The Day I Told My Ego to Hit the Road, and My Once a Week Challenge

“It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials.”  Bruce Lee

For a very long time I was truly engaged and committed to the idea that having more defined my self worth and made me appear complete in the eyes of others. Complete in the sense that looking put together in a new outfit, a certain car, the furniture in my home or the bag I was carrying explained who I was internally based upon these silly externals. Running to the mall for every occasion and spending over half of my pay check seemed perfectly plausible. The sole reason I justified my over spending and frivolous purchasing stemmed from the need to feel accepted and the pressures of society to look a certain way. The way of life I embraced of over spending, becoming obsessed with appearance- the bout with consumerism, as I like to call it, followed me around in life for about ten years. My ego was in the drivers seat and was steering clear of the notion that having less really meant having more. More time, more life. As with any unhealthy and toxic relationship typically one of the people involved has an epiphany, an aha moment if you will. That person thankfully was me. At this moment of clarity I told my ego things weren't working out and they needed to take a back seat, or get out of the vehicle all together. Once I was in the driver's seat everything began to change, for the better.

What prompted this aha moment you might ask? Pretty simple, I started asking myself the right questions. For instance am I truly happy in my career? The truth is I was going from one job to the next not seeking meaning in the position or how it would make me a better person, but rather the salary increase involved. I needed to keep up with myself financially and if that meant being unhappy 40 hours a week then so be it. What do I want out of life? For too long I was ignoring my true instincts that were buried under the noise my ego was causing. Working in retail environments drowned out my instincts to want to help people on a meaningful level. I was feeding the wrong giant. What does having "stuff" really accomplish or prove? Nothing. Once I got down to the bare bones of it all and started to live my truth, rather than hide behind it, doors began to open that have completely changed everything. I realized my true potential and mission in life was to help others de-clutter, get rid of the external nonsense we think is making us happy. Give back to those who are in desperate need of a pair shoes or a clean pair of pants, and are happy with just one pair of each.

I am somewhat obsessed with the idea that society has this insatiable appetite for more and it is leading to mental destruction. The bigger the better, the more bells and whistles the happier it will make me. Society is running on empty and every purchase they make is a temporary fix. There are no temporary fixes when it comes to a false sense of self. What I've learned in my own life, by letting go of things or situations that no longer serve me, is the most liberating feeling I've ever had. It is not a temporary fix but a permanent feeling. How could I not want to spread that feeling around and help others find mental clarity through the de-cluttering process? I'm so moved by the sense of accomplishment I feel through my clients once they begin to de-clutter that I have decided to create my own challenge. One day a week for one year I will donate something I have in my home, or throw it away. I will commit myself to having less and see where this takes me. I hope you can join in with me on this adventure as I'd like to call it, or at least contemplate the experiences in your own life that may or may not be due to clutter.

I find it ironic that when I am not living my truth I am working for one of the largest apparel and costume jewelry companies in the world, and my goals there are to increase never decrease. My personal goals however are what defines me, and there will be a day when I can walk away from the corporate world of more and focus solely on the meaningful world of less. Until then I'm taking things day by day, client by client. The best part about my new journey to simplicity is the abundance of things I'm going to have internally once I reach that goal. I can only hope my efforts will allow others to feel the same.

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Organize Your Way to a Picture Perfect Pantry in 5 Steps!

For those that have a pantry large enough to do a cart wheel in consider yourself a great candidate for this blog post! For those who have limited food storage space you can certainty still gain from the tips and ideas, with organizing its ALL in the details!

Purge

If you are taking on the task of getting food in order in your kitchen I highly recommend taking everything out of the pantry or cupboards, sometimes you need to make a mess to make it neat! Start sorting like with likes. Rule of thumb- toss (my favorite de-clutter word) anything that has expired or items that need a new home. 

Designate Shelving to Save Time and Money

Keep your pantry focused! Understand the purpose for each shelf. Once you have removed everything have a plan in place for each shelf before bringing the items back in. A baking needs shelf for instance or a designated snack area. This will always prove to be the best way to see what you are running low on and avoid purchasing duplicates. Remember once items start to live with non like items you will always struggle with not knowing how much of an item you actually have!

Designated pasta section and snack section below 

All canned goods stored together, like with like

At the Right Height

Items you use on a regular basis should be within your reach. Items that are purchased in bulk can be stored at the very bottom so not as to use up too much shelf space and weigh down shelving. Keep the not so used items at the very top.

Cleaning supplies low enough to reach but high enough to keep out of harms way for children. 

Remove Boxes and Label

Boxes can take up space and if you are taking from an opened package its much harder to see how much you have left. Items such as granola bars, tea, fruit snacks, bottles of water etc that are packaged can be removed from the boxes and stored front to back or within bins. Keep the older items in front (at the top within a bin) and the newer behind them (bottom in a bin). Label every bin with its contents! My favorite labels to use on bin storage in a kitchen are the Avery brown Kraft labels. In deciding what bin storage to use its always best to determine how many items you are going to be storing first. Always measure shelf height and length for the best fit prior to heading out to the store! Clear containers work wonders for cereals, pasta and rice. If you are adding a bit of color be sure to label the contents! 

Oatmeal, cider and tea are stored in baskets

All snack bins labeled

Maintenance!

Once a week, or twice a moth take a minute to be sure items are still in their designated areas and you feel good about the organization within your pantry of cupboards. By taking the time to maintain your food storage you will be well on your way to having an organized pantry!

 Comments, questions? Feel free to post! 

Happy Organizing~

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