Didn't I just do this last month? I'm cleaning out my attic and getting ready for a huuuge yard sale! I'm so excited!
Day after day my brain keeps going back to 'simplifying my life and my home'. At first I was calling myself a minimalist but I wasn't fond of the definition of minimalism..."being or offering no more than what is required or essential"....so I don't think that's really the word I'm looking for.
As far as my life goes...getting rid of time consuming things right now is not really realistic. We've always been a pretty laid back family so there's not a lot of stuff consuming our time. The boys are out of school so summer has officially started and they will be busy all summer with camp and golf lessons etc. I honestly have never been 'busy' with the boys in the summer. We mainly just 'wing it'...but this summer I'm planning. I want them to be busy and have fun other than just running around in the sprinkler all day. Not that there's anything wrong with that we've just ALWAYS done that. Aaannndd, my life is pretty good right now...fabulous actually...so I just need to concentrate on the stuff in my house.
I could really be a clutter bug if I allowed myself to. I love to collect things that would make great art...you never know what you're going to find that can be completely transformed by paint into something you may treasure for a long time to come. You should see my attic..it's FULL of stuff like that. I just need to find the time to 'transform' it all.
I just LOVE this! I found it at a yard sale for $3! I'm going to go over the yellow paint again and hang it in my kitchen. It's framed on burlap and made from sunflower seeds, corn, dried beans, etc. THIS is one of those things you see, buy, and DON'T regret. I knew as soon as I saw it that it was mine. That's the way I buy things....if I get that feeling then I'm fine but if I'm buying just to buy because it's cheap or cute then I've got to learn to LEAVE IT.
Anyway, I read in a magazine that if you want to simplify your life you have to get rid of the things you don't treasure or use. Ok...so that's about half of whats in my house. I love books but I haven't read everything I have. Does that mean I won't someday? No...so those I keep because I love books...stacks and shelves of books. I would love to have a big library one day in my house. That's really why I keep most of the books I get. And baskets. I LOVE baskets...treasure them really..so those also stay. Well, there are a few I could get rid of.
I read another article that listed different types of Simplicity...had no idea the lengths to what one would go for a simpler life. They've made a list! Here are three of the ten types of Simplicity that I think I could be 'me'.
Choiceful Simplicity: Simplicity means choosing our path through life consciously, deliberately, and of our own accord. As a path that emphasizes freedom, a choiceful simplicity also means staying focused, diving deep, and not being distracted by consumer culture. It means consciously organizing our lives so that we give our "true gifts" to the world -- which is to give the essence of ourselves. As Emerson said, "The only true gift is a portion of yourself."
Frugal Simplicity: Simplicity means that, by cutting back on spending that is not truly serving our lives, and by practicing skillful management of our personal finances, we can achieve greater financial independence. Frugality and careful financial management bring increased financial freedom and the opportunity to more consciously choose our path through life. Living with less also decreases the impact of our consumption upon the Earth and frees resources for others. I am soooo bad at buying things just because they are on sale or just plain inexpensive. That's how everything adds up.
Uncluttered Simplicity: Simplicity means taking charge of a life that is too busy, too stressed, and too fragmented. An uncluttered simplicity means cutting back on trivial distractions, both material and non-material, and focusing on the essentials -- whatever those may be for each of our unique lives. As Thoreau said, "Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify." Or, as Plato wrote, "In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life."
This is the link for this list:
The Simple Living Network
Here are a couple more links you mind find interesting....
Simplify 101 (one of my favs!)
Felix Wong/Simple Living
I read another article that listed different types of Simplicity...had no idea the lengths to what one would go for a simpler life. They've made a list! Here are three of the ten types of Simplicity that I think I could be 'me'.
Choiceful Simplicity: Simplicity means choosing our path through life consciously, deliberately, and of our own accord. As a path that emphasizes freedom, a choiceful simplicity also means staying focused, diving deep, and not being distracted by consumer culture. It means consciously organizing our lives so that we give our "true gifts" to the world -- which is to give the essence of ourselves. As Emerson said, "The only true gift is a portion of yourself."
Frugal Simplicity: Simplicity means that, by cutting back on spending that is not truly serving our lives, and by practicing skillful management of our personal finances, we can achieve greater financial independence. Frugality and careful financial management bring increased financial freedom and the opportunity to more consciously choose our path through life. Living with less also decreases the impact of our consumption upon the Earth and frees resources for others. I am soooo bad at buying things just because they are on sale or just plain inexpensive. That's how everything adds up.
Uncluttered Simplicity: Simplicity means taking charge of a life that is too busy, too stressed, and too fragmented. An uncluttered simplicity means cutting back on trivial distractions, both material and non-material, and focusing on the essentials -- whatever those may be for each of our unique lives. As Thoreau said, "Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify." Or, as Plato wrote, "In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life."
This is the link for this list:
The Simple Living Network
Here are a couple more links you mind find interesting....
Simplify 101 (one of my favs!)
Felix Wong/Simple Living
Ok...so I'm off to the attic to see what else I can find! I hope I don't get lost!
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