Simplify

Such an easy word.  Everyone knows what it means, but do we know how to live it?  I sure don't.  Or at least I haven't been.  I read a very interesting blog post last night, called The Happy Closet.  I found it on Pinterest, pinned by one of my friends.  It was about purging and simplifying your closet. You can find the series of blog posts here. Be sure to scroll to the bottom and start with Part 1. 

The premise of the posts is to purge all the things from your closet that you don't wear, don't like, think you should keep because it was expensive, or you wore 10 years ago.  This may seem like a simple, "duh" concept, but what she is proposing here is to purge all the crap to get to the clothes and accessories that you LOVE. Not clothes you think you need, or even just like a little. The purpose of the purge is to create a closet where every piece in that closet makes you feel beautiful and happy.  Also, getting to the point where you are so happy and content with your closet, that you don't want to go out and purchase more and more items.  That's the part that really got me.  The lady who wrote the post has not purchased any items for her closet in 2 years.  That seems crazy, right?  Well, for most of us, we have enough clothes that would last us 5 years at least.  Now, she isn't saying that you don't have to replace items now or then, or to never ever buy anything new.  Just to stop buying into the lie that us women have to buy the latest fad, the "look of this season," or any other gimmick that clothing retailers and fashion magazines sell us. 

What this means for me:  I have tried in the past year to not hold on to stuff I don't want/need/am emotionally attached to for no reason.  I am trying to start this concept in my closet, and then apply it to my whole house.  As for my closet, I don't have a ton of clothes that fit me.  I have gained some weight in the last year, which made my wardrobe shrink considerably.  I am starting in 2014, eating more healthy and trying to get my weight down.  No crazy diet, just mainly portion control.  So, I will start by going through my closet (again) and getting rid of those dresses and skirts that I wore in high school or early college.  I might one day fit into those sizes again, but they are worn out or completely not my style anymore.  I am also going to get rid of anything that is 2 or more sizes too small.  I plan to lose the weight, but dropping a ton all at once is not realistic.  If it happens for some reason, I can replace with new sizes. 

Another thing to tackle: accessories.  I have about 3 jewelry boxes FULL of jewelry.  Some of it is really nice. I will hold on to the pieces that I love, and give the other nice pieces to my mother and sister.  The other stuff is just that: stuff.  Cheap jewelry that I got at places like Walmart, Claires, and Target.  A lot of it is worn out and can be tossed. 

Purses, bags, and shoes are the kicker for me.  I always think I might need them, even if I haven't touched them in a year.  I will really have to knuckle down on those.  

I really don't think I will stop buying clothes and accessories in the near future.  I am at the point where I am establishing my sense of style.  I have been out of college a couple years now, so I am slowly starting to change from jeans and t-shirts into a style that is more me.  I have a professional job, so I have to dress for that.  And on my off days, I find myself wanting to wear more than just jeans and a t-shirt.  So I plan to add to my wardrobe.  I will try my best to do it judiciously, though.   

I feel like getting rid of all the clutter and unneccesary material things will help simplify my life.  It will be less to take care of and more time to focus on those things that really matter.  I hate doing laundry, after all. :)

Homeowners!

In a few weeks, we will officially be home owners!  We spent months budgeting, looking, stressing, and researching before we finally decided that we should buy a house. It's a huge responsibility, but we think it will pay off for us in the end. I can't wait to move in our little blue house.  I feel so grown up! Married and buying a house. 

I had lunch with a college friend on Sunday. We try to catch up about every month or so. We were talking and reminiscing about our college days. I can't believe  it has been 6 years since I started my freshman year of college. Woah. We both miss college and the experiences and freedom we had. I even miss the school part. I felt like I was good at school. Like it was something I excelled at. There aren't too many things in my life where I feel that way. If someone offered to pay me to go to college, I would in a heartbeat. 

All that being said, I wouldn't want to change my life now. I love being married. I always thought it would suit me, and it does. I love the fact we are buying a home together and love the excitement that brings. I love life know, and am excited for things to come. I try my hardest to be grateful for where I am in life. 

Blogger App

I have discovered the blogger app for my iPhone. Maybe I will blog more often now. Taking out my laptop is a hassle since it cannot be unplugged, or it dies immediately. Also, a good many of my ordinary life pictures are on my phone. Phone cameras are just so handy.

Here are a few pictures from the last couple weeks.

To keep, or not to keep?

I just encountered a bit of a dilemma.  Just a couple of days ago, I unpacked one of the last boxes from the most recent move.  I had been stubbing my toe on it in my closet for too long.  Among the contents of the box were several notebooks of various size and color.  These are my diaries or journals from when I was younger.  I think I started journaling when I was 10 or so, and it lasted until later high school.  My dilemma is what do I do with these notebooks now?  They are filled with all sorts of personal thoughts and feelings and random happenings in my not too event filled adolescence.  I don't know that I would like anyone else reading them, at least not while I'm still alive.

My mother has a journal from her mother around age 16.  I know this is very special to my mom, because her mother died when she was a baby.  It provided a look into her life that my mother never would have had otherwise.

So, to keep, or not to keep?  That is the proverbial question.

Finding Beauty and Meaning in the Ordinary

I had one of those moments tonight where I felt overwhelmingly blessed, special, and insanely happy.  It's that feeling that drowns all doubts, fears, and worries, and lifts your spirits like nothing else.  I am so very blessed in this life.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world and wonder how I ever came to deserve the beautiful people and things I have surrounding me.

I was watching a movie tonight about a couple, and the girl was an artist.  She had photographs of her husband in very ordinary situations.  Just snapshots of them doing their normal routine at home.  I consider photography a hobby, but I have recently said to myself, I don't go anywhere or do anything where I can take pictures.  So I put those two thoughts together.  Why not take pictures of how my life looks now?  It's these kinds of memories that make the biggest impression with me.  Time spent laughing, goofing off, doing dishes together in the kitchen, taking the dog for a walk, getting ready for bed- all things that seem ordinary, but things that when put together, are the substance of life.  Sure, weddings, graduations, family gatherings are all important and memorable, but why save those photographs for those times only?

So I have given myself a challenge.  I want to capture beauty and meaning in the ordinary.  I don't know how much of an artist I am, but I feel like I will learn to appreciate the little things more if I do this.  So here goes.