The hardest part of decluttering happen in you mind. The clutter itself isn't really the problem it is the preconceived ideas we have about what we should, could and must keep and what we think we can't live without. If these thoughts are hindering your decluttering perhaps it is time to declutter your mind. Question every thought about what you should, must and have room to keep even though you don't really need or want them. And rethink what is really important to you when it comes to those items you feel you can't let go. We are often in a tug of war over wishing we had the space or that Continue reading
Positive attitude to decluttering
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Here is a great comment from Kimberley that I didn't want anyone to miss... "Selling vs. Donating….. When we acquire an item, there was an obvious need for us to do so, real or imagined. It may have served its purpose where we feel we “got our monies worth”. Then again, some acquisitions are what we needed at that time in our life whether we “got our monies worth”, or not. I have found over the years that everything that has come into my life, came in for a reason, sometimes very temporary and all at some cost. Our lives are constantly changing as we grow as individuals. I have always Continue reading
A Fresh Mind on the Minimalist Path
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I received an email from a new minimalist blogger on the weekend. His name is Marco Laberge and his blog is Toward Minimalism. He asked me to check out his blog and give him some feedback. I am a busy lady these days with my blog, my craft making and selling, my other volunteer work, friends and family, so reading is just one things I don't have a lot of time for. Most of the posts, from blogs I subscribe to, that appear in my in-box are deleted without receiving any of my attention due to these other commitments. However I was intrigued enough to take the time out to read some of Marco's Continue reading
In Denial
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Have your ever been or are you currently in denial about the state of the clutter level in your home? Do any of the following scenarios ring true for you? I am happy with the clutter level in my home. ~ While at the same time you wish your home was easier to keep tidy. I am comfortable with the level of clutter in my home. ~ But what you really mean is ~ you feel more uncomfortable with the thought of letting go of more of your precious stuff than you do of living with the resulting discomfort of keeping it. I am more careful about what I bring into my home. ~ But really you've Continue reading
Revel in the moment
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Have you ever enjoyed one of those TV series where the two main characters have a love interest in each other that takes episode after episode to come to climactic fruition. The build up is intoxicating. It is almost a shame when they finally succumb to their lust for each other. In fact that is often when the series also comes to its finality and if it doesn't the show is never really as appealing from that moment on. It is like fairytales where the endings are "...and they lived happily ever after. Clearly the teller these stories know that the buildup is more interesting and tantalising Continue reading
Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom ~ Sometimes You Just Don’t Care
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Recently a friend was cleaning out items from his mother's estate, a chore than sadly has stretched on at least two years now. He brought over a bag of craft supplies, jewelry, and a peanut butter jar full of needles and other small sewing items. In pretty short order, Dan and the girls and I sorted through the jewelry and craft supplies. Only the peanut butter jar remained. Specifically, it remained on my desk for weeks. Finally I got sick of looking at it there, so I moved it to the kitchen island to motivate myself to sort through it. There is remained for another month. I looked at it Continue reading
Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom ~ You Don’t Have to Have One Too
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Every time you see something fun, intriguing, clever, imaginative, or functional at a friend's house, are you tempted to buy one for yourself too? When your child loves a toy that he or she has played with at a friend's house, school, or the doctor's office, do you think he or she must surely want one for your house as well? This is a trap. Don't fall for it. In my experience, parents and grandparents are the first and worst to fall into this trap. If junior loves a toy elsewhere, he/she will surely love one at home too. Not necessarily. Instead, by buying a duplicate, you've removed the Continue reading
Cindy’s weekly Wisdom ~ A Study of Clutter
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I read this great little post the other day - 46 ways to increase your happiness. Of course, I wasn't surprised at all to find that reducing clutter was on the list (number 31). I followed the link to the summary of a University of California Los Angeles study about "crushing"number of possessions in the households of 32 Los Angeles families. I highly recommend you read the whole article and examine the photos. I'm going to highlight some of the portions that struck me as particularly important. First of all, only we know what goes on it our home; only we can tell (or hide) the truth about Continue reading
Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom ~ The Shortage Is Only in Your Mind
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I went to high school with a girl named Helen, who was extremely petite and wore a very tiny shoe size, 5 I believe. In college, Helen and I lived in the same dorm. Her room was remarkable because it contained the largest shoe collection in the dorm, probably in the entire school. Why did Helen own so many shoes? Because she wore a tiny shoe, many stores would only get one in her size when they ordered a style. Helen was constantly afraid that she wouldn't be able to find shoes that fit. As a result, she bought every shoe she found in her size. Clearly, the idea that there was a shortage of Continue reading
Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom ~ Efficiency
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I have been thinking a lot about efficiency recently. We are constantly told by ourselves, our friends, and the media that we don't have enough time. Is this true, or are we just deeply inefficient and distracted? In my house, during down times, I have notices that all four of us have our "go to" strategies, none of which are very productive: I check my email and Facebook for the millionth time; Clara listens to music and plays solitaire; Audra watches TV; Dan fools around on his computer. All electronic, all non-productive. My girlfriend Sherri addressed this on Facebook recently. (Okay, I Continue reading
