IN THIS ISSUE:

I. My Clutter is Now Yours
II. Take An At-Home Vacation
III. Five Tips From Readers
IV. A Gift For You

I. My Clutter is Now Yours

Out of necessity, the database maintenance for Making Lives Simpler is completely automated, so I don't have the opportunity to see the names and addresses of all my subscribers. Plus, I'm happy to say, with well over 3,500 subscribers, I couldn't possibly keep track manually anyway. (Trying to do that would certainly run counter to keeping my life simple!) Therefore, it was great fun for me to offer the "My Clutter Can Be Yours" contest. Not only did I get to send my own "clutter" on to where it would be appreciated, I got to touch base with so many of you.

For the last few months, I've been receiving lots of great entries for this contest. I've enjoyed reading all your thoughts, tips and stories about the ways you've been simplifying your lives. I've had entries from around the globe, with winners from New Zealand, Canada and the United States.

With the thousands of subscribers and numerous entries, imagine my surprise to find a very familiar name among these emails. It was an entry from my father! At 83 years young, he still finds ways to simplify his life and wanted to share his tip with all of you! I'm happy to include it in the "Tips from Readers" later in this newsletter.

Even though there are so many people looking for ways to simplify their lives, many times I am told how alone someone feels in their quest. Our definitions of a "simplified life" may all be a bit different, but it's important to keep in mind that there are many people on this path. We can benefit by modifying the approaches, thoughts, and stories of others to meet our own unique needs and see, at the same time, that we are not alone. So sit back and enjoy some more ideas and tips from readers just like you.

Linda

P.S. I do enjoy giving away things, so check out my new gift offer at the end of this issue!

How many times have you been on a vacation and asked someone for
directions to a local attraction only to find they had no idea because
they haven't taken the time to visit what's in their own back yard?
Take a new look at where you live from the perspective of a visitor.
What do you see?

Then contact your Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Bureau and the Internet and find out what your town or city has to offer that you may not even know about. What are the things you could do with your spouse or kids?

Plan your at-home vacation by making a list of the things that you'd really love to do. Choose those that make you feel like you are on a vacation. Spend one or more nights at a hotel or B&B and rent a car. Eat out at places you've never been to but have wanted to try. Rent a boat for a day of fishing. Take along books, sporting equipment or art supplies.

Before you go, make a list of the things that NEED to be done such as errands, home improvement, etc. Make a pact with yourself and your family that these things will not be done on your vacation.

Follow your plan but keep it flexible. This time belongs to you and you are at the controls. Make your at-home vacation the best vacation you've ever had!

III. FIVE TIPS FROM READERS

1. Linda, I just discovered your website and thank you, thank you, thank you!

I grew up in a house with piles of "stuff" everywhere. (My mother still keeps about 10 bottles of shampoo and 15 different lotions in the bathroom at a time.) At age 25 and now in a home of my own, I have never been a "pack-rat," but I've found that even bringing home presents we receive at Christmas is overwhelming.

What have I done? I have asked family not to give me any more presents. "Really,"I tell them, "I mean it." If they still insist, I ask for them to visit, to have a meal cooked for me, or for a box of tea or note cards to write letters on.

Kelly Souza from Cedar Rapids, IA

2. Hi Linda! May God bless you with all the good ideas you share with others!

My parents have lived in their house for 25 years. They have
accumulated many things. My parents, brother and I are in the process of going through them, one item at a time to see if my parents want to keep it. If not, and if neither my brother nor I do, we then decide if it is worth selling on eBay or at a consignment store.

If it is not worth selling, we give it to one of two charities. If
it is a religious item or a Christian book, we give it to our local
Bibles for Missions thrift store. If it is not a religious item or a
Christian book, we give it to our local Value Village thrift store.
It is a wonderful feeling to rid ourselves of "stuff" and to know we are helping others as well.

Thank you for your continued good ideas on simplifying. I found
many helpful hints in this last newsletter online.

Katie Connors from Delano, MN

3. As a mother of seven children and a grandmother of six, I have recently committed myself to becoming a "role model" for simplifying life. The first major step I took, at the urging of my oldest children, was selling my almost 4,000 square-foot home and moving to a much smaller place. Our children helped my husband and me sort, pack, clean, paint and repair our home in preparation for selling. While doing this, they caught a glimpse of what we had been holding on to - boxes of mementoes of our life, handmade gifts and projects from all the children, magazines and articles and things to read "someday," and
the list goes on and on!

We are now living in a house of just about 1900 square feet. The simplifying goes on. We are giving our children handmade pictures we no longer have wall space for and china and crystal handed down to us, and other things we cherish but really don't use. We're giving memories and shared experiences rather than cluttering up other households with plastic toys, or even glass and wood gifts. The memory of shared times, laughter and love lasts much longer than anything solid, and even survives fires, floods and natural disasters!

Thanks for all you do - you're an inspiration!

Mary Miller from Sykesville, MD

4. Several years ago, I purchased the Audiocassette Collection of The World's 100 Greatest Books. These cassettes were housed in two large plastic, book-type containers. Each book held 50 audio books on 25 cassettes - one book on each side of a cassette.

I like to "read" these books when I go to bed at night. My cassette player sits on a ledge at the head of my bed along with the two large faux books that hold the cassettes. I used to have to open these books and paw through the tapes when deciding which classic I wanted to "read."

Well, I decided to simplify this procedure. I now have a frame that holds 100 cassettes in individual plastic cases, each of which I have labeled with the title and author. Now it's very easy for me to select any tape I want to listen to from the first, # 1 Homer's The Iliad, to the last, # 100, John Dewey's How We Think, without getting out of bed. Simple!

Irv Manassee from Denver, CO

5. Dear Linda, I love getting your newsletters. Keep up the good work.

I think of my clutter as skins on an onion. I tackle my chosen area by taking away the "first layer of the onion." There is always a certain amount of clutter that's easy to make a decision about getting rid of. This alone can restore a lot of order and space. Then on subsequent times, I go back and take the next layer and so on. The beauty of this method is that you don't need large blocks of time, just a few minutes here and there.

During certain times of the month, I also get chocolate cravings so I'll often tackle a small area when this craving hits. The
satisfaction that I get from organizing an area takes away the need to munch chocolate! Or perhaps it's just that it takes my attention off it. Anyway, it works for me!

Best Regards,

Janet W. McClure from Mount Maunganui, New Zealand

IV. MY GIFT TO YOU

The Virtual Reality Self-Help Center, my latest venture, will be
launching soon and I am offering two of our classes by telephone prior to opening. Space is still available and I want to offer you the advantage of this wonderful free gift as well.

If you've never taken a class by telephone, this is a great way to experience the exciting opportunity and convenience of this kind of distance learning. I'm confident you'll find these courses to be very interesting and valuable offerings from two of our senior leaders.

For an introduction to the wonderful world of meditation, you can
choose "A Beginner's Guide To Meditation," presented by Val Williams,
MCC, Ed.M., OTR, on Tuesday, June 17, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Eastern
(New York) Time.

The practice of meditating regularly can improve your time
management, reduce your stress levels, increase your ability to relax,
help you focus on your goals in all areas of your life and better your
general self-care. Join this very special free, one-hour telephone
class and learn simple beginning techniques of meditation that you'll
be able to put into regular practice immediately.

For a guide to benefiting from challenges in today's hectic
environment, you can select "Being a Tortoise in a World of Hares:
Getting Ahead at Your Own Pace," presented by Sharon Good on
Wednesday, June 25, from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM Eastern (New York) NY
Time.

If you're tired of feeling like you're just plodding along while
others seem to be running rings around you, then here's the class for
you! We do live in a fast-paced world that puts much emphasis on
accomplishments, and you're not alone if you feel you're not always up
to the challenges physically, mentally or emotionally. In this unique,
one-hour telephone class you'll learn that there are successful ways
to do things differently, ways that work just for you!

Remember these classes are my free gift to you with no further
obligations or requirements. I just want you to experience some of the
exciting experiences we have in store at new The Virtual Reality
Self-Help Center!

To take advantage of our gift to you, simply send an email to
specialoffer@vrselfhelp.com. In the subject line please put the title
of your class choice. Upon receipt of your email you will receive a
welcome email from the instructor with additional information and a
special conference telephone number to participate in the class.

As your gift to someone else, please pass this free offer along to
anyone you think might also find this of interest.

I'm happy to provide you this great learning opportunity -
virtually!

MORE ABOUT "MAKING LIVES SIMPLER"

Linda Manassee Buell is a full-time Personal and Business Coach, and author of the tips eBooklet, "Simplify Your Life, 101 Ways to Create the Life You Love," the audiotape, "Simplify Your Life, 7 Simple Strategies for Doing What You Love to Do," the revised edition of the workbook, "Simplify Your Life: A Journey of Personal Discovery," and her latest book, "Panic and Anxiety Disorder, 121 Tips, Real-life Advice, Resources & More."

To order your personal copy of any of the above by check or credit card, just go to http://simplifylife.com and click on "Shop the Store."

Anyone is welcome to subscribe to this free newsletter, "Making Lives Simpler." There is no subscription fee, and the mailing list remains confidential. It will not be sold, traded or bartered to any other parties.

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Linda's Website can be found at: http://www.simplifylife.com

The contents herein are solely the opinions of Simplify Life and Linda Manassee Buell.