Ecoelle's MFW Diary

ecoelle

Evening all, well first day went OK I think, back again tomorrowfor moreof the same.

Minimalist challenge is going well
3rd Jan = Threw away 3 more bits of old makeup
4th Jan = Threw away 3 free samples of products I don't like and am never going to buy full size...[STRIKE]need to find 1 more item by midnight x[/STRIKE]

1 plastic Spider which had been hanging around since Samhain

ecoelle

Afternoon all, well I've done my surveys and organised a coffee with a friend on Friday. Got to hunt out 5 things to get rid of today.

brizzledfw

Hi

How did the decluttering go?

ecoelle

Morning all,

Thanks for checking in Brizzle It's going OK I I think.
6th Jan = 1 make up brush which has been damaged for ages and I've carried on using even though I had a new undamaged one in my make up bag.
2 Lipsticks which were in an old handbag and smell terrible
3 Hand creams to list on eBay

7th Jan = 7 more beauty products to list on eBay

8th Jan = 2 more beauty products to list on eBay
6 books for the charity shop

So i am starting a pile for tomorrow, I have 5 books so far so I have to find 4 more things to add to the pile for tomorrow.

Other than decluttering I have had a great week at work, really enjoying working in a school again and feeling like I'm actually doing something useful. I have been into town this morning to pick up a few DVD's my hubby ordered using Christmas money so I can add them to consumer pulse now which will earn me another £1.50. Trying to check in with surveys every day so I don't miss any.

On a treat note I have booked in to have my hair cut tomorrow for the first time in about a year. I'm nervous she'll think my hair is awful...which it is...but it makes me feel terrible. It's like cleaning up before the cleaner arrives so she doesn't think you live like a pig...or I assume it is, having never had a cleaner!

Anyway, I'm off to start adding things to eBay and then I'm going to have lunch.

shangaijimmy

Loving the minimalist challenge, and it's a great idea. I also would really struggle once getting to 20 items, but it's a great idea. Big question is how many months do you think you can attack it?

ecoelle

Hello shanga I am just aiming for January right now, and to be honest we've been decluttering for a while so I may not make it all the way through January. It was just a way of focusing myself back onto task.

I have found a local shop having secondhand book sale to raise money for a local cancer support group so I'm going to pop the books down to them tomorrow morning I think.

Found one more thing to add to tomorrows pile, my old staff discount card which is no longer valid now I have left but has been sitting in my purse, so I now need 3more things for tomorrow...

*goes off on a clutter hunt*

ecoelle

Morning all, well had a really good nights sleep last night and feel on it today. Getting ready for a clean up and I'm hoping as I do it I might find a couple more things to get rid of.

I've started listing my stuff on eBay but I am going to start the auctions tomorrow night as I seem to get better bids when the auctions finish Sunday evening. If they all get 1 bid I'll make about £65

ecoelle

Right, found 1 more thing to go, which was a pair of old socks with bad holes in them...why do we all keep them even though we have loads of others without holes?

[STRIKE]Need 2 more things[/STRIKE]...

One book holder opener (damn you secret Santa)
My old name badge from work which has been sitting on my dresser for the past month

OK, so tomorrow I have to find 10 things, hmm, not sure I'm going to do it. I think I may have to get ruthless on the old clothes front and possibly clear out the craft box. I have to stop keeping things 'just in case' especially when they have been in waiting for over a year. The other place which might be a good place to hunt stuff out would be the shed but to be honest if it's raining then the stuff can stay there.

Finished reading Stuffocation last night, I didn't buy it, I borrowed it from the library like a good minimalist would.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stuffocation-Living-More-James-Wallman/dp/0241971543/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452374323&sr=8-1&keywords=stuffocation

It was very interesting and gave me a lot to think about, it also opened up a lot of conversation with my family and friends. Do people view materialistic wealth as equating with happiness? And, if you didn't have a second car, would you need to work? And if you didn't work would you be able to save money on childcare?

Worth a look for anyone interested.

brizzledfw

Keep going:) Great re the new role

You've inspired me..I will find 5 things this eve I think to add to the ongoing January decluttering goal.. (I may decide to raid the kids rooms..surely they will never notice!

ecoelle

Ha ha Brizzle, I keep looking at my hubby's stuff and wondering what I could get rid of without him noticing. He did make me laugh the other week, I had done a proper job on cleaning and decluttering the kitchen, he came in from work and said straightaway how nice it looked, 2 days later he noticed the microwave had gone!

I think the key to decluttering is to keep it continual, decide to do a set amount a day and then get it out of the house ASAP after sorting it. The books I sorted yesterday went to the charity stall today. Otherwise you may just end up moving stuff around and not actually getting rid of it.

10 things tomorrow is going to be tough I think, like I say, I have already done quite a lot before Christmas so I have definitely got rid of a lot of stuff. So far in January it's 45 items in total.