Purging = Simplicity

When I open my closet, I quickly shut it - it's disorganized and filled with clothing.  When I need to get a coffee cup, I open the cupboard very slowly, to make sure none of the other 75 or so cups in there fall out.  When I'm done vacuuming, I push all the coats to the side, and push the vacuum in while pushing the door closed (it's the only way to get it to close all the way).  Linen closet? Filled with hotel-shampoos and travel toothpastes.  Kids rooms - filled with toys, books, and crayons.  Dining room - craft cart, filled with coloring books and crayons.  Classroom - more books, toys, and crayons.  And don't even get me started on the garage - it is a nightmare.

Living the American dream.

We've been told a lie - that when we have more money, we buy more stuff, and it makes us happier. 

Stuff does not equal happiness.  Stuff is imprisoning, overwhelming, and sometimes, debilitating.

We're not hoarders, not by any stretch.  But, we have so much - too much.  Stuff that we don't need, and probably won't ever use.  I've been inspired by others to begin purging unneeded items as a way to simplify my life.  As a goal, I am aiming on a garbage bag-full per week.  It's a small, manageable amount, that will hopefully keep me consistent over the next couple of weeks.  I plan on focusing on one area each week, and thought it would be helpful to keep a log here.  Come back regularly, as I'll be updating each week (minus a few for vacationing/camping/etc).

Week 1 - MY clothing and shoes - I got rid of anything that didn't meet the following guidelines (this was donated to Amvets).

1. it must fit well and make me feel good.  Anything that makes me feel fat or sloppy is gone.
2. I have to wear it somewhat regularly.  If I haven't worn it in two years, it's gone.

Week 2 - linens - I got rid of extra sheets.  I kept one spare set for each bed (plus, one extra flat sheet for indoor picnics).  One thing that I'm embarrassed to say, is that I had quite the selection of full sheets sets.  We haven't owned a full-sized bed in eight years...
I also got rid of the kids' baby (hooded) towels - again, just not needed, we haven't had a baby in {gasp!} four years.

If you're feeling imprisoned by stuff as well, please join me on this journey.  Let me know what areas you think we should work on together.

A Small Step Toward Simplicity

Wow, have we become dependent on technology.  Our computer hasn't been charging the way it should be, so I haven't been on much.  And, unfortunately, when I try to type on my phone, I make a million typos, so I haven't been able to blog as much as I would like.

Today, I don't have anything profound to say.  I'm not in the middle of a big struggle.  Life is good.

But, we made a small change.  One that hasn't affected us too much.

We got rid of cable.

It's interesting.  There are a couple of shows I miss, but the hardest part has been going without DVR.  I thought it was making our life easier.  If we were gone, we could just have our show recorded and watch it when we got home.  If we left the room, we could pause our show (not being able to do this has been quite the adjustment for my little people).  We could multitask while watching, because if we missed something, we could always rewind.

But, to be honest, it wasn't making life easier.  I would go to bed after the hubby so that I could catch up on my shows that I can't watch when the kids are awake.  We were watching WAY too much TV.  And, our DVR probably had 90+ shows on it.

There's freedom in simplifying.  TV has already lost some importance in our life.  We spend more time reading and listening to the radio.  I've become more productive without the distraction.  And, if the kids want to watch TV, they can watch PBS Kids which is educational, or Smile of a Child, which is a God-centered channel geared towards children.

Also, we just bought Frozen, which has been watched (more than) a few times.

Although it is March, I think I'm going to make more of an effort in 2014 to simplify our life.  I plan on getting rid of things we don't need, removing unnecessary distractions, and spending more time (once it's warm again) outside.  We'd like to maybe start a garden - that will keep our hands busy and give us something in return (less trips to the grocery!).  

I'm excited to see how our small changes improve our life this year.  Do you have any simplifying tips you'd like to share?