A Simpler Life 2018

simplelivingislandlife

bexster1975 wrote: »

Hello simpllivingislandlife

I love making bread. Do you have a breadmaker? I bought one from eBay three years ago which had only been used once and I use it at least once a week. I think baby steps is a great way to ease yourself back in to simple living. Good luck with your goals.

Bexster

Hello, alas no I don't I tend to make bread by hand so it's always not quite there most of the time, I really need to keep making it so I learn how to make it properly! I also think I might of talked myself into trying out Sourdough this year, mainly because you have to keep feeding it to keep it alive and as such it will hopefully make me bake once a week at least!

fuddle

I do wish I could simplify my mind. I've thoughts about crafts and growing that won't slow down. It's a combination of excitement and frustration because each of those ideas have something from stopping them from happening that are out of my control!

The seed catalogues, list making and sock knitting it is then.

Does anyone else suffer with an excitable mindset? I think I'm struggling with over enthusiasm and need to calm down because it will soon effect my ability to sleep again.

RicardaRacoon

Felt like decluttering when I got up today, so I decided to get rid of 50 things before the new year. Had 45 after less than half an hour, including some books, kitchen stuff and general knick knack. So I guess this was a successfull morning.

Selling my old books is cancelled though. I just added all the books I decluttered today (novels and cookbooks) to a page that buys up used books, but none of the 15 books I added got accepted. Either too old or not worth enough according to them.
One book was a very old ones about roses with beautiful pictures that weren't printed into the book but on seperate sheets and glued in. I have never read the book and don't intend to. So I just removed all the pictures and have now 50 beautiful prints which I will use for birthday cards and that like.

Well Perserved, what a great idea with inviting neigbours! Hope it will be a sucess and I hope the nice neigbours will show up! I guess we all have these people we say hello to but don't really know who they are. A couple of years ago I passed a woman walking into the opposite direction when I walked to the station almost daily and eventually we started to say hello. We did that for more than a year before we met properly one day.

Did some make-doing yesterday, I try to replace things that will end up in the bin with more sustainable options. Cotton rounds got replaced with an old face cloth, cut up into smaller bits. So after removing my make up they can just go into the wash instead of the bin. Wanted to do the same with panty liner, so I found a tutorial online, cut up another face cloth that doesn't look nice anymore and some fabric and there we go, 6 panty liners that can go into the wash after using it.

Flat is clean and tidy and I intend to spend the afternoon knitting, going for a walk and doing some stuff for my sidejob. I am absolutely not feeling guilty for spending my days off doing nothing but meeting family, walking, knitting and doing this and that. Isn't that what holidays are for? Acutally wanted to meet friends, but one is sick and the other one has to work and we eventually found out that she works on every day where I had time to meet her... Well, that is postphoned to January...
THe last couple of years I went into town or the shopping centre at least once between Christmas and New Year, but there is nothing I need, so why should I go?

SimpleLiving

simplelivingislandlife wrote: »

Hello,

Can I pop along to? I am making simple living a proper goal for 2018 and have decided to focus on one thing a week to help me achieve this, I will be doing other things as well Ideally something everyday but as I really don't do anything now, lost all heart and soul in 2017, I need to go slowly. I'm pondering making bread again this weekend for the first time in at least a few years!!!

Welcome! Great name by the way...:D

CRANKY40

I'd like to join in too please. I downsized a lot of our possessions when we moved to this house almost 4 years ago. The previous house was huge (it was cheap and a project when we bought it, no central heating, no kitchen, 1960s bathroom) and by the time I was widowed and decided I needed something smaller there was a lot of "stuff". I promised my son who was 9 at the time that if he missed anything within 3 months of us moving I would replace it. Still waiting.......

We moved here with his bedroom furniture and bedding, a very downsized version of his toys and books, our clothes, two cats and the kitchen stuff. I have bought decent furniture that should last with the money that I made from the move and my car is paid for. i would like to make a positive impact on my savings account this year.

My sister has suggested that we have an "only buy essentials" year starting on the 1st of January, coupled with an attempt by both of us to lose some weight. I would also like to declutter my house a bit more and not replace any of it! I have started decluttering my clothes - my sister visited two weeks ago and took home a suitcase full :rotfl:

I'd throw the tv out if I could but I think that might be a step too far for the HT....

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

simplelivingislandlife wrote: »

Hello,

Can I pop along to? I am making simple living a proper goal for 2018 and have decided to focus on one thing a week to help me achieve this, I will be doing other things as well Ideally something everyday but as I really don't do anything now, lost all heart and soul in 2017, I need to go slowly. I'm pondering making bread again this weekend for the first time in at least a few years!!!

Hi SimpleLivingIslandLife,

I use the fast action dried yeast for my bread making. There is a great recipe on the tin for an everyday loaf but I replace some of the white flour with wholemeal (looks healthier:) )
Also make focaccia & pan rustico a la Ha..y Bi...s. Plus Lincolnshire Plum Bread which is delicious but takes an absolute age to make.
DH wants me to be a bit more adventurous with the focaccia e.g. adding olives or sun dried tomatoes but so far have been too afraid to give it a go.:(

Currently in the doldrums re decluttering but I WILL GET GOING AGAIN as will DH re the decorating. Fair division of labour in the SaladDodger household.

Good wishes wending their way to all posters.

MrsSD :j

Primrose

We have a massive food cupboard and freezer decluttering chore to face, quite apart from all the other household decluttering.
My husband loves cooking, whereas I don’t so in an effort to speed cupboard emptying I thought I might encourage him with a few Ready Steady, Cook challenges where I drag a few items out of the store cupboard, put them on the kitchen worktop and see what he can come up with.

I,ve yet to elicit his agreement, but on the worktop for tomorrow is a small butternut squash, a tin of butter beans, and a jar of currried sauce, so I’m guessing some kid of spiced vegetable meal will be on the menu!

IrisViolet

Loved reading all the posts - it's so nice to not feel alone in wanting to live simply.
I went to the shops tonight for the first time since the 23rd. I've been using stuff up. Did a meals plan and list and went to Tes** and al**. Spent 48 thereabouts. And should be fine until next Friday.

Haven't acyually left the house since Xmas eve. Normally would have at least had a few walks but the little ones have been ill. So anyway a lots of time for me to sort the house out. Have three big bags ready to take to the charity shop asap.
Organised my cupboards. Used stuff up form the freezer. Batch cooked some soups. Spent a lot of time in the kitchen actually cooking and baking and it's made me feel really happy to just be making food for everyone and being inventive without nipping to the shops to waste money.
I've been tackling the craft cupboards and organised my sewing kit. Plans to get back on with my sewing and crochet this coming year. Have a small mending pile of kids clothes. Nothing wrong with them so will stitch them. With three girls clothes get passed down so need to make them last best I can. I know clothes can be cheap now but I'm trying to also make more ethical and sustainable choices and this is part of it!
I've plans to grow lots more outside this year as have a big garden.
Spend as little as possible pay off debts.
We agreed to see it as a challenge more than anything, how simple can we do things and how can we save and not waste.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Primrose wrote: »

We have a massive food cupboard and freezer decluttering chore to face, quite apart from all the other household decluttering.
My husband loves cooking, whereas I don’t so in an effort to speed cupboard emptying I thought I might encourage him with a few Ready Steady, Cook challenges where I drag a few items out of the store cupboard, put them on the kitchen worktop and see what he can come up with.

I,ve yet to elicit his agreement, but on the worktop for tomorrow is a small butternut squash, a tin of butter beans, and a jar of currried sauce, so I’m guessing some kid of spiced vegetable meal will be on the menu!

What a brilliant idea - unfortunately I do most of the cooking and am not very inventive. However as I really want to empty my Larder & fridge/freezer and start from scratch, I think I might try to give this a go. If nothing else it might be so bad I end up decluttering some weight - ha ha!

Positive vibes to everyone

Mrs SD:)

frizz2

Hi Everyone,
Great idea for a thread. I am keen to clear all clutter and stop hoarding things that might be useful one day.
With regards to sewing and knitting projects, I am trying to use what I have and not buy any more.