as to its need of clearing out, alltho, I do still sew so just need to reorganize.
I wonder how many of us just need to reorganize more than donating a lot of our things. My fear is as soon as it’s gone I’m going to need it. 🙂
I have the same problem!! I tend to accumulate stuff, “just in case” I might need it later. Most of the times, I never do, and end up donating it some time afterwards.
Still, if you love sewing, I wouldn’t donate anything. I think hobbies are so important! And if sewing is one of yours you should try to get some time to do that again! It’s part of personal development and fulfillment! I think…
Thanks for the chance to win The Roailroads Collection paperback!
It sounds awesome!
Hope I’m lucky!!
Blessings!!
I think you are right about the sewing stuff. I went in there the other day to mend something and realized how much I miss it. I need to find the time to sew something even if it is small.
I love the idea because I need to declutter, but it sure doesn’t apply to books for me! We just moved and I’m going through things as they enter the house. Lots of boxes are going right back out to the local mission!
I could never let go of my books–at least most of them. I reread them or think I might someday.
You do have a great opportunity to go through things when you move for sure. Once when packing and then again unpacking.
Do it for 15 minutes. Progress not perfection.. I am going to do fifteen minutes now.
I could do 15 minutes. That’s not quite so scary. I hope your 15 minutes were productive. 🙂