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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@aprilskies wrote:


I do want to deal with some of my collections within the next year. The truth is I really dont have anyone to leave them too and not sure I want to keep having them stored away.

 

I do really want simple in every aspect of my surroundings now but I have to allow myself time to get there.  I want to be brutal but brutal with care.


@aprilskies 

 

That's the tricky part.  I was giving myself time and it turned out to be too much time.  I should have dealt with things sooner; as a result, I lost most of it.

 

I was thinking of an exercise for Simple September.  I was looking around the rental and realized we had about a dozen pieces of furniture restored.  (I'm counting the dining room table and chairs as one.)

 

Here's the exercise.  Walk around your home and pick out the twelve pieces of furniture you'd keep if something were to happen.  Big move, fire... whatever.

 

What did you keep, what did you choose to leave behind?  Were there any surprises?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,488
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:


I do want to deal with some of my collections within the next year. The truth is I really dont have anyone to leave them too and not sure I want to keep having them stored away.

 

I do really want simple in every aspect of my surroundings now but I have to allow myself time to get there.  I want to be brutal but brutal with care.


@aprilskies 

 

That's the tricky part.  I was giving myself time and it turned out to be too much time.  I should have dealt with things sooner; as a result, I lost most of it.

 

I was thinking of an exercise for Simple September.  I was looking around the rental and realized we had about a dozen pieces of furniture restored.  (I'm counting the dining room table and chairs as one.)

 

Here's the exercise.  Walk around your home and pick out the twelve pieces of furniture you'd keep if something were to happen.  Big move, fire... whatever.

 

What did you keep, what did you choose to leave behind?  Were there any surprises?


@just bee 

 

This is interesting, and something I’ve been doing lately in my mind.  My move won’t be for another few years (I think, but who knows?), but I’m already trying to think of what, if anything I have now, would I want to take with me to live with the rest of my life. Of course, I don’t know the size or layout of any any possible new home, so it makes being sure about anything rather a moot point.  But it gives me something to think about.  What am I absolutely going to have to have?  Sort of like what I’ve been trying with skin care items.

 

My question for you about your exercise for us is this: how exactly to determine the twelve, assuming you are counting a set of dining furniture as one item.  Two separate—but matching—book cases, for instance.  One item, or two?  TV and stand, one item or two?  Can’t put my TV on the floor.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,488
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


a@aprilskies wrote:

@rnmom wrote:

I would also love to simplify all areas of my life but that is not going to happen anytime soon. But I DO have someone to blame! Smiley Happy With hubby, 2 kids and now 4 dogs, it's REALLY hard for anything to be simple around here right now. 

 

However, because of all the madness and busyness with schedules, etc.it's even more important for me to simplify where I can, whether that is with skincare, clothing, groceries, housekeeping etc.  

 

I don't like housekeeping either and just keeping up with the laundry, floors, bathrooms, etc makes it so that I don't get to a lot of other things. Now that everyone is back to school I want to make it a point at least one day a week to work on some other cleaning that I don't do every day like dusting. 

 

I do want to continue to streamline my skincare and makeup collections so that I am only using new, fresh items. Clothes are pretty streamlined because I still can't fit into hardly anything so I wear the same things over and over again. I should try to do something about that.

 

I will continue to declutter where I can so that it doesn't get too overwhelming. I'd like to look at one room every week or two if I can until I get thru the whole house. I've done so much that I don't have a lot to go, everything could just use a quick look. 

 

We did simplify this summer by getting rid of our above ground pool and I didn't plant any new flowers this year at all. I will see if I can think of something particular for fall that will help us simplify. 


 

@rnmom, I agree with @just bee, dont be too hard on yourself. You have done so well and really made a difference in decluttering. The normal stuff everyday with hubby and kids is normal and ongoing and you are in such a good place to manage that on an every day/week basis and not worry about all of the stuff that is hiding everywhere. I would like to get to that place myself. 

 

Just know you have inspired me and I keep wanting to get to that place too. I have decluttered a ton but I still have a ton to go and this last half ton is weighing on me.

 

I do want to deal with some of my collections within the next year. The truth is I really dont have anyone to leave them too and not sure I want to keep having them stored away.

 

I do really want simple in every aspect of my surroundings now but I have to allow myself time to get there.  I want to be brutal but brutal with care.


@aprilskies 

 

I am sort of in the same situation.  I don’t have “collections”, so to speak, but just some things in general—like my china and crystal, for instance.  I don’t have kids, and my nieces all either have their own or have inherited my sisters’.  Great-nieces?  Those I haven’t even met and don’t know.  And all these people live out of state anyway.  I don’t anticipate moving there, ever.  

 

So, what to do with my stuff that I don’t want and is too good to donate?  I have a young(er) couple of close friends that “adopted” the OG and I a few years ago as their second set of parents.  I’ve been giving that kind of stuff to them and their kids.  She’s absolutely delighted to get it.  I haven’t given a lot away yet, because, frankly, I wanted to see their reaction before I committed to everything I want to rid myself of.  (I didn’t want to give many of my belongings to someone that didn’t appreciate them.)  They aren’t biological family, but they are more “family” to me than much of mine nowadays.

 

Do you have any friends or acquaintances that might enjoy and appreciate any of your collectibles?  Are they worth enough to try and sell?  I agree that I don’t want to dump things indiscriminately that I may want later.  But you say yours are stored away.  Do you ever use any?  Bring them out and just enjoy seeing them?  Do you have to pay to store them?  Some questions you may want to ask yourself.  

 

I know, it’s tough to get rid of things we once loved and spent our hard earned money to obtain or that someone we loved gave to us.  And it’s like we’re trying to shed our past, which is often emotionally difficult.  And sometimes the things we think we are ready to part with are more difficult to actually get out the door than we thought.

 

You sound like you might be hitting a rough patch in your life right now.  Maybe just take a break from “trying too hard”.  If you think about the big picture, eventually none of this stuff will mean anything to any of us.

 

❤️

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@geezerette wrote:

@just bee wrote:

@aprilskies wrote:


I do want to deal with some of my collections within the next year. The truth is I really dont have anyone to leave them too and not sure I want to keep having them stored away.

 

I do really want simple in every aspect of my surroundings now but I have to allow myself time to get there.  I want to be brutal but brutal with care.


@aprilskies 

 

That's the tricky part.  I was giving myself time and it turned out to be too much time.  I should have dealt with things sooner; as a result, I lost most of it.

 

I was thinking of an exercise for Simple September.  I was looking around the rental and realized we had about a dozen pieces of furniture restored.  (I'm counting the dining room table and chairs as one.)

 

Here's the exercise.  Walk around your home and pick out the twelve pieces of furniture you'd keep if something were to happen.  Big move, fire... whatever.

 

What did you keep, what did you choose to leave behind?  Were there any surprises?


@just bee 

 

This is interesting, and something I’ve been doing lately in my mind.  My move won’t be for another few years (I think, but who knows?), but I’m already trying to think of what, if anything I have now, would I want to take with me to live with the rest of my life. Of course, I don’t know the size or layout of any any possible new home, so it makes being sure about anything rather a moot point.  But it gives me something to think about.  What am I absolutely going to have to have?  Sort of like what I’ve been trying with skin care items.

 

My question for you about your exercise for us is this: how exactly to determine the twelve, assuming you are counting a set of dining furniture as one item.  Two separate—but matching—book cases, for instance.  One item, or two?  TV and stand, one item or two?  Can’t put my TV on the floor.


@geezerette 

 

I counted the TV stand as furniture and the TV as electronics.  Matching bookcases can be one item.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@geezerette wrote:

I know, it’s tough to get rid of things we once loved and spent our hard earned money to obtain or that someone we loved gave to us.  And it’s like we’re trying to shed our past, which is often emotionally difficult.  And sometimes the things we think we are ready to part with are more difficult to actually get out the door than we thought.

 

You sound like you might be hitting a rough patch in your life right now.  Maybe just take a break from “trying too hard”.  If you think about the big picture, eventually none of this stuff will mean anything to any of us.

 

❤️


@geezerette 

 

Losing my personal history -- like all my photographs -- was interesting.  Letters, cards, books, clothes.  So many items I fought to keep for so long.

 

But there were parts of the house that are now gone forever like the woodwork that our previous dogs chewed when they were just pups.

 

None of it had any meaning or value to anyone else.

 

The real challenge is waiting for me.  That's when I'll have to go through the jewelry collection and decide what has to go.

 

I don't even know where to start.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September

How's the "furniture challenge" coming?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September

Still debating the switch to CeraVe.  If I'm looking to SIMPLIFY, CeraVe is a good choice.  The packaging is much more SIMPLE than the Paula's Choice packaging.  I like the pump.  I like that I can buy it just about anywhere.

 

I think I've decided to go ahead and switch when I run of of my PC facial cleanser.  Because you know what?  If I discover it doesn't work as well I can always switch back.

 

SIMPLE! Woman LOL

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,522
Registered: ‎12-09-2018

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September

Simple is what I love best. I use Paula's Choice cleansers too. I also use hydrating CeraVe too. Sometimes when skin feels dry I still always have ponds cold cream. I don't think I have got over it after all these years. Its good for makeup remover and then I double cleanse.
Love to get rid of a round table in bonus room . Thing is when my son comes home for holidays it's a game table for them.😔
rnmom, You have four pups and children too? WOW, you must have a lot on your plate!!
I am hoping we all have a simple September..
Hoping and praying for Simple. We will see if it lasts..
Hope all is well where your at. Take care, Brisk out...
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,951
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@Brisky wrote:
Simple is what I love best. I use Paula's Choice cleansers too. I also use hydrating CeraVe too. Sometimes when skin feels dry I still always have ponds cold cream. I don't think I have got over it after all these years. Its good for makeup remover and then I double cleanse.
Love to get rid of a round table in bonus room . Thing is when my son comes home for holidays it's a game table for them.😔
rnmom, You have four pups and children too? WOW, you must have a lot on your plate!!
I am hoping we all have a simple September..
Hoping and praying for Simple. We will see if it lasts..
Hope all is well where your at. Take care, Brisk out...

@Brisky 

 

Me, too! Woman LOL

 

And I hope we can all find something fun in these waning days of summer.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,488
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: ComPact 2019 – Simple September


@just bee wrote:

How's the "furniture challenge" coming?


@just bee 

 

Coming along.  I have yet to sit down and write it out so I can keep track and not count the same item(s) twice! 😄