Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

Chiglepig

Baileys_Babe said:

Lookafterthepennies2020 said:

Going back to the keeping things that are sentimental, my sister slates me all the time and jokes my kids wouldn't know they were mine if it wasn't for the stretch marks    as I get rid of everything.  I have one cardigan from Ds1 which Ds2 also wore home from the hospital because its the first thing they wore so felt special, and some old pictures and paintings.  I don't need to keep banners and cards etc and every picture drawn as we have the memories.  

I have kept no clothing nor drawings from when mine were small, all clothing that hasn't been worn through has been passed on to family and friends. We have the hospital ID bands from when the eldest was born but the younger one was a home birth so no ID tags.

I'm the same, (apart from some of the things from the six months DD spent in the French equivalent of Reception), and my parents did me the favour of decluttering a couple of years ago. I don't always find it easy, but I do remind myself that if something is in a box and I haven't used it, or thought about it for 12 months, it isn't adding value to my life. My best friend spent many years in Mexico and is married to a Mexican, the place of Day of the Dead in their lives is so important - they don't keep things, but they do honour memory

LadyWithAPlan

Hi, just popping in to say hello as caught up on your diary.
Wow your 2021 was full  and don't get me started on decluttering and my family's junk (sorry treasures) ...

Your brother sounds great in inspiring you to train and make your art.

I am expecting you to make some lovely extra cash from your art and please don't offer unsolicited discounts after your initial pricing  - your art is worth paying for. I am sure you are probably under pricing your work anyway!  If they come to you and ask for a further discount you can decide or if you doing a January sale thats fine  .. 

2 or 3 sessions in the gym with a personal trainer just to teach you some safe weight lifting exercises you feel comfortable doing could be a great investment. Classes are good but weight training can be hugely helpful as more muscles mean you have a higher resting metabolic rate - so you burn more calories even when you sleep.
After age 25 we all lose  1lb muscle per year as natural atrophy  so we need to add more muscle just to keep the same.

Weights 3 or 4 times a week will change your whole body and weight for a lifetime.  I say this as someone who does not train for a while on occasion but because I have weight trained all my life my metabolic so daily burning rate is high. 

Maybe check out  tom venuto - he is doing a 3 month challenge open til 8th Jan - free  - great for goals and motivation. Even if you dont post pics take  them  for yourself - hugely motivating
https://www.burnthefatinnercircle.com/public/2022-Burn-The-Fat-New-Years-Challenge.cfm

lucielle

Fingers crossed you test negative.  DD1s test came back clear today so she's out of isolation.
L

savingholmes

Thanks Look, Sandy, Baileys_babe, Left

LATP - Laughed at the ugly cup cupboard. They wouldn't be allowed to stay here. They are now in a sealed donation box in my hall with a charity bag on top. (Progress). I think I'm starting to get to the point where taking photos of a sentimental item allows me to release it. Of course a giant future job will be to reduce down all the photos but not bothering about that for now.

Sandy - LOL at the 2 finger thing - but you're not wrong. Definitely need to use the JOY method more. I got her book and watched a lot of her utubes a while ago - it helped but her method would be too overwhelming for me. 

BB - Sounds very disciplined. The only thing I regret letting go of a little were DS's first shoes - although like you I gave them to someone who really needed them. I still have DD's. I have their hospital bands somewhere but not sure where. A few years ago I created some see through folders for DD and DS and gave them to them to sort out what if anything they wanted to keep. Progress. I have some samples of their art - I found a handprint of DD's in my xmas decs which made me smile from when she was tiny. I've kept some of my favourite stories from when my kids were little - like the C & Lola ones and H0rati0 happened under the bed. I have gradually been letting more of my books go from when I was little. Creating little book hampers for the little niece and nephews is helping with that. 

Left - I need to become more like you but don't imagine I'll ever go that far but who knows. I bet your house is a lot more organised and easier to clean and tidy than mine then.

savingholmes

Chiglepig said:

I'm the same, (apart from some of the things from the six months DD spent in the French equivalent of Reception), and my parents did me the favour of decluttering a couple of years ago. I don't always find it easy, but I do remind myself that if something is in a box and I haven't used it, or thought about it for 12 months, it isn't adding value to my life. My best friend spent many years in Mexico and is married to a Mexican, the place of Day of the Dead in their lives is so important - they don't keep things, but they do honour memory

I need to take more of this approach - I intend to - it's just I struggle to let 'justin' not dominate!!

lucielle said:

Fingers crossed you test negative.  DD1s test came back clear today so she's out of isolation.
L

Great news about your DD. Thankfully my test stayed negative and DD had her day 6 negative test!! So hopefully nearly 'free'.

savingholmes

LadyWithAPlan 

Thanks for taking the time to catch up. Lots of wisdom in your response. Will look into those recommendations. 

I was speaking to my counsellor about  my art today - and she was similarly encouraging me to break through and list some items. I also found some cookie cutters - of different size squares - I'm going to try some more artist tape pictures and use them. Will let yo know how I go on.

I feel better today knowing DD has tested negative. Such a relief. Hopefully covid jail nearly over.

Appreciating the little things - I have a twin orchid and while one step the flowers have gone - the other stem is still flowering and has been since August. My bin has also been emptied - a few days late but still grateful. They work so hard in all weathers!

Am**** sent some crisps in a huge box - so have sealed up one box for donations so I'm not tempted to remove anything and have put the new one in the lounge as part of encouraging some more stuff to leave the house. I had a charity bag through the door for Monday - so as long as I remember - I can hopefully shift some stuff then. I imagine the collector will end up overwhelmed!

Tahlullah.H

Hello Savings.  Happy New Year!  I have just caught up on your diary - it moves pretty quickly around here!  Really pleased you are keeping safe and well and that DD isn't too ill.

Reading your diary really made me laugh - you were brought up on gloryholes!  Seriously, it has a different meaning to you than it does to me!

Anyway, congratulations on the progress being made in all directions, even if it does feel one step forward and 2 back.  You are doing great!

Tx

savingholmes

Thanks @Tahlullah.H Have you changed your quote again? I've now got it playing in my head over and over!!
 
I'm glad others can see progress. It feels never ending. Having watched hours of kitchen declutter videos while extremely slowly decluttering earlier in the week- I've tackled one shelf of a kitchen cupboard and got rid of 2 pyrex dishes, loads of mugs, some glasses and lots of drinks bottles. I've also quarantined a load that I think DS may want and sent him pictures. I actually have a hope of finding a few things in there again now. Wouldn't mind but I did it a couple of years ago and it seems to have mushroomed again since then. One of the videos I watched suggested a quarterly review - I mean they're not wrong - but who are these people that actually do that? But then I felt like a 50's housewife even watching the videos. I suppose I have to actually see what may be possible to create it. 

One of the suggestions in today's video - I've already done - which is putting 2 large wire baskets (I mean 60cm wide) at the bottom of the cupboard and then pulling them out as if they were drawers. It does make it easier to weed stuff out.

I've realised that I don't like the fixed doors or even drawers on one of the k@ll@x units as I'd prefer it without. I'm so used to having boxes that I can take out and sort separately and the doors open the wrong way... And no - it's true - I've not yet tried using a screwdriver. I have however remembered where I put them which is a start. Not planning on using them anytime soon though   I'm still laughing at GAP's mum saying she hid her tidiness in the cupboards. My units in the new study are pretty much empty - even though I have lots of things in my house that need putting away!!! I want to buy some new pretty boxes but waiting for next payday. We are complex creatures that's for sure... 

I was proud of myself today - as the car tax form came in - fortunately nil band - and I dealt with it today and filed it in my new brass filing rack.

badmemory

I use those collapsable crates from home bargains to store stuff in the bottom of cupboards, it has meant I can use the whole of the bottom shelf instead of just the front third.

powerspowers

Glad you are nearly out of covid jail! And happy new year, even though it was about10 pages ago now!