Change in the air....

    Have you ever noticed how the wind smells when rain is on it's way? Refreshing. Clean. Changing. Although it is not raining here today, I feel this scent in my very soul. I feel The Lord's hand of peace on my heart. Be calm, be still- I hear Him say. A peace that surpasses all understanding. I can not see a change in our future as is. I am not planning for one per se. But, I can not shake that feeling. Throw away the excess, pack it up, clean it out.....
  
       So, that is where I'm at these days. Looking on the horizon for any clue to as what could be coming. What is around that corner? In preparation of the unknown, I am cleaning out every nook and cranny... slowly but surely. I am reevaluating what is needed and what is fluff. I am questioning every. single. item. I am sifting through my things and my thoughts too. What have I been told that I believed blindly? What needs a firm foundation of The Gospel and what needs to go? 

    Maybe the change isn't in things, location or even schedule. Or maybe it is all three. Maybe the change is something bigger? Better? Or, maybe the change is in me.  Either way, no matter where this road takes me, I want to be prepared. I want to be clean, refreshed and eager for a new adventure. I want to find daily comfort in whatever is coming He prepared for me.......

 What are you preparing for today? Can you smell the rain today?

It's Monday...again!

   I need a personal assistant  I need a chef. I need a housekeeper. Well, ok. I don't need those things, but it sure would be nice. If even for a season. It seems that I get thru a lot of my to-do list, then I get swamped. I'm currently behind in housework, paperwork, and as you guessed, blogging. I have several posts started and more rolling around in my head. I have a ton of projects on my sewing table and E. keeps asking when we are gonna start on her next quilt. I'm just keepin' real here for you. *laugh*

   Currently, I am going thru the "I wanna throw everything away" kinda feeling. But, then I see the girls play with the toys I was just eyeing for the donate pile or I realize that this shirt matches that skirt. *sigh* Really I guess it boils down to I'm overwhelmed with all the fluff stuff. The stuff that lies around. The kinda stuff that you should really keep, but really how to you keep it from overtaking you?!!! The paperwork that goes to the computer. The little bits of junk joy that we use for schooling (think random lids, stickers, pipe cleaners, glitter) . The amount of clothes in my closet. The stack of papers I need to file or don't want to forget about. All the kitchen gadgets, utensils, pot and pans. It. All. Is. Too. Much.
 
   It's Monday, again. Another start to a week that I hope I can get a grip on our excess. Another week to ponder the how's, where's and why's of all this stuff. But, I need a plan. A plan for a serious purge. We do not need all of this stuff and I can see very clearly how much time and energy it is sucking out of me Every. Single. Day. So, I'm calling in the troops. I need advice. What do you do when you would rather move than clean/organize/declutter? Do you have a system that you'd like to share? Do you have a free Saturday to come over and help me?! I figured I go ahead and ask! *laugh*
 

Productivity: Making the Correlation

Welcome to the August 2012 Simplicity Parenting Carnival: Productivity
This post was written as part of the monthly Simplicity Parenting Carnival hosted by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM. This month we are discussing how we balance simplicity and productivity, i.e. remain productive while also maintaining a slower pace of life. Be sure to read to the end to see a list of the rest of the excellent carnival contributors.
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     I've had an epiphany lately that has radically changed the way I view life and do most things. Maybe I'm behind on the eight-ball, if you will. But, either way it has warranted major some changes around here.

All the stuff that everyone else tells you you need (think: 'more is better' mentality) and we have been working so hard to accumulate, is in my way.

    All of it is getting in the way of me being productive; both in life in general (think laundry, dishes, homeschooling), and literally (think toys, clothes, books). So, while I've been purging my whole life house (which I know in and of itself sounds productive) I've been fighting the urge to give up.  Mostly because, at the end of the day I don't have a clean house, fabulous schedule, or even a minimalistic home. *frown* I'm still overwhelmed with all the stuff! I've taken more loads of stuff to Goodwill than I care to admit, and sadly my house doesn't reflect it. Of course, I know (well, and my family) how much better it feels in our home after getting rid of so much, but I also know we have a long way to go. I'm trying to remember that making a home with a foundation in faith and family- not stuff.

   The more stuff I have, the less productive I am in the areas that matter- faith, family, and fellowship. 

    I get tied down to the monotony of maintenance of the stuff that I can't maintain the necessary, or enjoy the moment. Now, don't get me wrong. I know that productivity is not always (rarely in my life, actually) about big changes or drastic epiphanies. It's about the little changes that point to a bigger picture. But, nonetheless the little changes and small victories still seem tedious instead of joyous around here.

    I am in the middle of this now. My closet is a nightmare. I have purged it once and it still laughs at me. *smirk* I have clothes that I love but don't wear. Now, to my credit let me let you in on a little secret. I have gone from a size XS to a size large and back again in the last year due to pregnancy (not to mention the maternity clothes that made an appearance on my hangers for 7 months!). So, it's not like I'm just hoarding clothes. I just have my favorites for each size and then a few more to add variety. But, I digress. *wink* The point is not the ridiculousness situation with my closet. It is the fact that I'm working on it. Five trash bags *gasp!* have left my closet to never return again and I am scheduling a date with Goodwill for a second drop off for round two. It is what it is. I am making progress and getting to a point where the clothes aren't in the way. Then getting dressed, doing laundry and maintaining it all won't take away from other areas that I could be doing something more productive or more importantly doing something that really matters (eternally speaking).  My productivity is sure to increase when I'm not tied down to the maintenance of so many clothes. And, I'm sure it will be the same way in other areas in my life.

   It is about productivity, but it's also about perspective. The stuff is leaving and it feels good, but I'm sure it will feel even better when I think I'm done. But, then again, maybe it'll never seem simple enough (or organized enough); sort of like cleaning. Does it ever feel too clean? If it does, I've never experienced it! *laugh* I am making progress, slowly but surely. I'm moving towards minimalism less stuff. But, I'm also moving with the reminder that the stuff isn't the point (whether I have it or not), it's about my perspective and my understanding that all that stuff I wanted gone was just a hindrance and half the battle is recognizing it. 

How do you balance productivity and perspective when it comes to your stuff?

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Thanks for reading the Simplicity Parenting Blog Carnival! We hope you’ll take time to read these other great contributors’ posts:

• Encouraging Productivity - Melinda at Wholesome Womanhood discusses ways to embrace computer time as a time to learn via podcasts, online sermons, etc.
• Mise en Place - Justine at The Lone Home Ranger discovers preparing for projects ahead of time can be a big time-saver that helps her increase productivity.
• Productivity? Depends on your definition! - Jamie at I Love Junkmail describes her typical productive day.
• Productivity: Making the correlation - Jade at Faith in the Shade talks about how she is revamping every aspect of her life (including measuring productivity) to live simpler.
• Simplicity and Productivity: The Art of Compromise - Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM finds that compromise is sometimes the best way to balance productivity and simple living.

Thanks to all the fabulous writers and readers for being a part of our simplicity parenting community! Stop by The Lone Home Ranger and S.A.H.M. i AM to see how to join us for a future carnival.

Favorite Friday

I. Love. This. I know I've been saying that I'm purging my house. I am, and that includes all my crafting supplies (quilting, stamping, scrap booking, random crafts, etc.). And when I saw this I immediately started thinking of how I could make this happen. It's simple. It's clean (and easy to clean). And, it's beautiful! Now I think I found the perfect place to move my craft area into-  a little breakfast nook we have that currently serves as an office....that no one uses. So, I saw this and am suddenly inspired to make the move (and pare down quickly!) to this sort of a set up. I'm thinking IKEA would have a workable shelving unit I could use and the Hubby says the top is just a painted piece of wood. Simple!

    So, even though I can't say this is my new favorite thing because I don't have it up and working yet, it is my new favorite idea for organization of a craft area. Do you see my pattern?! Most of my favorites are about organization, crafting or both! *wink*

   What are you organizing? What does your craft space look like? I'd love to hear your great ideas! In the meantime, happy crafting!

Purging and a little something to share....

     I've been purging my whole house. So, when I sit down to the computer (which is not very often!) I have also been going through my pictures.... it's a mess. I'm trying really hard not to let it overwhelm me. Really though, I'm just wishing we were back when you took a picture and had to wait until the film was developed a week later to enjoy the excitement of looking at all your pictures and laugh at all the ones that didn't turn out! *laugh* But, I digress.....

    I made a Shutterfly book of all our favorite pictures from last year and I was really pleased with it. So, I'm attempting to stay up to date throughout this year with all my favorites so I'm not bogged down when I'm ready to put this year's favorites together in a book. So, today I'm sharing one of my favorites so far this year... Enjoy!

 

Favorite Friday

My favorite thing this week is the reminder that we don't need everything we have or want. In light of that I've been going through my house and purging everything I possibly can..... So we are garage-selling today. Here is B. being a helper *smile*

What are you doing today? Have you gone through your house lately and given away/sold/donated what you don't use/want?

What's needed in the dark

         Not too long ago we had a power outage due to storms in our area. We were without power for about four hours. Just long enough to usurp my dinner plans and cause a tizzy in my home (where ARE all the flashlights?!). The girls, of course, thought it was great.... Until they realized it was gonna be PB&J for dinner and they couldn't turn their lights on to get pj's and such for the slumber party we decided to have in the playroom (a covered porch that we turned into our playroom/schoolroom. It has a lot of windows, and therefore lets in all the outside light making it the most lit room in the house.). As I was walking through my house with the lone flashlight I could find, *scowl* I realized how much stuff was not necessary in the dark without power. Really, I saw our excess clearly right there in the dark. I wanted to start dragging things to the garage for an immediate trip to Goodwill's donation station. I. Wanted. It. All. Gone.

        OK, I didn't start dragging stuff to the garage, but it sparked a new found urge to purge (the latest one prior to that day was just before my 4th daughter was born in February, which was quickly forgotten as soon as she was born!). Not just a purging of unloved things, but a purging of not needed- I mean really needed things. Now, as a full disclosure, if you were to come over for coffee (or a glass of Pepsi- no judging here please! *wink*) my house would not strike you as though a minimalist leaves here. I have tried to make it homey but minimal. I like things on the wall, but I don't like things strewn all over just to decorate, for the sake of decorating. I like things that have purpose or memory- preferably both simultaneously. It is a work in progress. I am constantly debating whether to keep something because I may use it again (in the immediate future) or purge it because I have not used it recently. It is as though I have two sides: the minimalist who wants to purge everything not used today vs. the hoarder who doesn't want to purge anything because I may use it soon (and to keep from buying it again!). I know. It's crazy here.

     But, on the good end of things I am really seeing things for what they are: things. Things that I can do without. Things that are not eternal. I've read lots of posts lately about minimizing your wardrobe to a few favorite pieces (thanks to a dear friend I have purged a lot and am better organized- more on this later). I guess I'm still seeking those "few favorite pieces." And, of course moving between four different sizes doesn't help either (thin, early pregnant, big pregnant, just-had-a-baby size). Again, a work in progress.  I still struggle with seeing and remembering all the memories attached to that thing (we have several things from my grandmother's that have passed).Or, seeing the possibilities in our homeschool or my craftiness and those said things. It's hard. I guess I'm just trying to find the balance between owning things and them not owning me, and being OK living my space with those things that made the cut.

  So, what are purging these days?  How do you decide what to keep and what to donate?

Jade