"DIET" and CLUTTER, and Thanks but NO THANKS!

No one likes the word ...

     No one likes the stress of doing without, Stress, Cravings, and that ... Oh just once that makes that last 10 pounds even harder!

     Going minimal is much like a diet!   It make no sense to me! I had to loose weight for the benefit of my right leg of which has been limiting sense the age of 10.  Having said as much, diets didn't work; it had to be a life long change of life style.  I GRADUALLY cut back on everything, I eventually got rid of meat and I generally go vegan unless I'm out and about with family and friends; Why? because it is NOT their fault or responsibility to watch what I put in my mouth!

     Anyone can start to loose weight and get it off! WE ALL KNOW it is harder to keep it off than it is to take it off.  Same thing happens with DECLUTTERing a home, a life, and your thinking!

     Throwing out stuff is the clutter diet;
NOT bringing anything back in is my vegetarian aspect,
and then not allowing it to sit around out of its home (designated area) is my vegan aspect of clutter!
Which brings me back to going out with family and friends.  This minimal thing is harder! I had to specifically ask my Dad not to make me anything else.  When in fact I love his work and want as much as possible BUT I can't afford the space for anything new.  That also means at some point I'm going to have to ask people not to purchase me ANYTHING physical.Yes this includes Birthdays, Christmas, Anniversaries or special occasions.  Explaining that everything has to have two uses/jobs or worse... I didn't like it enough to throw something else away and give it space saved for only the most beautiful multi tasking object in my house.

      For me everything in life comes in stages. I know I can't just be perfect, do something and then do it perfectly for the rest of my life.  For me I take a step, complete that step and prepare to repeat and step twice the next go around.  Lets just say one step at a time until your dancing so perfectly others are asking you for dance lessons or wanting to dance with you!     While I doubt my house will ever be so beautiful and clean that anyone will ever ask me to help them.  But the point is to do the little things that add up over time!

     Some people will get it, and others will not.
When I asked Dad not to make me anything else I could hear the disappointment in his voice. He has always been an avid participant in my life so to hear his disappointment was hard!   Some will be relieved not having to put me on their shopping list, others will just think I am absolutely CRAZY! I can just hear it now!  She's gone off the deep end, she doesn't even want to exchange or draw names, WHAT is she thinking?   I'm thinking this is a new life style and trinkets don't fit in.