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A Simpler Life 2018

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  • dolly84
    dolly84 Posts: 5,851
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    Another bag sat in my hallway for donation and a ton of stuff listed for sale yesterday. You would think by now we would have nothing left but no we still have plenty but I can see improvement now.
    Debt Free and now a saver, conscious consumer, low waste lifestyler


    Fashion on the Ration 28/66
  • I can't resist. " Swedish Death Clean " great name for Goth band!

    Sounds like a more 'me' type of approach than Marie Kondo. I got as far as kondoing my knickers, but then got depressed by the thought that her's probably took up one tenth of the space mine were.

    I have just re homed a VHS player that has been reproaching me for years. Never played anything on it. Since digital switch over couldn't use to record anything. Then bought a new TV which didn't have a scart socket. When I finally did try it in a different TV, the quality of the tapes were really bad compared to what we are now used to.
    Listed it free on Facebook Market place and someone collected it for his grandad. Apparently grandad had gone to Currys to buy one and the lad serving didn't even know what he was talking about.
    Now just the tapes to get rid of. Very reluctant to send for landfill.
    I'm finding the children's old things difficult to part with. Also the stuff I've always meant use but not yet got round to. Sort of admitting defeat.
    I have however managed to cull a of of sewing stuff and got it all into one box. So no more hunting for a needle in be place an thread in another. No excuse now for my sewing buttons back on immediately!
  • Please may i also join this lovely thread? I have been reading along for a few weeks but not fully caught up yet, so thought i had better post now or it will be 2019 before i catch up and get round to posting! You are all such giving, knowledgeable and inspiring people and there is a lot of good motivation and many useful ideas on this thread.

    There are a few steps i want to take this year around simplifying life - some maybe not directly simplifying, but leading me more in the direction of the life i want to lead. Mainly it's about work-life balance and eating better, but i am hoping we will be able to save a little more this year by doing things like making rather than buying gifts and clothes, and cooking from scratch more. My current list is:
    • Be stricter with myself about work times. This is something i really struggle with as i mostly work at home, so i get distracted suring the day and end up working late into the evening. I plan to try using a timer and set a schedule of 1 hour's work followed by 10-15mins household task/s as a 'break'.
    • Connected to this is to try and keep evenings (when i'm not specifically out at a job) free to spend time with my OH or sewing/crafting.
    • I'm setting a goal to try to hand-make all gifts this year except where something specific is requested (eg SIL tends to ask all family members to contribute to a 'big' present for our neices' birthdays, this ensures they get something really useful and i am happy to support it). I also want to make some gloves/scarves/decorations etc in advance so i have a stockpile for times when life gets in the way. This goal might not simplify life as such but it should push me to spend more time crafting, which i love.
    • Eat more vegetables and less processed stuff. Again not simplifying as such but making our lives better. It can be a struggle as OH has various issues around food, but there are plenty of healthy things he is ok with so i need to ensure we always have these in stock and make more from scratch. I am currently experimenting with hummus as so far he has hated all my homemade attempts! I also would like to grow some veg - managed salad in pots last year but everything else i tried was a disaster, will try planting earlier this year and steer clear of coriander as it seems to be a greenfly magnet!
    • The final thing will hopefully be acheived very soon - to declutter and properly organise my workspace/sewing room. It has been a junk room since we moved in two years ago as everywhere else has been prioritised. I am in the process of ebaying some large furniture to get it out of the way, then i have some nice new to me wooden drawers (free) and a simple wooden dresser (second hand, covered by the sold furniture) coming to helop me organise the space. A lot of carp needs to go but i am really looking forward to sorting through it now, and looking forward to having a comfortable work and crafting space.
    Sorry for the massive essay! Retreating back to lurkdom now, i will update you on my progress with my work room once there has been some :)


    dND wrote: »
    Jumping back to the comments on dishwashers; I'm all in favour of them but I live on my own so no longer have the 'arguments' over dishwasher stacking - "why've you moved what I put in, I can never get it right" comments which were really an excuse not to have to do it. No matter of explaining, that neither he nor I could see into the future so know the best way to stack that current load, was accepted :(

    This made me chuckle! My OH now refuses to put anything in the dishwasher because 'there's no point in the work being done twice' (ie i once moved something he'd put in). Nothing to do with the fact that it makes his life easier to just leave it all on the side...:rotfl:
  • jackyann
    jackyann Posts: 3,433 Forumite
    Welcome! I have a butterbean version of hummus that you might like.
    Gently fry a chopped onion in rapeseed oil ( or whatever) while doing that, cut a lemon in half and put cut sides down in the pan. When golden, take off the heat, and stir in a teaspoon of cumin.
    Drain and rinse a tin of butter beans, squeeze the juice out of the lemon, and add any of the soft pulp that is easy to get out. Put in a blender with the onion and oil. Add salt, pepper, paprika to taste.
    Good luck with the workroom
  • xhosa9
    xhosa9 Posts: 42 Forumite
    jackyann wrote: »
    Welcome! I have a butterbean version of hummus that you might like.
    Gently fry a chopped onion in rapeseed oil ( or whatever) while doing that, cut a lemon in half and put cut sides down in the pan. When golden, take off the heat, and stir in a teaspoon of cumin.
    Drain and rinse a tin of butter beans, squeeze the juice out of the lemon, and add any of the soft pulp that is easy to get out. Put in a blender with the onion and oil. Add salt, pepper, paprika to taste.
    Good luck with the workroom

    That sounds delicious, will definitely have to give it a go.

    I love adding a preserved lemon instead of salt and lemon juice to my homemade hummus. Pinch of sumac or homemade dukkah also livens it up.

    I've also started making a low calorie alternative to hummus by mixing the tahini with 0percent Greek yoghurt and a few spices instead of chickpeas..

    Just had breakfast and ready for dinner already now! Fortunately falafels etc. Is already on the menu.:T
  • xhosa9 wrote: »
    That sounds delicious, will definitely have to give it a go.

    I love adding a preserved lemon instead of salt and lemon juice to my homemade hummus. Pinch of sumac or homemade dukkah also livens it up.

    I've also started making a low calorie alternative to hummus by mixing the tahini with 0percent Greek yoghurt and a few spices instead of chickpeas..

    Just had breakfast and ready for dinner already now! Fortunately falafels etc. Is already on the menu.:T

    Just another hummus idea. I don't like tahini so I make hummus with peanut butter instead. There are a few different recipes online for how to make it this way. Not low calorie though :)

    Can I please ask about dukkah? I have just looked it up to see how it is made. How would you eat it - as a topping, or seasoning? Thanks
  • RainbowHippie
    Your workroom sounds like it will be great. I always end up doing everything on the dining table!!
    A bit of grin and bear it, a bit of come and share it
    You're welcome we can spare it, yellow socks
  • carolbee
    carolbee Posts: 1,702
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    Just another hummus idea. I don't like tahini so I make hummus with peanut butter instead. There are a few different recipes online for how to make it this way. Not low calorie though :)

    Can I please ask about dukkah? I have just looked it up to see how it is made. How would you eat it - as a topping, or seasoning? Thanks

    How spooky, was just going to look for dukkah recipes! Had some on holiday, seems to be hazelnuts, herbs etc. we had it sprinkled on salad, but I’m planning to use n some of our butternut squash glut.
    Carolbee
  • jackyann wrote: »
    Welcome! I have a butterbean version of hummus that you might like.
    Gently fry a chopped onion in rapeseed oil ( or whatever) while doing that, cut a lemon in half and put cut sides down in the pan. When golden, take off the heat, and stir in a teaspoon of cumin.
    Drain and rinse a tin of butter beans, squeeze the juice out of the lemon, and add any of the soft pulp that is easy to get out. Put in a blender with the onion and oil. Add salt, pepper, paprika to taste.
    Good luck with the workroom

    Sounds delicious.:) I love that type of thing with crackers.
  • Dukkah is used as a dip. Good bread first dipped in good olive oil is then dipped into the bowl of dukkah which sticks to it. I've usually been offered it as a starter, it's yummy eaten like that.
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