allaboutthezen-blog
Too young to be a cougar, too old to be adorkable
life without a catchphrase
47 posts
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
Last Seen Blogs
suzandlucifer
I’m old,
futurefoodie
Food that catches my eye
ilusomuch-blog1
loves
suzandlucifer
I’m old,
Text
Challenge Completed!
I concluded my 30 day minimalist challenge. Not surprisingly, I still am surrounded by a bunch of stuff. Surprisingly, I want to continue the challenge even though some days it brought me to tears.
I began the challenge feeling confident and had visions in my head of a clean desk and a stack of boxes being replaced with a yoga mat and meditation pillow. Then I sank into anxiety and pacing as the amount of things I had to get rid of grew every day. I avoided the project whenever I could. Towards the end I would just save up the “days” and sit myself down on the weekends and make myself do it. This challenge brought up soooo many issues and layers of procrastination, self-worth, disappointments, and disorganization.
There were euphoric moments during the challenge that spurred me onto to accomplishing other tasks I had been putting off. I got my health insurance updated. I rolled my change from my change jar and paid half my rent with it. J I transferred all my money from old banking accounts into my new one and closed the old ones. Finally got my credit card rewards program to give me my rewards! Christmas is saved. Finished a book I had borrowed from a friend over a year ago. It counts as removing something!
Although I am proud that I stuck it out and finished the challenge, I am a bit disappointed that I am not fabulously magically changed by the experience. There has been change. Change I am hoping to rally into habit. I am more likely to take care of my mail immediately and not let it pile up. I now have areas where things belong and I am more likely to return things to their “home” than I was before. I am more settled now, instead of thinking this situation is temporary so why bother setting up a system.
I don’t miss anything that I got rid of this month. No regrets. I am going to continue with the challenge in my own way. I have a vision of how I want my space to look like. Ohmmmmmm
0 notes
Photo
Endless days of sunless skies. #clevelandwinter
0 notes
Photo
A little game of how long till we make the human stare out the window. Game lasted two minutes. Tops. #catsofinstagram #damncats #oopsididitagain
0 notes
Text
Day 8 of 30 Day Minimalist Challenge
I usually challenge myself to get rid of something or put something away everyday. But after reading about the Minimalist Challenge, I had to give it a shot. The challenge is as follows:
Day 1 - throw out, donate, or sell 1 one item
Day 2 - throw out, donate, or sell 2 items
Day 3 - throw out, donate or sell 3 items
and so on until Day 30 or you just can't do it anymore. I believe the rule for donating or selling was that it had to be out of the house by the end of the day. I amended the rule to the end of the week, since one trip to drop off donations made more sense to me.
I thought things wouldn't get hard until Day 15, but Day 6 began the struggle. The past few days I sit down at my desk after my work is done and start working on my purge. My strategy now is to start at my desk and bookshelf and just methodically go through every item. I don't really notice a difference yet, its mostly small things, I'd forgotten I had (old make up was all on Day 4).
Wish me luck!
0 notes
Text
Dream Big (Small) Weekend
Spent a lot of time this weekend getting inspired. Watched lots of videos on Youtube about tiny living and tiny houses. I really want a tiny house or apartment lifestyle. Best case scenario it would be a small city where I would be able to bike and/or walk to everything I need and work from home.
Looking at all the tiny homes encourages me to:
1. Continue to get rid of STUFF. I'm making about $10.00 a week from eBay. That might not sound like a lot, but I was only bringing in $750.00 a month since my hours got cut. The extra money has been VERY helpful. Just recently got some extra hours, so I'm actually very comfortable now.
2. Keep up my frugal ways, so I can afford to move into a tiny home of my own. :)
3. Become more educated about zoning laws in America. Right now it is pretty much illegal to build a tiny home. There are cities that have NO zoning laws that are doing just fine. It should not be illegal to live in a tiny home.
I would love to hear from people who live in tiny homes or built tiny homes! I am following a few channels on Youtube and some people on Instagram and will continue to look for people living in tiny homes. Want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tiny homes aren't for everyone and aren't THE answer to the current housing crisis in America, but I would love to see this movement catch on and communities of tiny homes embraced.
P.S. if Tiny house Giant journey comes to your town, GO SEE THEM! It is a great way to see a tiny house in action.
0 notes
Photo
Working on some repairs on the first quilt I ever made. (Almost 20 years ago!) damn kids making me fix their shit I made 'em #quilt #iheartfabric #thingsyoudoforyourkids
0 notes
Text
Letting Go
I may have gotten rid of a lot of "stuff", but my current bedroom is still jampacked with "stuff". I would really like to spread out my yoga mat in here, which would be difficult under the best circumstances, but rarely happens now that there are still boxes piled up wherever space allows.
Why is it so hard to get rid of that piece of paper? Those socks? That shirt? That sewing project that I haven't worked on in years?
Those are where my thoughts are at tonight. Really want to get back into the get rid of something everyday routine. It gets tougher and tougher, but I still believe it will be worth it.
0 notes
Text
Minimizing
I want to do some more reading on The 100 Thing challenge/book. The Facebook page and blog are no longer being updated. Although, I was doing kind of the same thing at the same time, I missed this entire movement.
At the time, I was fitting everything I owned into my Honda Civic and moving across country. Not an easy task. I had been living in a 3,000 sq ft house. Lots of stuff.
That has been my gauge ever since. Whatever I own must be able to fit in my Civic. I'm a little bit over right now, but I am working on it.
Found an interesting entry, I thought I would share. I am completely envious of his apartment.
http://www.theminimalists.com/288/
0 notes
Link
0 notes
Photo
My quest continues to reduce, reuse, recycle what I own. These babies are being recycled today. These gems fall under the category of "why have I have held onto these for 30 years?" Also in that category, a xerox box filled with Seventeen magazines. #notahoarder #letitgo #seriouslyletitgo #gogosforever
0 notes
Photo
Your vote can make this a Lego reality! https://ideas.lego.com/projects/77161 #okgo #lego #wantthis
0 notes
Photo
New running shoes are like starting an awesome new book. A sweaty, awesome book. #getoffyourass
0 notes
Text
Attitude is Everything
12 Things to Do Instead of Spending Money
1. Play video games...a lot of video games
2.. Walk the dog.
3. Clean...something. I actually hate this suggestion, but sometimes it helps me appreciate what I do have. Sometimes.
4. Call or text a friend...a broke friend...not the friend who is blowing up your Instagram with pics from Bora Bora
5. Go to the library and get some new releases, magazines, or some videos to watch. FREE!
6. Volunteer. Help out a cause that is close to your heart.
7. Go through old boxes of memorabilia and spend some time reminiscing...or toss what you really don't want to remember.
8. Exercise. Go to the gym or park or check out lots of free videos online from http://grokker.com/
9. Go through all your pics on your phone and computer delete and/or backup as necessary. While you are at it, just clean up your PC.
10. Host a game night. Ask friends to each bring a drink/snack to share.
11. Go to the mall. Wait, hear me out. Walk through the food court and grab all the free samples. Then sit back and do some people watching until its time to make another round.
12. Make your own list of things you can do that don't involve spending money. Really. Think of things you like to do, want to do, and how you can do it without spending money. Go!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Torn
I have not been on total spending freeze this week. I purchased some fast food. I feel like this is confession. I do feel a little guilty, but not really. Other than the very little I spent (under $20), it has been a quiet week. Bills are paid. Work is work. Still being picky while job hunting. Sold some things on eBay. Have more to list, but haven't been in the mood.
Need to purchase new running shoes. My feet hurt. Not looking forward to this. Before this, I never hesitated to drop $100 on shoes. Good shoes are important. I have tried cheaper shoes and had to take them all back because of foot pain.
I have made over $100.00 selling stuff on eBay, so I know the shoes will be paid for. I just don't want to spend the money. I want. I don't want. I am giving myself a stupid anxiety attack over it.
Moving on...
Good news. I may be back to full time soon. If we get this new contract I will have tons of work and probably some overtime again.
My thoughts on this...
Can I keep the spending freeze and save my money so I can get back to Oregon...at least for a little bit? Can I save up a nice cushion so I can look for my dream job?
What do I want?
aaaaahhhh....the million dollar question.
I wish.
0 notes