Congratulations for turning a routine professional assignment into a life-changing experience!! I'm most impressed. If SYC has another incarnation in 2011, your example has inspired me to get on board.

Well Done Laura! I'm so very proud of you for making the 4.5mths and have found your journey very inspirational.

I've rambled here with my insights often enough, so you know this has had a fairly big impact on me. And I didn't even do it as completely as most of you LOL

The biggest thing non-clothes related that I have discovered is my absolute hatred of clutter now! I'm still working through my house - I really only have my craft room and the kids play room to sort through - but I am finding these the most difficult to commit to decluttering...

As far as clothing/fashion goes, I have become so discerning now that its actually nearly impossible for me to find anything i like when I am out shopping!! In the past month, despite trying things on every single time I went near the shops (so say twice a week), I have found a grand total of ONE item worth purchasing.

This has actually re-awakened my desire to sew - I love sewing and have dabbled in it for over 20 years now, but haven't really had time with the girls being little, but now that they are both older and my youngest starts school next year, I'm determined to get back into it - I'm currently perfecting my basic fit pattern (as commercial clothes are very difficult to fit in a way I am happy with, commercial patterns are the same!), so in no time I hope to be whipping up my own fine fashions.

I'm now really looking forward to your household changes Laura - your blog shall remain read by me!!

(Actually, SYC has enabled me to know that i could consider smaller housing next time I need to move too. I have emptied an entire garage full of junk and around 30 large garbage bags from inside the house throughout SYC - and I'm not even done yet!)

So, from the bottom of my heart, Thank You Laura!!

Oh, thank you so much SYCers. It is hugely gratifying to know that people were inspired and made changes of their own. I often wondered if it was worth it - now I read all of your posts and know it was!

Theresa, I love that you want to sew more. That is *exactly* the spirit of SYC. Unfortunately nothing can make me want to sew. Wish you were here to teach me!!

One thing I wanted to mention is that this house move is far from easy. We renovated this house for ourselves for 1 1/2 years before moving in, and our best friend was our builder, and he put way more into it than usual. So we had lots of time and energy invested in building a home for our family, and letting it go was a very hard experience. However, now we accept it, and I hope that someone finds respite here. There is another beautiful home in our future, somewhere.

The other interesting thing is that I have been working on a novel off and on for a couple of years, and this is exactly what happens to the protagonist: she starts cooking from scratch, making her own (pretty wacky) clothes, selling her Range Rover for a beat-up station wagon. I just love my protagonist for the way she throws herself into a new way of living, even though everyone in her wealthy suburb thinks she's certifiable. The similarities only just occurred to me. Life imitates art!

Congratulations on your challenge and this gorgeous boots. The blue ones are so cute I wish you could keep them too. Really enjoyed reading this. If there is a SYC 2011, I think I may need to take part.

Oh, and meant to laugh with Kim at the I Love Lucy episode

There might have been a teeny tiny Zappos order placed a few days ago ...

Ooo put me on the waiting list for your novel Laurel, I have never experienced letting go of a home which you have an emotional attachment to but love that SYC eased this process for you.

I will be very interested to read about the after affects of SYC, will the lessons learned be forgotten or last a lifetime? Will you let the forum know?

Oh Laura sign me up for your novel too!!! That sounds great!

Congratulations to all the SYCers! Fantastic job all around, and it is just so cool to hear how the challenge resonated and made a difference in how you see other parts of your life, too. That's when you know a change is meaningful.

And YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY I got my YLF shopping buddy back!!! I have missed you, Laura! ;-D

LOL Kristen I hope you girls organise a celebratory shopping expedition!!!