Clearing the Clutter - 3 Tips for your Week

 

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Stepping Out Challenge - Day 19 - Clearing the Clutter

Welcome to today's post, I am taking part in a 31 day blog challenge where I post everyday in October.  I love creating challenges for myself and joining ones by others.  My challenge for the rest of the month is to reflect on some of the series I created for myself and inspiration that I have taken away.

Listen to the Podcast

Today I am going to be talking about a series called Clearing the Clutter challenge 

Some of my dads tools that came in Handy in the Art Studio

I am a Collector.  I have a range of different things that I like to collect, which can vary.  I used to like collecting stationary, art journals, art supplies, stones, shells and many other things depending on how I related to the object.  When I looked back over my childhood, my dad and my grandma were the same, so I guess it has passed down the family. 

My dad collected power tools, DIY supplies and anything electrical.  I understood just how much he had after he passed and we were sorting out his lock up. I had never seen so many tools and supplies, and felt a warm fuzzy glow come over me as I looked at his things.  I wanted to hold on to everything, I guess I wasn’t ready to let go, there were some items I now regret letting go, like his Singer Sewing Machine, as I now sew in my mixed media work.  Over the years looking through his things there were many of his tools that crossed over to my mixed media world and I treasure a lot of these things now.

But the title of this post you say is ‘Clearing the Clutter’ not amassing more what’s that about?  OK we all have things cluttering up our home, (apart from those people who are ultra-organised or who live very minimalist).  For most of us one day your saying to yourself I must move those things and before you know it if your not careful, you’ll be invited to take part in shows like ‘Hoarders’ – anyone there yet?

How many of you have clothes you brought over 5 years ago, 10 years? 20 years, are you wearing them? (fashions come and go round all the time).  Are they serving a purpose?  I will admit I have dresses I brought 20 years ago, but when I brought them they didn’t fit me (who has done that) I’ll slim into it you say’ but does it fit you now?  Thankfully I lost quite a bit of weight over the past couple of years and it is like I have a new wardrobe full of clothes.  Mentally I still see myself as bigger and have held on to a few of the larger sizes.  But the post is not about clothes and what fits me, it is about the mentality and the emotional attachment that convinces us to hold onto things with the saying that - ‘you never know when you’re going to need it’!

I have watched all the hoarding programs in the past and heard all the arguments about letting things go and I know, but I have proved to myself time and time again where the very thing I’ve got rid of is the very thing I end up needing - so where does that lead you?  It leaves you wishing you never gave the item away in the first place, like my dad’s sewing machine!  Maybe it was because it was his that there was such an attachment after it had been given away, but I have to let go of the attachment thinking about the sewing machine has for me.

Anyway that said, I identified items that I wanted to deal with as part of a challenge and gain some order with ‘a place for everything and everything in its place’ and made a list

Here are the areas that I decided to sort out:

Products to sort

1.    Sort the contents of my hand bag/s

2.    Clothes that don’t fit

3.    Tatty un-wearable clothes

4.    Old makeup/products - 

5.    Old jewellery – broken pieces 

6.    Recycled Paper/Shredding

7.    Old paints/art supplies not used

8.    Shoes

9.    Fabric – vintage and new

10. Paper/card

11. Filing cabinet

12. Ephemera - Art studio

13. News paper/ Magazine cuttings

14. Computer photos - how many can you realistically use

15. Emails on computer - unsubscribe from lists

16. Books on shelves

17. Recycled painted materials

18. Old hand bags not used

19. Poetry to sort – and decide what to do with it them

20. Podcasts recorded - edited

21. Rubber Stamps in draws – art supplies

22. Pencils/graphite/charcoals – art supplies

23. Stored frames and unused art material

24. Magazine subscriptions

25. Typing to be done – notes in books on paper

26. Freezer - 

27. Garden – weeding/cutting back and pruning

28. My sons room!!!!

29. Garden picking up leaves from palm trees – recycling

30. Photography – art work

Some things on the list were to do with the household and others to do with my art supplies, and general items, but was such a big and jumbled list just looking at it now makes wonder what I was thinking.

What about the out of date stuff?

I knew I needed to have a clutter purge every month and see if I could find a home for some of the things that I amassed.  The aim by the end of the month is to have lots of areas  streamlined with items finding a good home, and so the Clearing the Clutter Challenge was born.  I definitely learn a lot by doing the challenge, come back tomorrow to see I I got on, a big mistake I made and how I overcame the challenges I set myself.

Tomorrow I will share the second part from my Clearing the Clutter Series.  I hope during this month you find some time to challenge, be creative and stretch yourself.

Why not join me each day for the rest of October as we dive into to some exciting challenges and look at ways in which they can impact on your own life. 

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, it is never too late to start! The main thing is to take one step at a time and do something that you find interesting.

Stay blessed and be a blessing.

Ps:  If you are on a budget and would like to check out some supplies/books at a discounted price - (buy it cause you need it, not because it is on sale), check out one of the links below:

Adorn it - http://bit.ly/AdorAT18

Dollar Tree - http://bit.ly/DolAT18

Blick - http://bit.ly/Blick18

Book Outlet - http://bit.ly/BOOKAT18

Stampington - http://bit.ly/STAAT18

C& T Publishing -  http://bit.ly/CNTPAT18

Dover - http://bit.ly/DOVPAT18

Craftsy Kits - http://bit.ly/CrafAT18

Amazon Store -  https://www.amazon.com/shop/realityarts

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Week 47 - Don't let the energy drainers in your life

Don't let the energy drainers into your life - focus on what matters most.....

I have missed a couple of weeks of the gratitude's journal, which coincided with my making a healthier change. It has or seems to be full on, as I am also decluttering and clearing our home, waiting in for builders who come when they please even after making arrangements. The toothache has gone, the hay fever has come and the earth is still rotating. Did anyone see the full moon last night

As I was clearing the bedroom, well, I am still clearing, and just having a break, I thought I was making headway and it looks messier than when I started. The plan was to go through all the draws, remove what wasn't needed, wanted or broken and make room. But along the way something triggers a memory and as you follow it you leave behind a trail. The 30 days of change - Smoothie Love posts are coming to an end and will be replaced by a fitness change of sorts.

The image I did for today's post really speaks to the chaos, but there is method in the chaos and you can find beauty, you just have to see it through and be patient. Deciding what things to focus on in your life is so important and the way you prioritize will make the difference between something that will make a positive difference in your life or will add more stress.

I am grateful today and celebrate choice, and pray for discernment to make the right choices for the coming week.

What can you do for you that will really make a difference to those you allow in your person space? What do you need to focus on at the moment?

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal - Full of Inspiration!

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Spring Cleaning lessons learnt

I have been busy clearing out, cleaning, de-cluttering and decorating all at the same time.  It has been years since I really had a clear out.  I did a mini challenge last year or was it the year before, called 'clearing the clutter' and I overwhelmed myself with what I wanted to do, I wasn't realistic about what I had and what I could do.  I tried to clear a major area every day and the reality is that some of the areas needed a whole month to themselves.

Having learnt the lesson (not) we decided to clear the whole house, decorate all while I was moving my mum into new accommodation and clearing her flat of items - many of which had been there for over 30 years, and I had grown attached to.  My mums move is sorted, still sorted out some of her paper work, she is in a smaller flat adapted to her needs, it is light and spacious, and was the right move for her at this time.

With the place being upside down it was difficult to keep my blog up, my phone broke, my computer crashed and it was very weird not having access to the internet, you really realize just how much you rely on technology.  Rather than get anxious about it I looked at it as a bit of a break and time to reevaluate direction, but also prioritize what was important.

I have been creating and trying to keep up with the creative courses that I signed up for.  With everything happening at once I was forced to also pace myself differently with the courses, you can't paint in dust and with drilling going on.  

I started a book binding course last week, which gets me out of the house one day a week for the next 5 weeks.  It has been a long time since I did a course I had to travel to.  But it has been really great, there is only 4 of us so the pace is good, we cover quite a bit in the 3 hours.  I will show you what I have made next week - I have made two sewn books so far.  I am finding the course very therapeutic and it is great learning the techniques and being able to get feedback straight away.  I think it was what I needed at the moment.  Eventually I want to be able to create bound books filled with memories of my mother and filled with stories that normally get forgotten so that generations to come can be inspired by her journey.

For now back to the clearing as the dust settles, tomorrow I will share some images and get back on track.  Do share what changes you have had to make as you move into a new season.

Learning - Creating in Faith

Your life is your message to the world.  Make it inspiring...Lorin L Lee

Learning

Learning comes in many shapes and forms in a formal setting or non formal and every day we are learning new things about ourselves as we reflect on our lives and experiences.  How have you done so far with all the things you said you were going to do at the beginning of the year?  Granted it is only the first week, but you need to hit the floor running, or perhaps you already have and all we can do is look at your dust as you whizz into the distance...

‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future – Jeremiah 29:11

Organisation

I am currently surrounded by lists and schedules as I slightly run after myself in doing the things I want to do.   I had a great flurry of action towards the end of last year and now in the New Year schedules are still to be finalised, courses have started and I am wondering where the week has gone so far.  I am mindful though about keeping up with all the things that I have committed myself to do and in the midst of it still enjoy the process.

God had planned something better for us so only together with us would they be made perfect... Hebrews 11:40

Having made the decision to cut back on my posting for Tutorial Tuesdays, Material Mondays and Recycled Projects, I will be sharing what I have done in the classes and what it may have brought up creatively for me.  I am also looking forward to the growth and the insight which should come with learning new information.  I already know that I resonate towards more structured way of working.  I like knowing what is planned for the next week and what I am working towards.  It stops the wandering from one thing to the next as you get more and more distracted.  I learnt that I need to just go with wanting structure among the spontaneity of the creative practice.

Creative Sundays

Next week Sundays will see the beginning of my Creative Sunday’s posts – Expressing your creativity in a spiritual environment.  I look forward to sharing each week and producing a video of the process – as part of getting myself out of my comfort zone and moving forward.  My word which I shared for the year is ‘Attention to Detail’ which for me will require me to be more focused and disciplined as I am asking a lot of myself this year.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed..Proverbs 16:3

Attachments

I am also learning about my attachments and my ‘you never know when you can use it’ mindset, we are spending time over the next few months to declutter the house.  My husband is more ruthless and when we talked about it last year I was all fired up caused it seems so far away.  This weekend he went and got the boxes and made a start and I have found myself justifying why it is alright for him to get rid of his things but some things (all of my things) need to stay.  I am realising the more I have been thinking about it that there are some strong emotional ties that I will need to deal with alongside the excuses that are already preparing themselves at the back of my mind. 

Last year I did a 30 day de-cluttering challenge and so I know that I can do it I guess admitting how I feel is the first step to moving on,  and there is a limit to how many books you can hold onto and read, or how many clothes you can keep, although since starting creating recycled projects I find a use for quite a lot of things, mainly boxes, packaging which I will have to limit or make sure that what I make goes to a good home (am I justifying again??).  

Making the way...

At the end of the day I know that I have done it in other areas and I will have to just work through it.  I know that God has much more for me this year - there are new adventures to experience, new environments to be in and new things to learn and sometimes you have to let go of things.  You can’t take these things with you, you have to make the most of them while you are living and share what you have with those who are in a less fortunate position.  

Let us step into 2014 knowing that we did all the things that we needed to do, we stretched ourselves, we were more than we were last year and we made a difference in the life of at least

one person.  

What are your plans for 2014, where are the changes going to be made in order for you to move forward?

Psalm 121 1-4– I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep

Gratitudes - 30 Day Challenges

30 Day challenges and longer, have taught me that it only takes one small action to make a change that can impact the rest of your life.  We all have the ability to do one thing differently today and you would be surprised where it could lead.  I am grateful that I have been involved with several challenges that have enabled me to see different perspectives and new relationships.  What will be your next challenge?

Clearing the Clutter Challenge Revisited

  

Since coming back from holiday I have wanted to keep the clutter free environment going and thought it was time to renew my clearing the clutter challenge.  I started it in January this year and there are still quite a few things on the list that needed to be done.  Over the years I’ve collected quite a few products and then bringing stuff back from the holiday I felt a clear out was definitely in order here. When I got everything out it wasn’t as bad as I first thought.  I had recently had a make up clear out and just had the basics in the bag.

I went though the body products, it is always great to try something new and experience different scents, but I ended up having too many to use as I didn't throw away anything.  I cleared out the old products and got the basket below to keep the things I wanted to keep to hand and use more regularly, the other things were stored in a draw.  

I have the regular sized products I use and the smaller travel size for when I’m going away 

Scented candle supplies

After clearing the body products from the draws I found some lovely spa products, lush soaps and fizz bombs that I had brought.  The plan is now to make more fuss of myself and have regular special spa treatments with the products and scented candles. Next on my list to tackle will be my art materials!

 

This has been a great excuse in giving my creative self a little bit of extra TLC that it deserves!!

What is your favourite bath treats?

Photographing Art work - Clearing the Clutter Challenge Day 30

 

This has been quite a month of photographing, writing and posting and still catching up, and one of the major tasks I have been putting off is taking new photographs of art work and uploading them on the website.  I have many pieces of art work and crafts for sale and the only thing holding me back at the moment is how they are presented.   Decided to take a bit of time on this and next week it will be on the top of my list and I will give myself the time and space to focus.  

Started the course Hello Soul Hello Business earlier this month and it is really getting us to think about the what and the why of our businesses, and I have gained new insight into where I want it to go.  In February I will be taking a break from the 30 day challenges, life can sometimes be one big challenge and need to just consolidate everything else that I am doing and get down to the meat of the course, and follow up on some of the things I unearthed over the past few months....also want to get back to some journalling, have been doing some as I have been clearing the clutter, will be sharing some of the pages soon.

I also want to play around with some digital art, itching to start doing some work from Susan Tuttles book - Digital Expressions to see what I come up with.  So with this it's good bye January, and hello February! Do share what will be new for you in February?  Do you have a course or book you want to try?

Clearing the Clutter Challenge - The Teenagers Room

   

What to do in my son's room, there are a few options, not sure he would appreciate all of them..though he would get the leg space he needs in this one!  

 

Source: yayeveryday.com via Vanessa on Pinterest

This one might work without the extra beds and suspended from the ceiling, but with more leg room he's still growing and his legs currently hang over his current bed (help!)

 

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Aurora on Pinterest

Might be forced to use the two palms in the garden to recreate this, there is lot of storage space out there, not sure if  he would enjoy sharing his room with the wild life! But I would get my studio (Lol!)

Uploaded by user via Katie on Pinterest

I think I've found it give or take the colour and the posters and wall space.... (Sekani....come here and look at this! :) 

Source: Uploaded by user via Kaye on Pinterest 

Now maybe a new look for my room is due......

Source: bhg.com via Natalie on Pinterest                                                                                                                                                                

Clearing the Clutter Challenge - What's happening in the Garden? Day 27 and 29

Well, what can I say, nearly the end of the challenge and I have been quite on it (for most of the time).  I know we all have that part of the house, or our space - somewhere that needs clearing, organising or just plain dumping.  Wanting to make a fresh start and catch up with yourself.  I have unearthed many delights I forgot I had.  I will be posting for previous days to let you know how I got on.

Today's challenge was to sort out the garden and I have combined this with day 29

Its amazing what the wind can do, we have 2 New Zealand Cordyline australis palms in our garden I planted about 8/9 years ago, didn’t realise that we would be constantly picking up the fallen leaves, but they do look glorious in the summer with their lovely smelling flowers. When you open up the kitchen window you get a whiff.. 

 

Once fallen I have been using the leaves to tie plants together, when you split the fallen wet leaf they are quite strong and you need scissors to cut them width ways.  I haven't come up with any creative weaving ideas for the Cordyline Australis.... here is more information about the plant if your interested... .  They have also been useful as ground cover to protect the roots of some of the plants, I haven't yet tried to dry them and use them in an art piece....
 
The back of the garden got quite a bashing in the high winds. I have been thinking of converting the shed into an art space, at the moment it has a lot of things that also needs sorting, but thats for another day!

 

The other thing that needs work is the plum tree, it should have been cut back at least 2 summers ago, so we will be cutting it back this year. Hopefully we'll get a better crop of plums, though the birds have fed off the ones we couldn't reach.

Speaking of the birds I hung some fat balls, I love hearing them sing and thought I would take part in the RSPB big garden Birdwatch this weekend. It is an opportunity to see which ones are coming into the garden.  The RSPB also suggest ways in which you can make your garden or space more bird and wildlife friendly. I am hoping to get some pictures of the birds that are our regular visitors, and may be inspired to get some ideas down for the shed come studio! What outside jobs have you been putting off?