Paperless Princess

Welcome To Paperless Princess!

Hi! My name is Christine, I’m a mom of a little girl who drove me crazy enough to throw everything out. My story starts back when I was a teen. I always felt on the edge of technology, at 17. The year was 2004, I was in my senior year, I bought an all in one printer/scanner/copier. I was so proud! I finally had what I wanted, A laptop and a printer/scanner. I was a woman on a mission! (more like a girl, but I don’t like using that word around here.) I scanned all my high school notes, ripped up all my notebook and saved everything on a thumb drive. When I was done, I had a huge pile of garbage and I felt free!

Backup two years earlier. I was 15 years old, sophomore year of high school.

I had my own office! My father recently moved his office to the basement for more real estate, and I transformed the attic breezeway into my office.  I though I was cool, I had my own old crappy computer from 1995. It even had a password on it. I though I had privacy and freedom. I felt that I could do anything I wanted to.  Moreover, I was so happy I had bookshelves and a filing cabinet! I went crazy! I moved half my room into this little breezeway. I stacked all my books and binders on the shelves. I decorated with all my little knickknacks.

I created files for all my old notes, old tests and paperwork that came home from school. Everything had a place, I felt like I had a huge weight lifted off of me. So much so that I started to sleep again, for the first time in years. I was suffering from major insomnia and stress. Too much stress, too much on my plate, too little time, feelings of anxiety and pressure always looming over me. Worse, my best friend lived an ocean away. I felt alone. Yet, my stuff kept me company. Except, all that junk didn’t make for a good roommate. I felt choked and even more stressed, not to mention that I had anxiety and couldn’t sleep. Then, I started to do research. I know the term research as a high school student sounds repulsive. Yet, when you research what you find interesting you start to enjoy it. When half the contents of my room left my direct space and I could close the door, I felt better. The anxiety went away. Sleep returned to me. I was able to get on my feet, be proud of my accomplished school work. For the first time in my life I started to get A’s. Except math, we have a love hate relationship.

At 15, I felt as though I started to learn who I was, what made me tick. I also had health issues. I found myself physically hurting. and I kept looking for answers. I never stopped looking for answers. I found the answers in my research. At 15, I was just a child. I knew nothing. And yet, I started to find answers. I found sleep study journals, research on fibromyalgia, how CFS affects your body. I started to change. I started to look around myself and make those changes physical. My bedroom became my sanctuary. Nothing that stressed me out entered.

My rule of thumb was simple. Only soft items. I never brought books or papers into my room. I had an office for God’s sake! And I was going to use it. I kept, stuffed animals, cloths, blankets and pillows in my room, with some candles. Nothing else. And it felt great. I threw out most of my furniture, put everything into my closet and even got rid of my bed frame (cause it broke). Minimalism wasn’t a thing back then, but it felt good to be so minimalist. Except for the fact that I was actually hiding all my stuff, in another room.

at 17, I scanned and shredded all my papers, as a one time fix,

at 18 I moved to college with all my stuff… God knows I couldn’t leave it behind. Then after one semester moved it all to my boyfriends house.

at 19, I moved back home.

at 20, I got my own apt! and all my stuff moved with me again.

at 22, I was pregnant, moved into my daughter’s fathers house, again with ALL my stuff, because I was not leaving it behind. Scanned all my paperwork as a permanent routine.

at 24, I moved back home with a 2 year old and so much garbage!

By the time 25 came, I lost my cookies! I threw out everything, over 500 books, over 75 bags (30Gal) full of cloths, I threw out all my holiday decorations and any other thing, that made me sick. I left all my daughter toys at her father’s house. My ex kept the furniture. I was back in that little room, this time with more stuff that ever. It took, my bedroom, the breezeway, my brothers room, and the WHOLE HUGE dining room! I kept on throwing everything out. I was left with cloths, some toys, personal care items, and a bed. that was the total of all my belongings at 25, We moved from my parents after 1 year of purging all the excess and moved into a 1 bedroom basement apartment. Just our cloths, 1 bed, and a few toys.

It took me 10 years to get here, welcome to paperless princess!