A Simpler Life 2018

Primrose · 17 December 2017 at 10:13AM

I think the way to clear the clutter - and believe me, you are already more than halfway on board if you have a partner who's with you, rather than arguing over the fate of every single item you want to clear out - is to break it down in pieces and do one room at a time. Have two bags - one for selling/charity shop, and the other for the tip.

I think you need to feel some satisfaction from doing this exercise and getting one room cleared and sorted probably gives more relief than taking odd items from various rooms where at the end of the day you probably don't notice much difference.

A word of caution though. Last year we sold our holiday flat and disposed of all the furniture but kept some duplicated kitchen equipment items in a box in a loft. I was very glad we did because last week our toaster packed up and we had an immediate spare available, so if there's a realistic chance of something expensive finding a future use, it's probably worth hanging onto, if only to save the inconvenience of having to go out and get a replacement.

villagelife · 17 December 2017 at 10:25AM

Have spent time decluttering the house or at least starting too. It is becoming easier to get rid of the stuff.
For me A simple life means living so I have time and money to enjoy doing things I enjoy. I find gardening improves my mental wellbeing and reduces costs when shoppung. I still have plenty of potatoes, onions, garlic and shallots from the garden and other things have been dehydrated.
We enjoy going out and go to the theatre a few times a year but look for deals on ticket prices but tend to be frugal to pay for it. We are fortunate to have free or very reduced train travel too so will often go to a town or city by train for the day and find free or cheap things to do.

We have a small circle of friends that I feel comfortable with. It tends to take me time to feel comfortable with people as was bullied at school and in more recent years at work though this is improving.

SimpleLiving · 17 December 2017 at 12:02PM

I have been decluttering for a while now. This year I have gone for less Christmas Decorations. I have a tree with a few white baubles and snowflakes and some red berries, a homemade wreath on the front door and a few candles and greenery from the countryside. I have some white lights outside our front living room window. Also a wooden advent train with drawers to put chocs in for my son. Apart from that I don't want much else. Never been a fan of tinsel or plastic stuff. When the decs come down anything I don't love is going in the charity bag.:xmastree::rudolf:

fuddle · 17 December 2017 at 1:01PM

The messiest part of my life is my craft supply storage. My kit is scattered about the understairs cupboard as my house is small. I don't have lots but I have been gradually building over the years.

As I mentioned yesterday I am wanting to make my own clothes when I get to a healthy weight. The thought of enjoying relaxed crafting while trying to find kit, bit by bit, in the cupboard is actually stressing me out.

DH and I have been looking at our bedroom this morning and with a bit of tweaking I can have a small table and wall shelving occupying a slither of wall space.

I'm very excited. I think it will be a small wooden table from IKEA that I will stain with the left over stuff from when we did the fence post mantle. DH will probably make the shelving out of palette wood, again, stained.

I, of course, can't now wait so I'm going to wrap a tube with fabric cut offs to store my crochet hooks is and I'm allowing the family to consume a carton of Pringles just this once as I need a tall one for my knitting needles.

VJsmum · 17 December 2017 at 1:32PM

fuddle wrote: »

The messiest part of my life is my craft supply storage. My kit is scattered about the understairs cupboard as my house is small. I don't have lots but I have been gradually building over the years.

As I mentioned yesterday I am wanting to make my own clothes when I get to a healthy weight. The thought of enjoying relaxed crafting while trying to find kit, bit by bit, in the cupboard is actually stressing me out.

DH and I have been looking at our bedroom this morning and with a bit of tweaking I can have a small table and wall shelving occupying a slither of wall space. I'm very excited. I think it will be a small wooden table from IKEA that I will stain with the left over stuff from when we did the fence post mantle. DH will probably make the shelving out of palette wood, again, stained.

I, of course, can't now wait so I'm going to wrap a tube with fabric cut offs to store my crochet hooks is and I'm allowing the family to consume a carton of Pringles just this once as I need a tall one for my knitting needles.

Worth looking at stools in IKEA, Fuddle, that's what my DD has as a bedside table as it was the only thing there was space for, and even that is sideways on

Primrose · 17 December 2017 at 1:32PM

I think having a hobby which involves needing lots of kit is always frustrating when yiu want to declutter. I think one answer is having a number of those transparent plastic storage boxes with big labels of each lid listing what the box contains. If the boxes are of identical sizes you can slip a decorative cloth over them if you need to keep them in a constantly used room to make them look like a piece of furniture yet everyth8ng is still handy.

The secret is to be disciplined enough to put everything away regularly after use, which is frustrating if you use items regularly but essential for good order if you're really short of space. I think one needs to adopt a “living in a caravan” sort of mentality where every inch of space has to be accounted for and used wisely.

I heard a couple say the other day that the main reason they haven,t downsized from their big house was that they needed the space to store all their possessions! If the cycle of life is to acquire all this stuff in your earlier years and then divest yourself of much of it as you get older, one wonders why we do’t train ourselves to the simple life when younger. I imagine that’s because wisdom, unfortunately, often comes with age, but thinK of the money we would save over the years which might have been put to better use!

maryb · 17 December 2017 at 3:18PM

In my case it was often a question of you buy a lot of stuff for the life you wish you could lead/had the time to lead, but can't because you are working.

Now I'm retired I could do these things but I'm no longer the matriarchal lynchpin of my family with the DDs now grown up. So all the kitchen stuff doesn't get used as much. Not an issue as I'm passing it on to my elder DD who loves cooking. Problems with my eyesight also mean I haven't done as much sewing as I thought I would. But I do occasionally so I'll keep it for as long as it might give me pleasure

But I think circumstances and priorities inevitably change and I feel a bit like Kittie. If you've read the Konmarie thread you will know she is clearing out stuff that no longer has a purpose in her life. And that's OK because it did at the time so no point feeling guilty

fuddle · 17 December 2017 at 3:24PM

In my case it's not been wisdom that has me this way at 38. It's a dire financial mess, having nothing, rebuilding and appreciating while dealing with psychological issues of now not spending money, preparing for financial hard times in the future and an overwhelming need for every possession to be useful and earn it's place in my home.

We've lived in 6 houses over the last 8 years. It takes it's toll and scars mental health but it's all made me a much better person. Living simply rewards in ways a credit card spend just can't. if we can all find our own simple way that feeds our mental health then we're winning huh?

IKEA will have something VJ's and actually I didn't think of a sideways on unit. That could work.

K.Mack · 17 December 2017 at 6:07PM

Last night I was watching you tube videos of the Marie kondo life and minimalism etc.
Something that bothered me was some of things that were being thrown out would have been usable and worth keeping. For instance, a woman had a load of toiletries (I mean a load!) and she BINNED all of them apart from what she was using at the moment. This, to me seems a waste of money when they will clearly be used up. I understand the wants and needs of leading a clutter free life (I'd love it myself) but I really couldn't waste all that money. Some of them could have gone to friends and family or to the likes of a homeless shelter perhaps to reduce some of the stash.
Getting rid of the clutter such as ornaments or getting rid of three too many garlic presses I agree with. I myself have only one of each utensil I use now. Why I thought would I need two mashers I never know :rotfl:
Maybe I'm struggling with the need to simplify and the need to not waste money and the need to have enough stock of things incase of an Apocalypse

Citygirl1 · 17 December 2017 at 6:23PM

I think regarding craft supplies its a question of balance. A lady who goes to one of my craft classes says that she doesn't buy any crafting supplies at all for her home because she doesn't want her son to have to deal with it later in life so she only makes cards at the class and that's it. I think that is rather limiting yourself of a hobby you enjoy to stop clutter. I don't like clutter but have found a way to minimise it with my tower drawer plan. Also in my sideboard is one box of dies and embossing folders, one box of stamps and my die cutting machine, nothing else goes in there and once those boxes are too full to take any more then its time for a sort out

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

A Simpler Life 2018

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free