I’m taking a couple of days off. After doing some soul-searching, I’m suddenly in need of a massive decluttering. Grab the black trash bags and the Goodwill donation boxes, it is time to empty every closet in this house. I’m all about learning to live with less, right now.
Back on Monday.
The photo above is the Palouse Falls in Eastern Washington. It’s a 2-hour drive for a 20-minute hike, so I think I’ll skip it. But it sure is pretty.
Before we start today’s reader questions, I wanted to take a moment to talk a bit about mental health. For those who experience mental health challenges — whether occasionally or frequently — talking about our struggles is a double-edged sword.
Sometimes, you just want to wear something pretty to the office. Something that makes you feel good. A dress that makes your whole day better. These are those dresses.
Depending on who you ask, Gen Z has cancelled skinny jeans or perhaps they are back? Trends change, and we should change with them. But what do you do when you have a closet full of skinny jeans in a wide leg world?
Before we start today’s reader questions, I wanted to take a moment to talk a bit about mental health. For those who experience mental health challenges — whether occasionally or frequently — talking about our struggles is a double-edged sword.
Sometimes, you just want to wear something pretty to the office. Something that makes you feel good. A dress that makes your whole day better. These are those dresses.
Depending on who you ask, Gen Z has cancelled skinny jeans or perhaps they are back? Trends change, and we should change with them. But what do you do when you have a closet full of skinny jeans in a wide leg world?
This winter was particularly hard on my psyche, on my self-esteem, and on my waistline. As we move into spring, I need to make a plan for how I am going to dress this additional weight over the months of work that it will likely take to shed it. So I was so glad to […]
That is gorgeous! Enjoy your break and decluttering.
For what it’s worth, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo seriously changed my life. Happy decluttering!
I bought that book and haven’t read it. Which means — the book is clutter. Is that #meta? Anyway, thanks for the reminder to actually *read* it and act on it!
I wish I could shop your closet!! But seriously, enjoy a lower-clutter life. I’ve found the less I own, the more mental and emotional freedom and more free time I have. Getting rid of things makes life so much better! Good luck with this project!
Kimberly Clark did the best review on her experience using the Marie Kondo technique here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvPd7waAkVI
Oops, meant to reply to above!
Palouse Falls is gorgeous, and you can make it as long of a hike as you want it to be. Go see it. ?
Hey Belle – Check out the “Give Back Box” while you are de-cluttering. The auto-generated tax-deductible donation slips make my Type-A heart skip a beat. Happy tidying!
Palouse falls is kind of like Great Falls in that you’re not really “one with nature” cuz there are people are over. You can hike for as long as you want and a lot of people bring picnics. But it is very pretty, and I think the Palouse generally looks like something out of land before time. It really is a gorgeous area.
I really wish you would stop making excuses and promising upgrades. It’s getting tedious. If you don’t want to blog just quit blogging. I used to really love your site but I am totally disenchanted.
Maybe if you don’t like the “tediousness” you should stop reading. The rest of us are happy to follow Belle’s journey.
I am a real person. My life has ups and downs; unfortunately, the past year has been more of a struggle than the previous ones. Needing a minute has little to do with wanting to blog, and more to do with needing the energy that would normally be poured into my side-job into my primary job search, my personal life, my mental health, etc. Some times the energy needs to be put elsewhere, it is not infinite, and while some readers may understand this better than others, when you’re depressed, the malaise can make even the things you love doing seem too hard.
As for your other point, the upgrade is coming this month. It didn’t happen twice before, and that was as frustrating to me as it was to anyone. The first time, a woman I hired turned out to be deeply less qualified than she appeared and then closed her business before the conclusion of the project. The second time, my project was outsourced by a large (well-known) blog design firm to a woman who lived in Spain and again, after producing almost nothing, she demanded more money to complete the project. I am so EXTREMELY grateful that I found Katelyn Calautti, who commented below, because she is a grade A professional who is producing something that I love, and I’m hoping all of you love, too.
I really wish you would stop whining at and demeaning a total stranger. It’s (already) embarrassing (for you). If you don’t want to read just quit reading. I used to really think literate commenters were socially-adjusted adults but I am totally disenchanted.
There’s nothing more frustrating than people feeling ENTITLED to your FREE content. Keep on keepin’ on Belle
Seriously, we aren’t paying for a service here. This is a personal blog, and Belle is a human being with regular human being problems. Part of the reason a lot of us come here is because this doesn’t feel like some corporate machine presenting an airbrushed version of what a professional woman is supposed to be. Plus, I would rather have this design, which is clean and functional and still presents new content on a regular basis, than going through a bunch of haphazard changes with a ton of bugs. You do you, Belle. Most of us will still be here and are excited for what’s to come.
So excited for what’s to come. Taking some time away really does so much good. Can’t wait to see it all come together. xox
Thank you! I appreciate that you can and do acknowledge that there are days, weeks and even years that are more difficult than others. So many bloggers present only a curated, shiny life, but that’s never been you. I look forward to seeing the upgrade when it comes together as it is meant to.
-a fellow GSPM alum
Hi Belle
Your blog is valuable because of your honesty, expertise and Commitment to learning and growing. We are privileged to witness small parts of your life. You bring lots of inspiration and motivation to my life. God bless you !
Grace
my blog’s been on an extended break – so have a number of blogs i follow. This happens. Bloggers are people, people who have health issues, relationship issues, employment situations, elderly relatives – Do i want to publish twice-weekly moans? do i even want to share some of this stuff? would people even want to read it? when i wake up the blog, i’ll find ways to let people know. But i can’t write about my life and adventures unless i have a life. And with any luck, some adventures. Bless you, Belle, and give that cute little puppy a snuggle for me.
Good for you for taking a breather and soul-searching! I’ve done some de-cluttering myself this weekend, and it felt great. Enjoy the time. And as always, I love your honesty.