Cluttered

That's where my mind is these days. So's my home. Obviously the two are related. I don't know if it's spring, or what, but I'm feeling the need to get rid of, clean out, start over.

Mary Ellen had a post awhile back that mentioned Down to Earth, a blog about simple living by a couple in their 60s living in Australia. I am enjoying exploring their site and it's really getting me thinking.

Some quotes that are resonating with me right now:

It is often thought that the person who goes out to work has the important job in the family and will be the deciding factor in how well the family lives. And while that bread winner role is still vitally important, the stay at home partner is equally important. It is the person in the home who will feed the family, manage the money and pinch every penny until it hurts. It is an exciting time for homemakers. Our jobs have always been significant, more so than we were ever given credit for, but now we have the added responsibility of stretching our dollars to get the maximum value from them and helping our family get through the next few years while who knows what will happen. And if we come out of this quickly and unscathed, well, we'll have those skills to help us in the future. It's a win/win situation. (The Frugal Home)

Your life will be different to your friends lives, so don't model yourself on them. You and your family are unique, so create a unique life and piece-by-piece, slowly but surely, new possibilities will open up before you. It won't be easy, you'll work harder at first, but the rewards will be there for the taking. (That first step)

I feel like I'm doing a poor job valuing the many blessings we have in this life and, as a result, I'm doing a poor job teaching my children to value their blessings. I need to make some changes.

Some things knocking around in my head:

1. Sign up for the organic produce co-op a good friend belongs to. I've been mulling this over quite a bit lately. It works out to about $100 a month. That will leave me $150 a month for everything else. I think I can make this work, but I'm nervous. I think putting the bulk of our food money toward organic, local produce is a good thing, though.

2. Cancel my newspaper subscription. The main reason I subscribe is for the coupon inserts. I always end up with inserts from other sources, though. The newspaper itself is a huge part of the clutter that overtakes my house (dining room table, mainly).

3. Re-commit to the TMMO. We've been working the Total Money Makeover for a little over a year. We've made pretty good headway, but I think our gazelle is actually a moose/gazelle hybrid. I'm going to sit down with Derek this week and discuss seriously getting back on board.

4. Set a date for a big 'ol garage sale. Make a schedule for decluttering in preparation for said garage sale. Set up a pick-up time for the Mission to come get whatever doesn't sell. Send proceeds from sale directly to debt.

So, kind of minor things, I guess. It feels good writing them down. I'm hoping that blogging about everything will help me have some accountability. And if you're reading this, thank you for sticking with me!

One final quote from Down to Earth:

So wake up, dive in, be bold, find beauty, slow down, give more, expect less, breathe deeply, take pride, value yourself, respect your work, do good, learn, grow, develop, lead, teach and become your true self, whatever that may be. Unravel the mystery of what your life can become by starting on that journey today. That first step is the hardest, but it's also the most important. (That first step)

here I go.