Tag: Simplify

Life

Productively Unproductive

Sondra Jennings

I had ice cream for dinner tonight. Yes, I did. Not a bowl of ice cream after dinner. Not a little bit of ice cream with my dinner. I had a BIG bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream FOR dinner tonight. It’s been that kind of week.

But it’s the beginning of a three-day weekend for me. I don’t foresee having ice cream for dinner for at least another three days. What I do see in my near future is a lot of rest and relaxation, and also a little work around the farm. The weather will be turning colder soon and there are a few things I need to do to prepare for it. My chickens need a fresh layer of bedding put down in their coop. The garden is done and needs a layer of mulch put down. There are walnuts all over my yard that I am not picking up, even though I should. And the house needs some more de-cluttering. Always more de-cluttering. How do we end up with so much junk?

But that’s a post for another day.

What I am going to try to focus on this weekend while the husband is working and I’m home with the cat is self-care. Self-care so the next time I have one of “those” weeks, I will not feel the need to eat a big bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream for dinner. Self-care so that I don’t feel so tired and run-down next week when I go back to work. Self-care so I don’t have a headache for two days next week. Yes, I am going to be productive in a few things over the long weekend; but I’m also going to be productively unproductive in the things that matter.

I’m going to linger over my cup of coffee in the morning. I’m going to finish the book I’ve been reading, but have been too tired to open when I sit down in the evenings. I’m going to sit outside and pet the dogs. I might take an afternoon nap with the cat. I’m going to get out my guitar and sing as loud as I can and I don’t care if the neighbors hear me. I am going to get my camera out and chase a sunset or two. I’m going to soak in a bubble bath, burn a candle, and just be. Why? Because these are things that get pushed to the side during the work week. Life still moves forward without these things, so I neglect them…until I feel the need to have a big bowl of ice cream for dinner. What have you been neglecting? What are things that refuel your passion and heal your soul? Music? Crafts? A hike? Shopping? Go do something for you today.

Uncategorized

De-Cluttering My Stuff

Sondra Jennings

William Morris said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” While I love that quote, I have not lived by it.

I’ve been de-cluttering for what seems like 25 years. Seriously. I got married, acquired all this junk, and I’ve been trying to get rid of it for the past 25 years. I throw something away and three things immediately appear in its place. No joke.

I’ve read books, I’ve watched episodes of Horders for inspiration; and yet, I still have a junk problem. What gives?

This fall my husband and I bought a camping trailer. It isn’t fancy. In fact, we have a lot of work to fix it up. This summer it will be ready for me to live in. I’m a teacher, so I have the summer off and I’ve decided to do a little experiment in which I live in the camping trailer.

A little backstory. My husband works out and is gone through the week. And my two adult sons still live in our home. I need space. I need room to breathe. I need to be able to have a “no-pants” day when I want!

So I’ve decided to live in the renovated camper for the summer. When I decided this, of course, the first thing I thought of was, what can I take with me? And then I thought about all the stuff I have and what I could and could not live without. Oh my!

I have no idea what I’m going to take with me into the woods this summer, but one thing is for certain, I can’t take much.