Where I've "been"

[Kiwibird]

Hello strangers I've been kinda MIA for a while and I know a few of you even PM'd me (thanks, so nice to know how much everyone cares!:10 Me, Joe & the little green goblin:54:---> have all been fine.

As many of you know, I've been working on 2 major lifestyle changes for some time now- minimalism and raw veganism. I just took a little time out from this oh-so-distracting forum to do some serious and much needed in depth research into raw foods, nutrition and the science behind it for my own peace of mind. I will not harp on it though, as I know diet is a touchy subject, especially the kind I adhere to. I may share some pics of the rather large sprouting "tower" I've been working on, since I know some of you feed your birds sprouts and this cost >$100 to make.

I also did a second clear out of "clutter" as a follow up from last summer when I spent nearly a month going through every closet, drawer, cabinet ext... to reduce the amount of junk we own. I've now reduced the amount of things we own by about 60%, my clothing is down to 40 items total for the year (haha hubby has more clothes than me now:32 and I am working on parting with even more. No longer is there clutter and unaccounted for who knows what lurking in junk drawers or storage. I've been looking at every time I have to lug a trash bag or box of old junk up the stairs as a little punishment for ever buying things that did not add value to our lives. As ridiculous as it sounds, the emptier our apartment becomes- the happier we feel, the less time I have to clean, the more time we have to do stuff we actually want to do... I'm not trying to live out of a backpack or only own 100 items or anything like that, more getting rid of every single thing that adds nothing to our lives. It has opened up space for things we actually want or need. Minimalism has been a journey for me, but one well worth undertaking.

And as a final note, since I have cleared out so many things that just wasted space, for my birthday my hubby "got me" a spinning bike. Well, more he told me to pick something out that I wanted I'm so excited for it to get here! I have a phobia of gyms and never learned to ride a real bike, but have always wanted to get the exercise benefits of biking (without the embarrassment of learning to ride one as an adult). This should be awesome! Anyways, that's where I've been, what I've been up to and why I haven't been on here:32: Wish I could say I was somewhere tropical and exciting, but no, just doing things everyone else I know except Joe thinks are totally insane

 

[henpecked]

Wish you'd stop by and unclutter my life,LOL.

 

[Birdman666]

If you get rid of the clutter from my place, there'd be nothing left...

 

[labell]

You know I am 100% on board with this! Awesome job! I constantly work at getting things simple and not cluttered. I must admire and congratulate you, you are doing much better than me in this quest. My big issue has always been clothes. It is really stupid too because I like and wear mostly the same things but have a closet full of stuff I don't wear hardly ever or never!

Winter is always been a good time for me to get rid of some clutter and since we are snowed in maybe I will work on that a little as well. I am currently working on some large paintings with one being a good size commission but during breaks I could start tackling my closet!

Funny about the bike I was looking at them in the store a few days ago. I have a very nice rower that I use but I was looking at the bike as something to do while I watch TV I don't watch a lot of TV but truthfully I can be really engrossed in the program and still be driven nuts that I am just SITTING there. I guess it makes me think about times I have been sick and can't do anything and I just hate that!

Anyway glad you are back, that everyone is well and you are doing things that make you happy!

 

[Allee]

Happy to have you back, April! You may not have been vacationing on a tropical island but it sounds like you've been on a pretty amazing journey.

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

Welcome back stranger! You were missed and I thought of you often! Glad you were just taking some time out for yourself and you are all good!

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Hey April! I was wondering where you went and was missing your posts! Glad to have you back! Sounds like you've kept busy, we've been going through the house and getting rid of things we don't need too, lol must be a winter thing

 

[DoodlesMom]

Welcome back, it's nice to see the Kiwibird back on the board! I commend you on your lifestyle changes! Thats ALOT of effort and commitment, my hats off to ya!

 

[Taw5106]

I have missed you for sure!!!!! Um are you available to come de clutter us? Birds can not be taken, they are not clutter, lol. I have missed you!

 

[Kiwibird]

Wish you'd stop by and unclutter my life,LOL.

I have missed you for sure!!!!! Um are you available to come de clutter us? Birds can not be taken, they are not clutter, lol. I have missed you!

You sure about that:20: I have become a rather ruthless unclutterer. It's almost become a sport of how much can I get rid of... (which is A LOT!).

You know I am 100% on board with this! Awesome job! I constantly work at getting things simple and not cluttered. I must admire and congratulate you, you are doing much better than me in this quest. My big issue has always been clothes. It is really stupid too because I like and wear mostly the same things but have a closet full of stuff I don't wear hardly ever or never!

My clothes were always a problem until I tried the 333 challenge. 33 items (includes tops, bottoms, shoes, purses, accessories) is all you wear for 3 months. I put everything else in storage and by the end of the 3 months, I found I really hadn't "missed" anything in the storage and got rid of it (save a few rarely used but helpful to have things like my heavy winter coat and bathing suit). It was so much easier to get rid of it by just packing it away first rather than making the huge leap to just getting rid of it all It has actually become much easier to get ready in the morning when I only have a very limited number of possible outfits to choose from. Let me know if you make any progress. I may post some picks of my remaining clothes, which is so few I just have them on a hanging rack now and our closet is pretty much empty

 

[RavensGryf]

April! I was getting ready to check in with you! Good to know you're fine. I think it's so great that you're successfully doing what you've wanted to do!

Ps... Several years ago I got a bike (1 speed beach cruiser type) for my birthday. At that point I hadn't been on a bike since I was a child, so essentially I did have to learn all over again. It wasn't "just like riding a bike" as they say... It took a while to get the feel to maneuver and control. We went to the (crowded) beach in the summer before I was really ready enough, and oh man! It was pretty scary I probably got some dirty looks as I was weaving and nearly took some people out, both on foot and on other bikes LOL! It's funny thinking about it now.

 

[veimar]

Oh, that's so awesome what you are doing! As someone else mentioned too I would love you to come and un-clutter our house too! As we lived through the terrible post-soviet poverty and hunger I have hard time of throwing anything away. I always think "I might need this one day"... I wish I knew a mental technique to change that.

 

[Dopey]

April - so glad that you are back.

Un-clutter. I'm getting ready to move from a three level single family home to a mobile home or an RV. Everything will probably have to go...because I'm really pushing for the 5th wheel trailer/rv.