Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Life Lessons: Being Mindful and Simplifying the Home


     The more I read about mindfulness, the more I run into the term "simplify". It makes sense that they go hand-in-hand, but I had never taken the time to think about it before. I'm joining Simple Mom in her challenge to simplify the home. I'd like to enjoy my home, in this minute and the next, instead of having the feeling that I am drowning in stuff. Clutter.
     This might be a good time to admit that I am a thrift store junky. And as the saying goes, I am the kind of woman to spend $1 on something I don't need when a man spends $2 on something he does. If it's on sale, it will probably come home with me because I swear I can find a use for it. I have lots of "projects" started an piling up as well. I'm ready to to tackle the clutter and decide once and for all to use it or lose it! 
     My intent is to have a home that is welcoming to both my family and friends, a home that doubles as a schoolhouse that invites my children to learn and explore, a home that energizes me for the day instead of holding me down. I just joined project simplify, so I'll be starting with hotspot #1 - the bedroom closet. If I don't blog again after this post, it's quite possible that I'm lost in said closet. Or I've run away, because my closet is where I dump all the unfinished projects, all the things I *might* use one day, and its beginning to become reminiscent of the talking trash heap on Fraggle Rock. The haul out to goodwill should be a good one when I'm done! I'm too shamed to post a picture of the "before", but I'll come back and add a picture of the stuff I'm letting go of :) 


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Update: I survived! Here is the van all loaded up, 95% of this came from my master closet...the rest *was* in the closet at one point but had previously been moved to the garage. There's a baby gate, car seat, 2 laundry sorters, worm ride-on, organizing drawers, baby toys, and of course clothes. 

4 comments:

Tanya Ott said...

Just found your blog (via Raising Three Thinkers) - can't wait to dig in.

We're doing the de-cluttering thing too. Spent the week painting the bedroom, so right now the closet's empty. I'm hoping to put back a whole lot less than I took out!

Good luck with yours... I"ll be checking back for updates!

Christin said...

Thanks so much for leaving a comment Tanya! Paint is another thing on my list, next week I hope!

Five Bears A-Blogging said...

I just logged on to let you know, Christin, that you're the second blogger I've read who is doing the declutter challenge...and there was Tanya! Who found you through S! Haha! How fabulous is that? I'm not doing the challenge (what?!? me say no to a project?!? impossible!!!), but I did de-clutter the master closet and bedroom last week, and am tackling the three boys' bedrooms this weekend/week. I forsee many large black bags in my future ;)

Christin said...

LOL Mo! The blogging world is a small world after all ;) Cleaning out just feels good doesn't it?