The Beginning of my Journey of Decluttering

This past March we had an architect, Donald Sherefkin, come out to the house to help us figure out ways to make an addition.  We were not ready to start the additions but we didn't want to be improving gardens in areas where we inevitably might expand.  We learned so much that day.  Good things, funny things, a-ha things.  If you live in Southern Vermont area I can not recommend Donald Sherefkin enough.

We will put an addition on someday - mainly because we don't have a bathroom on our sleeping level and as we age - this will become more important.  Here is what I think the funny part of the discussion unveiled -- I would like a garage and my husband wants a bigger kitchen.  This cracks me up as it is a stereotypical gender reversal.  To make it unfunny I can explain why.  I'm the one that gets bundled up and goes out to move the cars when the plow guy comes.  I'm not sure why my husband doesn't care about this - the more we do this the bigger our driveway is all winter long.  My husband wants a bigger kitchen as his family had restaurants as he was growing up.  He believes he would cook more if he had a bigger kitchen.  I personally love the size of our kitchen because everything is so close I can get things out and put things away so much faster.  But I'm also for him cooking more often.

So we are several years away from being ready for the addition.  I learned more things from Donald that day- my husband wanted a gaming room again and I need a weaving studio with better light.  One day shortly there after he was at a seminar up in Burlington for the day.  I took advantage of this day and took my Leclerc Nilas loom completely apart.  I then lined the parts up at the bottom of the stairs and hired my lovely young neighbor to bring the pieces up a couple of flights to our bedroom.  An hour later and she held some pieces together so I could begin the process of putting it back together.  I've mentioned this in an earlier blog post when I was doing the finishing touches with my niece.  I wasn't able to get everything set up the way I wanted to - but I did get the room completely emptied out - a clean slate for him.

Photo Credit to Jeannine Bakriges, part of her 2010 Summer Spin-Off article 

Late summer my seven foot triangle loom came back home to live with me again - I had loaned it out to a friend.  I use the looms more frequently so they stay but sadly the great wheel needs a new home.  I just placed an add on the Spinner's and Weaver's Housecleaning Pages for the wheel.  While I was at it I put my five pitch Indigo Hound English combs and my single pitch Louet mini combs up on the site.  I think this in conjunction with my brother-in-law turning me on to Unclutter and my already following the financial practices of Dave Ramsey and my journey is off.to a less cluttered existence was successfully catapulted.

More to follow on the next decluttering leap soon. . .

PS Leslie - I hear your voice in my head about you holding onto my English Combs - but really - this is what I want to do.  Thank you anyway for your generous offer.

It has arrived!

What has arrived?  

My copies of "Spinning Around - Spinning, Dyeing & Knitting Elizabeth Zimmermann's Classics,"
by Jeannine Bakriges

"Spinning Around - Spinning, Dyeing & Knitting Elizabeth Zimmermann's Classics," by Jeannine Bakriges

This book has been years in the making and I've been a happy traveler along that path as my dear friend Jenny has achieved her goal and along with School House Press has come out with a beautiful, informative book on dyeing, spinning, and knitting.  And of course who else would you expect Jenny to include in her credits - that is right - Bob Dylan.

Jenny - I'm writing this partly because I can't call you and also because I just want to share my excitement with the world!  Love and congratulations.

Five Wishes

Five Wishes

How Answering One Simple Question Can Make Your Dreams Come True

by Gay Hendricks (Author) A cocktail party conversation changed Gay Hendricks’ life forever. A man he’d never met asked him to imagine himself on his deathbed, pondering the question “Was my life a complete success?” And if it wasn’t, the stranger wondered, why? “What would be the things you’d wish had happened that would...

Daylily from my garden this summer. 

So far this is what I've come up with -
My life was a complete success because I

1. gave the time my loved ones and I deserved to have together
2. was present in nature whenever possible
3. focused time and energy on diet, exercise, overall health, and healing
4. continually committing time to my education and used the knowledge to better the lives of those in my community
5. earned financial freedom to live my life as I desired while working jobs that I loved
1. Appreciate what I had when I had it - didn't have to go out and get the newest things because I already had so much to work with what I had

My next step is to come up with actions that will help me achieve these goals.   I highly recommend this thought provoking book.  I have read other books that ask me to set goals and I usually get hung up there.  This was just the question I needed to be asked to help set the goals.   Now that the list is in writing it can be tweaked as necessary but will help me focus energy on my priorities.  I can also go back to the other books and pick up where I left off then I can pass them on to their next owners.

Great Ways to Have a Great Day!

I've been holding on to things for a long time because I like them - thought this might make a good place to archive the lists so that I might be able to share and declutter.

View from my office

"Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody's watching.

Sing like nobody's listening.

Be surprised, like you were born yesterday.

Tell the truth, and you don't have to remember anything.

Live like it's heaven on earth."

Source: Unknown - I read it in a newsletter and their source was Hope Heart Institute