One on One, I am right with you trying to get the common areas into "Shape". I know I am making more right decisions toward the house in general.

Great job on building momentum with 4 days of dishes. The way I look at it is... progress not perfection. 4 is better than zero.

August will be a month trying to set my boys up in new houses in their respective college communities. I know that will take money, time and effort so that I will be on my list of main things that I will try to accomplish for August.

I cleaned the utility room as I was doing 3 loads of laundry. Threw out 2 small baskets of socks. Credit.** Thought how long am I going to wait for the missing ones to come home. New thinking: They have been missing for 6 months, it is time to give up the search and rescue. It does boil down to making an Intentional Cognitive Decision. .......hee, hee! Small decisions count.

Writing my Advantage cards for both Beck-Mind/Body Plan and applying the same concepts for House. Will start my 6 week neural-rewiring training tomorrow, Aug 1. Neuroplasticity means that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains. The idea was first introduced by William James in 1890, but it was soundly rejected by scientists who uniformly believed the brain is rigidly mapped out, with certain parts of the brain controlling certain functions.

So thanks to Judith and Aaron Beck's work on CBT and the Diet Solution, I am training to develop new neural pathways in my noggin. Will take it day by day, week by week.

Anyone want to join me starting at Day one? I will post on other thread for weight and this thread for house. My rebellion part is ticked off right now, because she is put on notice that she is no longer above the "rules".

I will try and accept the successes and failures along the way as they are both teachers.

sometimes
 

Hi Everyone:

I watched two episodes of Hoarding:Buried Alive:( Sometimes that show completely paralyzes me and makes me feel so very very sad that any energy I had just oozes out of me onto the floor and trickles on out the door...
Today though I wondered about me and whether I have a "hoard". The therapist was saying that hoarders like to do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to deflect their attention from their hoards. They hate dealing with it. I can relate to this in terms of "areas of the house". The areas I seem to avoid are:
-the floor at the end of the futon in the living room
-the space beneath the dining room table
-the chair in the living room that's piled up with stuff again
-my boxes;all my boxes=boxes in the hallway and boxes in the two bedrooms
-my bedroom closet and the stuff piled in and around my dresser and the vanity that has no permanent home

Today I felt like loading the boxes, unopened, into my car's trunk and driving them over to the town dump. I am thinking "what do I really need anyway? Don't I already have it?" And then my brain goes...but maybe there are some really old things in there that I need to have/need to keep/can't ever replace And this is why I am not loading the car. I have to face my hoard, if that is indeed what it is. I'm not convinced it is -- also a sign of a hoarder apparently! shhh!:dizzy: So. I think this will be next for me. I'm going to look at it. Make the decisions about the contents. And keep moving forward owning my space as the summer starts to draw to a close.

I am visualizing a cozy winter retreat: warm, glowing, softly scented, cushy. I want it de-luxe and comfortable. I see myself on a chaise lounge wearing silk pyjamas that are NOT a plus size!

That's the goal.

Bye!
-

OnebyOne:

I like your new ticker....40lbs down. Great job, great accomplishment. I watch the show Hoarders as well. I think they show the EXTREME cases where people simply can't stop the process...relating to OCD.
Unless you have to crawl over loads of crap and can touch your ceiling, don't compare yourself to them. However, I think that show motivates me to just throw it out and makes me question why I have keep the things that I keep. I try to think of the people that Goodwill has helped and when I donate my "extras" maybe it will help the next person. I have to reframe-re-author my thoughts on this.


I am thinking about numbering boxes in our music room and my office. That way if I want to try to go thru one box a week it will be better than zero boxes.

What a wonderful goal! Can you turn that into an Advantage Card or perhaps make a small vision board with your statement and use pictures that help you envision your space?

I watch Hoarders:Buried Alive and had just finished an episode when I checked in here last night. :lol: I learn lots of techniques by watching and in a strange way, get a glimpse of what my collecting habits could be in "the extreme." I do recognize as I look and listen, that many of the people on the show "didn't used to be" like that. They are always able to acknowledge, with the help of the therapist, a specific event or series of events, usually very extreme, which pushed them over the edge.

Today I acknowledge gratitude for creating a positive set of circumstances in my life which facilitate personal healing and self worth. Through my work with Beck Diet Solution, which I use in many other non-food related aspects of my life I feel I am gaining the life I desire as I shed the pounds I had accumulated...along with alot of other "stuff".

I just read the note which I have beside my computer and changed one word.

"Making space to live the life I want to live as a thin person."

"Making space to live the life I want to live as MY thin person."

I have changed the word "a" to "my". I'm 54 years old and I let go of the world expectation of "a thin person" and instead embrace the vision of "my thin person".

I'm so excited today! I finished painting my staircase and got confirmation last eve that my carpet will be installed Friday morning. When we moved into this house in 2003 I started with a "vision". I had three gigantic goals:
1. State of the art kitchen which blended well with an 1887 Victorian. DONE!
2. Say goodbye to sky blue walls and baby blue old worn carpet, refinish original maple flooring and install a Victorian Era carpet which would last my lifetime. Almost done!
3. New bathroom upstairs which would blend with the old house....(next project??)

Work calls....gotta run....

Keep up all the great work everyone!

Lexxiss Declares::listen: " Today I acknowledge gratitude for creating a positive set of circumstances in my life which facilitate personal healing and self worth. Through my work with Beck Diet Solution, which I use in many other non-food related aspects of my life I feel I am gaining the life I desire as I shed the pounds I had accumulated...along with alot of other "stuff".

Love your declaration and acknowledgement of declaring your values!

Can't wait to read your post on Saturday after the carpet installation. How very exciting. You stated that it was blue before, what color did you paint and what does the carpet look like?

Sending positive supportive vibes out to all the Becksters for committed Action toward desired goals.:hug:

Day One: Decluttering-Organizing Home



Advantages-Home
I will try to make my home more functional and WORKABLE….not perfect like in magazines.
Having things where I can find them instead of guessing where things should be kept.
I have the power to do this, it is important to me that I have a clean space.
I will feel more confident, if I plan the work and work the plan.
I will not be embarrassed that everything is piled everywhere.
I will save money as I don’t need to buy more, I will enjoy what I have.
My thoughts of avoidance will not rule my life, my values will.
I would like to see my house change in the next 6 weeks.
I will love feeling peaceful and be able to relax in my space.
God grant me the serenity to change the things I can.

Will be working on Kitchen tupperware space today. Also, completing Step 4 of boxes in Living Room.

Day 2 Post a little early.

Sneaking back in here tonight, because I have a 7-7 work day tomorrow. Working on a morning routine and night routine to follow like an eating plan. Not way out there but a guideline. This will be my plan as daily upkeep will help keep those clutter pounds from coming back on.

Rachel, I really like your advantages and relate to them all. I appreciate your applying the BDS process to your environment. I have a "routine" of sorts yet you are really challenging me to rethink and streamline the process after my life normalizes a bit after my project is complete. (BTW) You asked about details of my new space. I will post pics as soon as it's finished. The old blue will shock you. The new neutral is so nice.

Speaking of routine...I'm out of routine with the project and this morning had a sabotaging thought as I looked around, "I'm losing ground here." Reality is that I WILL return to my pre-project "new normal". I have a helper coming over to move furniture later this morning and I'm going to pick up/put away everything I can before she comes. The old me would just pitch everything in a box/bag but I've changed. credit.

Here are some pics of my kitchen redo. The old kitchen had one outlet and many extension cords....orange carpet over three layers of old linoleum tile. When we got the tile off there was tarpaper tarred to original maple flooring. We scraped/sanded the tar off and finished the original floor.

I see that you got more counter space by removing the refrigerator.

Do you miss having cold stuff?

:lol: Removing the refrigerator could certainly address some behavioral issues such as the "midnight raids"....here is another picture, which shows the appliance movement. It made much more sense to have a work space on either side of the stove AND the eye appeal is much better, too. It took me a long while to think this out. What you can't see is that there are three doorways in this small kitchen leaving lots of unusable space. The window faces West and has an exit door...a North entry to the laundry/coffee room and an East entry to the rest of the house. I would have loved a larger and more modern fridge but they are all 2" too large for the space.

:broc:Lexxiss: What a beautiful change. Your kitchen looks so fresh, clean and organized. I love your cabinets with the beadboard. I am glad you shared your pictures. They really show what a transformation the space has gone thru.

Too funny about the refrigerator. :D Wow, is that a beck card like "No Choice". Remove your frig or get you jaws wired shut!


I am processing a daily workable plan. One that will create a groove in my brain that involves daily action.

Morning routine:

Throw load of laundry in before coffee.I already do this.

Decide menu for day. What the heck am I going to eat to stay on plan?
Coffee/Breakfast
Unload or re-load dishwasher.
Exercise if have time before work, if not will bump to evening routine.

Evening Routine:

Make and eat dinner on plan.
Clean dishes/run dishwasher
Exercise of choice.
Straighten up the house before going to bed. Funny thing, I think of this thread and act like you guys can see my house before I retire and it causes me to pick up and put away. ;)

I posted this list above washer to remember the groove.

Rachel: Great lists! I have my "groove" that I do every day too, now. It's still very easy for me to fall back into old habits. I like that you posted your list where you will be sure to look at it.

This morning I started with the "idea" that I would accomplish the entire living room...move furniture and clean. I was going to have my clutter-stuff put in it's place. I started by sorting/dealing with mail...on to some magazines. I breezed through them and put them in the recycle pile....nothing worth saving. I was anxious so I posted on the Beck thread...felt better. Went upstairs for the windex and knock knock...my neighbor had showed up 45 minutes early for furniture moving. (PS she loves to talk)
We moved furniture then discussed a project I have procrastinated for months; putting up a piece of slatboard in my kitchen (the piece purchased AND already cut to size). It needed 2 people and a mortar drill bit/screws (which I had already purchased). You can guess where this is going-it is done!!:carrot: I ditched my other plans and went to Denver to get some hardware for hanging things...got home and IMMEDIATELY went to my basement and pulled out a box. I knew just where it was.
I had a kitchenware store in Alaska (and a business partner) who always put me down. We parted and she kept the business. The hurt has been with me for years. In May when we went up, a very sane woodworker told me HIS story of HIS dealings with my ex-partner. I knew then (for sure) IT WAS NOT ME.
In my box-the copper "suns" I collected when we owned the store. They are now on my wall with my apron which I wore to work every day (and still cook with).
This is the most striking example, yet, of how my moving forward with my decluttering/home improvement projects is helping me to "own my space". The copper has been in that box for over 15 years and it only took one day of my life to put it where I wanted it to be. In my own kitchen.
As best I can relate it to my weight loss...it's a physical action which has moved a past experience which was shame based to an memory which I can feel happy about every single day.credit.

Ok, back to reality. I have decided it would be much wiser to paint my living room baseboards before the carpet is put in. I'm going to bed early and will get up and paint in the wee hours of the morning.

Lexxiss: I am a big fan of "Re-authoring" our life stories. I celebrate with you tonight, for reclaiming things that once brought you joy but were put aside. Empowerment and taking Action is going on in Colorado! It's funny that you stated that it was your "business partner's story"...phrased "HER STORY".. That is one of my favorite sayings, "that it is her story and don't get fused with it". Live your story, live your values. People will show you who they are and then it is validation if others tell you about the same encounters. If you love your copper suns and apron, I am glad they are where you can enjoy them. Hoorah! for a nice helpful neighbor. Don't you love when a little bit of help can go a long way with the To Do list! Exciting day tomorrow. Hope your painting flows easily and look forward to hearing how the new Space looks! You are reclaiming your valued space as we speak!

Cleaned out kitchen junk drawers and misc. draws in the kitchen, while watching the Michael Phelps win another GOLD! That's all for the day.