De-Cluttering Our Lives

It's already mid August! What a challenging year this has been! How are your new year resolutions coming? Mine? Actually quite well. I know, shut up! But, see; I'm truly excited! We have gotten some projects completed that have been on the list a long time!
So far, this year we have been totally involved in home improvement! It started with the setting aside of funds to get new windows. We had the old single pane kind.. ugh! Ya know, the kind you prop open with a stick. Yeah..that kind.
Before we could do that, the water heater decided its contract was up, so it leaked all over the garage. So, we replaced that. Um.. the windows took three months to put in. I know.. long story. We had the windows wrapped so we don't have to get out the super tall ladders to paint them anymore! Yay! We replaced the square columns on the front porch as they were rotten. Now we have round ones! We painted the front door and side panels, and the gutters, and the garage door. We added two flower beds, one up front and two in the back yard! Stained the playset. Umm.. then we added a whole row of burning bushes along the ditch to the side of our home.
Then there was the day we realized our airconditioner wasn't working. Yep, had to replace that! Thankfully in the weeks we put that off, the little seperate unit that cools the upstairs still plugged along. Otherwise,eww..I don't want to think about it!
Sweetie's dad put in some shelves for us in the garage! Now we are garage organized! Whoo hoo! He even has a workbench now! It is so fabulous to go out there and actually find something! Yay! (I know, but it is so exciting!)
By end of September I will have (Lord willing) finished cleaning out the attic. It's amazing the stuff we have kept. Why? Who knows? I guess it's just part of that, 'maybe I will use it again' frame of mind.
The kids rooms will be next, as a neighbor and I have committed to throwing out the clutter this year! So far so good! We might even pull off a yard sale when it is cooler out.
High hopes! Great goals! Really fun, when for the first time in a long time, I am actually taking things off my list, instead of adding to it! How long will this last? If I keep watching the Do It Yourself network, I will always have a project or three ongoing! But that's okay, right? As long as it is within reason..time and money wise that is!
Personally, I've been able to declutter myself too. I am learning to successfully say NO~! For some, it isn't hard to do that. For me;it is. I am keeping track of my time. This keeps me from the frustration and stress I gave myself over trying to be everything to and for everyone! Admittedly there has been some flack from others as I have said no to something they wanted when they were banking on a yes. But, it truly is okay. Wow. I think I am maturing. Eeeks! Don't tell.

So, on to the de-cluttering.. one goal is to spend less time on the computer!