Let it GO! Decluttering (simplifying) your life of (people, places or things) success stories?
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@NewLIFEstyle4ME
Congratulations, well done! I think that if you remove the socks and the "bunnies", you will probably weigh less...
Just for and because I can and for my get tough(er) sake--I "try" to weight in with my clothes on now too ( used to always weigh-in with as little on as possible), just to make the "game" all that much tougher 
and to make sure the "wins" are even better than they look. 1 -
@newlifestyle You are crushing it! I remember the prior photos and your waist is definitely fading away. Great job
Man oh MAN I love what you've said here--it's like you've given a cup of ice cold water to a "thirsty" person. BOOM!2 -
#1 I LOVE the bunny slippers as well. #2 If we ever live anyplace again that has an extra room or space for guests I'm going murphy bed 100%. Ugh I just love things that are multi-functional! Just thinking of all those years we had a dedicated guest room with a big bed in it that got used by guests MAYBE once a year and otherwise just became a catch all space and an extra giant bed for cats. How different it would have been if we could have used the room differently the other 99.9% of the time! #3 I'm gonna have to do this pillow washing thing too!
So this weekend I de-cluttered my landscaping hahaha - is that even a thing? We have a mulch bed along the front of the house that had these hideous typical border shrubs and I just hated everything about them. It's winter 8 months out of the year here though so I've been stuck with them for a bit. Anyway - like a lunatic armed with a shovel I dug those suckers out of the ground and gave them to the neighbor for their weekend BBQ fire pit and planted an array of bee friendly, low water/drought friendly, low maintenance winter hardy perennials. Little bit of edging and a layer of mulch and it looks like a brand new home. During the nice months it will be lovely to look at and then at the end of the season they can just get chopped down to the ground leaving nothing in the way when we need to get a ladder up to clean the gutters and nothing getting creamed and destroyed when I have to rake all the snow off the roof! I know it seems like a weird thing to simplify but let's just say the last house had significant formal landscaping - like 10+ yards of mulch a year kind of landscaping and it was very expensive and timely to maintain. Now I can spend all my outdoor time in my veggie garden instead of trimming crappy thorny shrubs that I hate!5 -
Since discovering this thread on January 16, I have decluttered over 1200 items.9
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@Sunshinelinzee, you will love the Murphy bed! I consider yard work, like you did, decluttering. If it bothers you, or needs to be done, it counts! Congrats on making it your yard!2
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Sunshinelinzee wrote: »#1 I LOVE the bunny slippers as well. #2 If we ever live anyplace again that has an extra room or space for guests I'm going murphy bed 100%. Ugh I just love things that are multi-functional! Just thinking of all those years we had a dedicated guest room with a big bed in it that got used by guests MAYBE once a year and otherwise just became a catch all space and an extra giant bed for cats. How different it would have been if we could have used the room differently the other 99.9% of the time! #3 I'm gonna have to do this pillow washing thing too!
So this weekend I de-cluttered my landscaping hahaha - is that even a thing? We have a mulch bed along the front of the house that had these hideous typical border shrubs and I just hated everything about them. It's winter 8 months out of the year here though so I've been stuck with them for a bit. Anyway - like a lunatic armed with a shovel I dug those suckers out of the ground and gave them to the neighbor for their weekend BBQ fire pit and planted an array of bee friendly, low water/drought friendly, low maintenance winter hardy perennials. Little bit of edging and a layer of mulch and it looks like a brand new home. During the nice months it will be lovely to look at and then at the end of the season they can just get chopped down to the ground leaving nothing in the way when we need to get a ladder up to clean the gutters and nothing getting creamed and destroyed when I have to rake all the snow off the roof! I know it seems like a weird thing to simplify but let's just say the last house had significant formal landscaping - like 10+ yards of mulch a year kind of landscaping and it was very expensive and timely to maintain. Now I can spend all my outdoor time in my veggie garden instead of trimming crappy thorny shrubs that I hate!
LOVE your user name!
Uhhhhhhh...this post--honey your post fills my heart and mind with sheer unadulterated JOY!!!!!!!! Man, see, it's this type of being/doing/living/happenings that make me say/feel/know that life is good--all the time (even and especially when it seems like it's not and SUPER when it seems/feels like it is). You have and are accomplishing some super-star status wins and again, I'm so thrilled for you {{{{ LOVE and HUGS }}}}}. Thank you for your GIFT of posting here (because reading your post feels like I just got a wonderful gift of sorts. Thank you ever so VERY much for posting here--your post is going to touch untold numbers of people's hearts and minds and is going to help them/us in a multitude of ways.
{{{{{{{ Hugs once more and THE HIGHEST of fives to/for you }}}}}}}}}}} You're a first class winner and all time champion, period.
P.S. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
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@Sunshinelinzee, you will love the Murphy bed! I consider yard work, like you did, decluttering. If it bothers you, or needs to be done, it counts! Congrats on making it your yard!
This times 1,000. 2 -
I guess we kinda decluttered, too, then & I didn't add it to my chart, lol. We had 4 bushes out front that were ugly, & impossible to trim & look nice, so out they came & replaced them with 2 adorable little slow-growing spruce trees like I had in our other house. & a few flowers because I could not decide what type of perrenials to get. Oh well, good for this summer & can decide if that is how I want them to put perrenials in next year.4
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RetiredAndLovingIt wrote: »I guess we kinda decluttered, too, then & I didn't add it to my chart, lol. We had 4 bushes out front that were ugly, & impossible to trim & look nice, so out they came & replaced them with 2 adorable little slow-growing spruce trees like I had in our other house. & a few flowers because I could not decide what type of perrenials to get. Oh well, good for this summer & can decide if that is how I want them to put perrenials in next year.
Yep, gardening, mowing and weeding are super N.E.A.T exercises AND decluttering too for sure. Working to clean things up/get rid of stuff and or maintaining the yard and around the house is major league decluttering for sure--YAY YOU r.a.l.i!!!!
For anyone that doesn't know what N.E.A.T. exercising is...here's a post about it:NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Since April 2015 when I started at MFP, I've lost 80 lbs and kept it off for 20 months. In that time, I've thrown out loads of old crap.
While I was losing weight, I had the pleasure of "shopping" in my wardrobe for skinnier clothes that fit me again.
I now fit all my favourite skinny clothes, and I've thrown out all my fat clothes. So many bags of clothes donated to the op shop!
I've also done a lot of spring-cleaning and de-cluttered the whole house, because I've become very active, and much less lazy.
NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis calorie-burning for the win!)
I've thrown out loads of books, and worn-out linen, and kitchen crap. The house feels so much nicer to live in.
I think my decluttering inspired my husband, as he's done a lot himself with his things since I started.
I love this thread, it's a refreshing topic!
THANK YOU ever so much for posting this. It made me smile inside and out and is so very helpful, insightful and super encouraging! I really LOVE what you've said about "NEAT" ( NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis calorie-burning for the win!) I've never heard of this before and again, I LOVE it!!! Also...just the way you've phrased everything is so powerful and joy inspiring. How I have to "blush" about "thrown out loads of books, and worn-out linen, and kitchen crap"...wow--likewise!
Lastly, my decluttering AND weight-loss quest and new mind-set as done something absolutely tremendous to my hubby and my relationship. We are soooo much closer now. We've always been very tight and deeply in love with one another, but we are just on a whole nother wave-length now and our entire way of communicating with each other is ultra FUN now and more COOL than ever. Relating to him now, our communication, respect, admiration and frankly love for each other and just our entire lives are blooming in ways that I can't fully explain here and I just love that!
Thank you again and again for contributing this most excellent reply--you so ROCK, period.
Orphia posted this sometime ago, and I was especially blessed by her introducing me to the idea/most excellent way of exercising for me (burning cals, being more active (my daily exercise) in a more natural (for me), while/as I declutter my life of excess and messy "stuff" and at the exact same time, getting "stuff" done (where I can see immediate results (cleaner, prettier, more organized and sanity boosting surroundings, I love that.) So what Orphia taught me what I was actually doing is called:
NEAT (I LOVE that), it stands for: (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). This NEAT business is so helping me burn fat and "get down to size",so to speak, much so much more--helping me to move this body of mine in ways that are not only helping me declutter and maintain my deculttering (daily), but helping me LET GO of a LOT of pounds and ounces in ways that are so helpful to me. I've been reading a thread on NEAT that is the bombdotcom on ideas and suggestions on how to get more NEAT in as we are decluttering the mess out of our lives.
I wanted to put that thread link on here, so in case you haven't seen it--get ready to be supper blessed and get some doable and tremendous ideas on burning more cals and getting slimmer and trimmer in every area of our lives, as we pursue the fabulous & fun "business" of being all about "NEAT"...literally and figuratively=BOOM! Here's the thread...check it out:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss#latest
P.S. one of my NEAT activities(besides daily household chores) is walking to the store(instead of driving), carrying the groceries back. It's about a 2 or 3 or so mile back and forth and makes me feel like a champion too--walking to the store is so old school--I love it, it's "NEAT".2 -
Back at the rental house tomorrow and Sunday, cleaning up the building materials that hubby piled up from inside. Hopefully we get it done and can get the dumpster picked up. Wish me luck, don't want him doing this by himself, too hot!2
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Back at the rental house tomorrow and Sunday, cleaning up the building materials that hubby piled up from inside. Hopefully we get it done and can get the dumpster picked up. Wish me luck, don't want him doing this by himself, too hot!
You're a wonderful wife and friend. Here's to cheering you and your Boo on :drinker: Let us know how it worked out and don't forget to fill up on some/lots of nice ice water while you guys are getting it together. YAY YOU and your husband! 1 -
Cleaned the top of my desk; and found couple cards have been looking for the last few weeks.
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NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Back at the rental house tomorrow and Sunday, cleaning up the building materials that hubby piled up from inside. Hopefully we get it done and can get the dumpster picked up. Wish me luck, don't want him doing this by himself, too hot!
You're a wonderful wife and friend. Here's to cheering you and your Boo on :drinker: Let us know how it worked out and don't forget to fill up on some/lots of nice ice water while you guys are getting it together. YAY YOU and your husband!
We got all the roof and ceiling debris cleaned up and loaded into the dumpster! We got most of it done Saturday. Thank God, because Sunday was sweltering! I fizzled out quickly.2 -
NewLIFEstyle4ME wrote: »Back at the rental house tomorrow and Sunday, cleaning up the building materials that hubby piled up from inside. Hopefully we get it done and can get the dumpster picked up. Wish me luck, don't want him doing this by himself, too hot!
You're a wonderful wife and friend. Here's to cheering you and your Boo on :drinker: Let us know how it worked out and don't forget to fill up on some/lots of nice ice water while you guys are getting it together. YAY YOU and your husband!
We got all the roof and ceiling debris cleaned up and loaded into the dumpster! We got most of it done Saturday. Thank God, because Sunday was sweltering! I fizzled out quickly.
BOOM! Man, hard work is so, ummmm...HARD, but when it's over--it's so rewarding. The highest of fives and super YAY YOU and your hubby.2 -
It's two days before my official weigh-in day, but I'm 74lbs down! 5 days ago, I was .2lbs down and today, I'm .8lbs down so a total of 1 big ole pound down since May 31st. Most folks may not understand how or why I'm THRILLED to be down a pound, but I've been on a stall/plateau for 3-4 months, after reaching my goal of 150lbs. Attempting to lose the last 10lbs has been tough, so seeing the scale drop again, by the much LOVED/APPRECIATED wee little/small bits (.2lbs, .8lbs, etc). is just plain ole tremendous to and for me. Just 6 more pounds to reach the goal of 140lbs and 9 more pounds to reach my ultimate and final goal of 137lbs...uhhhhhhh YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Slow and steady, little by little--inch by inch, that's the ticket for BOOM!
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@NewLIFEstyle4ME by becoming such a big loser, you've become a true Winner! Congratulations my friend!1
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I have been MIA on this group and missed so much. Everyone is doing so well. I need to get back on the decluttering train soon, but it has to wait until my wedding crafting is over.
Love the Murphy beds, we decided last week that is what we need in our craft room. I am buying 1 bed and borrowing another for my guests coming.
It’s the best I can do right now.
Tracey3 -
My kitchen has been bothering me for a while now, so when the kids were away at their grandparents I started to pull stuff out of the cupboards and wash them and decided to get rid of a bunch of stuff that we no longer use. I have a big kitchen and I still have a couple of cupboards and the pantry to do. Once that's done, I'll be working on my dining room and my bedroom. It's never ending but I'm hoping at some point when I get everything de-cluttered then I can wash all the walls in the house. It feels like a never ending battle but seeing everything in my kitchen having a designated spot is really helping my anxiety.6
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@NewLIFEstyle4ME by becoming such a big loser, you've become a true Winner! Congratulations my friend!
Girrrllllll...IMMEDIATELY after I read your post, my mind thought of this:
Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
I have NEVER loved and appreciated being a "loser" so much in my life! Based on what my Jesus tells me (and I not only believe Him 100%, but have personally witnessed/experienced this truth (of losing my life FOR HIS SAKE to win, DAILY (minute by minute, day-by-day-24x7x365), not only in weight blastification, but in EVERY area of my entire life...to "truly" WIN, I've totally embraced being a "loser", period and BOOM!
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Snowflake1968 wrote: »I have been MIA on this group and missed so much. Everyone is doing so well. I need to get back on the decluttering train soon, but it has to wait until my wedding crafting is over.
Love the Murphy beds, we decided last week that is what we need in our craft room. I am buying 1 bed and borrowing another for my guests coming.
It’s the best I can do right now.
Tracey
YAY Tracey ! So happy to hear from you and as always, cheering you ON! 1 -
My kitchen has been bothering me for a while now, so when the kids were away at their grandparents I started to pull stuff out of the cupboards and wash them and decided to get rid of a bunch of stuff that we no longer use. I have a big kitchen and I still have a couple of cupboards and the pantry to do. Once that's done, I'll be working on my dining room and my bedroom. It's never ending but I'm hoping at some point when I get everything de-cluttered then I can wash all the walls in the house. It feels like a never ending battle but seeing everything in my kitchen having a designated spot is really helping my anxiety.
YAY Susan and thank you so much posting/contributing to this thread--so much like weight blastification, decluttering is truly and "never-ending" thing...but it gets easier and easier as we do and I liken decluterring continuously very much to "maintenance" in this blastification of the excess flab/fat, pounds/ounces and inches from out of/out of our hearts, minds and especially our bodies. 1 -
My kitchen has been bothering me for a while now, so when the kids were away at their grandparents I started to pull stuff out of the cupboards and wash them and decided to get rid of a bunch of stuff that we no longer use. I have a big kitchen and I still have a couple of cupboards and the pantry to do. Once that's done, I'll be working on my dining room and my bedroom. It's never ending but I'm hoping at some point when I get everything de-cluttered then I can wash all the walls in the house. It feels like a never ending battle but seeing everything in my kitchen having a designated spot is really helping my anxiety.
It seems never ending, I agree, but the freedom of ridding yourself of unnecessary things clears your mind.
I'm hoping that if I get through everything, I'll have some sort of system to keep it up! I'm trying to establish habits as I go. I've slacked off, but trying to add something at least once a week and maintain what I've accomplished.
NONE OF US ARE ALONE IN THIS!4 -
My kitchen has been bothering me for a while now, so when the kids were away at their grandparents I started to pull stuff out of the cupboards and wash them and decided to get rid of a bunch of stuff that we no longer use. I have a big kitchen and I still have a couple of cupboards and the pantry to do. Once that's done, I'll be working on my dining room and my bedroom. It's never ending but I'm hoping at some point when I get everything de-cluttered then I can wash all the walls in the house. It feels like a never ending battle but seeing everything in my kitchen having a designated spot is really helping my anxiety.
It seems never ending, I agree, but the freedom of ridding yourself of unnecessary things clears your mind.
I'm hoping that if I get through everything, I'll have some sort of system to keep it up! I'm trying to establish habits as I go. I've slacked off, but trying to add something at least once a week and maintain what I've accomplished.
NONE OF US ARE ALONE IN THIS!
ALL of this and especially the last sentence!
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Weeds revisited:
Pulling weeds in the gardens and around the house is NOT a fun job...but it's so much like decluttering and weight blastification. By doing what we should and must to get down to size and getting rid of toxic and ugly relationships and fat/flab and clutter and mess out of our bodies, mind/soul and homes and lives requires WORK and a lot of it. As I sit here, looking out my windows at a weedless and beautiful yard--it's so was/is worth the ugh/yuck of humbling myself and JUST DO IT--BY YOURSELF IF YOU HAVE TO. Making yourself do it and with JOY, stomping out and no longer allowing the ugh self talk/excuses of this is too hard and I don't want to do this "thinking and feeling". As we get rid of the excess stuff that is just laying around, collecting dust, bringing/keeping us down and ugh--YES, it's hard, but once it's gone (from out of your heart/mind/home/life)--there grows/comes a "feeling" of space and control. Like weeding, it's NOT okay, I'm finally all done. Nope--the weeds will be back and/BUT if I stay on top of it by DAILY (maintenance/maintaining--a little here and little there day by day) it won't be as hard on/for you--I promise.
Just talking to myself and letting y'all listen. {{{ Hugs }}}7 -
I don't know why, but all my "get up and go" got up and went!
Gotta find something to inspire me!3 -
I don't know why, but all my "get up and go" got up and went!
Gotta find something to inspire me!
{{{{{{{ LOVE and HUGS }}}}}}} Girlfriend, as with everything, you're not alone. When I find myself at that place, it's usually because I'm not getting my proper sleep/rest. Reading The Bible REALLY helps me get my JOY on and inspires/encourages me too--big time, soooo much! Rest can be different from sleep too, sometimes just lying down and chilling with a nice candle or some really beautiful soothing music helps me. OR taking an extravagant hot bath (with a tub filled with scented epson salts, bubbles, bath bombs, perfumed oils or if that's can't be done, taking a hot bath and making bubbles with shampoos or something like that. Getting out of the tub and pampering yourself with some body lotions and perfume and then taking a good ole nap works too. Sometimes watching a documentary on some troubled or war torn place around the world and our country, helps me to snap out of feeling BLAH and get my grateful on. Also watching some fun old school movies like My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, The sound of Music, The King and I, Gone with the Wind or something else nice you liked and haven't seen in a long time too. I also have some CUTE adult coloring books and colored pencils and pens and that snaps me out of the blahs too. Whatever it is that's demotivating you, I'm going to be praying for you my friend, starting RIGHT NOW! Here's some other stuff that may help:
https://www.happier.com/blog/25-ways-to-feel-happier-in-the-next-5-minutes/
https://www.smartliving365.com/17-ways-to-deal-with-the-blahs/
Once more, you are so LOVED Snoo {{{{{{{ BIG Hugs again}}}}}}}}}}}
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I don't know why, but all my "get up and go" got up and went!
Gotta find something to inspire me!
Schedule something?
Plan a party?
When my mother is staying over or people coming by, or leaving for travel THEN I'll get it done.
Or tell yourself "just 5 minutes". Once you start, it builds momentum.3
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