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[00:00:00] You are listening to the Decluttered Mom Podcast, A podcast built specifically for busy moms by a busy mom. I'm your host, Diana Rene, and in 2017 I had my second daughter and it felt like I was literally drowning in my home. Okay. Not literally, but I felt like I couldn't breathe with all of the stuff surrounding me over the next 10 months. 

[00:00:30] I got rid of approximately 70% of our household belongings, and I have never looked back. I kind of feel like I hacked the mom system and I am here to share all the tips, tricks, and encouragement. Let's listen to today's show. 

[00:00:49] Hello and welcome to another episode of the Decluttered Mom podcast. It feels like spring today, and I'm so excited because it's, I mean, it's not spring yet, it should be, but it's not. Um, March is typically like the snowiest month of the year in Colorado, which now I'm recording this the first week of April. 

[00:01:12] So. Hopefully we're out of the woods a little bit, but we, yesterday it was 70 and sunny. It was really windy, but so that kind of put a damper on things. But today again, it's supposed to be like 68 and sunny. Uh, tomorrow we are supposed to have a snow storm and then. Wednesday it's supposed to be nice and warm and sunny. 

[00:01:34] So I'm hoping that we're like, we're starting to have more like nice days in a row and so I'm like, oh, this would be so nice and I, I will remind myself of this when it's the dead heat of summer and it's like a hundred degrees and I want to. Crawl into an ice bath. But for now, like I just, I love spring. 

[00:01:57] I love spring and I love fall. And I think it's because I just love the changing of seasons. It feels very like, like a time of renewal. To me it feels like kind of like a fresh start, uh, kind of a reset, just like new year and. Spring. Just, it's just, it's so nice you guys know that. Um, a lot of people really like to do spring cleaning and really like, totally clear out their house and make it feel fresh and, uh, that it's that clean slate, right? 

[00:02:28] And so. I'm just, I'm excited that it's starting to get that way. I feel like by the end of winter I just start getting grumpy. Like, and, and, and it used to be way worse when I lived in Michigan. Like I grew up in Michigan. I lived there until I was 23, I think that's when I moved out to Colorado. And here in Colorado it's cold in the winter and it snows, but like it'll snow and then the next day the sun will come out and all the snow will be gone. 

[00:02:59] Most of the time, this winter's been a little weird snow stuck around a lot longer this winter than it ever has in the almost 16 years that I've been here. Uh, so I just, it's, it's funny, but I'm just, I'm ready for spring. I'm ready for something new. But I've been feeling kind of grumpy with the cold and the, I just want. 

[00:03:20] Spring, I wanna wear sandals and I want summer soon and I wanna, you know, have the girls outta school and take them to the pool all the time and stuff like that. So I'm excited. But in April, um. I have my birthday, so I'm not a big birthday person. Like my, my husband is like a major birthday person and if we could celebrate his birthday for the entire month, he would be good with that. 

[00:03:48] And my girls are the same way. I'm just kinda like me. It's kind of cool, but I, I just have never. I've just never really been a big celebrator of my own birthday, but what I wanted to do today's episode on again, of course, as always, it's not gonna be like a super long thing. I get asked often around Christmas time, and then when people find out it's my birthday on Instagram, they will say like, what do you ask for for your birthday because you don't like, want extra stuff, right? 

[00:04:22] And. That's true. Like that has definitely shifted for me over the years. And I don't, like, I am not like putting a Amazon wishlist out for the world to see like I, but if somebody asks me, like my mom, um, or my husband or my kids or my mother-in-law, like if they ask me what I want for my birthday, which they all do, they all ask for ideas, uh, because I'm kind of a hard person to buy for. 

[00:04:51] So I have to come up with some ideas every year, um, because it's frustrating for everyone involved that doesn't want ideas if I can't come up with ideas. So I have, that's shifted over the years. Like I used to always say, I want clothes, I want, um, like jewelry. I would like, like it, I just wanted stuff and. 

[00:05:17] Sometimes that's true. Now, sometimes I still do want stuff that's like going to be helpful for me or my business or anything like that, but most of the time I think of different types of things. I try to think of things that would be very useful for me, like something that I think about like, oh, I would love if I had that often throughout the day or the week of the month or the year. 

[00:05:41] I also think about experiences, uh, that's like a big one for me, or things that can help me in my health. Like I, I'm getting older. Um, I turned 39 this year, which is wild to me because, okay. Tell me if this is anybody else. I still feel like my brain is still stuck at like 16, 17, 18 years old for whatever reason. 

[00:06:08] Like I just, if I think about, if someone's like, oh, how old are you? Like, my first thought is not 38. My first thought is like, I still feel stuck as like a teenager. Why is that? Is that weird? Is that abnormal? I don't know. Like I've talked to a couple friends that that feel similarly. Like they're like, I wonder if it will always be this way. 

[00:06:31] Like you just kind of always feel like you're young, even if your bodied, even if your body doesn't feel young. I don't know. Is this a thing? I don't know. Anyway, I don't even know where I was going with that. Basically I turned 39 this year. Um, and I like my health is more and more important to me. It should have always been important to me, and on some level it always has been. 

[00:07:00] But I think I'm just more aware my, so my dad passed away when he was in his late forties. And I think just knowing I'm almost to 40 and like, almost to like the decade that he passed away in, in his life. Um, I think it's just kind of a reminder. I don't know, I don't wanna say it's, it's not like this thing where I'm like, oh, that's probably when I'll go too. 

[00:07:28] It's just, it's, it's in my brain as like. Hey, you may not live until you're like 90 years old, and so take care of your freaking body, right? Like take care of your body, take care of your brain. Um, and so I cannot for the life of me, remember if I have ever talked about this on the podcast before or if I've even done a whole episode, but I am seeing a functional medicine doctor right now to try and get to the root of. 

[00:07:58] Just a bunch of symptoms, but a lot of inflammation and just things that have been kind of bothering me for years now, but have like escalated in the past year or so. And so I'm just more aware overall of my health. And so that was a very long explanation to say that like I try to think of gift ideas for things that could help me improve my health. 

[00:08:26] Like for Christmas, I asked for a, uh, Fitbit. I don't, I've thought about doing an Apple watch, but I also don't know if I want, like, everything on my phone accessible to me on my wrist. I think it'll be, I think I will be just, I have a harder time breaking like any social media. You know, I don't even, is social media even on your Apple Watch? 

[00:08:50] I don't know, but I think I'll have a harder time like putting my phone away if I, if it's on my wrist, if that makes sense. Um, so I asked for a Fitbit, which I've been wearing, um, because I wanted to be more cognizant of how much I'm just moving throughout the day. Like, I, I just, I can be very sedentary if I don't purposely make myself move. 

[00:09:13] Um, and that's because. Five days of the week, my kids are at school and I'm sitting at home and I'm working. So most of that time I'm either like on my couch, working on my laptop or at my desk, working at my laptop or my phone. And that's a lot of sitting, like, I'm not like a, I don't, I don't have a job that, uh, requires me to be walking around or moving my body. 

[00:09:37] And so I have to be really present to that idea. I have to like. Encourage myself to walk. And so I thought that a Fitbit might be helpful because I'm a very competitive person and I was right. Um, it has helped me up my activity levels and just, I'm not talking about like, I'm not like doing some crazy workouts every day. 

[00:09:59] I just walk. I just walk more. Um, and I think that's really good for me and I think it's good for my body and my anxiety and just, um, being outside. And so. That's been really good for me. So that's an example. But so when I'm looking at my birthday and I've already, you know, my mom asked me what I would like for my birthday, and my husband asked what I would like. 

[00:10:21] I wanted to come up with a couple of ideas for them, and so. One of the ideas is to have my car detailed. I have wanted to have my car detailed for years, and I always thought it was like this crazy expensive thing to do, and it is expensive. Like I found someone that comes to your house and does it like in your driveway, and it's, I, I'm blanking on the actual price. 

[00:10:48] I think it was like one 60 or something. To do the interior, which is the, that's what I want is the interior. So yes, that is expensive, but honestly, like I went to the car wash the other day and it, that was crazy expensive just to go through a car wash. So, uh, I was like, you know, this would be amazing. Um, we don't make. 

[00:11:11] My kids don't eat in the car as much as they used to because we live much closer to school. Like a lot of times if they're like, can I have a snack? I just say, no, wait till we're home. Um, because, but they're also six and nine and so they're not like toddlers that are going to screen their heads off if I don't give them a snack. 

[00:11:30] So I just, I feel like now that they are out of like toddlerhood and really messy times. Now is the time to get my car detailed and get it like brand new, like all the teeny tiny potential goldfish crumbs that are like somewhere underneath the seat. Like I just want it. I want a fresh start inside my car. 

[00:11:57] Um, so that is something I think my mom is just going to just give me money towards it because it is, it is pricey. But then that'll be so nice to have done, especially now that it's spring and it's a fresh start. And then I will have my car that, um, is detailed. And for those of you who have been around for a while, la I don't know if it was last summer or the summer before, but my, um. 

[00:12:21] Okay. I went to McDonald's. I got two happy meals for my kids. I brought them into the house. They ate 'em. Yay. All is good. We got sick that night, not from the Happy Meals. It was like a respiratory virus, and we ended up being so sick that. We did not like, I did not leave the house for an entire week. My car was in my garage for an entire week, and when I came out to use my car, I realized that I had left their chocolate milk from their Happy Meals in the car, and they spoiled. 

[00:12:55] And you guys spoiled rotten milk smell, you know, is terrible. But inside a closed, sealed car. The worst smell and so hard to get out. Uh, it had spilled a little bit because it had like. Spoiled and rotted it. Oh my gosh. I, you guys, I can't even handle it. Like the, the seal broke and so like, it, like poured, it, like dripped out. 

[00:13:23] It didn't pour out, dripped out into the floor and I actually contacted someone to see like how, like a car detailer, how to get the. Smell out. And he was like, you just have to really, like you have to shampoo it and blah, blah, blah. And he is like, but I'm not gonna lie. Like even doing that is probably not gonna get the smell out. 

[00:13:43] Like it's just gonna take time. That's a really tough smell to get out. And I posted on Instagram and you guys are the ones who helped me figure out what to do. And I think what ended up finally doing it was putting ground coffee. In like an open container underneath the car seats for, I think I did it for two weeks every night. 

[00:14:06] Like I didn't drive around with it 'cause I was worried I would slam on the brakes and it would go everywhere. But I did, I had them under the car seat all night long for two weeks and then I also got those. Charcoal filter, things that they look like bean bags, um, but they're charcoal, I guess, inside of them. 

[00:14:26] And, um, I put those under the seats also and just left them in there full time. And then I always had my windows down as much as possible. And that's what finally got the smell out. Um, just a pro tip. If you ever, if you ever asked to leave chocolate milk in your car for a week in the summer, then those are the things that I would recommend. 

[00:14:48] But all that to say, um, that guy was helpful. So I'm going to have him detail my car and I'm really excited about it. The other things that I am asking for for my birthday are a massage. Um, I would just. I love to get a massage. I also am asking to get my, like a gift card to get my nails done. I haven't done that in forever. 

[00:15:13] Um, and that's one of those things that I just have a hard time spending my money on probably 'cause I don't. I don't enjoy the actual experience of having my nails done, but I really like having them done. Like I just feel more put together when I do have them done. But knowing like that I have to go and sit in a nail salon that gives me like the smell gives me a headache and I have to sit there and have someone touching my hands for an hour and a half, like. 

[00:15:41] That prevents me from doing it. So sometimes if I have a gift card, then I will go, and then I will feel much better and I will just feel more put together and, and all will be well. And side note, ps I don't expect all of these. I don't expect any of these. I just, I like to give several different ideas at several different price points too. 

[00:16:04] Um, I mean, it's my mom and it's my husband, so I kinda know like what they are spending. So that helps me. But at the same time, like if I didn't know that, then I like to give different price points, just like we've talked about before. If you have not listened to the episode about. Um, please go back and listen to that. 

[00:16:23] We'll put that in the show notes. Um, but that is all about how to talk to, like family members who buy your kids toys all the time, and how to talk to them about experience type gifts and how, how to make that simple for them and for you. And I talk a lot in there about how it's important to give different price points because you don't wanna discourage someone from giving a experienced gift. 

[00:16:48] Just because it sounds like it's too expensive. So keep that in mind too. But I just like to give a couple or, or like a variety of ideas because it's helpful to my mom, it's helpful to my husband to have some things to choose from. Um, plus then there's like a tiny bit element of surprise. 'cause it's not, you know, they're, I'm not just giving them one thing. 

[00:17:09] So all that to say, I don't expect any of this. I don't expect all of it. It's just. Just ideas. The other two things that I um, put on my list was a rebounder. You guys, have you seen these? I mean, it's a tripling, that's all it is, but, um, they're like. Small trampolines. Um, the one I want has like a handle on it. 

[00:17:32] So, 'cause I have terrible balance at times, but it's a way to, again, move your body. So I'm excited about this. I honestly, like, I only found out about this because of TikTok, like, which is like 90% of the thing, the way I find out about things. There are apparently a lot of really cool rebounder like dance type. 

[00:17:55] Workout things on YouTube and um, I see some people just do it while watching tv and you just, like, you literally just bounce on this like small trampoline, but it's supposed to have a lot of health benefits and I'm not, I don't really know everything about that. I just know that it's a really good way and it looks kind of like an easy, simple way to be able to move my body more. 

[00:18:19] So that's, um, that, and then the last thing is. Any Broadway ticket. So, um, last year I had a season, uh, I think they call it subscriber, basically like season tickets to Broadway shows, um, at the Denver Center Performing Arts. And it was wonderful. It was so amazing. I really, really, really love live theater like that. 

[00:18:46] Uh, and, and I just don't, I never go. And so the, this. Subscriber thing was really nice. However, I just, I didn't go to a lot of them because. I was sick or I was home with sick kids, or, uh, just, you know, things came up like weather, like there was a blizzard one time. And so it was hard. But I really, there are several shows that are coming this year that I really, really, really wanna see. 

[00:19:16] The Book of Mormon, um, is probably the top of my list, so that, again, I put on the list because it's just something that I really enjoy doing. And, and it's an experience, right? So everything here is either. An experience or something that's going to be helpful. Car detailing is going to just be helpful in my daily life, right? 

[00:19:37] It's not adding stuff into my life. Broadway ticks, uh, is a experience. It's gonna be a fun thing that I can go with my husband or a friend, and it's an experience that I will love. And think about forever because I, when I go to a Broadway show, I am like so sucked in that. Like that's all I could think about for the next week. 

[00:19:58] And I feel like, I know, I feel like I know the actors and like their character and everything. I just, I get so into it. Um, the rebounder is a physical item, but it is something that I think will help me in my goals with just being a overall. Healthier person. And then the massage. And massage is an experience, but also good for my wellbeing and nails is not good for my wellbeing. 

[00:20:25] Well, maybe, right? Like I feel more put together when I have them. So it could be, but um, it's not adding more things to my life. It's really an experience. So I hope this was helpful for you. I don't know if it was, but I just thought it would be kind of cool to walk through my thought process on. If someone's like, Hey, I need a gift idea, please gimme a gift idea how I think about that, instead of being like, oh, here's this list of like stuff from Amazon that is going to become junk in two months. 

[00:20:57] So I hope this is helpful. I will see you. Next week, uh, for the next episode. Thanks for hanging out and listening to the Decluttered Mom podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world if you could write a review or share this episode with a friend or your Instagram stories. And if you're on Instagram, be sure to follow me at the Decluttered Mom and send me a DM to say hi. 

[00:21:22] I'd love to hear what you thought about today's episode. I hope you'll come back next week and hang out with us again.