A Simpler Life 2018

dolly84

I'd like to join in here please. SimpleLiving's first post could have been written by me.

I have set myself and my family a challenge this year of buying nothing new unless unavoidable, there are obviously many things we cannot avoid buying new but we will only get them if they are really needed not just wants.

Also we are trying to reduce our waste as a family, we recycle everything we can but this is not the answer so I will have to make some purchases now to move us in the right direction on this journey, the first purchase I have made for this is an EcoEgg which is used in place of laundry detergent, I am waiting for it to arrive and will let you know how I get on with it. Plastic is our main focus here and we are really trying to cut it down but boy it is already proving hard.

dolly84

jackyann wrote: »

I do warn against getting rid of stuff too enthusiastically! Of course, if you hate it or it's really no use, or you have no room, by all means.
But some household things: try putting them in a box tucked away (if you have room) and see if at any point during, say, a year, you think 'I'll go and get the potato masher'.
Clothes: unless they are horrible, then put away. When I retired I had several 'smart' T shirts and shirts. I simply folded the ones I wouldn't use into a box with lavender for moth repellant. Slowly they came out as other clothes got used up. The smart trousers hang in the wardrobe for odd occasions - maybe 2-3 times a year, but saves me worrying about what to wear.
One of my friends gave away all of her smart work clothes, then found herself scouring charity shops for replacements when she accepted a senior committee post with a national charity (lucky she was a standard size!)
I however, have bought very little, other than fabric for making clothes for 8 years.

I agree with you and this is why I won't do a full Kondo. For instance if I have 3 white t shirts and get rid of 2 at some point the remaining one will need to be replaced, I could have just pulled out one of the others if I had kept them. If you know it really has no place in your life get rid but not just for the sake of it.

Wednesday2000

dolly84 wrote: »

the first purchase I have made for this is an EcoEgg which is used in place of laundry detergent, I am waiting for it to arrive and will let you know how I get on with it.

I definitely would be interested to know how you get on with it.:)

elmer

I still have a garage full of stuff that came from my ILS house 10 years ago. They had cleared 2 houses into their house and never threw anything away (they had 7 old fashioned hoovers and 6 irons, that all worked after a fashion), and then their house needed to be sold quickly, so much stuff came here to be sorted after, and its still all there unsorted in the garage, so I am determined to make a start on it, but I find it hard going.
Im trying to get rid of still useful stuff to anyone that can use it, and bin other stuff, but Im conscious of it all going to landfill is not so good

Anyway onwards and upwards, I might see the back wall of the garage soon?

elmer

Katieowl

dolly84 wrote: »

I agree with you and this is why I won't do a full Kondo. For instance if I have 3 white t shirts and get rid of 2 at some point the remaining one will need to be replaced, I could have just pulled out one of the others if I had kept them. If you know it really has no place in your life get rid but not just for the sake of it.

I've got a couple of things that got consigned to a bag to be cut up for sewing projects that I have rediscoved and thought actually I would wear that again, and they've gone back in the wardrobe. My motto is if it isn't eating anything and you aren't falling over it, and you think it might come in useful keep it!!!

I am a non standard bra size, and when I lost weight, I had a carrier bag of bras that no longer fitted me, some of them were practically brand new (best ones) and cost a fortune and I couldn't bring myself to chuck them (slung them in the back of the wardrobe meaning to send them to someone who makes use of them) roll on 18 months and being put on HRT some of the weight has gone back on in certain places and some of them fit again!

RicardaRacoon

I just sat down with my lunch, pea soup I defrosted yesterday and bread with hm hummus. I have finished knitting 3 fingers on my glove and hope I can get the other two done and dusted after lunch so that this project is finally off the needle. Knitting glove certainly doesn't simplify life by any means :-)

I acutally wanted to go to my knitting group in the morning but then decided to stay home and just have a comfy and relaxed day of knitting, baking and going for a walk as I had a busy day yesterday. Was out for my sidejob all morning, then on to my parents for lunch which was quite spontanious and then home to clean and on to a birthday party of a friends little one. It started at seven and I expected to be home not later than eleven, but was really wrong... Took the last train at half past twelve and walked home for half an hour... As you might get from that, I prefere walking over taxies...

This birthday party though... My friend told me a while ago that she was looking for a venue for the 1. Birthday of her son as her flat is too small for too many visitors. Since she can't get more than 10 people in comfortably I expected something along the line of 20 people max. Well, it was rather 40 to 45 and some of them ran under "neigbours of her parents" and "parents of a friend"
So the whole business was ways overscaled for my liking - although I have to say that I enjoyed a good natter with some friends - and the presents the little man got could keep a whole nursery going for quite a while. And soooo much plastic...

Elmer, could you do a garage sale or go to a car boot sale with the things too good to bin or give to a charity shop?

re Facebook; None of my friends is active anymore and mostly I wasn't interessted in "X is with Y at Restaurant Z" The only posts I enjoyed were knitting related and most of the people from my knitting group ended up on Instagram eventually so I can still see what everyone is up to. So facebook is gone for me...

elmer

Ricardaracoon, I live in rural Scotland so although we do have a nearby charity shop, car boot sales are a rarity ,we have a facebook village sales and wants page, where I can attempt to give away the things I dont want, I may even manage sell some of them, but to be honest, Im not too fussed, I just want it all gone.

I need to get my head around sorting it all out, I objected to it coming at the time as I suspected this would happen, however here I am, so garage wall here I come

elmer

suki1964

Have a garage sale Elmer Wait for the weather to get a bit dryer, then advertise and pull as much as you can onto your dive and let people come rummage and offer what they think it's worth

You only need to put up a few flyers and a post on the local selling page

mrsmac10

elmer wrote: »

Ricardaracoon, I live in rural Scotland so although we do have a nearby charity shop, car boot sales are a rarity ,we have a facebook village sales and wants page, where I can attempt to give away the things I dont want, I may even manage sell some of them, but to be honest, Im not too fussed, I just want it all gone.

I need to get my head around sorting it all out, I objected to it coming at the time as I suspected this would happen, however here I am, so garage wall here I come

elmer

Not my main thread for posting so apologies if butting in.

If there is nothing of any great value money wise or with sentimental value, then consider an uplift by your council. Yes it may end up in landfill but it can be your fresh starting point. Nothing else into landfill in the future if it can be avoided

Your sanity must come first. We done a car boot sale once got about £150 between daughter and hubby. Oh the amount of work and effort. It was not really worth it, but as a one of. Done it etc

Now al excees stuff goes into recycling if possible, dog trust for towels and old bedding. Clothes to charity shop or rag recycling, small clothing items like gloves etc to homeless. Suitable furniture to woman’s aid etc

Once cleared or reasonably so you can refocus on you.

AJ_Scotland

elmer wrote: »

Ricardaracoon, I live in rural Scotland so although we do have a nearby charity shop, car boot sales are a rarity ,we have a facebook village sales and wants page, where I can attempt to give away the things I dont want, I may even manage sell some of them, but to be honest, Im not too fussed, I just want it all gone.

I need to get my head around sorting it all out, I objected to it coming at the time as I suspected this would happen, however here I am, so garage wall here I come

elmer

Furry boots?

I’m in between Aberdeen and Dundee.