Konmari Journey to More Space, Less Junk, and Less Stress: Introduction

Hi everyone! I am excited to share with you, a brand new series on the blog, called Konmari Journey to More Space, Less Junk and Less Stress. Over the summer, I have been working on something called a "tidying festival." You may remember the Konmari method, as explained in this incredible book called, the life-changing magic of tidying up, by Marie Kondo. 

You may recall that I wrote this review of the book back in April. Since that time, I have been going through each of my items one by one. Two weeks ago, I reached a point of near completion. and feel ready to share my journey with you. I share it with you, to encourage you, if you want to declutter. It is totally worth it, and this book helps you through the whole process. 

How Cleaning Up Can Be Life Changing -- A Book Review

I love the stark lines of these giants of my yard. 

It didn't surprise me that I was a bit behind in discovering the latest book craze, written by a Japanese organizer who doesn't even speak English. In my life, I always tend to be a bit behind on the trends, if I ever notice them at all. 

The book was published in October of last year, was a #1 New York Times bestseller, has spawned Facebook groups about it, and is still currently #3 in Amazon books. 

Sixteen Ideas for Organizing a Small Kitchen

16 Ideas for \Organizing A Small Kitchen

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful Easter weekend. It is now Sunday evening, and I am feeling truly refreshed, from a luxurious Spring Break. My husband booked some time, off, too, and we truly enjoyed our little house in the woods, and allowed ourselves some time to simply "be."

The Journey to Simple

Everyone is just so busy these days!
Photo by Ryan Ritche, via Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0

Everyone is so Busy

We all know life in the 21st century is complicated, right? Everyone you talk to, is always busy, so busy ... There's so much to catch up on. We are all multi-tasking ... so many things to do ... no time to stop, to think, to reflect ... 

But does it have to be that way? Could we choose to make our lives more simple and less crazy? Could we just STOP? Yes, I believe we can. I believe we can choose to be less busy, and to have less crazy lives. The only problem is ... 

It's not easy to go simple. The journey to simple means making some hard choices. It is choosing to do with less, even when more feels safer. It means giving things up, when we are used to having what we want. It is not easy, but I believe it is worth it. 

Our back yard, surrounded by beauty. My own photo. 

Our Story

My husband and I are on a journey to simple.  Eleven months ago, we moved out of the city to a place located in an actual forest. We were in search of a quieter, less expensive lifestyle. The house we bought was smaller, with more land. We wanted to get away from the traffic, pollution and noise. We dreamt of a different kind of life.

However, like many dreams, the reality was pretty far from what we had envisioned.In fact, we hadn't seemed to simplify our life all that much. 

Besides working long hours, now we also had to stack wood. And just to get some decent groceries, you had to drive at least an half hour. And our lovely rural hide-away? Well, let's just say that the place, although beautiful, was undeniably flawed (as in needing  quite a few repairs!)

My wood pile. My own photo

We started to wonder about this "simple life" dream. Was it just a silly fantasy? Were we better off back in our inner city lot? 

But then, after wringing our hands for a while, we both saw something special. What we had.  Sure, it was difficult now. But we had made a good choice. We had space. Privacy. A wood stove. A lake nearby. Bracing fresh air. An affordable home.

Getting to a simple life would not happen just by moving to the country. No, this was a start. But we still needed to pare down. Our stuff. Our diet. Our money. Our life. 

Please Join Me in the Journey 

Please join us in our journey to simple.  We're not there yet. Like any journey, we can't expect it to always be smooth, or completely straightforward. 

But we know our destination, and that is a huge advantage. This blog is about getting closer to simple ... in the midst of a crazy world.  

I hope it encourages you, the reader, to get closer to simple in your own life.  And you don't have to live in a forest to do it ... just find the advantages to where you live. What do you have right now? Focus on those advantages, and then take steps towards whatever a simpler life means to you. 

Now, what about you? What does the "simple life" mean to you? What steps are you taking towards having a simpler life now? What advantages do you already have? Tell us your story! 

Love Sharilee. If you like what you are reading, sign up for regular updates with Blogger or through my Facebook page. or to receive posts by e-mail, join here

3 Simple Organizing Secrets ... from a Reformed Slob

Confession: I Was The Queen of Disorganization

Growing up, I was known for my distinct lack of organization. Teachers would tell my parents at parent-teacher interviews: “she has so much potential, but she needs to be more organized.” 

My desk was a mess. I was constantly losing my glasses, my pencils, my papers.

My desk was a huge mess!
Photo is free photo from Sgarton via MorgueFile

My worst memory was of losing something very precious of my Mom’s. She had lent me her Strong’s Concordance book. For those of you who don’t know, that is a massive volume requiring great strength just to haul it down a hall. 

I had asked to borrow it for a skit I was performing in the local music festival. She gave it me, extremely reluctantly, warning me over and over again to lose it. But guess what I did? I lost it. 

When we got the building for the skit, I was so preoccupied with feeling nervous and self-conscious, that any thoughts of the concordance were out the window. Until I got home. And what a feeling of shame I had! I still a sense of shame when I think about it. 

Yes, I was the queen of disorganization growing up. And then I kept my reign into my 20’s and early 30’s, but somewhere along the line, I determined that this HAD TO STOP! 

I am now a Reformed Slob

And now, I consider myself a pretty organized person. Yes, me, the former queen of the mess. I love having a place for everything, and everything being in its place. I fantasize about new containers and drool over creative storage ideas on Pinterest. (Check out some of my Pinterest boards, if you want to see what I've been looking at!) 

Organizing -- Kitchen
Organizing -- Bathroom
Organizing -- Bedroom 

I won't claim to be perfect at it, I like the feeling of having order in my life.  My point is that my level of organization is FAR HIGHER than it was before. So, what happened to change me? That is what I would like to share with you today. Because I believe that anyone can become a more organized person using these simple principles. 

I am going to offer you some changes in thinking patterns that can help anyone, whether yourself, your child or someone else .you know. 

Principle #1: Do It For Yourself

You have to determine that is important for you, and not to do it for anyone else. Growing up, I felt a great deal of pressure from my father because I wasn’t organized. Although I was never diagnosed with a learning disorder, it was definitely not something I was doing on purpose. 

But my father would get volatile about me losing things, where he would yell and call me down. So, organizing and cleaning were things that I felt were for him ... and not for me. 

And then, at the age of twenty, I found myself in an early marriage to another angry man (not my current husband.m)  He was very displeased about my lack of housewife skills, and wasn't afraid to let me know. 

But in spite of the pressure from others, it was only when I truly realized that being organized and clutter-free was for me, to help me, and not just to please other people and stave off the shame, that it started to click. 

If you struggle with organization (or know someone who does), find reasons that it will help you in your life, to meet your goals. Maybe being organized will help you get ahead in your career, by giving you the confidence to apply for a better position. Perhaps it will make you feel less stress because you will be able to find your things. Maybe it will make you more money, because you will be able handle more clients. 

If you are helping a child who struggles with organizational issues, help the child find his or her own motivation. For a teenager, the motivation might be being able to find her clothes, so that she can look her best each and every day. For the child, it might be the ability to find a favourite toy when a friend comes over, or the feeling of warmth they feel when they are able to invite friends into their room for a time of play. 

Your reasons will be unique to you. And that is good. Don’t do it because of the pressure from society. Start looking at staying organized as a special treat for yourself, instead of a dreaded task that you must do someday! Do it for you. Because your life counts. 

Principle #2: It's Never As Bad As It Looks

The next realization I had about organizing is that my clutter and mess is never as bad as it seems.  I have seen this principle so many times in my own life, and in the lives of others. 

Why do we tend to see messes as worse than they are? Let me explain why. A mess is just that: messy. And it’s ugly and it’s unpleasant. We, as humans, are wired to be turned off by something ugly and unpleasant. So we exaggerate the mess, in our minds, until it becomes a ten feet wall of junk and garbage. And more than we can deal with. I will give you an example from my own life. 

When my husband and I moved to our place in the woods, we were in a rush. I was teaching,with an extremely hectic schedule, and driving back and forth three hours a day. My husband was working full-time and trying to get our old house completely renovated in a very tight schedule. 

Our moving date kept moving forward, and we were afraid of losing the deal. So when we actually got around to moving, it was rushed. Despite my careful organization at the beginning of the move, by the end, stuff was just being stuffed into random boxes. No careful labeling. Just boxes upon boxes of stuff. 

 A mess of boxes from our home.
My own photo

And then after all the stuff arrived here, it didn’t get any better. We were living in our dream home, but life was still too busy. Stuff didn’t get unpacked. There were boxes strewn everywhere: our master bedroom, the two other bedrooms, the living room. Even the kitchen. And we couldn’t catch up; in fact, mess kept adding unto mess. Have you ever been there? 

And I felt completely overwhelmed by it. Living in this chaos was depressing for me, and I know it made my husband crabby We couldn’t find anything. It felt like nothing was getting done. We could not invite guests over. Yuck! 

But you know what? As bad as it was, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Because once I started, the place started to come together. Yes, the year of neglect did take a while to get out from under, but it was do-able. I am still working on right now, but as I tackle each room, it is coming. And it’s not as bad I thought! 

And this principle is so true, no matter what the mess is. Once you start, it won’t be nearly as bad as you thought it was. The presence of clutter in our life can make some of us feel debiliated and helpless. But that is just a feeling. It really doesn’t have to crush us! 

And it is only stuff. It does not have some magic power to destroy us. It is not a lion that threatens to devour us. It is just stuff -- sometimes junk -- that we bought or acquired in some way. It’s just a bit unweildy right now. But it is controllable. When we avoid it, thinking it is unconquerable, we are giving into an illusion, a lie. And we are giving our stuff power that it does not possess on our own. 

Principle #3: Starting Gives You Confidence

The final change in thinking I am going to offer is realizing that just starting will give you confidence. Not starting is the most debilitating thing you can do. I should know because I am still bad at procrastinating!  I am also confident, however, that once I start, even just for a few minutes, the pressure  decreases expotentionally. 

When we start, we start to believe and see our own ability to do the task we have been dreading. We start to see ourselves as competent, and this belief in ourselves will carry us through to be able to do more and more. 

A nicely organized shelf from our home.
My own photo

I have seen this principle at work in my own life more times than I can count. This works for any task. Sometimes I am so scared of doing something that I try to avoid it, and put it off. But the moment I start, I realize that it is possible. And I just have to try my best. 

Don’t think that you must do it all, before you start. It's nice when we can finish a job all in the same day, but it may take some time to get a big job done. But having even one little area organized can be a tremendous morale booster. Start with one cupboard, or your purse. Or your one drawer in your desk. But just start. And you will start to feel better. 

So, these are the three changes in thinking that I strongly believe will help someone become much more organized. They are: 

1. Do it for yourself
2. It's not as bad as it looks
3. Starting will give you confidence

Please let me know if this was helpful to you or for someone you know. How are your organizing skills? Tell us your story! 

Love Sharilee. If you like what you are reading, sign up for regular updates with Blogger or through my Facebook page. or to receive posts by e-mail, join here

Ten Reasons to go for a Walk Tonight

How are you doing today? By any chance, are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, maybe a bit depressed? Or maybe like something is missing? 

If so, allow me to make a suggestion to help you for getting out of this mental slump. And it doesn’t require pills -- you don’t have to go to the doctor for any prescription. 

My idea for you is get your fix. Your nature fix, that is.

When was the last time you went for a walk in the park? Or the forest, or the field? When did you last see birds up close or hear the sounds of leaves falling from the trees? 

Has it been a while? Do you tend to dwell mostly, in the tunnel so many of us create for ourselves: home, garage, work, garage and then home again?  

If it’s been quite a long time since you felt in touch with nature, I am going to give you ten reasons to get in touch with nature again.

And don’t wait too long ... the snow is coming and this late autumn won’t last forever. Why not go tonight? 

1. It's excellent exercise. In fact, there is extra value in walking outside compared to the treadmill, because of the extra resistance you gain from walking against the breeze, as well the variety of muscles used by obstacles you may encounter outdoors, as well as natural slope.

2. Walking outdoors can help curb your appetite. Going for a walk outside always makes me want to eat less. As I get more in touch with my body, I tend to have less desire to eat unhealthy things and overeat.

3. Walking outside helps cure stress and anxiety. In fact, a recent article in Forbes magazine quoted Dr. Sobel, a leading expert in preventative medicine as saying that spending time in nature is one of the top cures for stress. 

4. Nature makes you feel connected to something bigger than yourself.  Whether it's looking at the stars at night, or simply gazing up a forty foot elm tree, we are reminded that we really aren't the centre of the universe! 

5. Time spent outdoors connects you with those you love. When I was a kid, my mom used to take my sister and me on nature excursions. Sometimes it was a mysterious path that we had never been on before. Other times, it involved going for a drive and finding an abandoned coulee. These are the best memories, because we were together, exploring.

6. A walk in nature is romantic. Whether you are planning a first date, or planning your retirement, there's nothing better than a romantic stroll to pump up the intimacy level between two lovebirds. 

7. A nature walk is educational. Helen Keller asked her friend what she had seen after a walk in the woods. She was shocked when her friend replied. "nothing." She then goes on to say, "How was it possible ... to walk for an hour through the woods, and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch."  Let's learn from Helen. When we walk outside, there is always something to see, and to learn. 

8. A walk through nature helps cure depression. This fascinating article talks about the latest research on how walks through nature have documented physical and sensory effects that help people that struggle with depression. The author also goes on to explain how, in Japan, "forest bathing" is considered a therapeutic option for healing. 

9. An outdoor walk is excellent for planning and goal-setting. I have gotten some of my best ideas while on a nice, long walk. There's something about the rhythm of walking that lends itself to dreaming and planning.  In fact, don't think of a walk as just one more thing you have to do,  but as a productivity tool for getting more done in the long run. 

10. You are walking in the shadows of greatness. Jesus himself was a great walker. Albert Einstein is reported to have walked the 1.5 hour distance to work and back, when he worked at Princeton. And C.S. Lewis, was inspired by the regular walks he took on his five acre wooded property.  

So, have I convinced you to go for a walk tonight? I confess

that I have been skipping my walks lately, and during the writing of this post, I actually went out and got a quick walk in. So, what about you? What are you waiting for? 

Or are you already a dedicated walker? What are your reasons for walking? Tell us your story. 

Love Sharilee. If you like what you are reading, sign up for regular updates with Blogger or through my Facebook page. or to receive posts by e-mail, join here. All photos are property of the author. All work is copyright under Sharilee Swaity 2014. 

Organizing Inspiration -- What Inspires You?

I love to read organizing and cleaning blogs. I need the inspiration! I recently wrote an article for Hubpages outlining my favourite organizing blogs. If you like, check some of these women out. They are amazing, and I would consider them to be my mentors when it comes to all things domestic.

Here's the list! If you want to read more about each, check out The Best Cleaning and Organizing Blogs to Read.

1. Clean Mama
2. I'm An Organizing Junkie
3. Clutter Busting With Brooks Palmer
4. I Heart Organizing
5. Clutter Clearing
6. Clutter Bug

Another awesome place to find inspiration is Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest yet? If you aren't, send me your e-mail and I will definitely send you an invitation. Pinterest is like one big inspiration board where you can "pin" things that you like -- books, crafts, decor ideas -- whatever you like. The only stipulation is that it has to be an image, in order to pin it.

Just to give you an example, I will show you a couple things I pinned lately on Pinterest. These are ones that I pinned unto my Storage and Organizational Inspiration Board: 

First, an idea for storing small items. This is paper clips but it could be hair elastics, or safety pins. Can you think of anything else small to go in these? Love this idea! This is from Apartment Therapy (link is always below the image.)

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via Sharilee on Pinterest

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And here is another one I found for storing earrings. I always have a hard time storing my earring, and always lose them, so I love this idea. It's a rain gutter guard from Lowes, or probably any home improvement store. I've never bought a rain gutter guard but for $2.97, I can start!

Source: bluecricketdesign.net via Sharilee on Pinterest

And one more cool thing. This is one is so easy I think I might actually do it. It just involves buying an ice cube tray at the Dollar Store. Again, for organizing small stuff. Here it is:

Source: homemadesimple.com via Sharilee on Pinterest

Isn't that cool? So, what blogs or other things inspire you in keeping the house clean and organized?

I Got Product! Some New Healthy Foods I am Trying

Tuesday's Math: Calories In: 1685    Calories Out: 2528

Well, I got product! My gorgeous husband and I went shopping last night and I got some good products for healthy eating and boosting up FIBRE!

Bistro Express Entree

This first one is from Dr. Ben's. I have used the Bistro Express products before and wrote a review about them. Last night I was looking at the entree products and noticed that these babies are high in fibre and within calorie range for a meal. They only take two minutes in the microwave and I think would be good in a pinch. I totally prefer to cook but some days are a rush and it's nice to some healthier alternatives than junk!

Bistro Express Nutrition Information

I apologize for the less than stellar quality photos. I got a different camera and I"m having trouble getting quality photos from it.  But if you can read this, the package contains 370 calories and 5 grams of fibre!

I know the sodium content is not that wonderful but I still find this to be a good "meal in a pinch" idea. I often use the Bistro Express packages for adding  rice to a meal I have cooked. I like these and look forward to trying them.

Toppits Pop Herbs

I am very excited about this next product. This is wonderful for cooking. I know the professional cooks, like Rachel Ray, use fresh spices in their food but i have never got around to doing that. I just haven't upped my cooking to that level, and my budget has usually meant dried spices in the bottle.

Well, last night, I found something that is going to get me to try fresh spices, well almost fresh, anyways. These are from a company in Israel and they are herbs flash frozen from fresh. You pop out a cube, enough for one meal and pop it in your dish. Hello! I can't wait to try this. They have all kinds of flavours but I just wanted to try one to see how it worked. I just checked out the Toppits Website and it looks good, with some recipes on there. I also see that these are completely preservative-free.

 Kraft Dinner Smart

Okay, another one. Yes, it's K.D., or Kraft Dinner. Kraft Dinner is my nemesis. I used to eat a package of those and then feel completely disgusting. That stuff is so deadly but yet so sinfully delicious.

Well, I dared to pick up a different kind of Kraft Dinner. My camera would not take an even half-decent picture of the front of the product but it's Kraft Dinner Smart High Fibre.

It has 5 grams of fibre and 175 calories per serving (which is a quarter cup). You are still getting 6 g of sugar, and it's still pretty high in carbs but much, much better. I am going to try it, at least, because it could be another good emergency, in-a-rush foods.

 Flax

And the last product I am going to share with you is my flax. I had forgotten about flax but am trying it again. This package is already opened but there it is. Again, sorry for the terrible quality of these pictures. This was taken at night and the lamp is shining off the package.

And the fibre, just for 2 tablespoons of this stuff is four grams. Not bad for a few mouthfuls! I have been adding this flax to my smoothies in the morning and I want to try to add to some cooked meals to up the fibre content.

So, there's some product. Yesterday, was a good day. I managed to stay under my calorie range and got some walking in (grocery shopping, which I feel funny counting but at least it's some movement). That was the third day that I have been under my calorie range. I am not trying to be way under but it's just worked out to be a bit under.

My lunch meal was a bit high. I went to Tim Horton's (it's a Canadian thing!) and had the large chili with a bun, and a coffee and that all ended up being over 700 calories. I was very hungry but it did feel like too much and I kept eating. Now I know that I need to order a small chili if I get that again.

Do you have any products for healthier eating you are trying? Feel free to share!

What To Do With an Old Wok?

Image by Innonate

What has me wanting to write today is a topic I was curious about. Can you recycle or re-use an old wok? I have an old wok that is getting all rusty and nasty, and want to get rid of it. I was going to throw it out in a garbage bag and then felt terribly convicted. How could I throw out such a big item. So that left me wondering: what to do? 

Being the all-around research gal that I am, of course I Googled it. And I found a few good ideas. First of all, some pots and pans can be turned into scrap metal.  I found a place quite close to our home, so that's one idea. I would have to call them on Monday to see if they would actually take a wok.

And another couple good ideas I read were to use it as a container for melting candles, or as  a flower pot. Interesting! I think the idea that would be most realistic for me, would be to make it into some kind of flower pot.

Here are some links on the topic: 

From Earth911: How To Recycle Your Old Cookware. 

Recycle or Reuse Old Pots and Pans

How about you? Have you ever recycled or re-used your old pots and pans? How so? What did you do? Do you have any ideas for this wok of mine? Thanks!