A Simpler Life 2018

frankiedarv

Dusting is my least favourite thing too, so maybe you should come round and dust for all of us who are not keen on it.

Francesxx

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Hi folks,

Still decluttering & decorating. The new cs ‘I Commnity’ has been a great find :j
They take absolutely EVERYTHING including cleaning cloths, coat hangers, bits of ribbon, bulldog clips, teabags, old calendars - the list goes on :rotfl: They are in the process of starting up Crafting sessions so Paper products, wool, ribbons etc are useful. I clean everything up before I deliver :A

Whenever I go in I ask if there is anything they particularly need & then try to find it among my clutter :eek: - the latest ‘item’ is cleaning products so I will look at my list (have already Kondoed) & will see if I have any duplicates.

However, my Simpler Life will soon become more complicated as my DSis will be moving in - from a large farmhouse with lots of land in France to a small house with a small garden in London :eek: Now Arrival Date is getting nearer & I think we are both beginning to panic a bit She is used to lots of space so you can avoid each other & I am used to just DH & I pottering about. The one good thing is lots of public transport so she can get out & about when she gets fed up with our company - we have family fairly close by & her best friend lives about 40 miles away!

I just need to remember another important part of leading a Simple Life is ‘state of mind’.

To a Simpler Life 2018

MrsSD

White_musk

I absolutely love this thread.

I moved house at the end of January and over the last few years have downsized from a three bed house with huge dining room, loads of storage and a shed to a two bed bungalow with less storage but a shed to now a one bed bungalow with no storage and no shed. Hence I have decluttered and decluttered again to the point where I have very little I don't use or refuse to get rid off. I absolutely love my house and as it's in a beautiful village have the beauty of the countryside right outside of my door, I am so lucky.

I live alone and do cook from scratch every day as I have an autoimmune illness and processed foods tends to make it worse. I share my tiny, cozy abode with two little canine furry paws, one is eleven the other five.

I want to live a simple and dare I say old fashioned style life. I don't need anything really, I have enough of the things I used and to buy more would be simply following fads and I don't want to do that. I know I am also going to need the wonderful support this thread gives so freely to stop me buying and upping the clutter, spending money I could save for something better and to give me tips on how I can simplify my entire life.

I'm retired and a widow so no job to distract me and take up time I want to spend on other things. I'm really looking forward to reading more of the fantastic inspirational posts that abound here.

Wednesday2000

White_musk wrote: »

I absolutely love this thread.

I moved house at the end of January and over the last few years have downsized from a three bed house with huge dining room, loads of storage and a shed to a two bed bungalow with less storage but a shed to now a one bed bungalow with no storage and no shed. Hence I have decluttered and decluttered again to the point where I have very little I don't use or refuse to get rid off. I absolutely love my house and as it's in a beautiful village have the beauty of the countryside right outside of my door, I am so lucky.

I live alone and do cook from scratch every day as I have an autoimmune illness and processed foods tends to make it worse. I share my tiny, cozy abode with two little canine furry paws, one is eleven the other five.

I want to live a simple and dare I say old fashioned style life. I don't need anything really, I have enough of the things I used and to buy more would be simply following fads and I don't want to do that. I know I am also going to need the wonderful support this thread gives so freely to stop me buying and upping the clutter, spending money I could save for something better and to give me tips on how I can simplify my entire life.

I'm retired and a widow so no job to distract me and take up time I want to spend on other things. I'm really looking forward to reading more of the fantastic inspirational posts that abound here.

Welcome!:)

White_musk

Changed my bed and while I was doing it kicked a picture that was down the side waiting to put up. Out it went, no point keeping a picture with a broken frame and glass.

Edit to add: While remaking the bed I decided I had faaaaaaaaar to many pillows that I don't use - bin!

I'm learning.

Lilith1980

White_musk wrote: »

I absolutely love this thread.

I moved house at the end of January and over the last few years have downsized from a three bed house with huge dining room, loads of storage and a shed to a two bed bungalow with less storage but a shed to now a one bed bungalow with no storage and no shed. Hence I have decluttered and decluttered again to the point where I have very little I don't use or refuse to get rid off. I absolutely love my house and as it's in a beautiful village have the beauty of the countryside right outside of my door, I am so lucky.

I live alone and do cook from scratch every day as I have an autoimmune illness and processed foods tends to make it worse. I share my tiny, cozy abode with two little canine furry paws, one is eleven the other five.

I want to live a simple and dare I say old fashioned style life. I don't need anything really, I have enough of the things I used and to buy more would be simply following fads and I don't want to do that. I know I am also going to need the wonderful support this thread gives so freely to stop me buying and upping the clutter, spending money I could save for something better and to give me tips on how I can simplify my entire life.

I'm retired and a widow so no job to distract me and take up time I want to spend on other things. I'm really looking forward to reading more of the fantastic inspirational posts that abound here.

Welcome

I don't know why but I read your post and a real peacefulness came over me. Where you live sounds beautiful and it's great that you have so little to declutter. I'd love a house that's a bit more rural. We have countryside not so far away but to be a bit further away from the hustle and bustle would be lovely.

White_musk

Lilith1980 wrote: »

Welcome

I don't know why but I read your post and a real peacefulness came over me. Where you live sounds beautiful and it's great that you have so little to declutter. I'd love a house that's a bit more rural. We have countryside not so far away but to be a bit further away from the hustle and bustle would be lovely.

Thank you so much Lilith. My story is a bit odd. My family home from when my DH was alive and the children still lived at home is in this village, literally 30 seconds away. I moved away to the nearest city and became so depressed, many, many dark days. I decided I wanted to come back here. The problem was, this village is hugely popular and houses are like hens teeth. Add to that I did want to downsize and have a bungalow I thought I would be waiting forever. I decided in around about May last year I wanted to come back and moved at the end of January. I was so lucky and I know it.

Hugs.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

White_musk wrote: »

Thank you so much Lilith. My story is a bit odd. My family home from when my DH was alive and the children still lived at home is in this village, literally 30 seconds away. I moved away to the nearest city and became so depressed, many, many dark days. I decided I wanted to come back here. The problem was, this village is hugely popular and houses are like hens teeth. Add to that I did want to downsize and have a bungalow I thought I would be waiting forever. I decided in around about May last year I wanted to come back and moved at the end of January. I was so lucky and I know it.

Hugs.

White_musk, I am a great believer in you make your own luck You have decluttered to the point you were able to downsize & I agree with Lilith, your original post did bring a peacefulness - to the soul. It was also inspirational :T

From what you say I cannot see how you can simplify anymore unless you become a nun :rotfl:

I am wondering if you have any tips about decluttering personal mementos? E.g. souvenir books from the opera, Olympic Games, theatre or ticket stubs from rock concerts etc or even certificates from school. My DH & I have no children & nephews/nieces etc aren’t interested (probably have enough of their own ‘toot’)

We have done an initial declutter of clothes but still have way too many casual jackets plus fleeces coming out of our ears :rotfl:

I must admit to loving donating to my local cs - ‘I Community’ they take anything & everything + if the purchaser is local they get a discount on the price. The young people who have started the venture are planning on craft workshops, a small cafe - trying to revive true community spirit in the East End. Their enthusiasm is boundless & gives me hope for the future

Anyway I have wittered on long enough so I will wish you all a good night

MrsSD

White_musk

Mrs_Salad_Dodger wrote: »

White_musk, I am a great believer in you make your own luck You have decluttered to the point you were able to downsize & I agree with Lilith, your original post did bring a peacefulness - to the soul. It was also inspirational :T

From what you say I cannot see how you can simplify anymore unless you become a nun :rotfl:

I am wondering if you have any tips about decluttering personal mementos? E.g. souvenir books from the opera, Olympic Games, theatre or ticket stubs from rock concerts etc or even certificates from school. My DH & I have no children & nephews/nieces etc aren’t interested (probably have enough of their own ‘toot’)

We have done an initial declutter of clothes but still have way too many casual jackets plus fleeces coming out of our ears :rotfl:

I must admit to loving donating to my local cs - ‘I Community’ they take anything & everything + if the purchaser is local they get a discount on the price. The young people who have started the venture are planning on craft workshops, a small cafe - trying to revive true community spirit in the East End. Their enthusiasm is boundless & gives me hope for the future

Anyway I have wittered on long enough so I will wish you all a good night

MrsSD

Hi Mrs SD. I allowed myself one box where all my 'sentimentals' had to live. I chose a medium sized box that would fit on the top of my built in wardrobes. It looked tatty so I bought three seagrass boxes that would fit along the top. One of those I gave to sentimentals but you could use more if you have lots. It means the top of the wardrobe looks 'swish' and I can keep the things that mean something to me. It also meant I had two extra boxes to store bits and bobs. My wardrobes and above them really are the only storage I have. I also had a small two drawer filing cabinet with no where to put it. I popped it into the wardrobe I don't use which means I can store all important paperwork but the filing cabinet is out of the way.

lessonlearned

White musk.....I love it that you are so happy now in your new home. As you know I am on the same journey. I too want a simple and yet fulfilling life. I will always miss my husband of course but I need to build myself a new life.

I read with interest what you have done with filing cabinets etc. You have given me a very good idea. I can probably get away with just keeping one and putting that inside a wardrobe like you have done. The other one can go in the loft for now.

I am having a pergola affair constructed on the back of the house and the pigeonhole type shelving currently in the study can be repurposed to display plants. It will look fab.

So thanks for giving me the ideas.......

I want the study to become a treatment room treatment room to start my little business and what you have said has made me reassess the room which currently is used as a study.

I think I can streamline all my paperwork, find somewhere for the printer, make do with a laptop or even just my iPad and let my son have the desktop pc.

That way I don’t have to lose the guest bedroom. The smaller third bedroom/study would make a lovely treatment room, small and cosy. I already have my couch so it’s not going to cost much to finish the room and get it client ready.

Thanks for helping me with my design dilemna........