Monday, October 21, 2019
I have started decluttering my home. Part of my decluttering process is to make an effort not to buy new stuff. My significant other, Donald, does not seem to be on the same page even though he wants the same results. Saturday my seven-year-old, Mika, and I had a Mommy-Daughter day. When we got home, Donald had bought Mika two packs of colored pencils, a pack of markers, and a pack of Play-Doh.
The Play-Doh cracked me up because Mika had just spent a good portion of the day playing with Play-Doh. Perhaps Donald had psychically connected with Mika’s joy while she was playing. I thought Donald’s purchases were thoughtful. Mika loves the art supplies. Unfortunately, I think his purchase was premature.
Those art supplies do not (and will not for two to six months) have a functioning home. I have just started (last Monday) sorting, packing, and moving the rest of my twenty-four-year-old daughter’s stuff out of my house. Today I will finish the boxes of clothes on my lower level and tomorrow we will be attacking her bathroom. I then have a bedroom and office to clear out. It takes a while to get it done when you have two or three hours, one or two days a week and a whole lot of stuff.
After I clear out all my older daughter’s stuff, I can focus on my younger daughter’s stuff. Mika and I have started sorting her toys. I took her to the store to pick out storage bins she can easily lift on and off the shelves in the bedroom currently filled with her sister’s belongings. It is difficult to spread out 15 storage bins for separating toys when I have 10 boxes spread out for separating her sister’s clothes.
So those art supplies are cluttering up my already-messy table. I am not mad about the premature purchase; it simply illustrates our different mindsets. I cannot have Donald assist me with my decluttering project. We would both get stressed out and end up arguing. Donald’s philosophy is to just get rid of everything and get the task over with. I want to look at every single item to make sure I am ready to let it go.
I am ready to let most of my possessions go, but I want them to go where they are most needed. That involves sorting them into donations to various organizations. Business clothes go to Dressed for Success. Disability equipment goes to Craig Hospital. The possibilities are vast. Donald does not have the patience to help the way I would like to be helped, so I do not ask.
I have discovered my recent terminal diagnosis has altered my thoughts about some of the items I have been keeping. When I cleared out my lower shed last year, I kept my coaching t-shirts from when I coached my older daughter’s soccer teams with the idea I would take pictures of her wearing the shirts before I donated them. I am no longer planning to take those pictures. I am not likely to be 70 or 80 looking at photos and thinking about the past.
My piece of advice to you is be brutal when simplifying your life. I went through some paperwork I had been holding on to yesterday and threw away marketing samples, lists of attendees from networking events, and business cards. I will no longer actively grow my business and I am not looking to make new friends in my time left so I do not need to connect with a person unless I really want to. Some of the people on those cards might have become good friends; however, I choose to gift the rest of my time to my family.
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.
I have started decluttering my home. Part of my decluttering process is to make an effort not to buy new stuff. My significant other, Donald, does not seem to be on the same page even though he wants the same results. Saturday my seven-year-old, Mika, and I had a Mommy-Daughter day. When we got home, Donald had bought Mika two packs of colored pencils, a pack of markers, and a pack of Play-Doh.
The Play-Doh cracked me up because Mika had just spent a good portion of the day playing with Play-Doh. Perhaps Donald had psychically connected with Mika’s joy while she was playing. I thought Donald’s purchases were thoughtful. Mika loves the art supplies. Unfortunately, I think his purchase was premature.
Those art supplies do not (and will not for two to six months) have a functioning home. I have just started (last Monday) sorting, packing, and moving the rest of my twenty-four-year-old daughter’s stuff out of my house. Today I will finish the boxes of clothes on my lower level and tomorrow we will be attacking her bathroom. I then have a bedroom and office to clear out. It takes a while to get it done when you have two or three hours, one or two days a week and a whole lot of stuff.
After I clear out all my older daughter’s stuff, I can focus on my younger daughter’s stuff. Mika and I have started sorting her toys. I took her to the store to pick out storage bins she can easily lift on and off the shelves in the bedroom currently filled with her sister’s belongings. It is difficult to spread out 15 storage bins for separating toys when I have 10 boxes spread out for separating her sister’s clothes.
So those art supplies are cluttering up my already-messy table. I am not mad about the premature purchase; it simply illustrates our different mindsets. I cannot have Donald assist me with my decluttering project. We would both get stressed out and end up arguing. Donald’s philosophy is to just get rid of everything and get the task over with. I want to look at every single item to make sure I am ready to let it go.
I am ready to let most of my possessions go, but I want them to go where they are most needed. That involves sorting them into donations to various organizations. Business clothes go to Dressed for Success. Disability equipment goes to Craig Hospital. The possibilities are vast. Donald does not have the patience to help the way I would like to be helped, so I do not ask.
I have discovered my recent terminal diagnosis has altered my thoughts about some of the items I have been keeping. When I cleared out my lower shed last year, I kept my coaching t-shirts from when I coached my older daughter’s soccer teams with the idea I would take pictures of her wearing the shirts before I donated them. I am no longer planning to take those pictures. I am not likely to be 70 or 80 looking at photos and thinking about the past.
My piece of advice to you is be brutal when simplifying your life. I went through some paperwork I had been holding on to yesterday and threw away marketing samples, lists of attendees from networking events, and business cards. I will no longer actively grow my business and I am not looking to make new friends in my time left so I do not need to connect with a person unless I really want to. Some of the people on those cards might have become good friends; however, I choose to gift the rest of my time to my family.
Until next time,
Susanne
Please check out my GoFundMe page.