Tiny House Jamboree

Recently hubby & I went to the first official Tiny House Jamboree. It was a gathering of Tiny Houses, Tiny House Builders, and companies that supply many of the needs of Tiny House People.

There were Tiny Houses to walk through and look at, a variety of speakers who spoke about Tiny Houses, and a plethora of brochures to gather and bring home. 

The crowd size was mind-boggling! Hubby & I were glad to see such an interest in Tiny Houses and the philosophy behind them. But man! Waiting in those lines was rough!

These are not the actual stairs which we saw. But are made the same.

But I did manage to get some info on a few items I was curious about and finally saw some stairs which I had been wondering about.

And managed to make it home without talking about too many revisions to the floor plan!

Cat Tales ~ Kitty Expressways

Me has heard Mommy & Daddy talking about the building plans for the New Home. Me decided to add Mes 2 scoops worth.
First, Me told Daddy We Kittys needed a Catwalk like the one below.

Me even told Daddy he didn't have to make it, there is a company that builds & sells them. LINK
Daddy said he would 'think about it'. Me knows what that means!
Mommy said that the Cabin wouldn't be big enough for something like that so Mommy showed Me another picture of a Catwalk.

Mommy said that this Catwalk is more like what she had in mind for Us Kittys. Mommy pointed out how comfy the Kitty in the pic is. (I think Mommy just said that cause the Kitty in the picture looks like Mes)
Then Me heard Daddy & Mommy talk about making an 'Expressway' between the Cabin and the Tipi. So We Kittys could get to the Tipi in the Winter to catch Vermin. (There Mommy goes again talking about Vermin!)
Something like this, only it would be on the ground -

Daddy liked the idea. And He said he would be sure to include windows in the Expressway. Mommy said that Daddy needed to include access panels so Mommy could clean up the Kitty Urp. She didn't want a Hairball to prevent one of Us Kittys from "doing our job" as Vermin Catchers. Mommy must've had a little Nip in her coffee this morning!

Purz and Catnip Dreams.......Gomez

A New Beginning

As many of you Faithful Followers know, Hubby and I have been working towards down-sizing. We have decided to be Consumers of Experiences. To shed ourselves of the baggage of clutter and enjoy the precious time we have in this plane of existence. To Live Deliberately.

Our first step towards this end was, of course, to clear the clutter. A project I am still working on but have made great headway on! Woo Hoo!!!

Our next step was to decide on what type of Dwelling we wanted to live in. Much research was done and a decision was made. A home was purchased.

To follow our adventures in this new chapter of our lives, visit the blog Embracing the Elements. It is a chronicle of our new life (which is still slightly in the formative stages). Be sure to add yourself as a Follower to stay abreast of all the new developments.

See you there!

De-cluttering Your Time

Earlier this year I wrote a few posts about Living Deliberately. Click Here to go to those posts!

I wrote about how clearing your house of material clutter can bring about many positive changes to one's life. Now I am writing about de-cluttering your time. Yes, our time can become cluttered. Soccer practice, swim lessons, club meetings. While all these activities can be fun on their own, when combined in a short time frame, they can be overwhelming.

Activities can sneak up on us. We have lots of free time, so we decide to take a few extra classes. Then we're ask to help out at school or take over a committee and before you know it, you meet yourself coming and going. 

Just like material objects, activities can pile up. Society, advertising and our culture are all guilty of convincing people that being busy is a sign of prosperity - just like they try to convince us that more stuff is better! We have been told (in a very subtle way) that we have a need for these activities so that we may define who we are. And rather than take a long hard look into ourselves, we buy into this myth. We are not defined by the groups we belong to, nor the classes we take, nor the positions we hold in a certain club. We are defined by our thoughts and actions. Something many people are afraid to confront. And the only way to do this soul searching is to have free time. 

Time clutter also prevents us from living and enjoying each and every moment. Something that is ever so fleeting. When we are busy, we are always thinking ahead to the next task. We feel we must rush through  this project - possibly causing us to not do our best - so that we might have time for the next one. When we rush, we fail to appreciate each moment for what it might bring. Opportunities may be overlooked. Precious moments are never seen. So slow down, take a deep breathe, and relax. Unplug for awhile and spend some (true) face time with your family. When was the last time everyone ate dinner around the table? And actually conversed with each other? 

Maybe it's time we all took a look at how we spend our time....

We are given only a certain amount of time. Use it wisely.

To Read More Click Here!

And Here!

Tiny House

I grew up in a small adobe house. And lived in smaller houses most of my life. I would go visit people who had large houses and thought how fun it would be to live in one. Little did I know at the time, the effort it takes to live in a large house - the cleaning, the upkeep, the expenses!

So now Hubby and I are looking into Tiny Houses and Small Houses in which to live. Tiny or Small Houses are a logical offshoot of those who wish to Live Deliberately. Because if a person is living a deliberate life, then they won't have much clutter and can live in a small place. Even people who are rich and famous are moving into smaller houses. Here is an article about a Hollywood Film Director who has chosen to move out of his 17,000 sq ft mansion and into a mobile home.  Click Here!

Technically Tiny Houses are built on a trailer and can be moved from location to location while a Small House is just that - a Small House built on a foundation and is more permanent. And then in the Small House category a person can look at subcategories like Earth Bag Houses, made from dirt filled sandbags or Cob Houses, made from adobe like mix of straw and mud or Straw Bale Houses, made from stacked bales of straw then covered with concrete or stucco. Small Houses can also be made from old shipping containers, a Yurt, or a Gypsy or Sheep Herder's Trailer or a Geodesic Dome. And there's always the more traditional wood frame house. And these dwellings can be and are finished on the inside just like a 'normal' home.

Tiny Houses have become a cultural movement which embodies those who choose to live with Nature or even more simply. Here is a blog about Tiny Houses, Tiny House Blog; a website dedicated to pictures of Tiny Houses, Tiny House Swoon  or a website dedicated to Small Houses, Small House Swoon; and a website about living the Tiny House Life, The Tiny Life . And this is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a multitude of info on the web about Tiny and Small Houses and Living a more Simple, Sustainable Life.

Living Deliberately ~ Clutter

One of the things that people who Live a Deliberate Life have in common is the lack of clutter. Clutter is a detriment. It prevents the flow of energy - energy will stagnate in a cluttered home and consequently a person's life will then begin to stagnate. Good, positive events will become fewer and farther between. But once a person begins the process of letting go, that person will notice higher energy levels, more clarity in thinking, and even a greater sense of well-being. And it opens the doorway (and space) to positive energy.

All of the 'stuff' we had packed away in boxes, oh so many years ago, soon became a distant memory. Amazing how things that a person thinks they 'can't live without' can disappear and not be missed! But I knew I would have to tackle the mountain of boxes sooner or later. Preferably sooner as the box mountain seemed to be growing (I know, it was only my imagination, but still...)

I wanted a small house to live in, less acreage to clean and maintain, which meant that a HUGE portion of our 'stuff' had to go! I was so tired of all of our 'stuff' dictating where we could live, how we spent our money and taking up so much of our free time! I began to go through the boxes of our stuff and our kids were the lucky recipients of many family heirlooms and the rest of the items went to a booth at a local curio market to sell. Amazing how unburdening ourselves of this 'baggage' gave us a chance to finally breathe! And have fun!

We are still currently decluttering. Progress has been slow because of time constraints but the mountain is now smaller. Because decluttering is a very emotional, yet therapeutic process, I would just as soon go slow. Giving ourselves time to go through 'stuff' means that we are able to really assess what is important to us. And to say goodbye to an old way of living. I won't lie, it hasn't been easy. I have kept many items that will eventually end up in the 'go pile' or in a box for one of the kids. Aren't they so lucky? 

I did learn some helpful tips during this process of decluttering. 

1. Allow yourself plenty of time to purge! Don't set goals which are unachievable, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. In the beginning I set a goal of filling the outside recycle bin once a week with boxes, packing, etc. This was a very attainable goal while I had nothing else going on, but once I became busy with other projects this goal became a source of stress. So now I simply hope to go through a box a week. If I am able to go through more, then Huzzah! and if not, no big deal. The boxes will still be there waiting for me when I get a free moment.

2. Put on some energizing music. I love music. And I work best while listening to music.  The type of music has everything to do with motivation. If the music is mellow and sappy, then you might just find yourself taking more walks down memory lane than you care to make. Music with an upbeat is so much better!

3. Don't be afraid to keep an item or two (or three). Don't feel like you have to get rid of everything all at once! This will be a source of stress. Keep what truly speaks to your heart! You may find as time goes by, that even these items will lose their appeal. If in doubt about something, place it in a closet or storage box and then come back to it in a few months. You may be surprised by how you feel the second time around.

4. Decluttering is hard work! Not only physically but also emotionally. Be sure to eat properly and get lots of rest. And if you find yourself stressing about the whole process, take a step back and work on the project another day. You'll make no progress or feel bad about the progress you have made if the stress level is high.

5. Decide what items will best serve you in the next stage of your life. The multitude of antique books we had collected gave us very little enjoyment. So off they went to be sold. Maybe that old fruit compote dish is a gorgeous antique but does it really serve a useful purpose stashed in the back of the kitchen cupboard?

6. Re-organizing in not the same as decluttering! Decluttering means to physically remove the items from the house. Re-organizing is simply just re-arranging. Decide on a charity or organization to give your unwanted items to. If the charity truly speaks to you, then decluttering will be easier to do.

7. We all like nice things, but is that dollar store statue really that nice? Do not blame yourself for being materialistic. Our society brainwashes people from the time they are old enough to see to think that material objects will bring them happiness. As I stated yesterday, love, laughter and family is what nourishes the soul not that shiny, sparkly, do-dad! Stop buying numerous trinkets and save your pennies for that one item which is truly nice.

I have found that since I have begun the purging process, I want less and less stuff. Oh, I still hear the books calling me, but I am learning to like the Kindle.  And digitizing our music library got rid of BOXES of music and movies. Don't be afraid to explore other avenues for enjoying your vices! (Still not sure what to do about my plant hoarding....)
I wish y'all the best in your decluttering projects! If you have any good hints or tips, please feel free to share!

Living Deliberately ~ Realization

We didn't wake up one day and say, Let's Live Deliberately. For us the transition came slowly. Which is really a good way to transform one's lifestyle. A slow transformation gives a person time to develop new habits and a new way of thinking.

When Hubby & I had lived in Colorado back at the end of the last century (that sure makes us sound old!), we lived in a small house in the mountains, didn't have a lot of extra fluff & enjoyed the small pleasures that Life presented to us. We then moved to the South and slowly we were sucked into the mindset that bigger (and more) was better. We moved into a bigger house which we then filled with lots of stuff. Life was good but we had no one to share all of the goodness with, there was an empty space that we couldn't quite seem to fill. Our family was a long, long way away. And our time, energy and money was being sunk into the house and the stuff that was in the house so vacations were very few and far between. 

Life then gave us the opportunity to change that. We moved back close to family and into a house smaller than we had had for many years. Kids and Grandkids and the pleasures of life became the focus of our time and energy. Our house was soon filled with Love and Laughter instead of  'stuff'.  And believe me, Love and Laughter do a lot more to nourish a soul than material objects.

When Life presented us with an extreme challenge, we learned what truly mattered. And made adjustments accordingly. But not everyone needs to experience such life changing events as we did in order to change their way of thinking. And living a deliberate life does take a certain frame of mind - a "want" to have a life full of experiences and to make the world a better place.

Tomorrow I'll share my experiences with de-cluttering.