Comments on: Heart and Home of Simplicity

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 16:02:03 +0000

Karen, that’s about the strangest set-up I’ve heard of! Two houses next to each other for the husband & wife - are they still married? :-)

Ladysown, great idea, I should try Freecycle, or something similar. At this point, I don’t have a lot left. :-)

By: ladysown

ladysown — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:09:15 +0000

Just a thought… as you simplify why not use a group like freecycle to help others out as well. Stuff you don’t want, others might well want. and what they don’t you can still bring to goodwill.

Just a thought. Simplifying is something I am learning to do as well.

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:46:35 +0000

Great post!
We visited the in-laws this past summer for the first time in several years. They have two completely furnished-and-full houses next to each other for all of their stuff. I know it’s morbid, but all I could think of when walking through the first time was how tremendously overwhelming it is going to be to clear out those homes when they die!

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:45:09 +0000

e-Mom, basements are the worst!! Anyone I know with a basement has a monster living down there. :-) My oldest sister’s basement - truly terrifying!

Mandi, I hear you on the piles of old photos. I’ve given myself permission to just put them all away in a box until I have time “someday.” I really can’t let the guilt of unfinished albums rob me of peace and sanity. If it meant I had to get rid of them to be free, I’d do it, too.

Grace - “minimalist” is a word I meant to use in this article. I definitely purposely strive for that. I have to be purposeful about it, because our culture is so overboard consumeristic, it’s easy for stuff to sneak in when you’re not looking!

Mrs. Darling, I can tell you why you don’t consciously think about simplicity. You have such a good handle on your home that it’s second nature to you. YOU have actually been a lot of my inspiration to keep an organized, clean home. THANK YOU, I guess you should know that you are helping folks like me!

By: mrs darling

mrs darling — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 13:56:36 +0000

Great post. Love the pics. Yes simplicity is nice. I dont strive for it to the extent some people do, in fact, I never consciously think about it. but I sure see it as a theme on the blogs. Its nice to see people getting down to the basics.

By: Grace

Grace — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:20:42 +0000

Nice work. Simplicity is always the best. My family works towards being minimalists. We don’t buy toys for our little one, what we have (toys, if any) are from friends. We do not have much clutter in the house but we do have lots of drawing materials.

Great cleaning work. I am now inspired to clean my own space (at least in the office).

By: Mandi

Mandi — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 04:13:48 +0000

Amen! We truly need to be able to control our stuff and not let it control us. I went through this process a couple years ago and boy was it freeing! I did not realize what a burden all my stuff was for me - don’t tell anyone but I even trashed half finished baby books! I finally allowed myself to not be guilty anymore for not finishing them and I knew that I just had to get rid of them so they would not be a constant reminder to me of what I did not get done - amazing how even this can be such a burden! Perspective is right!
Great post my friend - may your words help others to free themselves of all those burdens they have stored in their houses as well!

Warmly,
Mandi

By: e-Mom

e-Mom — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:55:11 +0000

OK, I get it, I”m off to clean my basement…

Actually, I love Richard Foster’s books. This is so true: “It is time we awaken to the fact that conformity to a sick society is to be sick.”

Have a “simply” wonderful week! :~)

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:41:55 +0000

Renae, I know, sometimes it takes a whole year (or more) to get ahold of something, especially if it seems insurmountable at first glance. For me, if I just begin, no matter how small a step, it gets the ball rolling and I can do it.

Jane, there were tears yesterday, actually. One daughter wanted a purse rescued from the Goodwill bag - I don’t have the kids go through all the stuff because it’s just too difficult for them. They add their own items to the pile, but don’t always see the entire collection that gets given away. I did let my girl keep the little purse, afterall. :-)

By: www.topcholesteroladvice.info » Heart and Home of Simplicity

www.topcholesteroladvice.info » Heart and Home of Simplicity — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 15:14:08 +0000

[…] Jen wrote a fantastic post today on “Heart and Home of Simplicity”Here’s ONLY a quick extractWhat is simplicity in one’s heart? As I look back over the past several months, I can see that my deep desire for simplicity in my home has been coinciding with an impulse for simplicity in my heart. Funny how I needed this pointed out … […]

By: Jane

Jane — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:25:44 +0000

Great post! I feel so much better when I am surrounded by less clutter. I like to purge and get rid of things that have not been used- I get pretty cut throat and have to make sure the kids don’t see the give away pile. Good for you! The quotes really resonated with me.

By: Renae

Renae — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:01:30 +0000

Simplicity has been a theme for me since the beginning of the year; however, you would never know that by looking at my house. :) I have collected piles of things to pass on. This week I finally need to haul it off.

Thanks for the added encouragement!