Prosperous soul embraces creativity & mortgage neutrality

ohdearhowdidthathappen

You'll be sub £200k on the mortgage before you know it.
Wardrobe wise, I'm quite vicious with mine... once a year, I completely empty it.  I try EVERYTHING on ( which is very boring) and divide into 3 piles -keep, maybe, dump. Keep and dump are self explanatory, but the 'maybe' pile gets 12 months and if I don't wear it in 12 months it gets dumped next round. 
My clothes size doesn't really change, I'm 5'9 and a size 12... I can lose 10lb or put on 10lb and I'm still a 12 (joys of being tall ) although obviously things get snugger or looser.  Size 10s are always too small and size 14s are always too loose  
All my clothes fit in a double wardrobe, I remember reading somewhere that we spend 90% of our time wearing the same 10% of our wardrobe and 10% of time wearing the other 90% (or something like that anyway!) but I think it's right, we hoard too much. 

Chrystal

Love this diary SM, it always makes me feel so positive.:)

Regarding weight loss, it's much better to lose it slowly.  1lb a week is nearly 4 stone in a year, and it also means your skin has time to retract and not end up hanging! 

flipflopflo

ohdearhowdidthathappen said:

You'll be sub £200k on the mortgage before you know it.
Wardrobe wise, I'm quite vicious with mine... once a year, I completely empty it.  I try EVERYTHING on ( which is very boring) and divide into 3 piles -keep, maybe, dump. Keep and dump are self explanatory, but the 'maybe' pile gets 12 months and if I don't wear it in 12 months it gets dumped next round. 
My clothes size doesn't really change, I'm 5'9 and a size 12... I can lose 10lb or put on 10lb and I'm still a 12 (joys of being tall ) although obviously things get snugger or looser.  Size 10s are always too small and size 14s are always too loose  
All my clothes fit in a double wardrobe, I remember reading somewhere that we spend 90% of our time wearing the same 10% of our wardrobe and 10% of time wearing the other 90% (or something like that anyway!) but I think it's right, we hoard too much. 

Another trick to add to yours is when you put your clothes back in the wardrobe is to put the hangers on the rail back to front, as you wear things in the year you put the hanger back the right way round so when you declutter again it is obvious which clothes you have not worn (hangers back to front). Hope that makes sense. 

try_harder

An electric blanket sounds wonderful

Watty1

Another who takes a firm line on the clothing storage. A few years ago I actually paid someone to help and junked much of my wardrobe only keeping that I love and wear.  It worked. I sold a lot of the stuff that was removed and donated the rest.   Now I can actually say I wear everything in my double wardrobe x 2 (I have a lot of coats!)

astrocytic_kitten

I’ve been reading your diary 2 months behind for a while SH but finally decided the perfect was the enemy of the good and it was better to jump to current postings rather than hope to eventually catch up. You’re sounding much lighter and more free than you were back then! 

On the clothes, I keep a smallish suitcase where I put clothes that don’t fit plus summer holiday type clothes (the ones there’s never any call for in the frozen north). My rule is that if something is one size out and I absolutely love it then I can keep it, but it needs to be something I adore and I can only keep what can fit in the case. My weight basically fluctuates between the same 2 sizes though, so ymmv. Over the past couple of years I’ve done 2 or 3 major wardrobe purges and it is a great feeling to only have what you love in there. 

Also, I couldn’t live without my electric blanket.

savingholmes

Hi Lucielle - I agree the freezer will help with the grocery challenge. Not a lot of meat in it though. Mostly frozen veg... I have lots of tins too. If I meal plan more though I think that will help. I still have my xmas turkey as the wider family new year meal I planned was postponed due to covid. I have at least 1 joint of beef left plus 2 portions of cooked beef though - which will help. Not sure what else is in there. I know I have sausages in there - and some bacon in my fridge. I may make some bombay potatoes (with bacon) for the latter and have them with poached eggs...

Hi @boxofpaws - yeah I agree it's good to make time for family.  

ohdearhowdidthathappen said:

You'll be sub £200k on the mortgage before you know it.
[Thanks]

Wardrobe wise, I'm quite vicious with mine... once a year, I completely empty it.  I try EVERYTHING on ( which is very boring) and divide into 3 piles -keep, maybe, dump.... we spend 90% of our time wearing the same 10% of our wardrobe and 10% of time wearing the other 90% (or something like that anyway!) but I think it's right, we hoard too much. 

This sounds likely. Sounds like a good system. What you suggest sounds like a lot of effort - but glad it's working for you. I'm nowhere near organised enough for that yet. Paradoxically I'd prefer to have less clothes before I tried that approach!! Ironic I know.

Chrystal said:

Love this diary SM, it always makes me feel so positive.:)

Regarding weight loss, it's much better to lose it slowly.  1lb a week is nearly 4 stone in a year, and it also means your skin has time to retract and not end up hanging! 

You made me smile when I read this - this morning. Glad it's helping. I agree about slow weight loss but seem to have stalled currently. Need to find a way to restart! I will have a bowl of veg soup shortly which will help with the fibre element

flipflopflo said:

Another trick to add to yours is when you put your clothes back in the wardrobe is to put the hangers on the rail back to front, as you wear things in the year you put the hanger back the right way round so when you declutter again it is obvious which clothes you have not worn (hangers back to front). Hope that makes sense. 

I think that would be a more realistic option for me. I have a good idea of what I wear regularly... I still struggle to part with stuff though - even things she'd consider duplicates. I did hear on a Utube that becoming more minimal - is about trusting yourself to do the work on time - whether that's washing up, doing the dishwasher, putting stuff back or doing the washing etc... I got rid of a load of mugs (like probably halved them) recently and it is prompting me to put the dishwasher on more regularly and clean up. So I think she's right... 

Tahlullah.H

My problem is emptying the dishwasher.  This of course makes it look like I hate setting it, but that's not true.  Its just that I can't set it if it isn't empty!

savingholmes

@try_harder said:

An electric blanket sounds wonderful

I'm looking forward to it coming. Should be the weekend / next Monday.

@Watty1 said:

Another who takes a firm line on the clothing storage. A few years ago I actually paid someone to help and junked much of my wardrobe only keeping that I love and wear.  It worked. I sold a lot of the stuff that was removed and donated the rest.   Now I can actually say I wear everything in my double wardrobe x 2 (I have a lot of coats!)

That was brave to pay someone - congratulations on that and what you achieved. I kind of cheated and paid my DD (about £5/6 per hour) to help me declutter over the last couple of years for tranches of time and occasional top ups. She is very sergeant major about it... and looks at me in complete bemusement over stuff I want to keep. I have contemplated paying my cleaner to help me - and do pay her extra hours sometimes when things have got out of control. I think if you can find someone you trust not to just attack you over the mess and/or what you want to keep then it would be worthwhile.

I think I only have one coat that has any residual value... I'd say I don't have a double wardrobes's worth of stuff - but how would I know as it is rarely put away??? I now have 2 double wardrobe's worth of space available for clothes, a bedside cabinet (socks and undies) - and my new 4 wire basket storage solution. Most of my clothes are in the wire baskets...

@astrocytic_kitten said:

I’ve been reading your diary 2 months behind for a while SH but finally decided the perfect was the enemy of the good and it was better to jump to current postings rather than hope to eventually catch up. You’re sounding much lighter and more free than you were back then! 

On the clothes, I keep a smallish suitcase where I put clothes that don’t fit plus summer holiday type clothes (the ones there’s never any call for in the frozen north). My rule is that if something is one size out and I absolutely love it then I can keep it, but it needs to be something I adore and I can only keep what can fit in the case. My weight basically fluctuates between the same 2 sizes though, so ymmv. Over the past couple of years I’ve done 2 or 3 major wardrobe purges and it is a great feeling to only have what you love in there. 

Also, I couldn’t live without my electric blanket.

Thanks @astrocytic_kitten I have ups and downs like anyone but life is simpler now I'm divorced other than having to take DD 100 miles most Mondays when I'm not a morning person and my meds are slightly incompatible with early starts!!

I think I have one plastic crate with a lid with really special items in that I hope to fit in one day - aka the three ball gowns and one box of more normal stuff kind of next size down ish. In writing this - I've realised the last time I wore any of the special ball gowns was about 12-13 years ago!! So @Watty1 I maybe do have some clothes of potential value - although perhaps not mid pandemic! They were all £100ish purchases even in a sale so reluctant to part with them and if I did ever fit back into them I'd be delighted. 

Recorded vote for electric blanket

savingholmes

@astrocytic_kitten - glad you just jumped back in. Progress not perfection is definitely the motto of the day.

I've had a weird couple of days where I've felt exhausted and been struggling a bit with work - not helped by the early start yesterday. I read one of those tips for happiness things and I ended up going to the pub for a meal at lunchtime. I extended my break and went for a walk. The latter did me lots of good although I will admit it was nice to be fed too. I heard a woodpecker tapping and other birds chirping. I saw squirrels and enjoyed seeing the trees and reflections on water. It did help. I also got to stroke a 12 week old soft cockapoo that was so excited about life it was infectious



The walk did me far more good than the meal. 

I've asked for a meeting with my boss to discuss my role and how to make sure it meets mine and the organisation's needs more. She agreed so that's happening later in the week. Wish me luck.

I did a couple of my life admin tasks. I will get a refund of £13 for when the broadband wasn't working... for something like 16 days!! Can't believe that's all!! 

I also have a link for registering with Co House so I can update my own records... Wish me luck... Not done it yet...

I have counselling tomorrow and feel as always I'll have plenty to talk about.