5 Ways to Get Unstuck

So let's all learn from Amy's challenges.  Even though it can be difficult to be so forthcoming with what I would categorize as failure or gluttony or flat out sin; I am here to tell you that it seems we all benefit when we just share the ugly truth.  Are you stuck in the closet clutter? The post Stuck talks about this. http://amysblessings4u.blogspot.com/

After publishing blog mentioned above, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and came across a fascinating photo of a simple, clean, and cute closet. Dallas moms blog advocates for maintaining a 37 piece wardrobe: 15 tops, 9 bottoms, 9 pairs of shoes, 2 dresses, and 2 jackets. / http://dallas.citymomsblog.com/why-i-got-rid-of-my-wardrobe-capsule-wardrobe/

I thought okay, let's ponder this idea.  So I went to my closet to count my jackets.  16 jackets. 16 jackets.  Are you kidding me?  And I am supposed to go down to 2?  Who's idea was this anyway? I was even trying to share and mix around quantities: Maybe I could do 11 tops and move 4 items to the jacket category.  Perhaps, fewer pairs of shoes=more jackets saved.  Oh my, stop the insanity!  I am stuck in the details of trying to make my life simpler. This is what I came up with...

5 Ways to Get Unstuck

1.  Quit comparing yourself to others.  Especially when they live in an entirely different area of the country.
     a.  Climate must be taken into consideration when purging your closet and deciding what to keep.
     b. Use others' suggestions as a guide, not a rule.

2.  Give yourself permission to purge items to another room, temporarily.
     a.  Be ruthless and just pull out items that you could do with out for the next 2 weeks and put in another    area.  As I did this, I found things I could definitely donate.  (I did this for my husband just to see if he noticed and/or missed anything...remember, I kept everything, just moved it out.)
     b.  Work with what is left and have fun creating looks.
     c.  Benefit: leaves room in your operating closet to see what you have.

3.  Move to another area of the house.
     a.  Great advice from a friend. Quit messing with that closet. "Close the door." ~ Barb Gens
     b.  Opportunity to deal with a dresser/buffet for the first time in 5 years!

4.  Go outside
     a.  Walk around. Work on anything other than de-cluttering.

5.  Read a book.  
     a.  Or don't do anything at all!  Give yourself a break and relax.

So, it's best to remember what is YOUR goal.
Is it to:
Find things easily?
Be able to make a sandwich without having to clear counter space?
Spend less time moving your stuff around or cleaning it or dusting it or organizing it?
Freedom to do things you enjoy? 

Spend some time on this.  Visualize what you want your space to look like.  What you want your mornings to look like?  Evenings?  Find some images online. Print them out and hang them up.  You can do this!

Awesome Action (call to action):

1.  Go to your bathroom and purge 3 cosmetics you haven't used in 6 months.

2.  Let me know how you are doing on your plight. Tell me about your struggles and victories.  We can learn from each other. Onward Ho!

Blessings,
Amy

P.S.  A great Bible verse.  Isaiah 49:9  Come out, and to those in darkness, Be free!  NIV
  Come out!  I am giving you your freedom! LIV version

Stuck

I'm stuck.

I am paralyzed in the closet.  Can I blame it on the multi-personality Minnesota weather?
The idea of having 1/2 winter and 1/2 spring clothes available for wear may sound a bit silly to my California girlfriends, but it's reality around here.  I swear the windchill must be 20 degrees today.  (just looked it up...actual temp is 37 feels like 28. I was close.) Last weekend it was 70+!

Here is the problem:

Turtlenecks and Tank tops
Boots and flip flops
Jackets for winter and summer
Heavy sweaters and light sweaters
Scarves and well, scarves

Every day clothes and good clothes
Garden clothes for 50 degrees
Garden clothes for 80 degrees

It's all more than I can bear.

So, one of the tidying books I have listened to gives this criteria:  "Keep only those items that spark joy."
Okay, so, my grubby garden clothes don't necessarily spark joy but they are necessary. So what is a girl to do?  This is where I am stuck.  Marie Kondo, author of the life changing magic of tidying up says to start with discarding clothing because it is the easiest area and a person has less attachment.  She even went as far as to say that you should keep all seasons of clothing out and available (like, don't pack away seasonal clothing). She obviously doesn't live in Minnesota.

Well, Marie, I have to disagree.  Less attachment?
I have done several purges over the past couple of years and still struggle with my self talk of "what if..."
or "I might need that for..." or "I bought that when I was with..."

It's time to deal with it.  How can I be an encourager or a De-Clutter Coach if I am not willing to face my own issues. This raw truth hits me between the eyes.

On a positive note, I have worked in other areas of the house. Even jewelry.
I have purged 1238 items.

How are you doing on this journey?  Share with me and others under my Facebook post. I am working on setting up an easier format for comments. Coming soon...

So, here is to getting un-stuck.  We can do this together. 
Share with me what your struggles are.  Let's learn together.

Cling to what is good,
Amy

Motivation in a good Challenge

"Purge 3 items from your kitchen utensil drawer..." was the challenge on the Clutter Free Facebook page.  I can do that in just a few minutes, I thought.
Several hours later, Stone and I had purged 144 items!  141extra.

We started in the kitchen. Then traveled to the basement kitchenette (used in the summer for lake guests). 
Oh boy!  We hit a jackpot.  The bar area was conveniently built for storage.  Storage has maybe become one of our enemies? Every last item was drug out from behind closed doors.

Storage: noun  A space for storing goods.

So the mentality that I have so easily adopted is that I can just stick it in here and deal with it later.
Other thoughts:
I like it and will use it again some day.  
I love the idea of luncheon sets...I will invite girlfriends over and use these for a special occasion.
I received this goblet set from my grandma for a wedding gift.
Seems like every time I get rid of something, someone's feelings get hurt.
These (paper) plates were on clearance.
This is such a cool gadget, it will make life easier.
I love the scene on this, it reminds me of vacation at the ocean.

There you have it folks.  A whole lot of excuses and then this happens:

Humbling really. 

This collection helped us reach the 144 mark I was speaking of.

Have any of you watched any of the videos on FB or shows on TV about Tiny Houses?  I have seen several episodes of Tiny House Nation.  I literally can hear myself doing some heavy breathing watching the guests on the show pair down their stuff.  And then try to be excited about this teeny tiny bathroom!  Yikes!
I like the concept very much. I know I couldn't do it.  Even so, this latest trend of minimalism has helped me to realize how little we actually do need. 

So, the long and short of it is that I hope I can be an encouragement to others.  It's hard to admit I have freezer burnt food and more mugs than I care to talk about. But the more people I talk to about this de-cluttering business, the more I know I am "normal"? 

We are in this together.  Keep up the good work. Let's go for a new normal!

Challenge:  Purge 3 items from your kitchen utensil drawer.  Go!

Blessed by you,
Amy

Matthew 6:20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Heaven:  The best space (place) for storage of goods!

Live, really live!

I have embarked on yet another detox/de-clutter journey!

Dr. Caroline Leaf's 21daybraindetox.com
I am on day three and left my work until the end of the day.  I had all kind of excuses; I'm too tired, I have a cold, you deserve a break, I doubt this will work for me anyway...etc.

See why I need a brain detox!  Oh my goodness!
I am thankful as I went through my Day 3 assignment that she wrote, "You may start feeling demotivated."  Well, praise be!  It's actually got a scientific reason. The chemicals in the brain that were awakened during the first 2 days, have subsided and so I have lost the "high" so to speak.  I was thankful for the reassurance.  And then the fun began. 

Long story short, these are the two passages that I was led to:

Fit every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. MSG -- 2 Cor 10:4-5 (Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. NIV)
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

 Prov 4:20-23 MSG 
Dear friend, listen well to my words;
    tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
    Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
    body and soul, they’re bursting with health.

 Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
    that’s where life starts.

I have an urge emphasize every word in these texts!  It's powerful stuff.   

Concentrate

Message in plain view

Learn it by heart!

Divine weapons to help

Keep vigilant and take (my active role)

Life starts.

Live, really live!  Life begins. Health is bursting. 

This happens when we listen to His word. Learn it. Memorize it. Redirect our thoughts and stick scripture in place of the negativity. Just flat out take control of that mind inside of that thick skull!  Ha!  (Speaking to myself there...) 

It takes work and concentration. A new pattern is being formed. 

Keep His word in plain view. Try to adhere note cards of verses up where you spend a lot of time. I have even been known to attach cards to my steering wheel. 

It takes an active role. It takes work. But it looks clear from above Scripture that it is worth it!

Clutter Free...in more ways than one! Brain clutter...who'd of thunk.

Speaking of clutter:  

I have signed up for an email from Kathi Lipp, Clutter Free. http://www.kathilipp.com/clutter-free I receive a motivational email every day.  Yesterday, I had about 20 minutes before I had to head out the door.  I sat down to frankly waste away the time and there it was staring at me.  The word...CHALLENGE.  You may not know this about me, but the thought of someone challenging me gets me motivated.  

Challenge.: Discard 30 items.

30 items in less than 20 minutes...I can do this.

I headed for my scarf drawers. Then to the plastic bag of stocking caps, gloves, and mittens I had put away over 2 years ago "in case I might need them someday". I even had 1 brown leather glove I had held onto just in case I found it's twin!  Oh boy!   

Challenge met and exceeded.  52 items!  

684 items to date

1316 to go for 2015

I have enjoyed keeping track of this as this was the challenge from the above mentioned book I read.  

I encourage you to do whatever you think you can handle but make it part of your routine.  

Pick up every item you have and ask yourself, "Does this spark joy?"  

Concentrate on what to keep instead of what to throw. 

What makes you happy when you touch it?

In the end, when our spaces become more tranquil (and perhaps our minds), I believe we will be able to 

Live, really live! 

Blessings,

Amy

P.S.  I distributed the large quantity of super balls and gave as Easter gifts!  Repurpose!

You are on!

"Whoever can find the oldest, dumbest, grossest stuff wins!"

Hilarious.  This quote was snap chatted to me from my friend.  
We've been sending snapchats of the de-cluttering items of the day. 

105 bouncy balls found tucked away in a bird feeder. (Oldest son's hiding place and he didn't take with him! Bird feeder hand made by aforesaid son.)
Frozen veggies from 2008 and 2009 as well as white freezer burnt hamburger.
19 partially used candles!

Wowza!


 Happy, happy day!
Candles delivered to SomePlace Safe.  What fun! 

I'm not sure what to do with the bouncy balls.

Love a good challenge and contest,
Amy