Declutter to Detox?

It was the perfect fall weekend and Raymond was out doing what he does best: playing golf. It was the weekend of the Gaston County Amateur Golf Tournament and he was at the top of his game. As the final round neared, Raymond was several shots off the lead and he headed out with great focus and determination to close the deal. 

I can't remember how he finished or how close he was to winning, because in the middle of that afternoon round, we got a call from his mom. His dad was in the hospital on account of heart attack. 

The next two months are a blur. Raymond spent most nights at the hospital sleeping in those awful chairs in the ICU waiting area. He prayed and read the Bible daily. He attended health workshops hosted by the hospital to learn more about heart disease. 

Back at home, I dove head first into books. Learning about the negative effects of salt on our health and blood vessels. Being startled at the amount of salt in our so-called healthy foods that sat in the pantry and in the refrigerator door. 

We were learning all we could because if Raymond's dad made it out of this, they would need an entire overhaul of their eating and we took it upon ourselves to spearhead the change. 

During that time, I picked up a book titled, Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels, and was engrossed in the link between toxins in our food and environment and weight gain. 

I began going through our bathroom cabinets and our kitchen drawers tossing and donating anything that would be considered "toxic". Shampoos loaded with chemicals. Plastic storage containers were replaced with glass. 

No more microwave popcorn bags because of the chemicals in the bag liner. No more microwave either! 

As we welcomed Raymond's dad back home right before Thanksgiving 2012, Raymond and I had completed a 180 in our food and life choices. Since then we have continued to learn and simplify our food choices. 

If you are ready to detox your home, then I highly recommend starting with one simple act. 

Declutter. 

Clear out the toxins. Create space in your home. Then watch as you change little by little in subtle ways. 

I promise you what you bring in will be far different than what you let go. 

When you ask me how to solve life's problems, I will always answer with one word: Simplify. 

The language of less. Are you ready to learn it?