Independence Day

Now that I am way behind on getting this post finished and published. I found the above picture on MomThinking.org. I think it is a great picture.

Our 4Th was different. Usually we will either go up north to Pinetop to enjoy the cool and small town feel of the 4Th or we have a cookout, watch fire works & do our own fireworks. We have been invited to a cookout with family but we really wanted to get a major project taken care of and didn't know how long it would take.

Alan knew he would have this day off work if he chose to so we have been planning the big garage clean up. The garage has been a bit of a mess since Alan had started the major mechanical jobs on our vehicles back at the end of March. It like so many places when things aren't put back when done being used, ended up multiplying  more and more. In the morning Alan wanted to finish putting the rocks in our front landscaping before it got too hot out. So I got busy on my own things inside and then went out to the garage to face the beast. This is what it looked like from coming out into the garage.

SUPER SCARY!  

This is from the front of the house looking into the garage. AHHHHHHHHHHH! 

It seriously was making me sick and get anxious every time I walked out into it.

 I worked on my stuff for less than 15 minutes and got it back into place. So I waited for Alan to get done and ready for my help. 

It took him a little longer to go through, sort and put things back into place. He also had to hang up a cupboard and reorganize our work bench that is in the very back of the tandem garage. 

On Tuesday I went through the refrigerators and freezers and cleared out all the old prepackaged food that was left in them. I cleared out any outdated food too. When I was waiting for Alan I took all the food out of the refrigerator/ freezer in the garage and moved it out to the driveway area and scrubbed it all out. Inside and out was sparkling white again. Then dried it out and moved it back in. I worked around the house throughout the day on other projects. Checking in and helping Alan in between. 

Improvement......yes. Still a lot of sorting and getting rid of things but definitely and improvement. We have items that need taken to their owners such as the mattress and a few boxes that are Dallas's. But it looks much better now.

This is the view from the front of the garage looking in. 

At least now I can walk out without feeling sick to my stomach. 

By the time we were done with this it was around 5. Alan was pretty sore from the landscaping and garage work. I ended up giving him a massage as our neighbors were setting off fire crackers that kept scaring me. Alan then went and got pizza for our dinner. The girls were all asked by friends to go hang out with them or cookouts so they were gone. Alan and I had a restful night watched a movie, ate pizza and enjoyed the time together. I did miss seeing the fireworks but I was tired from all that had gotten accomplished. 

Hugs, Bobbi Jo 

I've Come A Long Way Baby

Yes I've come a long way baby in just almost a months time. I have been clearing clutter, dis-owning things and enjoying the freedom of all of this. I still have so far to go but I feel I have made a great dent in my minimalism journey.

Looking back on a few key areas

Went from this 

To this

Now this no longer exists. 

This scary mess 

To this

This pantry full of canned processed stuff 

To this and then 

To this. There are still cans in here but slowly I am getting rid of them

Glad to have the open spaces and knowing that I am feeding my family with a healthier choice. 

Slow and steady is working out well. 

What have you been up to lately? Would love to hear from you.
Hugs, Bobbi Jo

In 20 min. & Update

Thursday evening everyone was gone. I hadn't been alone in the house for a while. So what do I do in my alone time?

Well I organized kitchen drawers.

This is the way the drawer started out. Not too bad ....

This is how it ended up. I moved things around in several drawers and made homes for things that I use. The other items are being donated. Letting go of the great chef & dinner entertainer that I held on to for so long felt good. Yes I enjoy cooking but I don't need all of the tools that I had. The items in the drawer were in a chicken canister that was on the counter top. 

Better don't you think? 

This is the next drawer. Much messier. 

And after.

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse well check out this one. 

This isn't suppose to be a junk drawer although it holds some odds and ends. 

I think this is way better and more efficient. 

Very happy with the results. But there is so much more to do.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures they are from my phone but, hey at least I remembered to take them. 

Now update on my workout. I have been faithful getting my workout in. Feeling good and enjoying the increase in the energy already. Amazing! 

 Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Letting GO

WARNING: This post is a little more serious that what you are use to from me!
 I have been going on a lot about de-cluttering and letting go of things. It is a slow process but so worth the feelings I am having.
 I've also been thinking about all the things that I am still holding on to in my life. These are not material things but experiences, anger, disappointments, emotions that are doing me no good what so ever. I need to work on these things to get them out of my life forever.
 As I have been working on slowly changing my eating habits, eliminating processed foods, fast food and pre-made garbage in my life I am feeling better but not losing weight as I had hoped to.
 I know back in 2009 I worked my but off literally to lose weight and I was getting into shape and feeling good about myself. Long story short I decided to go back to school full time, Gabby went into the hospital, life got way too crazy. Then this past year I had been working, had several surgeries and procedures that put me out of commission and I still don't feel like I have gotten all my strength back from those.
So now the work begins.
 The work I am starting needs to continue for the rest of my life. I can't stop this time. I know all the above mentioned of the emotions and such all need to be taken care of and dealt with. I know as a healer I need to be at peace to help others to heal or they can feel it in your touch and mannerism.
 My 1) goal as of starting tomorrow is to get back on the proverbial  horse or in this case the treadmill. I am starting out slow due to it has been a long time since I have worked out. This is so sad to say but I am keeping it really folks.
2) practice meditation daily
3) incorporate yoga into my week maybe just 2 times this week and adding on to this
4) deal with issues that have been eating at me or I have been eating because of
5) make me a priority in my day every day

I will follow up and let you all know how things are going. Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Clutter + Clutter + Clutter= Not Able to Think

 I read and wanted to share a great article over at MindBodyGreen. It talks about so many of the reasons that I decided to become a minimalist. I agree with so much of the points that is brings out and I am noticing that I am starting to see a difference in how I am feeling on a daily basis as more of the STUFF is taken away, donated, thrown away. Take a minute or two and check it out and let me know your thoughts.   Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Saturday De-Clutter

I like to make lists. Unfortunately I don't always feel like doing what is on them. My list for Saturday was a very detailed list to clean the master bedroom and bathroom along with de-cluttering. I woke up at 5 and got ready for the day. I knew I had to pick up my order from Bountiful Baskets  to get my yummy fruit and veggies for this week. I then worked on putting mulch on my garden. Went for the basket at 7 then back to work around the house some more. Well plans went from the TO DO LIST to what was really bothering me. Guess what ? I forgot to take before pictures of the garage. I spent many hours cleaning the garage. Dallas had brought over 6 Rubbermaid containers full of items to store at our house until he and Sara get their own place. Since I had so many shelves emptied from last weeks haul to donate I put them on the shelves. It looks so much better, although I was enjoying seeing the empty shelves. 

I got rid of 4 large size Rubbermaid totes of craft supplies and material. Felt SOOOOOO good to let go.

In between helping Alan work on his truck . He is under there but you can't see him. I was working the jack and probably annoying him. he he

I started working on the kitchen area a little more. I read an article on the blog Minimalist At Home about clearing the clutter from your counters. This got me motivated to do something about ours. It is no fun to cook if there is no space and you feel crowded. 

Below is the left side counter top Before: 

After.... ahhhhh 

Right side of counter top Before: ( I must say I don't like having appliances on my counters but due to the other things taking up space in the cupboards there was no space for them.)

After: .....ahhhhhhh  I placed the toaster in the cabinet below. It is used maybe once a week and I don't like it being up there so it found a new home. The mixer was put in another cupboard with my baking pans and Bosch mixer. 

Then to start attacking the upper cupboards Before: 

After.......ahhhhhhh Look even an empty 1/2 shelf on top

Spice cupboard before: 

This is the items I had taken out before I remembered to take the picture.

After......ahhhhhhhhh

I had so many doubles of spices & herbs that were un-open so I gave those to Dallas & Sara. 

The items on the second shelf are pulled to the front due to I am vertically challenged. This way I can reach them easily.

Even though it started out with things not from my to do list I got a lot accomplished and very happy with the results.  

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Small Things

Some days it is the small things that count. This is a filling cabinet in a closet that we keep our safe on.

I kept looking at this and thinking I really need to organize that and put things where they belong. So yesterday I finally did it. 

Before:

After: Much better 

Gabby was a little not so entertained on Thursday night. Her BFF couldn't hang out. Gabby wanted to do scary make overs. So this is what she came up with.

Her Father wasn't to pleased about it. he he

It is kind of  creepy and so not her personality. 

By the way the chain end is shoved up her nose and she is holding the other part in her mouth with the other end tucked behind her ear. Hmmm not sure what to make of this look.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo 

Hanging Clothes

When I got up this morning I had a list of things to get done today. I am still in the throws of that list but I looked in my closet and felt like there was still too many clothes that I don't love or wear hanging on my side of the closet. So I did what any person that is on a major minamalization kick would do. I went through my clothes and asked myself as I looked at them: Do I love it? Does it fit? When did I wear it last? Then as I went along I started tossing things into a donation box for Goodwill. 

This is what I ended up with.

Left to right of my closet 2 sets of clothes for work (2 shirts & 2 pants), 3 cami's (white, tan and gray)

Charcoal T-shirts (4 short sleeves and 1 long sleeve) these I wear daily. Boring I know but that is how I roll. 

Then I have 5 dress blouses for church or dates, 3 dresses, 1 nightgown, 1 pretty nighty, 1 set of P.J's. then skirts. I have a lot of skirts that I might still pair down in the future but I am not ready to do so right now.

I then loaded up the car to take a load to Goodwill while I was out running errands. Of course I forgot to take pictures but I had a trunk full and then 3 items in side on the back seat. 

It felt good to donate these items they weren't beautiful to me cluttering my house/garage and they were no longer useful to me so good bye to the items. 

Well off to my to do list I am knocking off the items quickly today.

Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Clear It Out

 So I have been gradually working on clearing out my emails. Yes 5 emails! That is FIVE different emails that I was checking almost daily. I narrowed it down to 3 now, personal one, my business one and my Google ON SNAP I just remember one that I never check. Holy cow!! I will get rid of that one too. How embarrassing is that?

 I also have been unsubscribing from site, blogs and other such things that fill up my email to over 200 daily. Now it is much better to go check email and it get's cleaned out quickly. Happy dance over here.

 This morning I thought of an area that I don't look at too often and that is in our T.V. cabinet. There are doors on the bottom half that are closed a majority of the time but I know that even though you can't see it, it is still there taking up energy from our home. So I pulled over a box that I got from the Pet Club that they were happy to let me take and talk to the girls about what games they like & played with.

 This is the cabinet when I first opened the doors 

SCARY! 

 And after! Much better. 

I was reading about getting rid of your VHS videos and player but we still use and watch the movies

and I don't have the financing at this time to get the movies on DVD so I am keeping the VHS movies that we love and watch for now. 

 Considering my day was a little busy I was pleased with getting this done. I had a girls camp certification to do with the Beehives and Mimaids in our ward. There was 17 girls and 5 leaders. It was fun, nosy and I am so glad to check that off my list today too! 

On Sunday E'lyse, Faith and Gabby made red velvet cakes from scratch and decorated them. 

I am not sure who's cake is who's I just know that the pictures where on my camera when I loaded this on to my computer tonight. 

They are so pretty! At Fry's they have this amazingly terrible for you great tasting icing for .99 cents with a Fry's card and they girls were so excited to get to use them for other than squirting them into their mouths. 

 Hugs, Bobbi Jo 

Goodbye Tomato Stuff

Over the weekend I was reading articles and blogs and came across this article 7 Foods That Even Food Safety Experts Won't Eat on the blog ecokaren Smart Ideas For Green Living and Handmade Life. Well this morning I got rid of my canned tomato items.
Guess what I forgot to take pictures again! Snap! Sorry!!
So not worth keeping them and I like cooking from scratch most of the time anyway. So now you know why the post title is what it is. No I am not donating them.
 What is your victory for the day? Small or big I would love to hear what you have going! Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Take My Clutter Away

So it is Friday and it has been a long week of a lot of waiting. I am not a patient person and my family can verify that fact. 

This morning I got tired of looking at the mess our garage that I have made due to the minimalism journey I am on. 

This is the back of my van. These boxes are full of books that I am taking to 

Half Price books to sell.  I still have some more shelves I need to go through in the house but I have always loved books and so this is a big step for me to let go of these.

I went into my closet this morning and saw this box that has been under my clothes for a while. Obviously due to the embedded ring on the carpet to the left of it.

Anyway I was reading an article on a blog yesterday about getting rid of clothes that you are hanging on to for "SOMEDAY". You know that some day when you wear that size again, some day when that comes back in style again." Well I got rid of my someday things today 

 This is the bag of the "someday" things that I got rid of. 

Feels so good to empty out a container that you don't have to look at to remind you of that "fantasy you ". 

More talk about the "Fantasy You"

I had read a blog post (I wish I could remember what blog it was to give credit where credit is do) that was talking about letting go of the fantasy you. The post spoke to me so clearly that I thought the writer was talking to me directly. You know the you that you thought you would be! Still confused let me clarify. One Fantasy Me was the great chef. So I bought all these amazing cooking gadgets, pans and tools to cook with. Yes I have to admit I am a good cook but I don't use have the stuff I bought or have.

The Fantasy You fitness buff: the weights, the yoga mat, the gabillion DVD's, the treadmill that collects dust in the garage or you hang clothes from.

 Or the Fashion Diva Fantasy You: Great clothing that is form fitting, shoes & purses to match each outfit, along with the costume jewelry to got with each outfit. 

How do I know about these ones? Well guess what they were the Fantasy Me but NO MORE!!!

I am who I am and I am loving being simple and getting clutter free. Mentally, physically, and even Spiritually.

It is feel great and I still have so much to do.

 I then loaded things into the back seat of the car

 closer look of what was on the floor board

I had already packed up stuff in the trunk of the car. 

I should have taken a picture of all the stuff in the garage before I took it out but once I got started I didn't want to stop the flow of energy on putting it in. 

 Gabby and I then drove to Goodwill and dropped off the items for some other people to buy, use and hopefully love.

So much more I want to go through but I must get other things done in my life but there will be more. 

 If you are inspired or have something you want to share I would love to hear from you.

 Hugs, Bobbi Jo

Food Declutter

Minimalism has been on my mind a lot lately. Not only because I talk with Coco about it , not because I read about it, but because I am seeing a difference in not having some of the clutter that I did 3 weeks ago. 

Now my garage looks like I am the biggest hoarder in the world. (I will post a picture before I start donating things just for you). 

I have so far 6 fruit boxes full of books that I am taking to Half Price Books to sell and many more on the way. 

I have been busy with work and life in general but this has been the main thing that is on my mind. 

Not only am I thinking of physical clutter but also mental clutter and my bodies physical clutter.

So after this thought what do you think it is time to do but DE-CLUTTER and minimize what I can do when I can do it !  

Boring food containers

Well there is a closet that is under our stairs that Kyle first claimed to be his room when he saw our house for the first time because it reminded him of Harry Potter.
Before we moved in Alan had shelves put in to each of the closets for me for extra storage. I love our house but never has had enough storage until this amazing minimizing. I truly think that sometime in the near future there will be more than enough storage space in our beautiful home.
Boring food containers NO MORE!
Avery company has labels in all shapes and sized you can print on your computer.
 I just love these. Sorry the picture is so dark. But you can see the labels have made it easy to spot what I want in the closet.

 A little pretty touch for the laundry room

 Pretty laundry soap container . Much prettier than that ugly bucket you see to the left of it.
Makes me smile when I see it.

When I started labeling things this past week my kiddos were getting a little concerned that I was going to start labeling them. 

 After a lot of discussions with Coco and reading on blogs of all the different additives in food to give it a longer shelf life. It has really started to gross me out. Plus with trying to clear out the physical body clutter I don't want all this garbage going into my body or my families.
I am steering towards a whole foods eating way.
After a couple days of working on clearing out the 4 closets that were used as pantries this is what I have so far.
Picture #1

Closer view of picture #1

Picture #3

All of this is stored in Dallas's old room for right now. 

I was going to donate this to our church but when I told Dallas and Sara about it they said they would take it all. Being newlyweds with tight finances I can understand this. So glad it will go to a home that needs it. 

Someday I will get them on the healthier band wagon too. But for now I need to work on those that live in the same house as me. 

This is the closet under the stairs. Still has some work to be done but this is a slow process at times.

As you will notice I do have a good bit of food storage. I have been the canning specialist in the past 4 words I have lived in so I try to practice what I preach. he he  

 Pantry in the kitchen. True not all the canned items are gone. As I said this is a very slow process I need to ease the family into.

 Hallway closet. 

 Another dark picture (sorry) this is the closet in Dallas's room The hanging area is in front of all these cans.

This is more of our food storage. I am done clearing this area I just need to dust up a little bit more. 

 This is the top part to the above mentioned closet. These are our sleeping bags and Dallas's emergency back pack. I haven't gone through these yet but it is certainly on my list.

I don't like the sleeping bags out with the rest of the camping items due to spider or bug factor. Personally it creeps me out! 

So this is where I am at so far. I will try to remember to take pictures are blog a little more frequently to keep you up to date.

 Feels good to get rid of stuff! 

 Hugs, Bobbi Jo