simplify my life

I started sorting things for a church yard sale that never happened. I had a big enough mountain of throw aways that I couldn’t bear to just “throw it away” so some friends organized a group yard sale and we participated. The community piece of that was fun… I think I can say that was the only fun part. OH! Getting rid of things was fun. I think from now on I’ll work up small piles and donate them regularly instead. I endedup with $70 I didn’t have before and a much cleaner house. It also started me looking at “stuff” differently. Not an altogther bad thing.

I signed up at https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/home.action to opt out of unsolisited mail, calls, and emails. Since over half the snail mail I get falls into this catagory, it should reduce the time I spend dealing with the post.

I think I now have almost all my regular bills on autopay. Took a bit of time to set up, but so very worth it!

I need to do the following soon:

*create a few filing system (tweak the existing one)
*get my stupid SS card in my current name to simplify bills
*create a few crazy button items to get rid of my huge ridiculous stash
*have my daughter’s garage sale and then dump the rest off at Goodwill
*figure out what the hell to do with my beloved couch with no cushions to store it
*create a system for organizing The Gypsy Kiss monthly events.

I guess I have a self defeating issue. Anytime I decide what exactly it is I am going to do, you know the extreme specifics, the inner rebellious me kicks in. So last week I said to myself and to 43T I am going to finish the one drawer, the mudroom and then move on to the closet. Easy stuff. I didn’t do it. Instead I started the office. So this week I have said(to myself, yes I do talk to myself a lot.. just not out loud.) “Ok finish the office then… so instead I worked in the kitchen.

Maybe it’s the finishing part of it all. Who knows. I do know though that my fridge is clean and half used dressings and sauces I really didn’t like the taste of anyway have been tossed. The pantry is organized and the broken handled mugs are now keeping one another’s company in the trash can.

Finishing is the challenge though.

The week isn’t over yet but do I do the simplest things to complete 2 jobs? No.

I have instead tackled the monster instead. The office. All the craft material, to the business, to “I don’t know where this goes so lets dump it in the office”, computer equipment and everything related to that, and finally every electrical wire/cable that looks like an evil mass of growing vines ready to consume anything that gets in its path. All the while I did work on my photography files organizing them in periodic moments. I made headway. I am no where near done.

So this being said. Why do I do things like that? Why not just finish the simple few things on my list so I can have the pleasure of saying “Hey I accomplished this this week. I got these things DONE!” Insanity I tell you. Its the self defeating madness to keep me below the rubble.

Ok I have 2.5 hours to try to get those things done I said I would. Time to bolt and break this pattern!

Found a beautiful glass cupboard at a garage sale – finally, a place to keep my creations safe and free from kitty fur and dust! It freed up a basket, which in turn freed up a bin of clothes which I could put INTO the basket. Which in turn freed up the bin for lots of the beautiful fabric that was just sitting there on the couch. It was like dominoes!

Next comes more of the main level – and I”d like to make several layered skirts out of all that fabric. That’ll get some of my ridiculously prodigious fabric stash out the door and productive.

I’ve been away from the site for awhile. It wasn’t that goals were no longer set. I just rambled on without recording them. I had the urge to suddenly return though and refocus myself. Listing them alone helps me to accomplish more though and be more aware of the life I am leading.

I am back to downsizing even more lately. Less is more. Richness exists in the experience, not the stuff. Two weeks ago I hit the bedroom and sharpened my cutting skills there. I was harsh. All bedding not having been used within the last 6 months I donated. The stepper that I stepped over and not on, making me feel guilty, was sent to a new home. There was something freeing about that. Magazines stacked near my bed were also packed up. I do have to admit I still have a handful of those, but I am getting there. I still have 2 drawers to go through. One is filled with exercise equipment and cd’s. The other with beach wear and beach towels. I promised myself I would return to those this week to finish the job.

Last week I tackled the dreaded mudroom. It too has some things yet to go through but I did make tremendous headway. I think I had plastic cups from 2001 stuffed in a top back cabinet. When did we get so many things that something like that can be overlooked until it takes on the look of age? I now have blank space in my cabinets. It feels very zen to look at them now. In fact I kept opening and looking at them just to make myself smile. Simplicity makes one smile.

Now for this week. I have to finish the mudroom and the two drawers in the bedroom. That should take me about 3-4 hours. Even less if I don’t stop to rethink about if I will ever use these things I haven’t touched in years. Time to be harsh, quick and unforgiving.

Next will be the coat/game/glove/hat/slippers/whatever has no real home closet. I think we all try to keep our eyes closed as we open and shut these doors. I really believe though now that my youngest is 12 years old that chutes and ladders can be given to a new home or tossed. Operation hasn’t seen the light of day in years and we won’t mention the state of the Hungry Hippo game(That will be one noise maker I will be glad to see go.).

So in summary, there are 2 goals for the week. The coat closet and finish the bedroom and mudroom. Maybe that should be 3 goals. Be seeing you all soon!

Moved out to BFE I think this is simplifying my life a lot. I also no longer have car.

Loving this….
http://zenhabits.net/2009/01/the-lazy-manifesto-do-less-then-do-even-less/

there is so much to do that I am whirling round unproductively as usual and getting very little done. This article has appeared to my attention just at the right time as i have worked for two hours today(it is my day off btw) and I am now feeling much like lying down and reading and sleeping for the rest of the day.

To my right there is a pile of papers that needs sorting out – been there for probably about four months and is just getting bigger.

In the hall and to my far right on the floor, there are boxes of work items that need ordering and filing and made accessible.

Behind me to my right, is a file and some new resources that are calling me to use, experiment with, develop and refine.

On the floor beside me is my current work items ready for tomorrow but in a state of disarray and disorganisation.

Then there is the carpet that needs a good hoover, the kitchen that needs cleaning again, the bathroom.

In front of me is the computer….with loads of interesting things to read, use in my work, courses to do , google reader and delicious to help me organise all these wonderful resources!

Arrrggggg! My head needs sorting out. Where do I put my attention?- how do I read all that I want to read?
- then how do I use it and keep the best and throw out the dross? I think google reader has just confused the issue – now I have “my favourites”, then I have delicious, and now google reader with all those articles queuing up for me to read them!!!

I am hearing this song in my head right now….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No2ukc5V4EM

I have been aware of my fluttering about for some time now and my not settling to anything.

Maybe I need to go and put my attention inward – meditation seems like a good idea right now – calm my mind and ease my fluttering.