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[gidgetgh]

Ok, so kind of out of nowhere, I think I am ready to lose the weight I gained through Covid and my husbands death.  I had been giving it some thought and trying to motivate myself and finally, 13 days ago, out of nowhere, I started, without going totally bonkers about it. I didn't get up the nerve to weigh myself till this morning and, while horrible, it wasn't as horrible as I thought it was going to be. So, to me the worst part is over.  I know the number.  And I've had a really strong 13 days with food and exercise and usually once I get going I get more motivated as a go along, but this is going to take me quite awhile. 

I don't have an over abundance of clothes, by choice, but I just finished going through my closet and I have 4 tops to go to Goodwill and 3 for consignment. I tried everything on and, whether they fit or not, they just don't look good on me so it's time for them to go.  I also have a pair of shoes for consignment. 

Anyway, from a decluttering standpoint. I ventured into TJ Max, a store I normally don't shop, at and bought a few clearance tops for both summer and hopefully the size I'll be this fall and winter, and weeded some other items out.  More items went out than came in. 

[DecorDiva]

@amyb   -  I am also reading "Simple Abundance".  A day or two every now and then.  I find her messages just as timely now as they were when the book was written.  Her writings on the authentic self resonate with me.  Realizing who my authentic self is now, as opposed to prior years, helps me to declutter things I no longer use or those things that were representative of the person I wanted to be.

[Flatbush]

@gidgetgh 

Sorry to hear about your husband. I think you are very courageous to do the things you are doing. It's a lot to bear.

I also lose weight very slowly. It has taken me over 1 year to lose 35 lbs, and I am now on another plateau and have not lost another lb ( or ounce) for weeks. But I always tell myself-patience and consistency.

Good luck on your journey.Let us know how you are coming along.

[Flatbush]

@amyb 

Speaking of a Thesaurus, I found one on line. I have a whole collection of research type book marks too.

I also have a very small Dictionary with a hard cover. I would carry it in my pocket book, just in case lol

[rnmom]

@amyb - Your trip sounds amazing! I wish that I could just escape for 5 days to a nice warm beach, either alone, or with just hubby. I'd love to get away from kids, dogs, house, work, all responsibilities for a few days. It just never ends around here.

I'm not familiar with the book you are describing, but I did read another book about simplifying, I still have it here, I think it was called "Living the Simple Life" but I could be wrong. I haven't looked at it in a few years, but it was something like that.

It was kind of outdated too as far as technology goes, with suggestions like not answering the phone after a certain time, etc. but it had some good points too. Maybe I'll pull it back out again and look at it again. In my spare time of course. 

I know there are probably things I can simplify for sure, expecially possessions, but with the dogs, kids, there is just so much to do it seems like simplifying is hard to do as long as they are still all here. And the older it gets the busier it seems to be.

But it is some food for thought, thanks for the reminder, maybe I'll see what I can do (or not do!). 

[rnmom]

@gidgetgh - Good luck on your weight loss journey. I know how hard it is. I've gained and lost weight many times over the years, the last time being in just 2020. I dieted all year and lost a lot of weight, exercised, was in really good shape. Now I've spent all of 2021 and 2022 putting it all back on. That' how it always goes for me, the only time I was able to maintain was when my kids were little and I was so busy with them I just didn't gain weight. 

I really want to get back down and like you, I'm afraid to get on the scale, but I know the small clothes that I bought aren't fitting and I know I've put at least 1/2 back on, probably more by now. Ugh.

Hopefully with the weather getting warmer and fresh fruits and veggies in season that will help give me some motivation to eat better. But then again, ice cream always tastes really good this time of year too. 

[rnmom]

On a decluttering note, we finally got a bit done here yesteray. It was raining off and on, so not the best day to work outside, so hubby decided to work on cleaning out his pole barn a bit.

I wasn't going to help him but I ended up helping, along with my younger son. My older son even came out and helped out with a couple of things that we wanted to work on outside while it wasn't raining. It was actually nice to have all of us working together, that seems to be very rare nowadays.

We mostly cleaned and organized, but we did toss a few things. I know I tossed some old work gloves, some rags, and various odds and ends including boxes, papers, wood scraps, empty bags, covers to buckets, and other assorted trash items.

I saw hubby tossed a camp chair, must be broken, and I think he said he was getting rid of a trolling motor that doesn't work. 

All in all by the time we were done the trash can out there was just about full and needs to go out to the trash tomorrow, and it looks much nicer and more organized. We should really go thru the cabinets and drawers, and work on some more cleaning of cobwebs and bugs, but the big chunks are done at least. It was bad, so it's progress. 

[KBEANS]

Hi all,

I haven't been on in several weeks because I've been busy with work and other commitments, and so I've been at a standstill of sorts and just do upkeep of keeping my place as tidy as possible.

Like others on this thread; I went through my clothing and purged most things that didn't fit anymore. There were a lot. I too gained weight. Stress eating from the loss of my very close loved one and the pandemic have brought me to this point.

What started me off was that I bought a cute polka dot dress from the SG collection on Q and my regular size was tight. I didn't want to send it back. The next size up was unavailable.

I'm not lying to myself anymore and I started with my summer clothes and if it was tight this season, it went. There were many items that were. I kept some flowy dresses and some things that stretch enough to accommodate my new unwelcome shape. 

I went to TJ Max as well @gidgetgh because I'm not investing in anything too expensive for this season of extra pounds! I bought a few tops and 3 crops. 

It will be a welcome splurge if and when I need to buy a smaller size and I will be glad to invest in new clothing. 

I don't and will never hold on to a range of sizes because for me; it's not productive to do that. 

Its not a good feeling as your tossing all your clothes in a DOESN'T FIT/OUT PILE. And it sure is distressing rummaging through the larger size section in the stores, having to deal with slim pickins.

No unrealistic promises about this for me. I'm just going to start with trying to stop eating the cakes and junk first.

Today I will tackle the upkeep of the kitchen. 

[amyb]

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@rnmom wrote:

@amyb - Your trip sounds amazing! I wish that I could just escape for 5 days to a nice warm beach, either alone, or with just hubby. I'd love to get away from kids, dogs, house, work, all responsibilities for a few days. It just never ends around here.

I'm not familiar with the book you are describing, but I did read another book about simplifying, I still have it here, I think it was called "Living the Simple Life" but I could be wrong. I haven't looked at it in a few years, but it was something like that.

It was kind of outdated too as far as technology goes, with suggestions like not answering the phone after a certain time, etc. but it had some good points too. Maybe I'll pull it back out again and look at it again. In my spare time of course. 

I know there are probably things I can simplify for sure, expecially possessions, but with the dogs, kids, there is just so much to do it seems like simplifying is hard to do as long as they are still all here. And the older it gets the busier it seems to be.

But it is some food for thought, thanks for the reminder, maybe I'll see what I can do (or not do!). 

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Aw @rnmom I know how you feel...for the past year when people were traveling again, I had so many friends that were going away, and we just never got it together, and didn't feel safe for a while, or something else would just get in the way. We did go to Cape Cod last May, and little closeby beach trips, but hadn't flown since before Covid. And this was the best kind of trip where it just came up he had to go and worked out that I could go and we could extend it...it doesn't always work that way with his business trips...so without much planning we got to put it together, and it worked out. 

I hope you get your chance soon...everyone needs a little get away, "get outta Dodge" I call it, where you can "leave it all behind"...so I'll keep hoping for you.

You know what....I had a little book (actually two by the same author, similar ones) and it was called "Living The Simple Life" so it may even be the same one you have...written at least 15-20 years ago too. Little short topics of ways she and her husband simplified their lives. I reread that one last year. 

But you might also like the Simple Abundance book....it's unique, and just has a lot of beautiful ways of fashioning a life, focusing on the little things that can get you down to focusing on what really makes your life special, enjoyable, reflective of the authentic you...stuff like that. So hard to explain. She also digs back to so many old quotes from Women's magazines from the turn of the century, and even before, on how Victorian women lived surrounding themselves with the gentile things and stuff like that. Again...my awkward ways of describing it doesn't give it justice...but just saying, it's so much more than that other book, and yet, still very practical too.

But, I get what you are saying too, and the last thing those books should do is make you frustrated because your lifestyle means you just have more people, animals etc around right now and it all needs to be taken into consideration too!

So we're all doing what we can here, just to clear out what's not important, in order to focus on what is, as the book just said...keeping only what's "beautiful, useful, or sentimental" and out with the rest. It's a lifelong process!

[amyb]

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@Flatbush wrote:

@amyb 

Speaking of a Thesaurus, I found one on line. I have a whole collection of research type book marks too.

I also have a very small Dictionary with a hard cover. I would carry it in my pocket book, just in case lol

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@Flatbush Lol...you reminded me...I recently found this little mini, and I mean mini, 1" x 1", Dictionary, in one of my older totes I only use now and then. I haven't referred to that in a long time, but it was surprising how many words were in that thing.