Simplicity is not as simple as I thought!

You know something, I had plans for 2011...I mean big plans...plans that included simplifying my life in all areas, focusing on needs not wants, enjoying good health, family, friends etc and blogging about it. That DID NOT happen!

Oh I simplified, but I didn't blog about it. Why you ask? Well the short answer is that I didn't think it was exciting enough for anyone to actually care. So I gave up. I mean do you really care that I cleaned out my closets or that I managed to get rid of the boxes in my basement that I have moved 3 times and never opened? Do you care that I cut out processed foods and STILL struggle to eat unless I'm at home? It appears from what I am hearing that you do...you actually DO care. So today I begin blogging again.

So what do you need to know from my experiment last year? You need to know that simplicity is NOT simple. It's hard...I mean uber....Arnold Schwartzeneger Terminator hard. It is an ongoing battle between you and society....an ongoing "gone back to highschool popularity contest" hard. It is a constant battle between those adorable glittery Nine West Slingbacks that you might wear once...but they are soooooo on sale and actually enjoying the room in your closet and wearing EVERYTHING you own. It is a constant battle between enjoying a simple soup of locally grown vegetables and organic bread and stopping at McDonald's  on your way home from a busy day to scarf down a BIG MAC while texting and driving.

Simplicity is not simple but it IS deeply satisying. So give it a shot. Start with one thing...get rid of the late night stops for a Big Mac....actually cook one night a week....use a crockpot.....talk to your family while cooking....better yet....get them to help. Eat something warm and follow it up with cookies because everything  is better with cookies....start simply and see where  it takes you.

I wish you a simply beautiful 2012...with cookies!

Following my Joy!

So I've been away for a while healing from some crazy health stuff which has not made my life simple at all.

What has made it simple is the desire to "follow my joy". So what does that mean? Well, some would say it's living life on the side of happy, others would say it's delusional and that you shouldn't be joyful, you should be responsible...well I've done responsible and I mean BIG responsible. I'm talking responsible for the whole world responsible and I'm all finished with that. I am going to take care of my stuff and you can take care of yours. if you need my help, hey ask me and if you're actually willing to do something about it and just need a hand...I'm there.

In the meantime, I'm following my joy. That means kids, puppies, gardens, outside, maybe just maybe even a ride on the hubby's V-Rod from time to time. It also means that I am literally following my joy in my new fave food blog joythebaker.com. She is a goddess of food and makes simple amazing.

I think that everyone should follow their joy AND Joy the Baker....because she's cool.

Giving Feels Good!

I just gave away 2 old TV's and a gaming system to our local homeless shelter and I can't tell you how good it feels.

I have been talking to people recently about the frustration they have encountered in trying to give away old electronic like tv's etc because apparently no one wants them and no one will take them. I couldn't believe the stupidity of those statements and thought "seriously...if you have nothing isn't something better than nothing?!"

So one phone call to our local shelter and bang....they are coming to pick them up on Tuesday. The funny part is that I was thanking them so much for taking them AND coming to get them that the man at the shelter started to laugh and said "Lady, stop thanking ME...YOU are giving the stuff to US!"

I guess that is what a real win/win feels like.

Tips for clutter busting a Tween's room

As I've told you before, my children are viewing this simplicity experiment as something kindof stupid since their lives are about as simple as it gets. You can imagine then, how much support I am getting on the January Clutter Busting that is happening.

I thought that I was a fairly brilliant mother when I had my husband build cubbys for my kids at our front door so that they could keep all of their shoes, coats, sports equipment and general crap in them and for the most part it works. The issue is that they are all now beginning to turn into large human beings and their crap is getting bigger and is seemingly multiplying despite my best efforts.

This brings me to the subject of their bedrooms....HOLY CRAP. I have been downscaling what we buy for the kids for a while now in an effort to simplify and keep the clutter down and Christmas this year was no exception. They got a couple of big things and that was it. They were also happy. However, in their rooms, I am astounded to find unbelievable amounts of things that have somehow survived the regular purging that I do.

This becomes the issue because getting them to help is a horror show because really, we can't throw out their stuff because it's all so important! Even the half filled lip gloss from 5 years ago is something that my daughter just LOVES! The other issue with getting rid of kid stuff is that even a purger like me gets caught in the trap of sentimentalism. Old McDonald's toys I have no problem throwing out but the bunny that went to kindergarten and still has orange paint on her from craft time....even a hardass like me can't bring myself to do it.

I've come to the conclusion that when working with decluttering kids rooms, you are better off using a flame thrower from a distance than getting them to help or delving deeply into the memories. Maybe I should just leave their rooms alone unless something smells and they can deal with it when they move out!

The Medical System is not simple.

By now, if you've read any of this blog, you know that I have been struggling with some bothersome yet not serious health issues. Just enough to take me out of my regular life while I heal but not enough to devastate my life completely.

Being that I am a bit of a simpleton by nature and I have committed to simplifying my life, I am attempting to apply that same principle to my healing and medical care. All I can say, is that it is clear that I am an idiot. Every health practitioner that I speak to can only address one set of symptoms and only within their area of expertise. My family doc will only look for one possible option and if other symptoms are present and don't fit within a box of a diagnosis, he blames stress.

Where I ask you is the doctor House's of this world, the ones who will look for the common thread and analyze from there? Too simple you say? Well my family doc thinks so too.

What have I learned? In medical applications, they go out of their way to make things long, hard and painful and one hand does NOT talk to the other. Why you ask? Well because that would be too simple!

I will NEVER be this good.

As part of this experiment, I have been researching how others live a more simple life and over the year will have lots to share. Being that January is declutter the house month, I have been looking for people who have done some interesting things with their homes and how they have implemented the concept of simplicity, efficiency or decluttering in their homes.

Just today, I had this link sent to me about a dude in Hong Kong who has done the single most amazing thing you have ever seen with 350 square feet. He literally uses every single square inch of space to his advantage and the place is absolutely amazing. It is a true marvel of efficiency. Take a look here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9qnWg9kak

Something I learned when I watched this and then looked around my house is that there really is something in becoming efficient and organized which I can tell you is NOT my strong suit. I couldn't believe how much wasted space I have in my tiny little house....the house that I keep saying is too small. I also couldn't believe how much crap we have even though I am a regular purger and have been purging even more.

When you watch the video, look how happy the guy is. He's in a tiny apartment but surrounded by only what he needs and everything he loves and honestly, the guy looks happy.

My birthday is coming up and I can tell you....don't buy me anything. I honestly don't want any more STUFF! 

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Thank you to Kristi who actually must read my posts and was kind enough to sign on!!! I thought I would only be writing to myself!

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