I celebrated my birthday over the weekend. I had a great time with my favorite people, eating my way through the day. It started with a slow morning at home. My husband made me breakfast and I enjoyed coffee time with my new Yoga Journal magazine. Later in the day we ventured to a quaint vegan cafe where I had the yummiest hot cocoa with whipped cream - perfect on a winter's day with the high of 16 degrees! The night ended playing ping-pong, games and pizza night at my mom's house. (I also had a little "spill" that night that has humbled me. I'll share about it in my next post.)
I received a very awesome gift that supports my need to reduce clutter; create space in 2010, as well as support my desire to make One Small Change each month. My husband cut 12, 12x12 pieces of reclaimed wood and cardboard for a series of paintings I want to work on. I'm so excited about this because just having the pieces ready to go has given me the SPACE needed to paint. And, using recycled wood is a perfect compliment to my quest to not purchase art materials, but to use what I have in creative ways.
As you can see, Kestan has his own creative idea on how to use the wood.
So the way I'm choosing to reduce clutter this month, and make some earth friendly changes, is to organize what I have, donate what doesn't serve a happy purpose for me anymore, reuse supplies and materials in creative ways, and avoid buying anything new.
Thanks to each of you who are joining me on this reduce clutter journey. I'm happy to see so many of you dedicated to making more space for what matters most in your life. I am planning to make a web page dedicated for the reduce clutter; create space explorers, but in the meantime, learn more HERE, and feel free to join us!
I raise my second cup of vegan hot cocoa to you and wonder:
Your Personal Reflection: What one small change are you willing to make this month to reduce clutter and create space for what matters most?
Happy Birthday, Shannon! Hmm, I have done my first decluttering things this month - I organised my photos on my laptop - into neat folders with descriptions - so much easier to find them now. Took me a couple of days (a bit here, a bit there), but at least I can now FIND photos. Plus it allowed me to find one of my half-done photo projects (an alphabet) which I plan to finish this month. So it is more organising than space clearing, really, but it needed to be done!
ReplyDeleteThis month I plan to spend more time on the photos, deleting the ones I don't need/like. Also my desk neds some clearing - literally!
Also - clearing my craft boxes of old and half-done projects - repurposing some (have already started on that - this time I am giving away the stuff I make as gifts), and throwing away some.
hey! thanks for stopping by my blog!!! my sister is a yogi as well as my two oldest daughters :) have a great birthday friend! xo
ReplyDeletedoes throwing away my entire art supply in the trash count as small? that's what i'm ready to do because all i use are pens, ink and paper and packaging supplies! everything else is eating me alive!
ReplyDeletewhere's the coffee shop? shall we make that our next stop?
I'm starting with working 15 minutes at a time on getting rid of piles of thing. I will then have a lot of crates full of art supplies, but it's a start. I'll figure out my goal of the month after I do that. My ultimate goal is to set up my fabulous art table, so I have a bigger place to create. But I literally have no space for that yet. Thank you SO much for this idea - I'm into it. ~Nina in San Diego~
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Birthday,thank you for your comment on my blog.
ReplyDeleteLove love love this! Happy Belated Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteWow! That hot chocolate looks GOOD!!!
What one SMALL change am I willing to make?
SMALL?!?
Nope.
Sorry.
This is going to be HUGE!!!
Hang on to your hats, I'm in motion....
Okay. One small thing.
ReplyDeleteI've been tracking my expenses for a few months, and was horrified to discover I spend anywhere from $50-$100 on almost daily stops at the drugstore for snacks and once in a while, magazines. So now drugstores are only for.. drugs! I'm saving myself two kinds of clutter: body clutter and I'll be creating less trash (not to mention bottles that won't get recycled because there is no recycling here unless I trek out to the recycling center, something I have not managed to make a habit). It will be creating space for my creative dreams by saving me money I can put toward things that nourish me.. like workshops at Squam in the fall!
WOW...you guys are incredible. There is some major shifting and changing going on. I'm excited to see where this leads. Some big, some small..all huge steps towards making space for YOU/us! Love it...thanks to each of you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat small change? What a wonderful question. I love your idea of "donate what does not serve a happy purpose for me"
ReplyDeleteThat will allow me to make room for what does serve a happy purpose.
I was decluttering at work and found a real treasure, so I will need a place for it as it does serve a happy purpose. (the whole story is on my blog)
the reclaimed wood has so much potential! I can't wait to see the paintings.
ReplyDelete1 small change for me this month is making sure my kitchen is clean before going to bed so there is a nice big clean space for Breakfast!! yummmm.
Donica- I love how you are trying to make space in your kitchen. What a great way to wake up every morning and invite nourishment into your life!
ReplyDelete