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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: March 20 2014 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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A friend just shared this short video series, which is timely for this time of year since so many of us use this time to declutter.
I thought it was fascinating. Lots of thoughts to share, but I thought I would throw it out here for discussion quickly.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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SeaStar
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| Posted: March 20 2014 at 1:30pm | IP Logged
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I just watched the first episode- really fascinating.
I can so identify with the mom...how stuff comes in from all angles.
Interesting that only the moms tend to have high cortisol levels from the stress of the clutter...
definitely plan to watch the rest: WITH MY KIDS
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Booksnbabes
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| Posted: March 20 2014 at 1:54pm | IP Logged
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We watched all three episodes. I now feel I have less of a clutter problem than I thought! 
If we did not homeschool, we would have a LOT less "stuff" as so much of what we have reflects our homeschool lifestyle. I cannot decide if that makes me just as consumeristic as the families used in this study, or if my clutter is somehow more "valid" than theirs. That is the attitude that I find myself having.  That being said, we could probably get by with far less--but I prefer to have my library at my fingertips rather than having to travel.
Buying consumable products in bulk at Costco--that doesn't seem to me to be so much a consumer attitude as a valid method of cutting costs for our family, but our choices of bulk items does not necessarily mirror those depicted in the videos. Again, it may just be justification on my part.
DD's comment after watching it all was, "Did you see ANY books in any of those videos?" That made me sad.
Our family is clearly outside the cultural "norm" depicted, but there are good points to be taken away after watching. I was really surprised about the food prep time statistic--that only about 12 minutes a meal was saved by using commercially prepackaged meals. I will have to tell DH that one (he loves his convenience foods!). 
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: March 20 2014 at 4:21pm | IP Logged
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I thought they were pretty good about not judging. Much of it was merely observational, and the viewer was left to decide if it was good, bad, or neutral. For instance, he explained that a big reason for our large refrigerators and freezers was because people only shop once every week or two, which is valid to me! Now, if I lived in Rome and could walk to the farmers market every other day, I don't think I would mind shopping with kids so much 
So, I don't think you are merely validating your choices. I agree and also realized we've been doing better with clutter and such then I thought considering I have twice as many kids (I'm assuming 2.5 children here), and I homeschool, so we are here all day! Plus, I think that having 5 children really *does* justify that box of 90 granola bars
I think what I found most interesting from a cultural standpoint was the toys taking over the home. I was trying not to be judgmental, but when I saw the shelves overflowing with beanie babies, I felt almost ill--probably my cortisol level rising Anyway, it just seems that with our society leaning more towards this perpetual adolescence, it is significant that our homes are overflowing with toys, even adult toys. The 3% of the worlds children but 41% of the worlds toys is staggering!!
It also made me realize that I'm not crazy for NOT wanting the toys to take over the home, that outside of our society, it isn't normal for children to have free rein or for their things to take over the home. Sometimes I battle mama guilt over my choices in that regard, and it is nice to be affirmed.
I know we shouldn't compare ourselves to others, but it was hard not to sigh a little with relief that I've kept clutter as much at bay as I have but also renew my efforts. I thought that his point about how we have many rituals for bringing stuff into our home but few rituals for getting rid of stuff was so true! It made me so grateful that I can make a lenten ritual out of decluttering and that the rhythms of the Church afford opportunities to ritualize these needed opportunities and motivations that secular society doesn't have. I'm rereading Splendour in the Ordinary/Hallowed Be This House as I declutter, and I am grateful for the gift of seeing my home through this lens.
Sometimes seeing the extreme version of your own tendencies helps you see just how unhealthy they are.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Booksnbabes
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| Posted: March 20 2014 at 5:38pm | IP Logged
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CrunchyMom wrote:
| I thought they were pretty good about not judging. |
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It was a very interesting study. I found myself wanting to know more about it--the item counts they did, how families were selected, etc.
Watching it left me wondering if we live as differently as I felt we did after watching it, if that was an accurate cross-section of the "norm." I have to remind myself that life looked a bit more like that before our move. We have gotten rid of a lot of stuff in the past few months, and I am so grateful. The whole move has been a response to a deep feeling that we were called to more simplicity.
CrunchyMom wrote:
| It made me so grateful that I can make a lenten ritual out of decluttering and that the rhythms of the Church afford opportunities to ritualize these needed opportunities and motivations that secular society doesn't have. |
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Yes, this! The Church cares for us in so many ways--God is so good!
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Wife to wonderful DH, mom to SIX beautiful gifts from God!
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: A Cluttered Life: Middle Class Abundance
