A Simpler Life 2018

White_musk

lessonlearned wrote: »

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........

You're more than welcome, that I believe is the beauty of these threads, we all share ideas and it's wonderful.

My bedroom is quite small, big enough for all my furniture and to walk around but little else. I'm a monkey for keeping fancy toiletries given as gifts and displaying them rather than using them. Today I have taken them all out of their boxes, thrown the boxes away and put them in the bathroom to use. The clear surfaces in my room has made it look so much bigger and of course it will now be a doddle to keep clean.The only thing with anything on it is a tiny cupboard in the corner and my bedside cabinet. I really don't think there is anything more I can do in my room now, so am going to close the door there and start on another room. I aim to look at every piece of furniture and surface to see what I can simplify without the house looking bare but easy to keep clean, tidy and clutter free. Then I'm going to do the kitchen cupboards. While I have nothing excessive I am going to look at every single thing I own and if I can't think of a reason to use it at least six times a year, it's out. An example. I have a huge ceramic flan dish, it's a lovely piece and when all the family were still one unit it was used weekly. Now it's only used when I have guests AND make a flan, so not often, so do I really need it? I have just bought a small silicone six holder muffin tray, so all my yorkshire/muffin trays can go. IF I need extra yorkies, I will buy them, it's so rare that keeping the trays is just not a viable use of space. I'm going to do all my cupboards like that.

My poor charity shop/bin men/ tip :rotfl:

White_musk

Forgot to say, when I was sorting out the bathroom putting the toiletries away, I was looking at all my towels. I went through them all. I have a full set of almost brand new ones I've decided to keep for guest use, my two huge bath sheets and two hand towels I use daily and a dozen others are off to the vets.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

White_musk wrote: »

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.

Thank you so much White_musk, what a brilliant idea. I do have several mismatched boxes but once I have sorted the ‘sentimentals’ I will treat myself to some pretty storage & then donate the old boxes to the cs. I am gradually getting into the mindset re sorting the sentimentals but it will have to be put on hold until DSis has moved in.

I did declutter my kitchen cupboards when the new kitchen was fitted, but I do love the idea of looking at every item & deciding if it is going to be used at least six times a year - I can see lots of donations to the cs in my future :rotfl:

Thanks again.

MrsSD

shabbychic12

Just found this thread and am slowly getting upto date with it but just to say l love it. I need to adopt some of the mantras on here just for my own sanity count me in. I know it's a long term thing not a short fix but needs must l think if l'm to survive early retirement. I've decided that the times come for me to look after me and theses ideas people hv had started to inspire me to do more as they say a means to an end.

maddiemay

White_musk wrote: »

You're more than welcome, that I believe is the beauty of these threads, we all share ideas and it's wonderful.

My bedroom is quite small, big enough for all my furniture and to walk around but little else. I'm a monkey for keeping fancy toiletries given as gifts and displaying them rather than using them. Today I have taken them all out of their boxes, thrown the boxes away and put them in the bathroom to use. The clear surfaces in my room has made it look so much bigger and of course it will now be a doddle to keep clean.The only thing with anything on it is a tiny cupboard in the corner and my bedside cabinet. I really don't think there is anything more I can do in my room now, so am going to close the door there and start on another room. I aim to look at every piece of furniture and surface to see what I can simplify without the house looking bare but easy to keep clean, tidy and clutter free. Then I'm going to do the kitchen cupboards. While I have nothing excessive I am going to look at every single thing I own and if I can't think of a reason to use it at least six times a year, it's out. An example. I have a huge ceramic flan dish, it's a lovely piece and when all the family were still one unit it was used weekly. Now it's only used when I have guests AND make a flan, so not often, so do I really need it? I have just bought a small silicone six holder muffin tray, so all my yorkshire/muffin trays can go. IF I need extra yorkies, I will buy them, it's so rare that keeping the trays is just not a viable use of space. I'm going to do all my cupboards like that.

My poor charity shop/bin men/ tip :rotfl:

Hi all, have been lurking, but thought I would just pop my head around the door. Have you tried your your silicon tray yet? I ask because I have RA, my hands are troublesome and I just cannot get on with the silicon moulds as they wobble too much when putting them in and out of the oven and I had to sit them in the metal ones:( also for me (but I am not a good yorkie cook) they do not conduct the heat well enough.) Sadly mine went and the old style ones had to stay:(:(

White_musk

maddiemay wrote: »

Hi all, have been lurking, but thought I would just pop my head around the door. Have you tried your your silicon tray yet? I ask because I have RA, my hands are troublesome and I just cannot get on with the silicon moulds as they wobble too much when putting them in and out of the oven and I had to sit them in the metal ones:( also for me (but I am not a good yorkie cook) they do not conduct the heat well enough.) Sadly mine went and the old style ones had to stay:(:(

Hi Maddie. I used them for the first time yesterday. I usually have berries with Greek yogurt, flaxseed and chia for breakfast but forgot to take the fruit out. I used the tray to make some breakfast muffins (chopped up veg and eggs). I put the muffin tray onto the solid tray that came with the oven. I lifted the whole tray out, eased the silicone one onto the chopping board and it was fine. I have an autoimmne condition and also arthritis so sympathise totally. I will add, my oven is quite narrow so the tray isn't too heavy or cumbersome. It would be fine put into a baking tray and lifted out on that.

LameWolf

maddiemay wrote: »

Hi all, have been lurking, but thought I would just pop my head around the door. Have you tried your your silicon tray yet? I ask because I have RA, my hands are troublesome and I just cannot get on with the silicon moulds as they wobble too much when putting them in and out of the oven and I had to sit them in the metal ones:( also for me (but I am not a good yorkie cook) they do not conduct the heat well enough.) Sadly mine went and the old style ones had to stay:(:(

That's useful info, so thank you for posting. I have toyed with the idea of replacing my aged tins with silicon moulds when I have a little money to spare, but you know what? I don't think I'll bother. It's ten pounds to a dog biscuit I'll have the same difficulties as you with them wobbling, and have to sit them on something else. The old tins are perfectly serviceable, they just don't look pretty (well ok, they look pretty battered )- but when it comes down to it, who cares what they look like? It's the quality of what is cooked in them that matters.

White_musk

LameWolf wrote: »

That's useful info, so thank you for posting. I have toyed with the idea of replacing my aged tins with silicon moulds when I have a little money to spare, but you know what? I don't think I'll bother. It's ten pounds to a dog biscuit I'll have the same difficulties as you with them wobbling, and have to sit them on something else. The old tins are perfectly serviceable, they just don't look pretty (well ok, they look pretty battered )- but when it comes down to it, who cares what they look like? It's the quality of what is cooked in them that matters.

Pretty battered nothing. They look used and appreciated. I only got rid of mine as I now live alone in a vastly downsized house to the family home and want to simplify. I was reading up a little bit on silicone, some people get on with it others don't. I think I'll be fine as long as I always pop a little tray under the silicone or use the tray in the oven.

maddiemay

White_musk wrote: »

Pretty battered nothing. They look used and appreciated. I only got rid of mine as I now live alone in a vastly downsized house to the family home and want to simplify. I was reading up a little bit on silicone, some people get on with it others don't. I think I'll be fine as long as I always pop a little tray under the silicone or use the tray in the oven.

Sounds like you've got it sussed.:D

LW I really wanted them to work, partly because they are so light, but they were not meant for me. Your existing trays obviously have done sterling work for you:D

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Re silicone - I had a silicone cake mould - tried it once & it was way too floppy nearly ended with cake on the floor so eventually donated to cs maybe the next person will have better luck

White_musk - ‘used & appreciated’ :rotfl: I hav quite a few of those :rotfl:

MrsSD