457: Simplifying Tasks to Simplify Lifestyle

Summary

Episode Summary: Simplifying Tasks to Simplify Lifestyle (Episode 457)

Dana K. White hosts her Patreon member, Kim, in Episode 457 of "A Slob Comes Clean," focusing on strategies to simplify daily tasks and lifestyle management within the constraints of a minimalist, nomadic living situation.

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Introduction

In this episode, Dana K. White engages in a strategy session with Kim, a dedicated member of the "Kindred Spirits" community. Kim shares her unique lifestyle of living in a travel trailer, moving approximately every six months, and the practical approaches she employs to maintain an organized and clutter-free environment despite the challenges of limited space and constant relocation.

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Meet Kim: Embracing a Nomadic Lifestyle

Kim's Background and Current Living Situation

Kim introduces herself as an empty nester who, along with her husband, resides in a travel trailer. They relocate biannually, currently spending the summer in South Texas and planning to move north for the winter. This nomadic lifestyle is facilitated by Kim's remote work and her husband's flexible job assignments.

[02:15] Kim: “I am an empty nester. My husband and I live in our travel trailer and we move about every six months.”

Motivation Behind the Move

The couple began their journey by purchasing a tiny camper and embracing weekend camping trips. With no immediate family obligations and her mother's good health, they felt empowered to adopt this flexible lifestyle, now entering their second year on the road.

[02:42] Kim: “We started talking to people who do this and we thought we could do this. We, we... we just started our second year doing this.”

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Decluttering Strategies: The Container Concept

Adopting the Container Mindset

One of Kim's primary strategies for managing limited space is the "container concept." She treats each physical space within her trailer as a container with specific dimensions, determining what items can fit accordingly. This approach simplifies decision-making during decluttering by focusing on the available space rather than the items themselves.

[05:01] Kim: “The container concept. As we downsize from our house into this, it would help to think of everything as a container and what could fit in the container.”

Implementing the Concept

Kim and her husband allotted three totes to store belongings under her son's basement, ensuring that most items remain with them. By visualizing the trailer as a series of containers, they creatively fit necessary items without overwhelming their living space.

[05:11] Kim: “We have three totes that are living under my son's basement. That's it. Everything else is with us.”

Emotional Aspects of Decluttering

While Kim finds the process straightforward due to her history of frequent moves, her husband initially struggled with letting go of possessions. However, once she explained the container concept, he adapted, finding it easier to part with items.

[06:16] Kim: “I moved a lot as a kid, so I've never really become attached to stuff. It was probably harder for my husband, but he's come a long way.”

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Managing Hobbies in Small Spaces

Challenges with Temporary Items

Kim’s passion for knitting and crocheting introduces challenges in maintaining an organized space. The influx of yarn and project materials often overwhelms the limited storage areas in the trailer.

[07:32] Kim: “Living in a small space like this, my biggest problem is what to do when temporary items take over a space.”

Strategies for Controlling Hobby Supplies

To manage her crafting materials, Kim uses baskets designated for storing yarn and project tools. She acknowledges the difficulty in consistently limiting her supplies but aims to keep the clutter under control by designating specific storage areas.

[10:02] Host: “You have a place for storing it. Is that a place where, realistically you could say if I limited my yarn to this container, my yarn would be controllable?”

[11:11] Kim: “Basically, my storage yarn goes in this basket. It is an add-on deck basket.”

Letting Go and Sharing Resources

Kim contemplates donating excess yarn to her online community, recognizing the value in sharing and repurposing materials. This not only alleviates clutter but also supports fellow crafters in creating their projects.

[15:05] Kim: “I know there are people that can take some of my yarns too and do amazing things with it. So that's what I should be doing.”

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Time Management: Viewing Time as a Container

Feeling of Time Scarcity

Kim expresses a persistent feeling of not having enough time to engage in personal projects, such as working on a sweater, due to the demands of daily tasks and errands associated with living in a small, mobile space.

[23:49] Kim: “I never feel like I have enough time to do anything. So I always feel like I'm being pressured all the time.”

Strategizing Time Allocation

The host suggests structuring her schedule by assigning specific days for more complex tasks, thereby creating dedicated time slots for personal projects without feeling overwhelmed by other responsibilities.

[30:03] Kim: “I pre cooked a lot of the ground beef. We are huge fans of rotisserie chickens... so that helps a lot.”

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Simplifying Cooking in a Travel Trailer

Adaptations for Limited Kitchen Space

Cooking in a travel trailer poses unique challenges, such as limited burner space and small refrigerator capacity. Kim adapts by preparing smaller portions, organizing leftovers meticulously, and utilizing versatile kitchen appliances.

[28:19] Kim: “We do have a dishwasher, so we do dishes up by hand and we do air dry them.”

Implementing Efficient Cooking Tools

To streamline meal preparation, Kim invested in a Blackstone Brittle Top outdoor grill, reducing indoor cleanup and expanding cooking options. Additionally, she employs a multifunctional crockpot ("12 in one") to handle various cooking tasks, saving time and space.

[28:27] Kim: “We just got a Blackstone Brittle Top recently, so I'm still learning it. It's been a lot less cleanup.”

Pre-Cooking and Meal Planning

Inspired by previous advice, Kim pre-cooks meats like ground beef and shredded rotisserie chicken, which simplifies meal assembly during the week. This method ensures that she can prepare quick and easy dinners without extensive daily cooking.

[30:25] Host: “I think it's that assigning and saying, okay, I'm going to do one complicated meal a week...”

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Community Support: The Role of Kindred Spirits

Building an Encouraging Network

Kim highlights the importance of the "Kindred Spirits" community in her decluttering journey. The supportive environment provided by fellow members has been instrumental in her ability to downsize and maintain an organized lifestyle in a travel trailer.

[37:08] Kim: “Kindred Spirits found this during COVID during lockdown. It's been a lifesaver and a game changer for me.”

Collaborative Decluttering Efforts

The community offers practical advice and emotional support, helping members like Kim tackle the sentimental challenges of letting go of unused items. This collective effort fosters a positive decluttering experience, making the transition to minimalist living smoother.

[36:13] Host: “So, I think it's a fun, supportive kind group.”

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Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Embracing Minimalism and Flexibility

Kim's experience underscores the effectiveness of the container concept and structured time management in maintaining an organized, clutter-free lifestyle within limited and mobile living spaces. Her strategies offer valuable insights for individuals seeking to simplify their lives, especially in unconventional living arrangements.

The Importance of Community

The support from the "Kindred Spirits" community plays a crucial role in sustaining Kim's commitment to decluttering and minimalism. This highlights the significance of having a network that understands and encourages one's lifestyle choices.

Final Thoughts

Dana and Kim conclude the episode with mutual appreciation for the strategies discussed and the transformative impact of community support. Kim expresses gratitude for the practical solutions and encouragement that have empowered her to thrive in her minimalist, nomadic lifestyle.

[36:13] Host: “That’s the goal of decluttering is to be able to do the thing that you dream of doing that maybe would have felt difficult or even impossible at a different phase of life.”

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This episode provides an engaging and comprehensive exploration of practical decluttering and lifestyle simplification strategies, particularly tailored to those living in small or mobile spaces. Kim's candid discussion, supported by Dana's insightful guidance, offers actionable advice for listeners aiming to achieve a more organized and stress-free living environment.

Transcript

[Dani K. White]

Hey, y' all. I wanted to be sure you know that my fourth book is now available wherever books are sold. This is the book where I tackle the spiritual side of my desalabification process. My first three books don't have any spiritual content. They're full of the strategies that will take you from overwhelmed in your home to knowing exactly what to do to get your house under control. But this new book, Jesus Doesn't Care about yout Messy House, deals with the shame that so many of us feel over our messiness. My goal is to help you find freedom from that shame so you can move forward. Go to aslobcomes clean.com book book to find links to all my books in all of their formats. Welcome to A Slob Comes Clean, the podcast. I am Dani K. White. I share my personal des lobification process as I figure out ways to keep my own home under control. I share the truth about cleaning and organizing strategies that actually work in real life for real people. People who don't love cleaning and organizing. Thanks for joining me today. This is podcast number456.7 and I am going to call it Simplifying Tasks to Simplify Lifestyle. So this is a strategy session and I know that I've been doing one a month and this is a little bit sooner than that. I have a lot going on right now with my next book deadline. What was I thinking? Anyway, that book won't come out for at least another year, so don't get too worked up. But anyway, kind of on a crunch. So I'm excited to have this session to share with you. And this is one of my Patreon members and she has a really cool, interesting life and I think it's really fun to hear these strategies that work and the challenges that people in other unique life situations face. Okay, so Kim is a kindred spirit. If you would like to know more about being a member of our Kindred spirits group, go to Paige Patreon. P A t r e o-n.com A slob comes clean. And the link is also in the show notes of this episode. Right here's my conversation with Kim.

[Host]

Kim, thank you so much for being willing to come on the show. Tell me a little bit about yourself and your unique life situation.

[Kim]

Okay, well, let's see. I am an empty nester. My husband and I live in our travel trailer and we move about every six months. So right now I'm in South Texas for the summer, for the winter, probably go north again for the summer.

[Host]

That is so fun.

[Kim]

It is fun. I work remotely. He finds jobs wherever we go. It's just. We have a good time with it. That's cool.

[Host]

So what made you, what brought you to this, being your lifestyle?

[Kim]

Well, we started. We bought a tiny camper to begin with. We're camping every weekend. Started talking to people who do this and we thought we could do this. We, we. No one was getting married. No one was expecting kids. My mom's still in good health so we were able to just kind of pack up and do it. So. So we're starting our. We just started our second year doing this.

[Host]

So just literally for the fun of it.

[Kim]

For the fun of it, yeah.

[Host]

How do you decide where you're going to go next?

[Kim]

Usually based on the jobs that my husband can find. So. Okay, we're chasing the sun. We really want to make sure that we don't ever have to wear our winter coats and just store them.

[Host]

Do you, do you go visit like, like as we're recording this. Who knows when it's going to come out? As we're recording, it's getting close to the holidays. Will you go somewhere? Will people come see you or, or what?

[Kim]

No, we do everything virtually. We were pretty far from most of our kids anyways. We lived close to one child. But yeah. So we're kind of used to doing the virtual thing and you know, lots of phone calls.

[Host]

Yeah, that's really interesting. I love it. I love it.

[Dani K. White]

The temperature is rising and it's time to get ready for summer when I realize I need to one in one out. Some worn out tanks, shorts, outfits I wore last summer. I know it's time for an upgrade and quints is a great place to make those upgrades. They have pieces like 100 European linen shorts and dresses from $30 Luxe Swimwear, Italian leather platform sandals and so much more that can make a girl feel all put together without even trying.

[Kim]

Y' all.

[Dani K. White]

The cotton poplin sundresses are adorable. They're great quality and they are totally my dol daughter's style. The best part, everything from quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands you'd find elsewhere. Quince works directly with top artisans, cuts out the middlemen and gives you luxury without the markup. Also, Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. I love that. Treat your closet to a little summer glow up with quince. Go to quince.comclean for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q U I N C E dot com clean to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com clean so tell me something that's.

[Host]

Working well for you right now.

[Kim]

Oh, the container concept. As we downsize from our house into this, it would help to think of everything as a container and what could fit in the container. So that helped tremendously.

[Host]

So did you sell your house, like get rid of it completely or is it just temporary?

[Kim]

Well, we had actually moved from Vermont to Virginia and sold our house then. And we're renting because we got there right before COVID and we never quite came back from that. So, yeah, we were there in the house for like three years and then we decided to do this. So.

[Host]

Okay, so this is it. Like this is it. Do you have storage stuff as well?

[Kim]

We have three totes that are living under my son's basement. That's it. Everything else is with us. So we really downsized.

[Host]

That's really impressive. So tell me how, how the, how that worked in your brain with the container concept. Did you. Were you actually moving it into the trailer itself or were you knowing how big the trailer was going to be as you decluttered?

[Kim]

Now, we had the trailer for about three months before we started this, and we literally treated it as a, as a container. So we would think of ideas of how might something might fit creatively somewhere, and we worked with that space. So did it.

[Host]

I mean, was it painful?

[Kim]

No, it really wasn't. I moved a lot as a kid, so I've never really become attached to stuff. Because you were always getting rid of stuff as you moved. You know, my dad worked his way up the corporate ladder, so every three or four years we would move to a new city so he could do that. So I just. It was probably harder for my husband. He had never really moved, so he had a hard time with that. So. But he's, he's come a long way. Once I explained the container concept, he kind of got it. So. Yeah, that's great.

[Host]

I love it. What's something else that's working well for you?

[Kim]

Take it there now. Which I realize sounds silly when there's literally seven steps from one end of your house to the other. But I'm really good at putting a pile together and forgetting to take it. So.

[Host]

Yeah, and that's the key, right? Is that you forget about the pile. Right. It feels so logical that I will just set this here for right now and I'll do that later.

[Kim]

Right, Right. So, yeah. And suddenly it becomes part of the decor and. Yeah, so.

[Dani K. White]

Yeah, right.

[Host]

And part of the general feeling of I have so much to do, that's the part that I've realized. It's like all just. He's like, I've got so much to do. I've got so many things to do. And it's like, oh, actually I can prevent that if I will take it there now.

[Kim]

So I never thought of that. That's good. I love that. Okay, good.

[Host]

So tell me, what's something you'd like to talk about?

[Kim]

Well, living in a small space like this, my biggest problem is what to do when temporary items take over a space. Like right now I do a lot of knitting or crocheting, so I'm working on a blanket. So obviously all that yarn takes up a lot of space in a small space. So I just get overwhelmed with that kind of stuff. Like what am I doing? Or library books. Like, if we're in a place where I can join the library and I bring books home, where do I. How. How do I make that work? Because they're not permanent. Items are just temporary and I have a hard time figuring that out.

[Host]

So you said it's not permanent. How long have you been knitting or crocheting?

[Kim]

Oh, a long time. So I do have spaces that I can keep my tools and stuff, but the yarn itself, when it comes in, can be a little overwhelming. So.

[Host]

But it's a, It's a permanent part of your life.

[Kim]

Oh, yes, yes.

[Host]

This, this hobby. So it deserves space. Right. Like is that. Is the, the materials that you need, the thread or yarn or whatever. I know, I know that there's terms. And when I say the wrong terms, I know that people are out there listening, going, how does she not know? And I'm like, I'm sorry. So tell us the terms. What are the real terms?

[Kim]

Well, yarn. You would use yarn. And I also spin. I have a spinning wheel, so I have fibers to spin also.

[Dani K. White]

Oh, very cool.

[Host]

That's really cool. So it is. It deserves a place. Even though it's a thing that comes in and goes out. Right, Right. Like it's a flow item, but there has to be a place for the flow to be. Right. So a river flows, but it's an actual. There's a depth to it. There's a defined space. Even though it feels a little more fluid, you know, haha, fluid. Get it? But there is. So where do you look first when you are working on a project? Where do you look first for your yarn?

[Kim]

Well, the yarn has moved around. I'll be honest. Sometimes it's in the storage room in the back. Sometimes it's under one of our chairs. It just. I guess I find a spot that it fits. But I'm just overwhelmed by the fact that I have to do this with every project.

[Host]

What happens to the project when it's. When you're done with it?

[Kim]

I never keep projects. They almost always go to somebody. So.

[Host]

Okay.

[Kim]

I've kept very few projects.

[Host]

Okay, so not. Where do you put it? When you are ready to start a new project, where do you look first for yarn?

[Kim]

Well, I do have a basket that I keep it in that lives in a corner, so that is one space I would look first.

[Host]

That is the space where you would look first.

[Kim]

That is the space that I look for.

[Host]

Yes. You may not be convinced that it's always going to be there, but that's the space. So is it possible for that to be the container for current projects?

[Kim]

It could, but this is. Okay. You asked me if it was hard to downsize everything. I could. I could get rid of everything except yarn. I just love my yarn. So I would have to. Oh, this is gonna be painful. I'm gonna have to get rid of some of it. So.

[Host]

Yeah, I mean, some probably. I don't know how much you have. Right. But. Okay, so that's your current project. Where would you look first for, I don't know, the next project, like when you're deciding what to do or whatever, where would you look first for your stored yarn?

[Kim]

Basically, my storage yarn. Oh, okay. So actually, I need to rephrase that answer then. My storage yarn goes in this basket. It's. It's an adder on deck, basket, basket, backpack. And then my current project goes in a work basket that sits next to my chair. Okay, what yarn? I can fit in there? Because sometimes you have too many skeins to put in there. Okay, so.

[Host]

Okay, so the basket is my container. Is your container. Is that upsetting to you or.

[Kim]

Yeah, a little. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, but I. It is just upsetting because like I said, I have a hard time letting go of some yarn. And. Yeah, I think I'm holding on to it because I think someday I'm going to make this amazing thing with it. And some of it has been with me through a couple moves and I still haven't made anything amazing with it, so.

[Host]

But you've made amazing things.

[Kim]

I have. Yeah.

[Host]

So, I mean, I feel like that's. That's a difference there. You know, it's not just aspirational. You don't just have it there as I'm going to do this thing someday, you are actually doing it. And every time you start a project and you pass up that thing, that's not as great for whatever reason either. You just don't like it. It doesn't have the feel that you want. It's a. I don't know. I know I'm using terminology, and I don't actually, you know, know all the things, but. But, like, every time you pass it up and you go with something else, it's a revealer of. Of, you know, what's most important to you. So you have a place for storing it. Is that a place where, realistically you could say if I limited my yarn to this container, my yarn would be controllable?

[Kim]

Yes, if I could do that, yes.

[Host]

So is it not controllable now?

[Kim]

It is controllable. It is right now, with that blanket. Since I ordered all the yarn to come in, there was a lot that came in at once, so it's kind of scattered right now, so. Okay.

[Host]

And you ordered it because what you already had wasn't the right stuff or because you like ordering?

[Kim]

Well, I do like ordering, so, yeah. No, but I didn't have the right kind of yarn for this project. There's.

[Host]

Okay.

[Kim]

I needed something that was washable because it's going to be a, you know, it's for kids. I needed. And a lot of my fancy yarns are not that way, so.

[Host]

Okay. Do you do projects with the fancy yarns, too?

[Kim]

Eventually, yeah. I am working on a sweater for myself, so.

[Dani K. White]

Oh, wow.

[Host]

That's awesome.

[Kim]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host]

I think. I think the first step would be embracing the container that you have. You know, it's not that you can't have a storage tub if you have the space for it that doesn't take up, you know, room, but it's like making it be a defined, specific space determined according to the space and not the stuff. You know what I mean? So it's. It's. This is the space that I can devote to yarn. So I'm gonna have a container this size, and then I'm gonna, you know, let go of my least favorites and just let that be the decider on some of these where you're like, I know there's some I haven't used in forever and blah, blah, blah, and it can just spin out in your brain and just say, okay, I'm gonna let go until I only have what fits in this, the specific space. And. And see, I would see if you could do it with that basket. That's the first place where you would look for, you know, yarn for future projects. I would try that. Not that you can't have another place where it's just stored, but just give that a try because sometimes that will actually reveal to you. Oh, that's right. A lot of this can go where it all felt important when you initially packed it.

[Kim]

Yeah. And actually I do know there are people that can take some of my yarns too and do amazing things with it. So that's what I should be doing. I know you always talk about taking them to a thrift store. I would have a hard time doing that, but I could. So. Yeah.

[Host]

Do you meet other knitters and Christians?

[Kim]

I haven't really since we started this. So I have a small online community that I'm part of that I could easily put it out there. So. Yeah.

[Host]

Yeah. Is that something you would see yourself following through on, like actually getting it mailed out?

[Kim]

Actually, if I give myself a task, I'm good at finishing it, so I could do that. Yeah. So, okay, good.

[Host]

Yeah. I have to say that as the person who cannot stand going to the post office, I did at one point in my life like I would when I sold on ebay. I was there all the time and it's like now I just. I have to just say no to anything that involves mailing something.

[Kim]

Well, I won't be the one. My husband does miss the errands because of his schedule, so he'll go to the post office. So that's perfect.

[Host]

Whatever works.

[Dani K. White]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. You've probably noticed how clutter builds up over time. We avoid dealing with it, much like we sometimes avoid dealing with our mental health. A recent survey showed that many hesitate to seek help and support because of fear of judgment. But this doesn't just affect them, it impacts families, co workers, entire communities. The world will be a better place when people are healthy and happy. So I personally have really benefited from using Better Help to work with a therapist. It's truly helpful to have a non judgmental, purposefully helpful professional who helps me work through the challenges I'm facing. Better Help has over 10 years of experience and thousands of licensed therapists helping people with a wide range of issues. Sessions are fully online, making therapy affordable and convenient. We're all better with help. Visit betterhelp.comclean to get 10% off your first month. That's better help. H E L p.com clean when I wait until 5 o' clock to think about Dinner things do not go well. That's why I want to tell you about today's sponsor. Prep Dish is a mom owned company started by my friend Allison Schoff. She's created an amazing meal prep system to help get quality meals on the table fast. Every week I receive four meal prep meal plans. Gluten free Paleo, low carb and Super Fast. I love the Super Fast because it's leveled up delicious healthy meals while also being, you know, super fast. I get an organized grocery list, a step by step meal prep plan and simple instructions for how to quickly get the meals on the table. So the genius behind this system is I spend one to two hours meal prepping which gets me all set to get tasty dinners ready fast the rest of the week. All the meals really are delicious. I'm talking about things like pan seared Cod over lemony rice with roasted green beans or chipotle ground turkey tostadas. My whole family is a big fan of our Prep Dish meals and I just heard Prep Dish is now collaborating with Instacart to make online grocery orders even easier. How cool is that? I'm going to get you two weeks free so you can try out the Prep Dish meal plans for yourself. Just go to prepdish.com A slob comes clean for a two week free trial. Again, that's prepdish.com A sloB comes clean for your first two weeks free. This is a no brainer. The temperature is rising and it's time to get ready for summer when I realize I need to one in one out some worn out tanks shorts, outfits I wore last summer. I know it's time for an upgrade and Quince is a great place to make those upgrades. They have pieces like 100 European linen shorts and dresses from $30 Luxe Swimwear, Italian leather platform sandals and so much more that can make a girl feel all put together without even trying.

[Kim]

Y' all.

[Dani K. White]

The cotton poplin sundresses are adorable. They're great quality and they are totally my daughter's style. The best part? Everything from cool quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands you'd find elsewhere. Quince works directly with top artisans, cuts out the middlemen and gives you luxury without the markup. Also, Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. I love that. Treat your closet to a little summer glow up with quince. Go to quince.comclean for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q, U I N C e.com/clean to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com/clean.

[Host]

So what's something else you want to talk about?

[Kim]

Well, we don't have many flat surfaces, so we have to keep them clear so that we can work, like make dinner.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Kim]

Have a place. Yeah. So I struggle with keeping them from becoming clutter spots or just keeping them clean. And then because I work from home, I have a desk and I try to keep my distractions minimal around me so I can concentrate on my job. But there's a lot of flat. That's, that's a flat surface. So sometimes it gets pretty cluttered. So I need to work on that. How do I keep flat surfaces from becoming, you know, clutter surfaces?

[Host]

How much have you implemented the five minute pickup?

[Kim]

I start my day with it. So. Okay, I start my day with it. I try to do it a couple of times during the day if I have to. We don't have a dishwasher, so we do dishes up by hand and we do air dry them. So I do have to start my day by putting my dishes away that way.

[Host]

Yeah. So, but is that, is that the issue or is it little stuff that's randomly ended up there?

[Kim]

It's little stuff. And then I think I said earlier, you know, it just becomes part of the decor. Like, you know, that hat that got left there, you know, they're been there for two days and I don't see it anymore or so, I mean, the screwdriver or whatever. Yeah.

[Host]

So do you do one at the end of the day?

[Kim]

I do not. We go to bed at such different times. My husband has to start work pretty early, so I. And when you live in a camper, it moves a lot. So when you're walking around. So I can't really, I don't really do one at the end of the day because of that.

[Host]

Is it something that you said that, do you do dishes together? You said, we do dishes. I don't know what that means, but.

[Kim]

Well, he does the dishes, I do the cooking, he does the dishes. Okay.

[Host]

Is it something that while he's doing the dishes or even during cooking, you could, you know, figure out, okay, this water's boiling, I'm going to set the timer for three minutes or something and do a pickup during this time? Because I think that that stuff, you know, you've, you've seen the value of take it there. Now you do the, you know, five minute pickup and it takes care of Those dishes that are sitting out. But it may be like a purposeful bits and pieces. 5 minute pickup or 3 minute pickup or whatever. So like, pairing that with something that comes later in the day could be really powerful in the things that just randomly get laid down.

[Kim]

Okay. No, I could do that. Well, I could do that. I know I could build it in every day when I feed the dog, I've got to wait for her to finish eating before we could take her walk. So that's about five minutes. So I could do that. Yeah. So that would be right before my husband came home. So it would help.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah. And I think it's. It's. Yes. I mean, those little things getting randomly set places that then turn into overwhelming things later. That to me is my main goal in a five minute pickup is dealing with those things so that they don't. Because I am not the. Take it there now is powerful. I tell myself that all the time. And yet somehow I still randomly set things down. It just happens, you know, so it's like.

[Dani K. White]

Right.

[Host]

So I view the five minute pickup as my antidote to that. Like, I wouldn't it be great if I didn't? But also I do. So I'm gonna do the five minute pickup, you know, as my way to solve that problem or prevent it from turning into a bigger problem. How long does it take to do a good. I mean, like, do you need a whole five minutes in your trailer?

[Kim]

No, no, I. Three minutes, four minutes? Yeah. So, yeah. You know, every morning I do that pickup. I sweep the floors every morning because it's such a small space. Dirt discards everywhere. And actually, I think I heard you once say that you sweep your floors because it helps you see where the clutter is or something. I don't think it was you who said something like that. Yeah, that always sticks in my head when I. When I do, I'm like, oh, yeah, I pick this up and move it with me.

[Host]

But, you know, so it helps with the dust. But also there's just always random stuff that I don't see unless I'm being purposeful about it. Exactly.

[Kim]

Right. Yeah.

[Host]

So what's something else you'd like to talk about?

[Kim]

Well, this one, I'd like to talk a little bit about the idea that time is a container. Because I never feel like I have enough time to do anything. So I always feel like I'm being pressured all the time. Yeah. To get doing something else, you know, so I don't sit down and work on my sweater. I don't. You Know stuff like that. And not like we do anything socially. We do something socially, but we're not out and about all the time. We're not. We don't join a lot of things. So it's not like there's outside pressures. I just don't know how to make time as a container work for me. So I'm just a little confused by that. I guess it.

[Host]

I think it can be extra challenging when you are working from home and especially since you have such a small space. Your workspace is. Probably feels like it's the same space as your relaxing space, right?

[Kim]

Well, no, my. We have a bunk room which is the back foot pad. Five feet of the house, six feet of the trailer. So that's where my office is. But it's also our storage area. It's where my ice maker is. It's, you know, where the cat box is. It's very multi use space, so. Right. Yeah.

[Host]

Do you feel like you can at the end of the day close the door and say that's it or do you tend to go back to working in there, here and there?

[Kim]

No, I'm very good about keeping boundaries with work. I started working remotely before COVID and that's when we were in the house and I would shut the door on that room here. I just make sure I shut down my computer every night because I'm not going to restart it just to go back and work for five minutes.

[Host]

That's good.

[Kim]

I also have a very structured job so I don't have to come back and finish things if I don't, you know, it's. It's a good work from home job.

[Host]

Yeah, that's good. That's very helpful.

[Dani K. White]

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[Host]

Optimize your nutrition this year with Factor America's number one ready to eat meal service. Factors Fresh never frozen meals are dietitian approved. Ready to eat in just two minutes. Choose from 40 weekly options across eight dietary preferences like calorie smart, protein plus, and keto. Eat [e-mail] listen50 and use code listen50 for 50 off plus free shipping on your first box. Factor meals.com listen50 code listen50 I don't know. Like, I. There's such a value in your physical place. Is there a something that you do that you could pair with your, with your thing that you're so you're wanting, you're wanting the time to work on your sweater, the thing that makes you happy to do right without what you. You don't want the, the guilt of all the other things that you should be doing or could be doing. Is that part of it or. What do you mean?

[Kim]

I would, I would think that would be part of it. And simple tasks do take a little bit longer when you live this lifestyle. Like, I do have to go to a laundromat. I don't have laundry here, so. And I realize many people live that life, but for many years I didn't. So, yeah, I feel like that takes a lot of time cooking because we only have one. One real burner that we use. We don't use the gas in our camper. We use an induction burner. So cooking has to be staged and takes a lot longer. So I just have a hard time with, like I said, using the time is a container concept. Like maybe I don't need to cook so much. I don't know.

[Host]

So well, I mean, like, how. How have you simplified your cooking? How have you changed your cooking being in the.

[Kim]

Well, I. Other than making smaller portions, we haven't really changed much. So we're much better about taking care of our leftovers because our refrigerator is so small. So that helps a little bit. We did buy a Blackstone Brittle Top recently, so we can cook outside with that, which simplifies a lot because that's a lot. There's a lot less cleanup then with that.

[Host]

Oh, yeah, yeah. What about your crock pot and things? Do you use that?

[Kim]

Oh, I have a. I do. I have a. It's a. What is it? It's like a 12 in one. It bakes, it toasts, it does steams, it does all that So I do a lot with that. So. Yeah. So I think I use that every day, actually. So, you know, and I think when we thought. When we started this, we thought we'd be outside grilling every night. Well, that lasted about three months. Then you realize that you don't want to grill every single night, that you do need to eat other foods, too. Yeah. So.

[Host]

Which I would think the Blackstone would help a lot with that, right?

[Kim]

It does. It helps a lot. It really does. And we just got it over the summer, so I'm still learning it. So I'm having a lot of fun learning new recipes and everything.

[Host]

Well, and I think, you know, it sounds like you enjoy cooking.

[Kim]

I do, Yeah. I do. At that time of my life, I didn't, but I had four children of my own. My husband had one. We never lived together with all our children, but I learned to cook, and I learned to cook well because of that. So having four children. Yeah.

[Host]

So, yeah, yeah. It can be hard to adjust, but it also is that. What can I. Do you. Do you have the space to do any of the, you know, pre cooking of your meats or anything like that?

[Kim]

I do, actually, for the first time, after the episode that you did recently about pre cooking the meat, I pre cooked a lot of the ground. I did a. Did the ground beef. I actually did all that on the Blackstone and divided it up. We are huge fans of rotisserie chickens, so we will buy two at a time and shred those and do stuff like that. So.

[Host]

Okay.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Host]

Does that help at all?

[Kim]

It does help. It does. It helps a lot.

[Dani K. White]

Yeah.

[Host]

I think it's that. It's that assigning and saying, okay, I'm going to do one complicated meal a week or something. So that's how I basically have to think of it, is I'm like, I do like to cook, and if I'm just sitting down going, what is it that I would like to cook? Well, I'm going to come up with something a little more complicated for every meal because I'm picking interesting things. But if I go, wait a minute, that causes my dishes and my kitchen and everything to feel overwhelming. I'm like, I'm going to still do that thing, but I'm going to assign it to, I'll do this on Saturday, or I'll do this on the day that your husband's off so that he can do, you know, the parts of it that he enjoys, and you do that, and you do this together or whatever. And then the other nights, I am Going to do something with the pre cooked ground beef in the crock pot. I'm going to make taco soup. And you know, really narrowing down so that then that means that I know for sure I've got three nights a week where it's going to be such a quick and easy dinner and clean up that I will be able to, you know, have the time that I want to. To do these fun things. Like it just, it's amazing to me how just kind of putting it on the calendar and saying these are the days when I do the more complicated and these are the days when I do simpler so that I can do the things I want to do that helps me to actually end up doing those things.

[Kim]

Okay, I like that. I like the idea of one complicated. It would probably be one every four days because I would eat the leftovers or something on top of that. Yeah.

[Host]

And then, you know, the, as far as the, like I want to do this thing, the place aspect of it, you know, like is there and I know you move all the time, right? But the, there is some value in like the coffee shop thing, you know, like, you know, the. It's one of those. My daughter, you know, because I work on my books at the coffee shop. Even though I have an office now, like I have a full on separate from the house office. And yet my brain and my body know that when I'm in this place and it has these smells and all this, then that is where we are working on the book. And there's just something about that. So it's like this specific chair or okay, I sit outside in my camping chair and you know, if your goal is to never have to wear a coat, then, you know, it's like maybe I decide that I'm going to get me one of those, you know, most comfortable camping chairs. And that is my knitting spot. And you know, because I find myself kind of being like, oh, I'm just not doing whatever it is that I think I should be doing. And then I find a new place to do it. Like for me, like I love at the end of the day and I just noticed it started raining so I won't get to do it today. But like my happiness is like, okay, it's the end of the day and I go and I sit in my Adirondack chair and I read my Kindle. Like if I can do that, then I feel like my day is complete and I've got my mental health in the right place and I've got my relaxation and you Know, so it's like.

[Kim]

But.

[Host]

But if I'm just living in my house and doing that, then there's all these other things that never crosses my mind. But when I go out there, my body says, this is what we're doing right now, and this is perfectly fine. And this is. This is the time and the place and the container for this activity that helps my brain relax. I don't know.

[Kim]

No, I could do that. Yeah. I've got a nice little chair with an ottoman outside that I could set out. You know, when I sit there, I can either read or work on my sweater. Yeah. So, yeah. Yeah, I could do that. Okay.

[Host]

Yeah, I would try, like, trying a new place, trying a new spot for that and see if that. Because that also just, like, for some reason, it takes the guilt out because it's like, no, this is what I'm supposed to be doing in this spot.

[Kim]

Right.

[Host]

Yeah. As opposed to, oh, I'm sitting here when there's so many things I'm supposed to be doing. No, no, that's the goal of this spot, is for my brain to relax because I'm doing the. The thing that, you know, helps my brain relax, so.

[Kim]

Oh, okay. Yeah, I could do that. I could set up a corner. Yeah, I could do that. Yeah. I'm thinking about those, you know, the books that I read back in the 90s about setting up a prayer corner, and I was able to do that with four kids, so I should be able to do this if it's just my husband, the dog, and the cat, and I should be able to figure this out. Yeah, well.

[Host]

And, you know, like, a camping chair, there's all kinds of. You know, we had camping chairs forever, and I was like, oh, okay, this is fine, and then got a new one. And I was like, well, they have really improved them from the top.

[Kim]

They have. Yes. They are so, so much more supportive.

[Host]

Yes, More supportive, more comfortable, all that.

[Kim]

Yeah, yeah. And some of them are just cuter now, too, so. Yeah.

[Host]

Do you have an awning that you pull out?

[Kim]

We do, but right now where we are, it's a little windy, so we don't put it out very often. We are under a mesquite tree, though, so that's kind of nice and relaxing. So I could set up my chair over there, and that would be nice. Yeah.

[Host]

Just beware of the thorns.

[Kim]

Yes, I learned that. Yeah. So, yeah, actually, the dog learned it.

[Host]

But, yeah, no, they're.

[Kim]

They're pretty brutal. Yeah. Yeah.

[Host]

So was there anything else that you wanted to talk about?

[Dani K. White]

Today?

[Kim]

I don't think so. I think you answered my questions.

[Host]

Have I solved all of your problems?

[Kim]

All of my problems? Yes. Yeah. Actually, yeah. The whole comp. One complicated meal week, that's gonna be. That's gonna be a game changer. That's awesome.

[Host]

So, yeah, sometimes you just have to give yourself permission. Right. Or take someone else's permission.

[Kim]

Yes. Yes. That's what I needed. Yes. So thank you. Yes.

[Host]

So what do you love about being a kindred spirit?

[Kim]

Oh, I. I. The only reason I still have Facebook is because of being a kindred spirit. It is the most positive place on the Internet as far as I'm concerned. When I was downsizing, we had to give. I had to get rid of a punch bowl that I have never, ever used for as a punch bowl. It's just always been storage. And, you know, everyone was so encouraging when I'm like, hey, I need somebody to talk me through this. And it was. I got that punch bowl out of my house, and it was such a silly thing to hold on to, but it's. Yeah. I mean, he really uses punch bowls anymore. Yeah.

[Host]

Well.

[Kim]

But it's also.

[Host]

It's. It's so nice to have people who are, like, not gonna say, why do you need to be talked out of a punchbowl? You know what I mean? Because I feel like in a lot of places on the Internet, it feels that way. Like, if I was to say this, I can only imagine that people are gonna say whatever, you know? But it's like, no. This place where people go. Yes, we get it. It's really. It's hard.

[Kim]

Yeah.

[Host]

You know, it's hard to get rid of some of this stuff. So that's good. Well, good. I love it. I think it's a fun. Such a fun, supportive, kind group.

[Kim]

Yeah. I actually, for my. My best friend, I bought her membership to it, and she. It's one of her favorite places, too.

[Host]

Oh, I love it.

[Kim]

And we comment on each other's stuff all the time, so it's a lot of fun. Yeah, that is fun. Yeah.

[Host]

That's good. And I love that you have somebody in real life to be able to speak the language with as well, you know?

[Kim]

Yeah. And we. We work. We will set up times and work with each other. She's. She's up in upstate New York, but we just both get on our phones and we'll both work while we're talking to each other. And it's. And that's something we learned from your group, those people doing that. And it's been. It's been enjoyed, so it's really good.

[Host]

Well, and what a fun way to stay close when you're not, you know, nearby.

[Kim]

Yeah. Yeah. So he talked us about every day. I'm very fortunate to have her in my life. When I was a single mom, she was a single mom and we kind of mommed our kids together. So it was good. So that's huge.

[Host]

That's a blessing. Love to hear that. Okay, well, is there anything else you want to say or anything else you want to cover?

[Kim]

Well, I don't really need to cover anything else, but I do, I do want to thank you. And the people in the Kindred Spirits found this during COVID during lockdown. And it's been a game. It's been a lifesaver and a game changer for me. And it's just been good. I couldn't have lived this lifestyle not being able to take the skills I had learned and bring them over into this. Into this. So, yeah, I. I post. The first thing I took when we picked up the camper was post a picture in the Kindred Spirits and say, hey, y' all, this is my container. Help me fill it. And so. And I got some great help. So it was good.

[Host]

Wow. And that, that's the goal, like, that's the goal of decluttering is to be able to do the thing that you dream of doing that maybe would have felt difficult or even impossible at a different phase of life when.

[Kim]

Yeah. Yeah. Because I. We went from a four bedroom house to a two bedroom bungalow to this. And I didn't have this community when I went from the four to the two. And I wish I had. I think it would have made things a lot simpler. So. Yeah. Yeah.

[Host]

That's great. Well, it's been so fun to talk to you.

[Kim]

Thank you.

[Dani K. White]

All right. Wasn't that fun? I enjoy these conversations so much. If you are interested in being a member of our Patreon community, go to patreon.com ASLOB Comes Clean. That's P-A T-R-E-O-N.com ASLOB Comes Clean and you can learn more about the benefits of being one of our kindred spirits. All right, I will talk to you all next week.

[Host]

Bye.