A Simpler Life 2018

dND

Mrs_Salad_Dodger wrote: »

Simplifying means different things to different people - for me it is decluttering - leading to everything in its place, redecorating & fully cleaning. Then I can bake to my hearts content, go off on mini breaks with my DH, visit friends & family in the knowledge that we will come back to a home we love

It is surprising how encouraging it is to list what goes out :j One option is to start small - clear a table & then keep it clear - sometimes easier said than done :eek: or make sure you deal with your post immediately - sit down with a cup of tea & deal with the post - pay the bills, reply to invitations, file info, recycle/shred envelopes etc. (For me it is an easily achievable win :T )
MrsSD

That's where I'm at It's amazed me how much my goals have changed as I've (slowly) decluttered. Rather than being overwhelmed by everything around me I've had a chance to think about what I'd really like to do rather than what I have to do. Once you find that, it's far easier to let go of the items that no longer fit into your future world.

I still have more overwhelming clutter to deal with though, my craft items still have to be done! :eek: :rotfl:

Jonesy88

Hello everyone :wave:

Regarding present progress - I have seen a pair of nice smart work boots that my dad can get me and my mum is giving me euros as DH and I are going away for my 30th. She says she'd rather I enjoy myself there

The lady organising my work collection has given me the heads up she's open to influence for my "surprise", so progress made!

Regarding a puppy vs "simple life" - my thoughts for a simpler life is to remove things that do not add value or enjoyment - whether that be clutter or a mortgage! We have a dog and he certainly enriches our lives.

RicardaRacoon

Evening everyone

Elmer, soudns great with the pup, a reason to get out and someone to keep you company!

Had a rather busy week, came home round 8 two nights (and went more or less straight to bed...) and shortly before midnight on two others... So I didn't do much besides sleeping.... Yesterday afternoon and today I ran some errands and then it was my grannys birthday lunch. It was quite nice to have a decent family gathering again and there was so much to laugh about! My granny turned 87 and my great aunt is 82 and very proud of her age and the fact that she is a great-grandmother and keeps talking about people who have already died... Grannys comment: "Oh, wait till you are 87!"

When I came home I knitted for half an hour and then decluttering madness set in :-)
I wanted to declutter my office / craft room for quite a while but I have a lot of things I could in theory still use, like stacks of notepaper or coloured folders and I somehow have a problem binning them... But I decided that if and when I need it again it costs me pennys to get new ones. Besides, I had tons of A6 notepaper - don't ask me where it came from - which I find too small and unhandy... So I sent quite some paper stuff flying, sorted through my greeting cards - lots of envelopes without matching cards... - and found that I have 15! spare rolls of sticky tape! Also sorted out some photographs and only kept about half of them and they will go to the basement into a box with other photographs and things my mother kept from my childhood. I now have lots of space on my shelfes!
Plus I ordered a small and inexpensive shredder and so a big box of old bills and stuff will go as well as soon that one arrives.
And then all I will have to do is finally get some curtains. Plan on getting some at IK!!!8364;A and ask my Mum to shorten them.

As well as decluttering I feel I have done quite well with the things I allowed into my life in the last months. I spent some money on virtual things that don't clutter up my space like a subscription to The British Newspaper Archives and a knitting pattern that I printed out and binned once the project was done. The only physical things I got - besides stocking up on cosmetics - were a nail polish, a book (which wasn't as good as expected, so it will most likely leave again soon...) and a rather expensive but really nice fountain pen which I got with my birthday money from my parents. I wanted a fountain pen for years, ever since the one I got from my godfather when I was small broke...

The next thing I will do is sorting through my wardrobe and make it fit for spring... I long for nice spring shoes, but then I do have nice shoes and am taking part in a fashion on the ration challenge and am just not willing to fritter away 5 points (of 66...) on a pair of unneccessary shoes...
Plus since I walk home for half an hour each evening I need shoes that are ok to walk over a gravel path without falling over as I don't really want to carry a pair of plimsolls into work to change...

So, I am off to bed with a cuppa, some chocolate and "The Gurnsey Literate and Potato Peel Pie Society". Knitting group tomorrow morning in case I feel like it.

Have a nice evening everyone!

RicardaRacoon

I can't stop decluttering... Since my last post I have sorted through my stitching stuff, random sewing bits, all the christmas stuff, my stationery, shoes and some other random bits and bobs. I went through all my cross stitching magazines and only took out the bits I might still need. I don't really stitch anymore, but feel an itching for it lately, so it is quite likely that I will go back to it one day so I kept all the pattern for greeting cards that I liked and binned the rest.
Plus I have put all the photographs from my phone onto my computer and sorted it out and then deleted the excess on my phone. I take a lot of photos, but some are also just a little reminder to myself instead of writing stuff down but then forget to delete them once I don't need them anymore...

I don't know why I have suddenly caught the decluttering bug after I thought about it for weeks but never really felt like acutally doing it. After all I longed for a lazy weekend and the weather doesn't really put anyone in the mood for spring cleaning... But I guess I just declutter to keep myself busy and not think anxiety-related-thoughts...

Jonesy88

RicardaRaccon - what's the fashion on the ration challenge?

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

I can't stop decluttering... Since my last post I have sorted through my stitching stuff, random sewing bits, all the christmas stuff, my stationery, shoes and some other random bits and bobs. I went through all my cross stitching magazines and only took out the bits I might still need. I don't really stitch anymore, but feel an itching for it lately, so it is quite likely that I will go back to it one day so I kept all the pattern for greeting cards that I liked and binned the rest.
Plus I have put all the photographs from my phone onto my computer and sorted it out and then deleted the excess on my phone. I take a lot of photos, but some are also just a little reminder to myself instead of writing stuff down but then forget to delete them once I don't need them anymore...

I don't know why I have suddenly caught the decluttering bug after I thought about it for weeks but never really felt like acutally doing it. After all I longed for a lazy weekend and the weather doesn't really put anyone in the mood for spring cleaning... But I guess I just declutter to keep myself busy and not think anxiety-related-thoughts...

RicardaRacoon, well done:j:j You should be very proud of yourself :T :T
When the decluttering bug takes hold, milk it for all it is worth :rotfl: as quite often it vanishes as quickly as it appears I can have a burst of activity & then get sidetracked & not quite finish but I am getting better at starting & finishing whichever project I have on the go. I need to remember the warm glow when a decluttering project is fully completed :rotfl: & the adage of “eating the elephant” :rotfl:

The thing to remember is your end goal - A Simpler Life

Thank you for posting as well - it is a big encouragement to me to get on with it

MrsSD

PollyWollyDoodle

Jonesy88 the 'Fashion on the Ration' is here - trying to buy only what you'd have been able to get with clothing coupons. Second hand clothes are 'free'.

balabooberlies

Hello everyone
New on here but am sure that I read on this thread about a lovely baked bean soup. Just cannot find it.

Can anyone help ?

SuperMoose

balabooberlies wrote: »

Hello everyone
New on here but am sure that I read on this thread about a lovely baked bean soup. Just cannot find it.

Can anyone help ?

Recipe here posted by MrsLurcherwalker
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=73726572&postcount=729

balabooberlies

Oooohhhhh
Thank you so much. Have been thinking about this soup for a long while as I normally have all the ingredients in stock. Will let you know how I get on.