Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Guess what?  "Grandma hobbies" are growing in popularity, and they might even help you lose weight! These cozy hobbies include things like knitting, crochet , embroidery, baking, and gardening.  You could also add "Grandpa hobbies" such as jigsaw puzzles, whittling , and leatherwork. (I'm not trying to be sexist, but I know plenty of men wouldn't try embroidery, and a lot of women wouldn't consider whittling.  Whatever.) Even if you don't become a master of any hobby, scientists say there are a lot of benefits gained by pursuing them.  "When people immerse themselves in a hobby, they often find an escape from daily pressures, creating a space where they can unwind and recharge," says Patricia S. Dixon, a licensed clinical psychologist from Florida. Of course, many hands-on hobbies allow you to create useful and beautiful items for yourself, for your home, or for gifts.  That's why many of us craft jewelry or make candles.  With the simp...

The world of decluttering advice is getting a bit cluttered, with so many methods, so many blogs, and new articles almost every day on TikTok, Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, and even Martha Stewart.  It makes something that should be fairly straightforward much harder, because you start to wonder which decluttering method is really best. (By the way, with all of the simplicity and minimalist blogs out there, I truly appreciate the fact that you're reading mine!  Thank you.) Let's make this super-simple.  Here's my idea for a simplified version of the viral 30-Day Minimalism Game by The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. The original game gets harder and harder. Many people have benefitted from playing the original "Mins Game."  Basically, you find a friend or family member who also wants to declutter, and set a date to begin.  Each person gets rid of one thing on the first day of the game, two things on the second day, three things on the ...

If you're used to living with a house full of possessions, you might not even realize you have much more than you really need.  After all, your house doesn't look much different from others you visit.  Yes, there's some clutter and crowding, but that's what happens when a family leads an active life, isn't it? Every once in a while you clear out a few extras, such as outgrown clothes and toys, old tech, extraneous papers, and some of those freebies that keep finding their way home with you.  "But really," you think, "what's the fuss about minimalism and decluttering?  A little mess is normal." If you really want to know, here are a few ways to tell whether you own too much, whether you need to declutter, and/or whether you need to start being more thoughtful about what you buy and bring home. 7 clutter clues 1.  You see A LOT of stuff. As you glance around a room, you definitely notice a lot of visual noise .  Things are stacked on top of oth...

You know, the hardest part of losing weight isn't choosing what to eat.  I mean, we all know that we should avoid a lot of fried foods and greasy snacks, that eating a lot of candy and baked goods isn't doing us any favors, and that it's important to include plenty of vegetables and fruits for optimal health. There's really no mystery to what we should be eating.  And there's no question that either stuffing ourselves or relying on a cup of coffee and half a piece of toast to replace a full, balanced meal is a bad idea. No, the real challenge may be changing how and why we eat.  Many of us don't rely on hunger cues very much (or at all).  Instead, we eat because we're bored, lonely, sad, irritated, or anxious.  And we don't always think while we eat.  We're distracted or in a hurry. All of this leads to mindless eating.  We operate on auto pilot and don't pay attention to how we feel – physically or emotionally. That's where mindfulness co...

You may be enjoying those proverbial May flowers after April showers, but where I live in the northern Sacramento Valley, it's already summer.  Temps are edging toward the 90s (low- to mid-30s C) and above, and I don't expect we'll get more rain before mid-October. So it's definitely time to prepare for summer living, and what better way than a quick and easy decluttering session?  Here are five areas to care for this month. The get-ready-for-summer declutter guide 1.  Retire the winter wardrobe. You won't be reaching for layers anymore, so it's time to declutter outerwear, sweaters, long-sleeved shirts, etc.  If you haven't worn a piece in the past six months, it's safe to say you won't miss it next year.  Donate what's still good and discard what you've worn out. Be sure to include your children's clothing.  Now's the time to give away (or store for your younger child) items that are still in good shape but will be too small next wi...

Do you think there's no such thing as too much money?  If you were raised poor, maybe you believe that.  Or if you've struggled to get by on a small salary and provide for basic needs and a few "nice to have" things for your family, you might think that people who make a lot more than you do have a much better life.  Growing up, I never wondered where my next meal was coming from or whether my family would be unceremoniously evicted from our home because we lacked rent money.  I had the clothes, shoes, and medical care I needed.  I even enjoyed the occasional family vacation, dinner out, and theater tickets.  And there was never any question that I would go to college. But there were things I wanted that I didn't bother asking for, since I knew they weren't in the budget, such as designer jeans or summer camp.  And so I got into the habit of thinking that a little more money would be better. It doesn't end. The problem with that kind of thinking is tha...

As we approach Mother's Day and you prepare to celebrate your mother, mother-in-law, ladies who have been "like a mother" to you, or even your daughters (my daughter, Elizabeth, is a wonderful mom), I'm sure you'll be giving thanks for all they've done and the indelible influence they've had on your life. Aren't we blessed? Remembering Mama My mother was one of the most capable women I've ever known.  The oldest of six children, if Mama didn't already know how to do something, she learned it or created her own method to accomplish it.  She could cook, bake, and sew, and also painted in watercolors and acrylics.  She lent her soprano voice to the church choir, taught Sunday school, led Bible studies, and managed church social events.  She was an accomplished public speaker. Mama was born at the height of the Great Depression in the back bedroom of her grandparents' house in rural Mariposa County, California.  When it was time for my grandma ...

Do you want to be happy?  The world's longest scientific study on happiness began in 1938 and is ongoing.  It focused on a group of over 700 Harvard students and other young men from the Boston area, including all income groups.  It has expanded to include the spouses and children of the original participants, a pool of more than 2,000 people. Not surprisingly, good health added to people's happiness.  So did a positive, grateful attitude having goals and a purpose learning new things showing kindness to others The number one indicator of happiness, however, turned out to be strong relationships .  When test participants were asked how they overcame adversity – illness, losses, war memories – their connections with others were mentioned most often.  Whether it was the person who loaned them money when they were in need, the fellow soldier who kept their spirits up (many participants were war veterans), or the friend who always listened and consoled, rela...

Losing weight and keeping it off isn't the easiest thing in the world for most of us.  I've lost weight multiple times, but I've gained it all back (plus a little more) just as often.  I've tried many diets – several low-carb variants, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, super low-fat, and more.  They all work for a while. Recently, I've tried again, and I think I've hit upon some easy concepts that aren't a diet as such, which might actually make them a long-term solution.  Diets have a lot of rules, and it's those limits that make you feel deprived.  No one wants to be deprived for long, but taking even a short break from a diet is usually seen as failure.  And once you stray, it's easy to wander even further. Simpler is better in my book, and I think that's true for most of us.  Charting and calculating (or buying a book or an app that will do it for you) just makes you think more and more often about food.  My mom was a serial dieter too, and she tho...