I have five hobbies I can think of off the top of my head.

I sew, do crafts with my kids, make candles, read, write and garden.(candles and crafts are pretty much one in the same)

I have a few things I’d love to pick up- kayaking and working out.

I belong to several decluttering groups on Facebook and use those groups for guidance as well as inspiration.

I watched Marie Kondo’s show on Netflix and grabbed her book on audible and listened to it. Before watching or reading (well, listening) I started to try to tackle my home.

Over the course of the years since I grew up, I have ended up with such a cluttered mess of a house. We have been pre-approved for a home loan so we just have to find the house and when we move, I do not want to take the clutter from one house to another.

Some of the clutter belongs to my kids (my husband just has tools he needs and a closet with stuff like fishing poles, camping supplies and hunting stuff- he’s not bad at all- I have a whole room that I can barely breathe in). Most of the clutter is mine.

For the past several years, the minimalist approach has really appealed but how can I part with my useless stuff that I don’t use? I’m working on getting rid of all the clothes I don’t wear, what sits in my drawers and is never picked. The uncomfortable pajamas (I have very specific types of fabric I am able to wear, anything else will make me lie awake for hours agitated until I change)

I already have pared down pretty much everything in my kitchen and clothing but when I look around my house, all six rooms and both walk in closets (storage closets that are the size of small rooms) are stuffed. I’m currently playing the game of “do I want to load you in a box and move you to another home?” game with all my stuff but it still feels like there is so much left.

Last night I finally tossed my favorite pair of jeans (holes that couldn’t be patched worn from me wearing them so much) and a favorite pair of pajama bottoms for a similar reason.

I also got most of my main clothing down to what will fit in one large tote. We threw away a storage container that was damaged and some other damaged items from the bathroom, so now I’m trying to pare down bathroom items because we don’t have enough space.

I’m constantly working to try to get as clutter free as I can, I’m also working on trying to use less plastic. I have to drink bottled water- I can’t stomach any water that was out of the tap- including filtered, I just can’t take the chemical after taste. Once I use up the very last bag of disposable razors I bought, I’m going to stop buying disposable and I’m looking around at either making or buying produce bags. I use shopping bags most of the time I grocery shop- with 2 kids, it’s easier to take 2 or 3 bags from the car to the house and I’m looking for reusable stainless steel straws, although I’m trying to quit drinking with straws altogether- they can cause wrinkles around the mouth.

Over the years, I’ve worked at trying to find time to make small changes to my lifestyle.

I ran across a minimalist challenge on another site and I would try to follow it for a month, but I’ve done half the things listed. I have studied minimalism up and down but letting go of the anxiety over things I don’t use but am afraid of getting rid of is the major challenge. I’m torn, part wants to hang on to everything and part wants to blindly throw everything out.