Tag: home

Simple Life – Paperless Procrastination

Day 5…

Today we are continuing our quest for the simple life…doing things around the house like yard work, laundry, and continuing to fill boxes as we go. It feels good to be getting rid of the junk around me. I really believe that we have a connection to our home. Personally for me, when it’s cluttered, my brain is cluttered. When it’s clean, my brain feels refreshed and focused. Do you find that to be true of you?

One thing I’m dreading, though, that’s on my list of things to do today, is sorting through the stack of papers I have in my office. Whatever happened to the concept of the paperless “electronic” way of doing life? I can’t fathom what that would even look like because it doesn’t seem that I will ever get there. I was recently looking at one of those scanners where you can feed your bills, receipts and anything else you want to file electronically…and then save it to organized files on my computer. Problem is, I’m afraid I’d just end up with a stack of papers waiting to be scanned, much like the stacks I have waiting to be put through the shredder. It would most likely end up being an expensive investment that will be fun at first, but lose it’s appeal.

I don’t know…maybe it’s just me and my love for reading. Even with the new technology of having eBooks, I always prefer the feel of a real book in my hands. So maybe there’s this weird twisted side of me that actually enjoys stacks of paper. Hmmm…

Regardless, I need to go through them and make my stacks: “To Read,” “To Take Care Of,” “To File,” and “URGENT!!!” (which is where most papers end up because I procrastinated, once again, with the first two options). It’s a dreadful task, but I know that once I get started I’ll create a good flow and will be done before I know it (at least that’s what I keep telling myself).

Squirrel!

It’s a gorgeous day here in sunny Sacramento. The temperature is supposed to get up to 70 and the forecast shows 80’s as the week progresses. My soul wakes up to warmth and sunshine. I need to spend time preparing my garden…maybe I’ll take my coffee out there and make some notes.

What was I talking about anyway…?

cluttered desk1

“If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” ~Albert Einstein

 

Simple Life – Clearing the Cobwebs

Day 4…

You know, when I originally thought up this idea to blog, each day, in my pursuit of the “simple life,” I never really thought I’d be diving into so much internal cleaning. I mean, this all began when I did some real spring cleaning in my home. I can be very detail oriented when it comes to certain things (call it OCDish tendencies), so I thought this would be an awesome journey to take friends on with me. When I get into something, I will research it to death in my effort to become proficient. But like I said, I was thinking completely outward.

It’s interesting to me how writing/blogging causes you to go so much deeper into yourself. I’ve said it before in other notes, how I feel so much more in tune with everything going on around me now. In some ways it irritates me, but in others I find it very cool.

Irritating to me because I’ve always been a deep person anyway and I never thought I could get much deeper than I already am – nor did I really care to. I’m not the kind of person that likes to stick around and dissect every little thing in my life, especially the mishaps. I believe there are just some things we need to move beyond so they don’t take control and hold us down. But cool, because I just continue to learn more and more about myself…and just how deep my heart really goes. It’s helping me to sort out a few issues that maybe I’ve skipped over too quickly. In my writing, I’m finding therapy for my heart which encourages me to keep on keepin’ on.

I woke up feeling really snarky this morning…my head full of cobwebs. I’m not sure if it was from…lack of sleep due to my stiff neck and the swooshing sound of my heartbeat in my left ear (something that happens every now and then)…the need for coffee…or just because of other stuff that I felt annoyed with.  Probably all of the above.

And this is, actually, my second attempt at writing today. I made the decision to wad up the first draft and toss it in the waste basket because it was filled [to the rim] with my random rants…the evil side of my random ramblings; just a mess of mental cobwebs, if you will. I justified my first run-through because I know that people want realness in what others write…it’s what draws us into each other’s lives. But it was really snarky; a bunch of venting to everyone out there about everything that discourages and annoys me. Feeling thankful I didn’t publish that.

Okay…it did feel good to get it out of my head and into written form where I could see it and deal with it, but the truth is…it’s just not my style of writing to put my rants out in the open for all eyes to see. Some things I feel the need to keep to myself.

But I’ll share this…just like anyone else, I experience days of chaos, shortcomings, and disappointment in people and things – and this morning was such a day. But I won’t take you down that road with me because my true desire is to encourage others and draw them in with words that lift and sooth the worn and weary heart.

It was my daily crossroad….the decision whether to take the road that was wide and windy or the road that was narrow and straight. I would much rather suck it up and take the road that will get me into a lot less trouble – and, in the long run, it’s definitely the simpler road to take.

My intent today was to tell you about my success with KP Duty…but it seems I had some cobwebs I needed to get out-of-the-way first. Amazing how a good decision can clear them away and bring cleanliness to something more important than my home…that is, my heart.

And by the way…I did complete my inventory last night. I was able to create a great menu with what I already have on hand, with just a small list of things to add to it. I can check that task off the list. Success!

cobwebs

 

~CindyLu

Simple Life – KP Duty

Day 3…

I haven’t really been back in the kitchen since the weekend. You know, I used to blame the kids for the dirty dishes that stacked up along the counters, but I’m quickly finding that HB and I are perfectly capable of using up every dish, glass and utensil we own before we start the wash cycle all over again.

So, this past weekend, as I started my spring cleaning, I spent a good amount of time on KP duty. We have a small home with a galley kitchen. Space is very limited, so it’s really important that we keep things to a minimum. That said, for years I bought items as if I owned a gourmet chef’s kitchen (I am a total gadget girl) but I just don’t have the space and honestly, don’t use half of the gadgets I own. So I finally took a critical look at it all and decided I’d only keep the things that I love, need and use. Not easy…but I did it.

I also decided that with just the two of us, we didn’t need eight each.. full-sized dishes, salad dishes, bowls, cups and glasses. After a quick chat, we decided that four was a good number to have available and I’d put the rest away where it’s easy to get to if we have company.

Have you ever heard about setting your kitchen up in stations? Okay, this was like a “duh” moment for me, because it just makes total sense. I don’t know why I never thought more about this, but now I have all of my baking supplies in a cabinet beneath the oven, all of my stove items beneath the stove, plates and coffee cups above the coffee maker, and all of my glasses and bowls in the cabinet above the Vitamix.

I feel like my kitchen is more efficient than it’s ever been. The inside of my cabinets are now “uncluttered” and it feels…amazing!!

So now comes the food part. Because my little galley kitchen doesn’t have adequate space for my supplies AND food, I took over one side of a closet near the kitchen/dining area. I actually prefer it because some of my kitchen cabinets are really deep and food just gets lost in there as it gets pushed to the dark hole in the back. The hall closet has shallow shelves and is much brighter, so it’s perfect for me.

So tonight, first thing on my KP duty is to take inventory. Yep…I’m going through my freezer, fridge, and pantry and I’m writing everything down. Sounds tedious, I know, but I think it will be a great step towards decluttering the pantry. I can’t even count how many times I’ve gone grocery shopping, only to end up buying stuff that I already have but forgot about. I’ve wasted a lot of money throwing out items that never got used because it expired.

And once I have that done, I’ll be able to put together a menu, which will most likely narrow down my grocery shopping list. In fact, I’ll probably find that I already have tons of stuff to make a complete menu and may only need a few staple items.

I know…it all sounds so OCDish, and I suppose it is (that does trickle through the family bloodline) but I really have a deep desire to declutter and simplify and this will be one of the biggest steps in getting there. It’s the process of elimination.

So..my goal tonight is to resist the call that I hear from my thoughtful spot (that is, my chair and computer) and complete my KP duty, so I can scratch it off the list.

kpduty2

He Wants to Be Just Like Him

He was a little boy who knew that he wanted to be just like him…

It was a summer day when his daddy was working on grandpa’s swimming pool. The water had been drained and his daddy was working inside. He sat on the edge nearby, leaning over and watching everything his daddy was doing.

Grandpa walked up and said, “You should sit over here where it’s safe.” He gave his suggestion some thought and then said, “I can’t. I need to watch everything my daddy does so that I can help him when he gets old.”

This is one of my favorite photos of the two of them. I can’t help but smile every time I see it. We’ve learned a lot along our journey, like how they watch everything we do.

He’s a grown man now and he still wants to be just like him.

Test

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

~Proverbs 22:6

If These Walls Could Talk

The work week is coming to an end and the weekend is fast approaching. Oh, how I love weekends. Oh, how I love to be home. There’s really no other place on earth that I’d rather be. There isn’t anything fancy or overly luxurious about my home. It’s just a simple little place along the line of many that look just like it.

I remember when we found it…we really weren’t even looking, just thinking about it. My husband and I were in our mid 20’s, when one day, on his way home from the store, he saw this house with a homemade sign out front, “For Sale By Owner.” He decided to stop and get the phone number, just so we could see what homes were going for, in the area we wanted to live someday. A woman stepped out onto the front porch and asked him if he’d like to see inside.

It was a very simple little home – the smallest floor plan in the area – owned by a single mom with two teenage boys. Times had gotten tough and she just couldn’t keep it any longer. She wasn’t making any money off of it, just needed to get out from underneath the obligation. After a little bit of homework, we realized that we would be able to get it. We didn’t even look around at any other homes in the area. As far as we were concerned, this was meant for us.

I giggle when I think of a memory when I drove my dad past it. He said, “That will be a really nice little fixer upper for you guys.” I was hurt by his comment because, to me, it was perfect! However, after 25 years in our little home, we’re still fixin’ her up. (I giggle some more.)

But if our walls could talk – oh wow, what stories they would tell. You’d hear all about the four sons we raised. You’d hear the sound of children playing; riding little playskool toys in circles through the hallway and kitchen (on hardwood floors) – ‘round and around they’d go. You’d hear the sound of teenagers; friends hanging out, loud music, telephone calls from girls, cleats on the floors during sports season. You’d hear the sounds of family; chatter and laughter at the dinner table, conversations into the early morning hours, difficult moments when doors slammed, crying, more talking and more laughter. You’d hear love.

There was a time that we felt packed in like sardines and ventured out to find a larger place for us. The doors never opened – and we came to realize that we were exactly where we were supposed to be. As squished in as we felt at times, our small home played a key role in keeping us close to one another and looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Our home has quieted down now.  We are empty nesters. I’m fortunate enough to have my children nearby, so the grandkids can come and visit. The chatter and noise lives on and on, and that makes me smile; another generation for our walls to soak up.

Our home has a personality. I believe you can tell what we’re all about when you step over the threshold; a simple, casual, “take your shoes off and stay for a while” sort of feeling.

Our home has a heartbeat. I believe that if you sit down for a visit and linger there, you’ll hear it – or maybe feel it.

The years here have taught me, it’s truly not about the “things” you own…home is a connection to your heart. It’s the happiness, joy and love that you embrace and allow to flow through it.

I am so happy it’s Friday. I cannot wait to go home!

What do your walls say?

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.~Colossians 3:14

homesweethomemug