Less is more- I do believe so!

I recently decided to simplify our lives and get rid of anything we don't use regularly or love.  I am an organized person and don't keep clutter but there were still things that I was holding onto that didn't get used.  Some of the things I am talking about include lotions that I didn't really love and therefore didn't use, hair products that I bought but that didn't work for me for whatever reason (some of which were only used a few times!), old make-up ( I had a lot of expensive make up that I hadn't used in years and it had to go!), old clothes that I just didn't wear, anything that we had two of, shoes that I haven't worn, etc.  Basically, if we haven't used it in the past year, we don't need it. 

I started by doing a small amount each day.  I'm obviously busy with two young girls but when I get focused, I can get a lot done!  I started going through areas of the house while the girls were sleeping in the afternoons.  One very important thing that I did to make this a fast task was make very quick decisions.  Either "yes, keep" or "no, go".  Fast, fast, fast!  If I wasn't sure, then it needed to go.  I got through so much in record time.  I think that taking too much time to go through stuff can cause second guessing, over thinking, and can lead to keeping unnecessary items. 

I had one bag for donating and one for trash.  We have ARC come to our house to pick up donations once a month and that has made this process massively easier.  I started collecting all the donation items in the dining room in boxes.  I just kept getting more and more full!  I was so excited to get rid of these items from our lives. 

I got motivated to do this "house cleanse" by the website Flylady.net- a wonderful organizing/cleaning/life website.  I love the ideas and concepts on Flylady and has really helped me to stay focused and get so much done everyday. 

So, as I started getting rid of belongings that we no longer needed or wanted, I noticed a very interesting transformation begin to develop in my mind.  I was feeling freer, happier, and more peaceful.  I found that resentment that I had been holding on to was starting to dissapate and I was no longer angry at people I had been upset with.  I literally felt like getting rid of physical stuff cleared up my mentality.  I was bettter able to focus on myself and my family too.  I felt so incontrol and free.  It has been very liberating,  It's wonderful to only have items that we use often and love in our house and nothing else.  Everything has a place, and if it doesn't I either make it a home or get rid of it.  I kept saying to myself, "has this been used since last summer?"  I was amazed at how often the answer was "no".  I was also amazed at how little stuff I really need and use regularly.  I have my favorites of things and the rest just sits there in the way. 

I think that people have a tendency to keep items for various reasons.  Some of these reasons include feeling bad for giving it away (maybe it was from someone special to you, maybe it was expensive, maybe your just stubborn), you've gotten used to the item, you worry that you may need it someday, it's connected with memories...  I have learned that you don't need to keep an item inorder for a memory or loved one to live on.  I don't love my grandma more becuase I kept her old and tattered cook book.  My love for her is inside me and nothing physical can even come close to the feelings that I have for her.  I can let the stuff go. 

Another thing that I would think to myself is how an item makes me feel.  If it makes me feel yucky, sad, frustrated, etc then it goes.  As hubby and I were going through a kitchen cabnet the other night, we discovered that we both hated this particular item but we kept it because we thought the other person liked it.  If it doesn't make you smile, it can go.

I was also supprised at how much the "house cleanse" spread.  I started it and didn't even tell hubby what I was doing.  A few days later I noticed that he had started going through his stuff and eliminating items without me even saying anything!  I guess that actions really do speak louder than words.  If I had asked him to organize, he would have complained but since he just saw me doing it and joined in, I didn't have to nag!

So, yes, less is more!  I will always keep our house this minimal, simple, and organized.  If there are areas in which things get messy, then I know that stuff has to go.  It is constant maintenance but it eliminates so much work and frees my mind to be present in the moment with my girls.

How we do it: Shipping Breast Milk

I have a large over supply of breast milk and since I pump all of Lulu's bottles, it's easy to see how much milk we have.  I make more than double what Lulu needs.  So, I started accumulating a huge amount of extra milk in the freezer (like hundreds of ounces!) and needed to do something about it!  Sure, I could decrease the amount I make but I really don't think that I am pumping all that much.  I pump 4-5 (usually 5) times per day for 10 minutes.  Since I have a well set schedule, I only have one pumping session in which the girls are up and around for and that one occcurs while hubby is home so he can tend to them.  All the other times the girls are either sleeping or in independent play.  Anyway, I found a friend of mine in Cali who needs the breast milk for her baby so every few weeks I send her a shipment of milk.  Here is how I do it:

1.  Set up a package pick up through FedEx
2.  Purchase all the items needed.  To ship breast milk you will need:
     -Styrophome coolers (sold at the grocery store)
     -Large box to hold coolers
     -Newspapers (I get these from my grandpa- old people always have newspapers :)
     -Dry ice (I get 16 pounds)
     -Dry ice sticker (from FedEx office)
     -Address sticker (also from FedEx office)
     -Large ZipZock bags
     -Packaging tape

3. Label the box "Human Breast Milk"

4.  Put all the breast milk into large Ziploc bags.

4.  Break up the dry ice using a hammer.  The dry ice comes in large cubes and needs to be broken into smaller pieces to fit into the cooler.

 This is the dry ice in cubes.  It comes in bags.

 Hit it with a hammer.

5.  Pour one bag of dry ice (one fourth of the total amount of dry ice) into the bottom of one of the coolers.

It's difficult to see, but this is the cooler with the dry ice on the bottom.

6.  Cover with newspaper.

7.  Place the large bags of breast milk into the cooler on top of the newspaper.  Make sure that none of the dry ice is touching the plastic bags.  It can go through the plastic and ruin breast milk.

8.  Put a layer of newspaper on top of the frozen milk and pour another bag of dry ice on the newspaper.  Again, make sure none of the dry ice is touching the milk.

9.  Put the lid on the cooler and tape with packing tape.

10.  Put the coolers into the large box.

11.  Tape up box and put the dry ice sticker on along with the address sticker.  Make sure all parts are filled out and the weight of the dry ice is accurate (they freak out about this).

12.  Place on porch for FedEx person to pick up.  It's usually really heavy so I have to be careful.

Then they just come a get it and it's off!  I check in with my friend the next day to make sure that she got it and that everything went fine.