Thanks, Tami(helping Rachel), for a powerful quote which really puts into words how I feel when I get up every morning and make a daily commitment NOT to save my home TODAY....or to make a lengthy list which is unattainable....but to do my simple 1-2-3- which is easy, manageable and very empowering. Everyone I know is already commenting how fast this year is already going and it is very powerful for me to acknowledge that with my baby steps I create eternal ripples as quickly as the time passes .

Sitting waiting for mom after a nice drive to WhFoods for honey tangerines...two enjoyed while I drove in the sunshine. Wow, as I drove I noticed by all the businesses how we are constantly and blatently encouraged to buy buy buy consume consume consume. I truly desire to step away from that loop both with food and possessions.

Manageable and Moderate. Good things to think on. I so agree about the hoodwink of the marketing ploy of American. If you buy this .....you will be ........if you have this.....you will........ Ba hooey. I bought very little for my children this year for Christmas. We had one of the best Christmas's ever. We worked together and made Lasagna to take to my extended family. It was a 5 part process that involved everyone doing something to make this come together. This is what we will remember.....decorating the tree, sitting in front of the fire, making dinner to take to my family of 16 in Illinois. Not the stuff... I didn't fill stockings or do extras. On my 50th birthday, my kids said the greatest things that I have taught them were compassion and how to love. Beautiful gift that weren't wrapped.

Your Honey Tangerines sound delightful. I am off to the store to get berries and more vegetables. I am picking up momentum with eating and exercising on plan since the first of the year. I don't miss that baggage either!!

Hello everyone,
Thank you for all your kindness and compassion. I appreciate you all.
I am taking baby steps. I know it is a long road but with baby steps it is doable.
I went for a walk today. I have been on plan so far today.
I loaded the dishwasher, got three bags to donate and that is it so far.
I will keep posting, fake it til I make it.
Have a wonderful day.
Take care
Ann

Ann(NewLifestyle), in my book 3 bags to donate is not faking it until you make it that is dancing Take care

Ann, I laughed at the same thing! I must still be faking it because I don't love to clean or declutter!

Ann, umm, I too just want to say that the three bags are REAL! Pat yourself on the back and if you won't....I will.
JuliaWhoHadALateClassAndGotLockedInAParkingLotToni ght

Hi declutterers!

We traveled yesterday and once again I was pleasantly surprised to see and feel the continuing lightness/cleanliness of the house here.

Today's 1-2-3 dance

Old clutter-put away the Christmas decorations and at the fact I let go of the "bell wreath" which didn't have a good storage or hanging space. I also emptied my office wastebasket into a recycle bag to drop off later today.

Current clutter-unpacked, picked up, made the bed.

Clean-I pulled out two things from the freezer(to pitch) and reorganized. I cleaned between the washer/dryer where I had noticed an abundance of cat food when I was here last time. Cleaned out the dryer lint catcher and determined the thingie is broken. Washed down DH's coffee spills on both. Looked behind them (very dirty) and accomplished a giant step-
"I do not have to clean behind them today. I can do that another day. It's ok because this is an ongoing process."

Today's extracurricular task is to see if I can order a new dryer "thingie".

Everything today was accomplished while puttering around with morning coffee. Now off to enjoy my day off with baby tasks accomplished which move me forward anyway.

Hi

Just a quick update/check-in. I did go through that one box of old stuff. The other two boxes I pulled out still await my attention. It's ok. I feel I can do this.*credit for not catastrophising*

The universe continues to answer my call as the evening I took those boxes out to start the sorting process from my move I got a call from the Diabetes Society who are once again going to be in my area on January 24th and if I have anything to donate to put it in bags marked with a D for pickup. I have 3 items in my donate box and saved the one good big empty box that I emptied for another donation space so I will have at least those two boxes or the 24th of January. I couldn't believe the timing!

I have done dishes once more so the pile is diminishing and am coming to figure out a way to do them that suits me. Basically I do all the flat dishes first: plates. Then all bowls. Then cups. I like to know that my efforts have FINISHED something up. Like I can say "ok all the plates are done." That feels good to me. I also only like to do dishes in a dishpan. DH hates the dishpan, but then they sit in the sink, cluttering it up until who knows when we get around to it and the water/bottom of the snk gets ll cruddy. YUK. But when they are in the dishpan, I can lift the pan out to reveal... a clean sink. Even though I am no master dishwasher or kitchen cleaner, there is solid progress. *credit*

*credit for finishing the pan of dishes last night before I went to bed. Happy to see a clean clear sink this morning. Will put those dishes away now (DONE-*credit) and check back later. Today I have work to do at the ceramic guild and hope to be back here by 1-1:30. I want to get through those two boxes and get at some other work-related projects I've been putting off.

Enjoy your day everyone.

onebyone, Yay for going through your first box!
Yay for a plan to go through two more!
Yay for getting boxes ready for thrift pickup!
Yay for coming up with a plan for dishes!
Yes, you can do this!

I have good news, too! Credit for continued organization!
I:
~pulled out dryer manual from file
~found the part from sears($33. plus shipping)
~found the part on ebay for $17. total
~ordered it
Credit for a followthrough!

ETA-put the dryer manual back in the file!

I went to put something in my "thrift box" this morning and noticed it felt good. It's not too big and I just keep putting items in until I fill it. Then I take it out and bring in another small box.

OnebyOne; Credit for movement that you completed - both cleaning and decluttering. Double Credit for moderation. I don't know about your boxes, but I have found they breed like rabbits when I am not looking. I am glad you have a ceramic guild to connect with. What fun!

Lexxiss: Love your breakdown of your dryer task and completion. I have many more starts than finishes. I needed to see that with my own eyes. Thanks for the modeling.


I went to goodwill and decided to go in. I found this old picture frame holder, brought it home, spray painted it bronze and have been writing my beck cards out so I have a reminder to put in the kitchen of these new truth statements. Trying to expand the neuropathways with truth.

I had a meltdown with myself in the grocery store yesterday. I went to the little debbie aisle and was so pissed off that I couldn't buy all that crap anymore. My reaction surprised me. My food manager part took over and reminded that angry part that it was ok to grieve the movement of feeding myself with junk. As the people who came past me picked up the boxes, I was mad at them. ( PROJECTION) Mad that they were able to eat those cakes.

At that point, I took a few deep breaths--grounded myself and realized that I didn't want to put that junk in my body anymore. It was my decision, not a forced decision. Below these 2 battling parts I realized a part of me has been so cared by food--especially sugar for many years. A reward, something to make me feel special. I am grieving my relationship with food right now.

I am calling food --substance.

What substance am I putting in my body and why? This is going to be a long journey for rewiring my brain, but my intentions toward myself are caring and good. One day at a time, one meal at a time.

Hello everyone,

Funny, I felt like I hadn't completed my 1,2,3, because I only had done 1, and 2, didn't realize it was okay to give myself credit for having 3 bags of stuff...lol
Thanks for pointing that out.
I have a counselor on line and was told she might not have time to get back to me for a little while. I requested a new counselor.
Onebyone, I am glad the diabetes people called you because once they call you I get a call so it will give me incentive to get more bags ready. Funny part is the salvation army is less than 15 minutes away so I could drop stuff off at any time, I find I am more motivated when the diabetes truck people call.
Julia, some times I don;t need a pat on the back I need a kick in the butt...lol
Lexi, you are a very busy lady, how do you do it all.
Rachel, wonderful choice you made at the grocery store.

Thanks for all the support you all give.
Have a wonderful day.
Take Care
Ann

Hello All

I am still here. I had to spend some time going back and read all the previous posts. I found a lot of good advice and guidance. I also realize I need to get my Beck book out again and reread it - for both weight and clutter. I am driving with my son to DC tomorrow to visit my other son. I have added my Beck book to my packing list.

I haven't jumped in there too much but trying to hang onto the 123 approach or new/old/clean. I haven't had much of a chance to do much at home but trying to apply some of it to my work environment. I think the advice of jumping right in is good. I think I am too much of an all or nothing person and feel like I have to have everything all lined up perfectly. And of course, I never do and so I never get anywhere. Like I said, lots of good guidance.

And love the use of the word 'substance' vs food.

Michele

Decluttering Coaches, hello.

Really wintery night out there tonight. Windy, frosty, snowy.

I managed to complete more dishes last night nad today's goal was to get the breakfast dishes done today ie. if we dirtied them today we clean them today. Seems minor but it rarely happens here so I take *credit for getting the breakfast dishes done. Will do the same with the dinner dishes. At least this way I haven't made the dirty dish pile any bigger today. *credit.

My two chosen boxes remain unopened. Now there's a towel on the top of them and Looloo my cat is jumping up to sit on the towel. She is finding the box useful. *credit to Looloo. I have been at the ceramic guild during the day then home and relaxing, then the day is almost gone and it's dinner and it's some tv with DH and it's bedtime.

I will schedule decluttering for the weekend. DH will be lost in hockey all day Saturday so it'll pretty much be a free day for me to do as I wish.

Bye for now.

Lexxiss Thanks for the jpg of your box and hey! We do have the same set of drawers!!

Also helping rachel loved seeing the jpg of your advantage cards. nice. Makes me want to re-do mine as I have said I need to do new ones, and now your jpg makes me I think I want to do that
too.

Newlifestyle Is it true that the Diabetes people in your area are the same as in my area? I'm in Richmond Hill. Are you in Ottawa or is just your DH in Ottawa? where in Ontario are you (if you don't mind saying...?) BTW good job with those bags of stuff. Don;t you just love it when someone else takes that stuff off your hands? I sure do and spent $20 getting 10 garbage tags so the garbage men HAVE to take my stuff away. Money well spent.

znaoic I am 100% an all or nothing person (haha -- don't think anyone could be a 65% all or nothing person could they ) Anyway I am on a quest to live in the middle. HARD for me. VERY HARD. My work spaces seem to be much better organized than my living spaces... but if you develop good routines in one area I think it helps you transfer these skills to other more challenging situations. It's all good. None of our efforts/experiences are ever wasted! Make sure you give yourself credit for all of it. CREDIT to you for posting.