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The Labor Day Hunt

Some of my more memorable vacations were those spent on Labor Day Weekends.  It was always a huge project for me since I was the one who seemed to instigate this event.  During the earlier weeks of summer, my family would go camping.  I could have stayed in my tent for the duration of the summer.  I just loved our camping experiences.  I loved having people around me to enjoy, and I loved being outdoors no matter the weather.  To me this was summer. Continue reading

Coming Home to Camp

campingOur family has a wonderful tradition of taking a 2-week family vacation every summer. It first started when we would go camping at Spikehorn Campgrounds near Bailey’s Harbor in Door County. We would arrange for campsites that were next to each other. Each year on New Year’s Eve, I would call the fellow who made the arrangements. We spoke so often, that he would send me an annual Christmas card. Continue reading

Streamline and Simplify

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” –Marie Kondo

 

I love vacationing and spending time at our cottage. It is so “me” to drink good coffee, go adventuring, look for fun earrings to buy, read while the family is watching TV, and write in my journal.

Now I can do all these things at home too, of course. But the kicker is that a couple of other things always seem to block me. If I could just let go of them or figure out how to minimize the space they take up in my world…I would be a super happy camper. Continue reading

Lookout Springtime

Purging is a concept that I have a challenge with. I think part of it is the lack of desire to make quick decisions about getting rid of things that I might need later. Setting that aside, it is time to focus on one area at a time and to get things that are no longer needed, distributed and out of the house.  Continue reading

Where to Start

Spring and fall house cleaning always seemed overwhelming to me.  The thought of ripping everything apart twice a year seemed like just too much work.  I had an aunt who helped to put my anxiety at ease.  She said she would thoroughly clean whatever needed it at the time and did not tear the house apart to accomplish spring and fall cleaning. Continue reading

Spring Purge

I love the idea of purging, whether it’s diving into “spring housecleaning” or embarking on a minimalist-inspired throw-out session.

Although my closet isn’t bursting at the seams or cluttered with dated items, I relish the process of regularly sorting through my clothes and decluttering. Enlisting a neutral third party makes this task easier. Sometimes, I turn to my daughter Aubrey for assistance, while other times, I seek help from my son Kadon. Continue reading

Spring Organizing

I have never been a big advocate of cleaning in general.  It’s not my favorite thing to do. So, when asked what I do for Spring Cleaning – you will see a glazed look on my face.  

As a child, we always cleaned on Saturday mornings, but I don’t ever remember being subjected to a major Spring Cleaning undertaking.  Maybe this is an idea from years ago.  Maybe some still abide by that idea.  I’m not sure.  All I know is that I don’t do it. Continue reading

That Would Feel Luxurious

luxuriousHave you ever thought about what feels luxurious to you or what would it take to make you feel like you were living a luxurious life?  At first, I had absolutely no idea what would give me that feeling.  Others were talking about having cleaning ladies or cabins on the lake or someone taking care of them, but none of those resonated with me.   Continue reading

Luxurious Indulgences

In the fall of 1992, Tom and I found ourselves seated in the counselor’s office, seeking guidance for our tumultuous relationship and Tom’s battle with depression. Among the various prescriptions for our struggles, marriage counseling was deemed necessary. It was here that the psychologist posed a question that struck a chord: “Tell me why you don’t have someone come and clean your house?” Continue reading

The Luxury of a Stellar Day

luxuryMy idea of luxury has definitely changed over the years.  What I used to think was an idea of luxury would be a big, fancy home, expensive vehicles, a huge bank account, a beautiful wardrobe, and exotic places to travel to.  Well now at this age I have recognized that the idea of luxury is far different than it used to be. Continue reading