Back in 2014 I came across a 100 things challenge and loved it. It involves getting rid of 100 things per month. I'm thinking at this time of year when society and media is convincing us to pack our homes to the hilt with more stuff, maybe we shouldn't. I know, I know what a terrible time to do this Janet. I myself have been adding to my Christmas and birthday wish list quite excitedly. But maybe we can be thoughtful about this challenge. Maybe we can look in drawers, cupboards and closets and donate the things we no longer use. Perhaps a warm coat or boots that no longer fit. Would they be better off in another home? What about kitchen gadgets that sit and gather dust? Lets be rebels and get rid of things. This is my original post of 100 things to read. Can you get into this right now? I can. xo
I can definitely get into this right now! I don't know iwhat's come over me but being bombarded with so many sales right now makes me momentarily want to purchase something but then I change my mind. I have worked incredibly hard to pay off debt and am now enjoying a debt-free lifestyle. I live simply and am usually content with what I have. It's easy to do if I shun all social media!!! I am on board with the 100 things challenge and am currently searching through my kitchen cabinets. Janet- I love these posts- so inspiring and helpful to keeping me on track- can't thank you enough!!!
ReplyDeletedana you are an inspiration to me! it's hard for me to shun all social media as my blog is def social media but i'd like to think that this is a place you can come for some peace and quiet. xoxo
DeleteI love this post. This Thanksgiving due to all our grown children off in different directions I so enjoyed just the two of us as we enjoyed a meal out. I stop and take in the beauty of the season...and am cleaning out thinking how that clears my mind and senses. Love your blog..always a breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeletethank you nancy. i love the thanksgiving you had, sounds like ours:) xoxo
DeleteHear, hear! I don’t need anything- or nothing that they sell online or in a brick and mortar. The 100 things list will work well with what I am doing now.
ReplyDeleteI’m working on a list of ways to leave less waste and use oil of palm. It’s taking time to totally replace plastics, etc. it’s a small thing, but it’s something.
Praying for you and your family, dear.
thank you for your prayers meg. i did my best to get rid of most of the plastic in the house esp. if it pertained to food storage but wow, there is so much plastic in our lives! the tv, computer, phone...would all have to go! xoxo
Deleteas a minimalist I do this on a continuous basis! I can honestly say there is nothing here now that is not meaningful to me nor useful. I think of it as living on a small boat. there is simply no room for excess. and it has worked well for me. and you're right. this is the time of year we're PUSHED to do all the opposite! it's a TOO MUCH trap that I refuse to fall into! this is a timely post. brava AJJ!
ReplyDelete"as a minimalist I do this on a continuous basis! I can honestly say there is nothing here now that is not meaningful to me nor useful." Tammy, I loved your comment! I am the same. Every day I cast around looking for something to give away. It's so liberating. I've even done well with the emotional attachment stuff. I've realised now in my 60s that we never really own anything anyway: it's only passing through; in our custody for a few years - why clasp stuff to our chests?
Deletetammy and anna, i love your comments. i've been off track most of this year. i'm v much looking forward to getting back to the simplicity of less. im not a minimalist but i don't hoard either. somewhere in the middle i guess. and anna i feel the same way as you re being stewards of things rather than owners of them. love you guys. xoxo
DeleteI had a chuckle when I read this. Because I'm always decluttering. It's a bit tricky when I live with others who are clutterers, but I can be responsible for me.
ReplyDeletehaha, i get that ratnamurti. i'm always trying to get rid of junk, sometimes it's not even mine. yikes! xoxo
DeleteIt’s funny this has always been the time of year I’ve gone through things and eliminated what isn’t used. It became great fun for my kids donating cleaned up toys to the Children’s Home. I also donated clean hardly worn clothing to the elementary schools in the area that struggles. They always need extra clothing for the children that are living in such horrible conditions. After our recent move I downsized even more but I recently went through Christmas and eliminated even more. Thanksgiving was a bit of a challenge. Seeing all the beautiful tables on instagram I thought maybe I made a mistake donating the majority of my beautiful glassware and formal dishes. Honestly the family didn’t even notice it was even simpler this year. It took me minutes to put away my grandmother’s dishes. Your spurring me on to do even more.
ReplyDeletePeace to you and Larry
Kathy
i love that no one noticed kathy. it must have been beautiful regardless of what it was served on. donating this time of year is the best! xoxo
DeleteJanet . . . how do you do it - know exactly what I need to hear. Thank you for the encouragement to get rid of 100 items per month. I take the challenge which will make more sense of what I have and what others will gratefully put to use.
ReplyDeletei don't know? it's a gift! lol lol just kidding linda. i think it just shows that a lot of us are overwhelmed this time of year and don't want the holidays to be about stuff only. xoxo
DeleteYes I can! I've been poking through estate sales and thrift shops acquiring things I really don't need. It's the perfect time to declutter before Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
hi betty. i'm so guilty of this too. sometimes it's just hard to pass up beautiful items for $1. i'm gonna try and be better about that this new year. xoxo
DeleteHi there
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence. I've just been putting together stuff for a senior's community centre gift shop = tea cups - platters this past week. These were my mother's that I've had sitting for nearly a decade - not using. The money made on the sales goes back into the centre for programs. It's good that someone else gets to use the items. (I have other tea cups that I have been using over the years.) I also went thru my socks and gave the ones that I rarely wear to a women's shelter. I also gave them the little bottles of shampoo etc that have been collecting on a shelf. Last week I went thru the card drawer and took out cards and extra envelopes that I know I will not be using and passed those on to a church to sell. Tonight was spent putting together CDs - DVDs - books - for the upcoming central library sale. At times I say to myself "pass it on - let others enjoy".
oh what a great idea. i know when my mom was in a nursing home many of the patients had nothing and they would have loved the things you are describing. what a beautiful gesture! xoxo
DeleteI have nothing on my Christmas list except a new power cord for my computer. I'm trying weekly to take stuff to my local thrift and have made it a January goal to go through all my holiday decor and storage spaces and get rid of stuff. Black Friday held no allure for me, didn't even consider shopping. The consumerism of the upcoming Christmas season depresses me so I try my very best to avoid it. My goal for the past couple of years has been to simplify my life, I've a long ways to go but I'm getting there.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janet for your excellent advice, and God bless you and your dear Larry
thank you queen vee for your love and support. i did purchase my yoga membership today bc they offered 20% on cyber monday. i wish i didn't have a list but i confess that i do. my birthday and christmas are within 5 days of each other and that's usually when i stock up on what i need. it's really not v much but i'd be lying if i said i didn't look forward to it. xoxo
DeleteCount me in, Janet! We recently became 100% debt free, a road that wasn't always easy to travel, but we did it! Temptation is everywhere and sooo hard to avoid sometimes. This challenge is perfect for helping me get rid of the clutter that keeps creeping in and focus on peace and serenity. I have been following you from the beginning and one of the only two blogs that I follow now. Thank you for inspiring me in more ways than you know! May God bless you and Larry. Deni xoxo
ReplyDeletethank you for your prayers deni. we've been sidetracked this year from our mortgage. i'm so inspired by you being 100% debt free. i know it isn't an easy road so congratulations! xoxo
DeleteBecause I have always loved fashion and decorating, It is tempting, especially in the age of social media and Internet, to buy, buy, buy! I’m so grateful for this message and for your past example of buying through thrift stores. That way, if I do purchase something, it is not another stressor to the environment, and I don’t feel as bad when it is time to pass it on to someone else. I also love giving to the women’s shelter and thrift stores that use their raised money for charitable purchases.
ReplyDeletei'm the same karen. that's were my interests lie too. thank you for sharing and reminding us all of the environmental impact also. xoxo
DeleteI'm lighting my Jo Malone candle and am counting out 100 items before I take on any new tasks for the day! Thanks for the motivation!
ReplyDeleteahhhh, i can smell it now! enjoy your day! xoxo
DeleteYes, yes, yes!! I'm on board & got a head start about a month ago when I began redesigning my closet. I'm trying to pare down my clothing to somewhat of a uniform. You are the inspiration for not buying so many different things & sticking with classics. I already have a huge accumulation of all sorts of things in my basement, waiting to be delivered to one of the charitable organizations around me.
ReplyDeleteMy home is more of a challenge because I love antiques, but have come to realize that a trip to an antique shop no longer entices me...so I am somewhat recovering.
Our family exchanged names this year & asked for 5 gift suggestions from each person...I could only think of two things - an electrically heated foot bath with massager (especially nice during gardening season) & an Amazon gift card for books for my Kindle. It feels good to not have a long list.
God's very best to you & Larry this Christmas season!
Anita ~ the cabin on the creek
...all is grace!
thank you for your prayer anita. i love the exchanging of names. i wish we still did that. i am also antique/thrift challenged. i am trying to be better in the new year! xoxo
DeleteI am confused by this post since you are marketing selling your readers high end retail on your side bar??
ReplyDeletethank you for your comment anon. a lot of my readers want to know what i like so i put those things on my sidebar. some of the items i've bought myself and review so that can help them decide if it's for them or not. also a lot of items are things that are similar to the 2nd hand purchases i've made. not everyone has access to wonderful 2nd hand shops like i do. it's up to my readers whether to click on them or not. i don't think they feel forced into it. xoxo
DeleteSuch a breath of fresh air with all the black Friday/cyber Monday stuff we are bombarded with at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteDarby
thank you sweet darby! xoxo
DeleteI am in. We just gave away a dishwasher that was in good shape--so that is my start. I also have a bag ready to go to Goodwill. I may count it as one or maybe count how many things are in it...
ReplyDeleteThanks, as always, for your wonderful blog. You and your husband ore in my thoughts often.
Your neighbor in California
thank you maxly. i count things individually and it's shocking! i do think i'm pretty good at not letting clutter pile up but man this year i've let lots pile up so i'll be busy! xoxo
DeleteI like a lot of stuff. I don't really buy things from stores. But, I do find beautiful things for incredible prices (more like free) at the Goodwill Bins. Last week I found in the Portland bins, three pristine antique quilts, gorgeous, every bit handstitched fo $2.59 each. This is just a typical find. Therefore, I have a relationship with stuff. When you have good taste, and lots of granddaughters, the world is your oyster. I usually buy things to pass down and I do have the place (in the garage) to store it. In the house, not so much a hoarder, but not into getting rid of lots of stuff. Nothing comes in which isn't beautiful anyways. I like interiors with lots of clever clutter. Like silver jars and old antiques mixed with modern furniture. I am not minimalist. So here's to those of us who love your blog but also love our crap.
ReplyDeleteoh mrs olsen i love my crap too! i don't consider myself a minimalist tho i adore the look. i'm somewhere in the middle. my son and DIL have an vintage clothing shop with lots of antique stuff in it too so i'm a huge lover of stuff too. glad you feel welcome here! xoxo
ReplyDeleteYes, resist!
ReplyDeletexo
DeleteHi Janet. I come to your blog every morning, whether or not you've posted anything new. Your words and your readers' comments support me in remembering to cultivate exquisitely simple, almost magical attitudes about life so that, no matter how many obstacles there are to the ideal in a day, I have this little light of pristine hopefulness that I'm doing what I can to live the best life. There's nothing pristine or exquisite about my life except in rare moments and probably yours does not feel that way either, but having sweetness in the journey brings real joy, right? I pray for you and your dear Larry every morning.
ReplyDeletekaren i can SO relate to you. right now it seems there is little joy in my life now but like you i see through it all when i read the comments here. they remind me that even in the worst times there can be beauty. it's up to us to seek it out. bless you. xoxo
DeleteYour blog is always a place to go to when I just want to look at pretty or challenge myself with how I feed myself and my family. My heart goes out to you and your family, I know this year has been difficult.
ReplyDeleteI recently went to my local rescue mission as they were having a coat drive. I washed a few coats to bring as well as a bunch of other things. I have often dropped stuff off but on this day I stayed to help. By the time I left all the coats that I brought were gone. It really helped me be grateful and I think your 100 things will help keep the mommentum going to give more. Thank you! Corinne
Love the challenge! I try and declutter and always have a spot for things on their way out of the house but actually counting up items will be good. I have a drawer of cosmetic/face care items that needs purging.
ReplyDeleteI have been enjoying the holiday yet still purging as I can. It feels peaceful in the midst of the busy season.
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your husband these days...enjoy your holiday
Dear Janet,
ReplyDeleteIt is 1:30 AM in the morning and I have been thinking of you and Larry on and off all day. I hope you are feeling some of the light and joy of this season, one that reminds us to think of others, perfect kindness to all, be aware that his can be a difficult time for so many..... I hope it's not all too difficult for you two, just know you are loved.
Today I stopped by H&M and there, in front of my eyes, was a GP & J Baker dress of exactly the same style as you posted in September. It has pinky red flowers and peacocks (?) on branches on a black background but otherwise - it's your lovely dress. I don't usually go to H&M and this style is not something I would've looked at before seeing your rave reviews, but there it was and, in the spirit of camaraderie I tried it on and immediately fell in love, despite believing such a dress would be too long, too busy and too every way unsuitable for my body type. HA! This comment has nothing to do with your 100 things post, except for saying that I promised myself that at least one thing would leave my closet when this beauty of a piece took it's place of honor. I look forward to wearing it to a Christmas lunch with my mom on Saturday! Thank you, Janet, for speaking into our lives about all things, big and small. Again, I say that I check in almost every morning and say a prayer for you and your dear Larry and keep the faith that he will be with you in excellent health for many years to come. I will feel you nearby when I wear my unexpected new dress. Merry Christmas! XO
ReplyDeleteThinking and checking in on you..only because I love your blog. Please note I'm continuing prayer for you all. Have a beautiful holiday. Thank you for bringing so many beautiful posts this year.
ReplyDeleteDear Janet . . . I love that although we live on opposite coasts, your blog has brought us together in the same community. So, this day like most others, I drop by to "look in" on you and Larry, to thank you for your generous sharings and lend my encouragement and understanding of your challenges.
ReplyDeletePraying you and Larry are well and enjoying the holiday season. Hope to see a post from you soon.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!🌲
Just checking in to wish you, Larry & your family as nice a holiday as you can have! I hope you know how much joy you bring to others through your dear blog. One of the desserts I will be baking for Christmas is the recipe you posted a while back for the best chocolate cake - it is a favorite of my daughter & her boyfriend & they always request it! Wishing you & Larry peace, love & healing.
ReplyDeleteKathy