Things I Don't Do

If you follow me on instagram, you probably remember seeing some posts from me in May about the #PilatesSummerSeries with Robin Long over at The Balanced Life Online.

Well, after I think it was 2 weeks, of doing pilates with Robin and just tuning in to her blog, I kind of became addicted to her website. If you don't follow Robin, check. her. out. NOW. 

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No, this is not a sponsored post. Robin isn't paying me to tell you about her. I just think she's that great and has a lot to offer :) Plus, her little girl is the same age as Christian and well, Robin has become my inspiration to get my pre-baby body back! 

Anyway, today Robin shared some posts from her "archives" and one of them..."Things I Don't Do" really got me thinking. 

I can't tell you how often I find myself making comparisons because of social media... and those comparisons, well, they don't exactly shout my praises! 

My life is simple. 

Often, the things that others are doing are just things that I simply don't do. 

AND THAT'S OKAY. 

Saying that, embracing that, is freeing! Although, some of my don'ts definitely should become dos...I want them to become dos...

So here is a list of things that I just don't do. 

I don't dress like I just walked out of a magazine. In fact, I mainly wear yoga pants every day and let me tell you...they aren't lululemon or any other big name brand ;) 

Oh and I also don't shower every day...I know. Beware. I'm a mom, though, need I say more? 

I don't live in a pinterest inspired house. Yes, I do have a million pins on pinterest, including pins of house projects. Will I ever do all of those pins? Definitely not. Will I hopefully someday do some of them? Maybe. I just like to pin :) 

I don't cloth diaper. Disposables all the way. Don't judge. 

I don't have a Victoria's Secret body. Never will. Maybe that's partly because I don't really work out. But I'm healthy and working on being even healthier. 

I don't garden. I used to and then entered Christian. Someday I hope to again, especially now that we have a yard that I can do it in! Actually, it just occurred to me the other day that I should probably be watering our plants that are already in front of the house...the annuals? Or are they perennials? Either way, I'm far from having a green thumb. 

I don't cook fancy new meals every day. In fact, the majority of the meals I make are basic...meat and vegetable or a single dish. What can I say? I'm not a chef. 

I don't have a gym membership. {Insert sad face here} Boy do I miss you Lifetime Fitness!! or the pool anyway... 

I don't blog very often any more. I used to dream of being that mommy blogger that shares about everything she is learning as a new mom to help other new moms in their journey. Guess what? I haven't been able to figure out how to do it and still keep up with my busy little boy and maintain my sanity. So I won't compare my little slice of the internet with anyone else's. This is just what it is. 

My thoughts and my memories. Nothing more. 

I do have fun playing with my baby boy every day, or just snuggling with him when he is a cranky, fussy, teething boy. I do play outside with him and go to the park and for walks. I do read him stories and teach him about the world. I do go to church and volunteer and read the Bible and lead a small group. I do cook dinner for us {most nights} and do the grocery shopping and laundry and keep a {mostly} clean house. I do spend time with my husband and relax at night. And when I do attempt a pinterest project or get to blogging or house projects, I do take my sweet time and not finish them for months and even then it may not have been what I envisioned or what pinterest said it would be like. 

I also should add that I don't upload pictures from my camera very often...so those of you wanting smash cake pictures will just have to settle for these for now :) Someday there will be more haha 

On his actual birthday 

 At his birthday party

So what don't you do? Share in the comments or link to a post! I'd love to hear! 

Getting Rid of the Clutter

Yes. That's a closet in MY house...I'm ashamed. But I'm being real.

And truth is...its WAY worse now than it was when I took this picture. I guess that will happen when  you are showing your house trying to sell it! Yep. We're moving!!! {Hopefully} Stay tuned...that's another post. 

Anyway...Did you know babies come with A LOT of stuff!!?? 

Welp...they DO!! 

Your house can fill up just with baby stuff!! Especially when you live in a cute little townhouse. LOVE our townhouse and love that it forces me to simplify and really focus on the necessities and clear out the excess....as hard as that can be for me. That closet up there, though, has become the way it is from making room for baby stuff... 

One of the first steps I took as I focused on my "one word" for 2014 was simplifying our house. The hubby and I did a major "ho out of 2013" as 2013 drew to an end. We got ride of a TON of stuff!!! 

All within a matter of a weekend! 

The desire to set up a playroom and have space for all of Christian's new Christmas toys may have been a major motivator... 

Either way, we went through and did some MAJOR cleaning and decluttering and got rid of a ton of stuff that we don't use, don't like, or just plain don't need. No more almost no more closets full of clutter. Just that one closet up there in the picture...Otherwise every room is neatly organized and cleaned out...except for our bedroom closet which was sort of the catch all for stuff that still needs to find a home or an organizational plan...Maybe that will come in the next few months with the purchase of a single family home?? :) More to come on that! 

As we sorted through our stuff, I felt instant release in just cleaning out our stuff. We even made some money in the process by selling some books and other items online! That's a pretty good motivator for cleaning stuff out too if you ask me! 

Now that we have pretty much cleaned out and organized our whole house {which will make moving easier...} I have a few tips to share with you in case you are looking to simplify in 2014 and clear out the clutter! 

1. Go room by room. 

2. Make piles and sort out the entire room/area of a room before moving on to something else.

For example, go through each area of the room and make 5 piles - 

Keep, Relocate, Donate, Sell, Throw. 

Go through EVERYTHING. Even things that you think are "good". 

3. Ask yourself the following questions when trying to decide if you should keep something: 

"When did I last use this item? How often do I use it?" If you haven't used it in the past 3 months or so, it could go. And if you hesitate on if you need it or when you last used it...it could go :) 

"Will I use this item in the next 3 months?" 

"How much does this item cost?" If it is a cheap and easily replaceable item, it may not be worth storing it on the off chance that you will use it again (seasonal items, etc) 

4. Once you have sorted your piles in a single room: 

Bag up the "donate" pile.

Throw the "throw" pile.

Put away the "relocate" pile. 

Put back the "keep" pile.

5. Enjoy a glass of wine and celebrate your hard work then move on to the next room! 

What helps you declutter? 

Are there questions you ask yourself or steps you take in cleaning out rooms? 

What are your top tips for organizing and decluttering? 

I'd love to hear!! Please share in the comments :)