Declutter Your House For Less Stress

For some reason I have been in a decluttering frenzy for awhile now. It's as if I sense that I am going to need to be really clear going into the new year and with the new energies that are here. (Maybe you do too?)

Numerous studies have shown that:
Clutter can make you tired.
Clutter can make you stressed.
Clutter can cause disharmony.
Clutter can mean less abundance in your life.
Clutter can make you anxious and depressed.

And studies have also shown that getting rid of clutter can bring peace, harmony, more energy, and even better relationships into your life.
Decluttering makes room for so much more (and so much better), in your life.

When you can't even relax at home; then where is the peace in your life?

For this article, I'll just focus on decluttering your physical space; your house, your office & work space, and your car. However, more serious decluttering efforts involve cleaning up and decluttering EVERY aspect of your life from your beliefs to your relationships, your Internet and online clutter, and your emotional, mental, and spiritual clutter.
This is what I have been doing this year, working on decluttering every aspect of my life. Whew!

As for the physical, there's more to that than just getting rid of excess "stuff" in your life as well.
For example, how's your diet?
Aren't junk food and poor quality food physical clutter too?


Check out these great articles on decluttering by clicking the link:
Declutter: The Huffington Post Articles on Decluttering

Clutter Quotes:

110 year old Huichol shaman Don Jose Matsuwa says that having too many possessions around us can detract from inner peace and balance. And he's not alone, most of the worlds greatest spiritual leaders advocated "The Simple Life."

"Clutter is stuck energy."
-Karen Kingston

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."
-William Morris

"The more you have, the more you are occupied. The less you have, the more free you are."
-Mother Teresa

"Clutter is a physical manifestation of fear that cripples our ability to grow."
-H.G. Chissell

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
-Leonardo Da Vinci

Small Stoves For Tiny Homes, Cabins, Boats etc

If you live in a tiny home, or even on a boat, like the ones pictured here, you might want a tiny stove to keep it (and you) warm.

Check out all the tiny homes on Tiny House Blog

Jotul602

Little Cod

Herring

Halibut


SARDINE STOVE INFO & SPECS.
The Sardine Stove made for boats. It makes me want to get a boat just so I need this stove!

Three Ways to Heat Your Tiny House

Traditional Cast Iron Marine Stoves by Navigator Stove Works,Inc.

Jøtul F 602 CB Woodstove

Cabela's Outfitter Series™ Tent Stove Accessories, View All Tents, Tents, Camping : Cabelas.com

WonWay.biz » THE Won Way Biz STORE

Wall Tents, Canvas Tents and Hunting Stoves all at Discount Prices

Trees For The Future

Trees for the Future is a great organization and I urge everyone to support their tree planting efforts in any way you can.


Trees for the Future is dedicated to planting trees with rural communities in the developing world, enabling them to restore their environment, grow more food, and build a sustainable future.

In the early 1970s, Dave and Grace Deppner served as volunteers in the Philippines, where they witnessed the human tragedy brought on by illegal logging and unsustainable land management systems. Working with community leaders in nearby villages, the Deppners found a way to offer hope. They revitalized degraded lands by providing farmers with tree seed, technical training, and on-site planning assistance. People responded enthusiastically,  joining in to save their homes and way of life.
After returning from their overseas assignments they continued what they had started, communicating by mail with rural community leaders, providing information, seeds, and training materials. After many years of informal operations, Trees for the Future (‘TREES’) was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) public charity in Maryland on August 14, 1989. Over the years TREES has assisted thousands of communities in planting millions of trees in 19 countries including Ghana, which have restored life to land that was previously degraded or abandoned.

Today, we continue what the Deppners started so long ago, helping others help themselves by means of our singular goal:
Planting Trees, Changing Lives.

Here is the web site, please click.
http://www.treesforthefuture.org/

 

 

Job Hunting and Working Those Side Hustles

You might have noticed if you're a regular reader of my blog that I've suddenly started posting a bunch of articles about either job hunting, side hustles, or earning or saving money.
There's a reason for that. I am currently job hunting, after a job ended and then a promised job situation fell through. So now I'm doing all I can to survive and pay my bills.

I know I'm not the only one in this situation, so I thought I'd try to help others who are job hunting or trying to get through a tough situation, by sharing information on earning money, saving money, and job hunting, on my blog. If I help even one family I consider it a job well done.

I also have a Donation button on my site and am asking for donations to help keep me writing and sharing good information and inspiring people in any way I can.  If any of my readers feel inspired to help by donating, there's a button on the right side of my blog, under my photo and personal information. I thank you in advance for your donations, large or small!

How to Stay Warm Frugally in Cold Weather

With energy costs sky high, a lot of people are going to be turning their thermostat down this winter in an effort to cut heating and energy costs in every way they can. This means a colder house, but there are ways to stay warm this winter while saving on your heating costs. I once saw a girl get out of her car at a gas station, in the midst of a winter snowstorm, wearing a tank top, shorts, and flip flops on her feet. I watched incredulously as she pumped her gas dressed as if she were at the beach instead of in the midst of a harsh wind and freezing temperatures. I can only guess that she had her heater on full blast in her car so that she thought it didn't matter what she wore. Wearing those kinds of clothes around your own house in the winter time means you are behaving in a similar fashion. You too aren't dressed appropriately for the winter weather, but rather you are dressed for the artificial climate created by using excessive amounts of energy and fuel in your house, and heating it to the highest possible degree. Of course, with energy costs sky high, people are starting to rethink habits like overheating our homes in the winter, as well as the way we dress inside our homes in the wintertime. To save money you can turn your thermostat down, but if you do you will want to dress in a manner more suited to the cold weather. Dress in layers, so you can then adjust the layers as you get warmer or colder, rather than turning the thermostat up and down. Keep it turned down, a few degrees lower than you normally would, or to a temperature that seems reasonable to you. Consult energy and heating experts if you are unsure of the proper temperature. Try 60 degrees, or 55 degrees, at first. Then go a bit lower if you can without being too uncomfortable. Dressing in layers means you start with long johns, add shirts or tops, then perhaps a wool sweater or a fleece vest, then maybe even a coat if its cold enough. Warm socks are important too, and so is a hat since a lot of heat is lost through the top of the head. Don't go barefoot on cold floors either, wear socks and warm slippers. You'll want to be able to move around and do your chores, so don't put on so many layers that you can't move comfortably. Your body will adjust to the cooler temperature in your house in time, and you may find you don't need as many layers to stay warm as you did in the beginning. Sleep is vital to health, so it is important that you are warm and comfortable at night. If you are too cold, you'll have trouble getting a good nights sleep. Flannel sheets keep you warmer than cotton ones, and you can preheat your bed before you get in it by placing a water bottle at the foot of the bed. Make sure you have plenty of warm blankets. Snuggling with your mate keeps you warmer also, and it feels great to snuggle together under the warm blankets when the room is cold. Cold weather calls for cold weather foods like bowls of steaming hot soup, stew, or chili. Hot drinks are nice too. Salads and summer foods usually don't seem as satisfying during cold spells, so go with your cravings and eat heartier foods during the cool weather. Get some exercise because that will warm you up too. Make sure your home is adequately insulated for the cold weather. If not, do what you can to get it insulated before winter sets in. Shut off a room or two that you don't use much, if need be this winter, and only heat the rooms you use most. Try sleeping in an unheated bedroom; you may find it invigorating and end up preferring your room to be unheated in the winter. Don't do anything to endanger your health or wellbeing.