Day 26 - Over-The-Door Hooks

These were totally a "just in case" item. I prefer not to have anything hanging on the backs of my doors, although I do from time to time. By not having these, hopefully it won't bring anymore encouragement! I believe this was a principle I read about in Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui by Karen Kingston which is a really good book for those of you who haven't read it.

Day 25 - Photography Supplies

Ever take a class that changes your life? Photography was life changing for me! This wasn't the easy kind where one would snap a digital picture and Photoshop it to perfection! This class was very difficult because there was so much attention to detail (that is even one of my strengths). I learned how to cut and roll my own film in bulk. I painstakingly had to load it on to a spool to put in the developing canister and then go through the entire chemical process of developing it. After that comes using an enlarger to print your pictures... by hand! It is extremely tedious and time consuming, but perhaps something you can only truly appreciate if you have done it all the hard way. I feel incredibly grateful when I see photographic work now that is done in the traditional process because that person put in so much hard work in creating it.

With that said, I was very fortunate to attend a school that had a well stocked photography department. To recreate even a small lab would be quite an investment. I purchased the materials in the picture for class and this was some of what was leftover. I decided to donate it to the school that I went to. Hopefully these tools can help change someone else's life too.

Day 24 - Craft Supplies

My rollaway craft cabinet has seen quite a bit of decluttering lately! This collection included acrylic pants, blank cards, ribbon, foam stamps, lots of scrapbook paper and other odds & ends. I know an art teacher and so I gave these supplies to him so that the kids in his class could make good use out of it. It was great timing too since the school year is about to begin again. I held on to the two actual scrapbooks that are pictured since they wouldn't need them for art class. They are going to either be given away or sold. It was one heavy box by the time it was full! That is at least 20lbs. of stuff that is gone!

A New Habit

I wasn't forced to do much as a child. It was a mostly carefree existence when it came to chores. That was probably due to the fact that I liked to clean and organize stuff! One thing that seemed rather pointless to me was making my bed though. I even had a daybed which makes the process so much easier! It seemed like a waste of my time to fix something that I was going to turn around and unfix in a matter of hours! I recently changed that though. It could be that because I don't have a regular job and spend a lot more time at home that it started to bother me. One day I got tired of looking at the mess of pillows and sheets and decided to make it. Whenever I walked into the room, I noticed that I perceived it differently. Then I did it again the next day and so on for about three weeks now. If I haven't accomplished anything in a day, at least my bed looks good. Over time, I think it has actually made me more productive. A mess of a bed has an inviting appearance. It begs to be laid it for a quick break which can turn into a longer nap period. I also spray some lavender scent in between the sheet so that when I turn them down for the night there is an instant relaxation boost.

Who knew that making my bed could actually be GOOD for me!

Day 23 - Even MORE Books!

I have been diligently culling through my books as of lately. There were a couple that seemed pointless to have after I finished school and there were others that I found for free in an eBook format online. I sold at least 8 and one set at the used bookstore yesterday for $9. It doesn't seem like much but I really wasn't expecting that they would even be worth that much! I also lucked out and sold my last textbook online very quickly! I am now down to 75 books as keepers. Not bad at all!

In This Moment...

A few years ago, it was a really rough time for my family. We lost my mother, great uncle and great aunt (brother & sister). There was also a dearly beloved family pet that had to be put to sleep. While the deaths were all very sad, nothing compares to the ongoing stress of dealing with the possessions that are inevitably left behind. My sister is dealing with our mother's estate. The process is much more in-depth and emotional for her since she was there and completely involved at the time. I live in another state and I was involved with the great aunt & uncle. They were older and so sickness that is fatal isn't as shocking. They were raised during the Great Depression... I am sure I don't need to elaborate much more about their living styles after stating that.

I have volunteered to help the family clear out the estate. There have been TWO estate sales and we are planning more. There was a packed garage, two sheds in the back and oh yeah, ANOTHER HOUSE! I must say that this is completely overwhelming. I really only got fully invested in this project after the first estate sale happened and yet there was still so much leftover. There are piles of books, multiple sets of dishes, several VCRs and so much more! It is several lifetimes worth of stuff. Right now I am sitting in the dining room that has 3 tables in it covered in glassware and knick knacks.

Maybe this is part of the reason why I keep striving, no matter what, to make my life more simplified. I don't want to ever leave this kind of legacy for my loved ones. I would rather people focus on the good memories rather than the turmoil of dividing and disposing of possessions. Time to get back to work...

Day 22 - Bluetooth Headset

Laws are popping up everywhere for safe driving with a cell phone and rightly so. This was purchased for my last phone which was great because they used the same charger! Now I have an iPhone and it came with the corded handsfree earphones. I am satisfied with that option since the earphones/handsfree speaker are multi-tasking. I always carry a pair of earphones in my purse and don't have to worry about my handsfree device dying or the need to have an additional charger with me... very simple and easy!