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What is the one thing you've done lately to simplify your life?

post #1 of 17
8/4/06 at 9:04am
Thread Starter 
For me it was letting go of buying gifts for all my nieces and nephews on their birthdays. Between dh and myself there are 20! nieces and nephews. It was getting so crazy- some months had up to 5 birthdays; I couldn't keep up. It took me a long time to admit it was driving me crazy to keep trying, and it still makes me kind of sad that I can't be "super aunt", but the relief is TREMENDOUS.

I still buy them each a Target gift card for Xmas... but a $10 card for each is $200. I think I'm going to make the cut off age 18... that will help, and I think by age 18 they can understand why they're only getting a card.
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post #2 of 17
8/4/06 at 9:21am
last night we bought a wardrobe for me...yay!! now we need to assemble it and get it loaded...i plan to cut my current collection of clothing by at least 50%. i know i don't wear it all and i'll never wear anything from the 90's again!
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post #3 of 17
8/4/06 at 10:03am
Just bought DH his birthday or christmas present on qvc. Its a portable 300w Powerpack w/Air Compressor, Jumpstarter & LED flashlight. They just had a Happy Camper show on, which I'd never seen before and this looked awesome...especially when we went camping in june the battery died on the car and DH had to blow up the air mattresses himself, we had nothing to blow them up with! Plus its got outlets on it in case the electricity goes out, he can plug something in.

So this is one thing I dont need to worry about later on....he can be hard to buy for.
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post #4 of 17
8/4/06 at 2:45pm
The one thing I've done to simplify my life - well, I have a few:
- I stopped doing the Target toy clearance stockpiling thing. I was becomming obsessed with "checking" for clearance and I needed to get a grip. I realized that when I do need to buy a gift, I can set a dollar limit and pick something that is more meaningful for the receipient than just going the through the box and thinking, "yeah, this will work". It was very free-ing to do this. But it was a process to get to that point. Almost like I needed a 12-step program
-I menu plan. This is huge in simplifying my life. I just look to see what I need to make or take out of the freezer/pantry whatever and dinner is now more enjoyable.
-Purposely ask myself when I am going to purchase something - will this bring joy into my life or will I have to clean it/take care of it and eventually hate it?

All the things I've done to simplify my life have also been done with being a better steward with our money. Simplifying your life is actaully one of the most frugal things you can do!
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post #5 of 17
8/4/06 at 7:24pm
I quit one of my jobs. I cannot tell you how much it has simplified my life and reduced my stress. I had 3 pt time jobs. 2 away from home and one wah job. Well, I wasn't making too much money at it any way, so I quit the wah one after a year. Now at least when I am home, my time is mine. I am not constantly stressing about being able to get my work done.
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post #6 of 17
8/4/06 at 7:26pm
[QUOTE=maoftwinboys]
-Purposely ask myself when I am going to purchase something - will this bring joy into my life or will I have to clean it/take care of it and eventually hate it?

QUOTE]


That is an awesome question to ask yourself, thanks for sharing.
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post #7 of 17
8/4/06 at 7:27pm
I am having a garage sale tomorrow and am getting rid of all the I 'll use this someday stuff.
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post #8 of 17
8/4/06 at 10:12pm
I have decided that clutter should not rule my life. I am working hard to rid my house of it and harder at not letting it pile up. I still have long way to go, but I already feel more liberated just having made the descion and started making baby steps! :D
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post #9 of 17
8/4/06 at 10:27pm
I have been throwing away mail that I KNOW I don't need as soon as I bring it in the house. I have been limiting the kids on how much they can take with them in the car. Planning menu's great for the budget as well and going through things at least three times. The first to get rid of the I'm overwhelmed with this much stuff downsizing, the second to see if I missed some in my overwhelmed search, and the third really thinking about if I even truly want to keep it and care for it or just move on. Wow once you get through it the third time it's scary how little you actually keep because you just don't need it! Working on my closet. Turning loose of clothes that I never wear but am keeping them just so I do'nt panic when I peer into the closet and then I won't feel like there is nothing to wear. T here isn't anyway but all those clothes aren't helping matters. That's about it for now. Mostly going through things at least three times. I'm headed to the bookshelf next
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post #10 of 17
8/4/06 at 11:35pm
I am attempting to organize my mind and declutter my home-or-
vice versa.
Toss out and clear stuff I do not use or have use for; old clothes, shoes ,stinking thinking, misplaced guilt and anger etc
The great thing is I have to do it myself [with maybe some help with heavier bags up the stairs but I'm about to loosen up some brain room
and do some clearer thinking]
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