Mixed energy and tidying

I've been on a cleaning and rampaging streak at work - cleaning up my stuff, purging material, sorting what I have. Getting ready for next fall, basically, to start with all the clutter and mess dealt with so it's easy to find what I need. I know once we get going, that will be it. I won't have time to do it again until next summer. Now, I have the time. It also helps me plan for next year as I sit here with clear space, so it's easier to have a clear mind. I feel energized. I feel ready.

Then, there is home. I think I am so completely overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the work I have to do at home. I simply could not force myself to deal with any of it over this long weekend. Now, it's true, I needed down time and "kid" time, but man, I really need a "purge and organize" time at home!

I don't know if my desire to purge now came from reading this book 2 weeks ago, or if I read this book because I was ready to purge. Probably the latter. I am just ready.

Despite what this book said about not going room by room, (probably mostly works for Japanese homes and small apartments or condos, not for big, American homes) that is what I'm going to do. I'm going to go room by room by room. Stuff that doesn't belong in that room I will take out, but one room at a time I'm going to toss, toss, toss. (Which really means, donate, donate, donate.) A few things I might try to sell, but a ton of stuff I have been holding on to sell for 5 years, I haven't sold, so donate it is! I hope I can get my husband on board with that too!

I also will use the time my mother in law is gone on a trip for two months. For stuff I need to sell or donate or even pitch, I will put it in my mother in law's part of the house until I can hire someone to haul it out. I might do a yard sale, but only maybe. I'm not holding onto this stuff any longer. It needs to go!!!

Then, once I have gone through room by room and put all the misplaced stuff  away, then I will see if there are things we need to replace for appropriate "storage" or furniture. We have made do with so many things and I'm done with that too. It either completely works for our area, or we get rid of it. This is our forever home. I don't want to put up with stuff that only sort of works!

I guess that is the one thing I got from this book and perhaps the one thing that is relevant and useful. Only keep the stuff that brings you joy. The clutter is definitely not bringing me joy and it's bringing me lots of work.

It's funny then, that this same author says not to buy special organizing things, just to use shoe boxes and the like for storing, but that would bring me no joy. A row of beautiful, boxes that fit the space, would give me joy. Seeing cardboard boxes would make me feel like a student again (as that's what I used as a college student). And it could never use the space as efficiently. For her, she is a super, super minimalist, as what gives her joy, is minimal stuff period. She keeps all her books on the top shelf of her closet. She unpacks her purse completely every day (even if she will reuse it next day). Living like that brings her joy and it always has. That would not bring me joy.

I guess that is where I get a little bugged by the book and philosophy of her tidying up. It has the right idea of only keeping things that bring you joy. Organize things like with like. Fold and store things that can stay nice and neat, but... her idea that most people only need a few things or only a few things brings them joy is too simplistic. Or, it's too short sighted. I share a home with 4 other people. I can't tell my husband or 18 year old son to purge if they don't want to purge. I can't say, "let's get rid of 90% of these books because they don't give me joy." When 80% of the books bring my husband joy. Because there are many of us, we will have more stuff.  Marie Kondo is young, unmarried (I think) and has no children. How will she adapt when she has to share her space?

Anyway...I'm in a purge mood. So watch out!

And, as it's a nice round number today, I'll put in a weight loss update.

Weight loss reboot 5/18/15
Weight lost since then: 27 pounds

Feeling the energy flowing and it feels good!

It's been 5 weeks since I've been taking my thyroid medication again and also about 7 weeks or so that I felt the winter blahs leaving me. So, it s a double impact mood lifter - more sunlight and better thyroid. I have all these plans of things I want to do! Now to find the time to do them!

The last couple of days I've been getting the perennials and annuals for the yard. My plans for this weekend are to PLANT! I'll be in heaven! I even bought a new hose so that I can take care of my new baby plants.  I am happy to see though that after four years here, some things are taking hold and are getting fuller and coming back. And, through trial and error I've learned what things will grow and what things just don't like my soil. For instance, I love pincushion plants. I have tried planting them 4 years in a row and nada. They either fizzle during the season or don't come back in, so no more.  I am trying a couple of newer things to see.

So, besides working on Mother's Day for Sunday School, I will be planting. For something special for Mother's Day, I'm making rhubarb pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. That will be my splurge for the month and I hope still to keep it within my calories for the day (like I did with the baby shower cake last month).

Not much else. Life is good and I'm feeling good. I'm still experiencing my month WHOOSH week too, which has been especially nice. Down another 1.1 pounds today. So that is 6.2 pounds down in five days. I knew I was holding water, but whoa!

So, here are my charts:

 

And for your viewing pleasure, the baby birds I showed you a a week ago. They are now 13 days old and should probably fledge in the next 2-3 days. It's been fun watching them grow!