Beauty

[DrKelli]

Well, let's hope the 3rd time is a charm since I've tried to post this twice already.

Anotherview--my MRI did not contain good news.  But it contained not horrible news. I don't have a tear in the rotator cuff.  3 of the 4 tendons have moderate tendonitis and I have severe arthritis in the a/c joint, which is where the scapula meets the shoulder.  I have moderate arthritis in the humeral head (ball joint) and the cartiledge is wearing out and I have pieces of it floating around, which is why i get the sudden pains.  The doctor told me that my shoulder is 30 years older than I am (I am 55) and is just wearing out.  So now I have to work at protecting what I have, including daily doses of glucosimine.

We're at the end of a month and 6 months into our simplification process.  My capsule wardrobe worked well this month. I've worn everything except one blouse, which I was going to wear, but it needed ironing, so I will have to do that before I wear it.  I got rid of a couple shirts because they annoyed me.  Last night, I found a package of tank tops which I ordered through a discount site.  I thought I could sleep in them, but when I went to put one on last night--it wouldn't have fit a 12 year old, so that was an easy donation.  I'm thinking of putting all new tops into my capsule and seeing what I weed out in July.  One thing that I've noticed is that with the capsule wardrobe, I am not standing there for 10 minutes trying to figure out what to wear--my options are limited, so it makes the choice fairly easy.

How do you think you've done for the past 6 months of our experiment?  Do you think it has made a difference?  What would you do differently?  Where do you need to focus the next 6 months?

I have not purchased anything I didn't need for the last 3 months (I did purchase extras for my cruise) and I have noticed a difference in trying to find space for things.  Because I'm not buying anything and regularly getting rid of stuff--I'm not having to search high and low for a place to put it.  When I cleaned off my dresser and the storage cabinet upstairs for the appraisal, I didn't put anything back--it's still in 2 garbage bags, so I'm thinking after 6 months is up, I can go thru it one last time and get rid of anything I know for sure I won't use.

[PAlady]

DrKelli - Good job on the cleaning out, I have been trying to get rid of things as I put them on and decide - I really don't like this.  Sorry about your medical news, do you have to do surgery or just maintain?   Glad your wardrobe capsule is working, I am just too lazy to do that, I did clean out a bunch of clothes at the beginning of the season and have donated as I wore and did not like.  This has been working pretty good for me.  I will go thru my clothes as the end of the season and donate what I did not touch this summer.  Actually, we really haven't had much of a summer, it has rained thru at least half of it. 

Have a good evening everyone.

[GCR18]

I was really hard on the process this weekend.  I moved out 5 full bags to goodwill.  I hadn't scaled back in years.  The closet showed it too.  I found things I didn't remember having.  I plan to wear something different every day in July.  Actually, I started today.

[Jolexi]

Good Morning everyone!

DrKelli, I do hope that you are feeling better.  That is a difficult issue to deal with (my BF is dealing with an issue in his shoulder and the corresponding muscles and it's like pulling teeth to try and get him to get it checked out sooner rather than later and he's a personal trainer! Go figure...)

I did want to touch on something you mentioned about not having to find spaces for things because you aren't continually adding more to your stash as you clear older stuff out.  I also want to add that I am going through the very same thing.  And, I'll go even further by saying that now when I go to look for something specific, it is incredibly easy to locate because I'm not wading through mounds of other stuff to get to it.  It is less stressful, and I go about my day with more ease because half of it is not spent in a desperate scavenge for any one particular thing.  It's great!

This past weekend, my BF came over, and he helped me clear out the four bags of donatoins to GW.  We also cleared out the kitchen cabinets, cleaned them and reorganized them, as well as cleaned the living room light fixture that is all glass and set in a cathedral type ceiling that I could not reach no matter how high I climbed (I'm a bit of a Lilliputian).  I also had my monthly cleaning of the refrigerator vents and coils  (ever since I started doing this on a monthly basis, my fridge has never run better and I've not had the problem that I had right before the holidays where Ithought it would give out on me).  I know that's common sense, but you really don't think about it when the coils are at the bottom and under the fridge. 

In addition, we also got rid of all of the extra glassware and dishes I'd kept "just in case" in January.  Just in case is such a fall-back phrase for me LOL.  More often than not, it never happens.  So, out with the extra dishes, glasses, cups and such.  So much space to put the things I do love now.  Feels great.

DrKelli, the truth is, I'm incredibly happy with how these past 6 months have turned out.  I had way too much stuff in my apartment, leftover from when I was married that I felt were weighing me down.  I didn't realize it until I started getting rid of all of this stuff that had been left behind.  I'm so glad I got it started.  I intend to keep going until I am at an even smaller percentage of stuff and where I am using every single thing I own.  The good thing is that I've gotten my children used to the habit of revising wisely what they own and discarding what is broken, and irreparable as well as donating or selling what they no longer use that's in good condition, and can be enjoyed by others.

A year from now, I know I'll be at an even better place.  Who could be mad at that?

[azgal]

DrKelli I'm so sorry about your health issues. 

I'm happy with how the past 6 months have gone. I could have done a lot more but it feels good to accomplish what I have. The master bedroom was major for me.

My youngest son moved out so I was able to sort out everything that was left. We painted and had new carpet installed.

The room we use for an office has 2 large bookcases and a small closet. I got that cleaned out and donated a lot of books. I couldn't get my husband to get rid of any books (he has a ton of books) but he does like to reread them and refer to them. He doesn't read fiction so he still enjoys having them.

I have been more mindful on what I buy. This has helped me a lot. 

My current project is my kitchen. I have cleaned out 2 drawers but have a long way to go. I am looking forward to it, not dreading it. I think that's because of how good it feels to see the results and know I have accomplished something.

Thanks to all of you for keeping this thread going.

[Irish1210]

DrKelli ~ Sorry about the medical issue!

I continue to be mindful of my purchases ~ I mentioned earlier this month about buying a Joan Rivers Sweater ~ canceling it, then repurchaseing it!  Well, I received it and love it, so I am considering it a treat as it was the first clothing/QVC purchase since Nov. 9, 2014.

Earlier this summer I cleaned out, had a garage sale and felt as though I had shed "STUFF" ~ was very pleased!  I intend to "hunt and gather" some more around this place and have another sale in the fall.  I have a gorgeous 7 1/2 ft prelit Christmas tree and tons of jackets and coats ~ these are the types of items I will focus on as fall is around the corner. 

This group has been such an inspiration to me ~ I appreciate all the support, suggestions and ideas!

[AnotherView2]

Dr Kelli,

Sorry to hear about the arthritis, tendonitis, and the cartilage issues that you are going through.  Sounds like a good idea to "baby" it for a while. If your gym has a whirlpool, I know that my physical therapist recommeneded it highly and I got some relief that way, too.  

Everyone, I agree with Irish that I am very grateful for this group.  I was wanting to get on a course of simplifying but, I had no luck recruiting family and friends to go on the journey with me.  The online pals I have here have been a real inspiration and I would like to thank you all very much for the ideas and the "kick in the pants" I needed to get started in earnest.

DrKelli asked: "How do you think you've done for the past 6 months of our experiment?  Do you think it has made a difference?  What would you do differently?  Where do you need to focus the next 6 months?"

I think I have done well over the past six months.  I got rid of a lot of excess things I owned and items that were part of the household items.  I even managed to get my husband to dispose or donate a good portion of the stuff he had packed into his closet, too.  In addition, anyone following my recent activities knows that I have been helping my dear SIL whittle down her belongings in anticipation of a move from her foreclosed home.  It has made a huge difference in my life and I also believe my SIL is also feeling way less encumbered with stuff that takes up room and does little to enhance her life.

What I would do differently is not in the recent 6 months of disposal activities but in the past acquisition.  I am learning what my purchase triggers are and I am trying to avoid those scenarios.  In addition, I have rigorously enforced a 1 in/1 out policy so the new lower level of total items owned stays that way. 

My focus for the next 6 months is to maintain my new, current levels regarding shoes, jewelry, and clothes.  I will seek to lower the volume of makeup and handbags which has been tougher for me to whittle down so far.  I need to be honest with myself about whether they will be used and sell the handbags and then throw out or donate the makeup to my sisters.  I also feel I can go back through my kitchen again for a final round since I wasn't strict enough on the first purge and I let my husband (who loves his kitchen gadgets) get his way too often in the decision process.  LOL!

I feel it's OK for me to do this in stages over the course of the rest of the year. It makes me more comfortable and is less of a shock to move slowly but constantly. I get used to less, and I live with it for  a while and then I get another urge to get rid of more so I guess that is the good thing.  The younger me used to purge in one fell swoop and I thought that is how this would go too, but, I think before it was because I moved all the time and nothing was permanent so it was easier to toss stuff.  That is harder to do now that I'm older and have been living in the same place for 20 years.  But, as long as I feel like I'm making good, steady, forward progress, I feel good about simplifying.

[DrKelli]

I think that I am making steady progress.  I really liked my capsule wardrobe experiment, but I don't think it matches the true definition of that whole concept. But it worked well enough for me because I wore everything at least once--except the long sleeved items that I put in there just in case it got cold. Haha. (said sarcastically)  I did not include coats or shoes like the original concept calls for.  Maybe when I actually wear coats come winter.  And I know that I wear the same parka when it is cold and the same light coat when it is chilly but not cold.

The biggest thing I hope to accomplish is to be able to find what I've got and to be able to USE everything!  If you don't wear something or don't  use something, what good is it to you?  I used to stockpile groceries and then throw out a lot of vegetables and fruits because they spoiled.  Or I just wouldn't use something and throw it out because it expired.  Um, there are these things called grocery stores that you can pick up things you run out of.  My deal is that I only want to grocery shop every other week.

I don't feel as anxious going into my very large closet any more and I imagine when I continue this process the next 6 months, my clothing stash will dwindle to what I really love and wear.  But then another level of anxiety kicks in when I REALLY love something--what am I going to do when it wears out!!!!

[PAlady]

Just a thought for you ladies donating clothes, we have a Youth Home near me that I donate clothes to.  These kids come in sometime with just the clothes on their backs and they have a "store" there for them to get more clothes.   You can deduct this from your taxes if you choose to, again it was just a thought.

Have a good day everyone.

[azgal]

Thanks for the suggestion. 

I bet a lot of us have places like that near us.