Simplifying Life

Charis

Someone emailed me this Powerpoint presentation back in 2001, just three days after 9/11. It makes you think, particularly as the twin towers are on one of the slides. This You Tube version is rather blurry but goes well with the music. The original is a full screen version, but no sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giiIz5fH1IQ

do_it_today!

Hi All :hello:
gorgeous day - very productive - bit sad I didnt get anytime in the garden or allotment to sow seeds.... but there will be next week!

Got car cleaned (paid for! I just didnt have time to do it myself!)
spare room ready for SIL coming from Oz for MIL funeral - flowers ordered
house clean - loads of washing done - banking - bought Duvet - stuff to charity - put up curtains- post off amazon books and cd's ....

I am knackered but glad its all done now!
my simplifying qoute of the day is....
"dont leave what you can do today because tomorrow might never come"

Keep going people :j but dont over do it!!! a hot bath is calling me now!

ciao!

mary43

charis - I remember seeing that before and its so true..........it really does make you think

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
No decluttering done as such today but have been reflecting on what I have learnt from the experience over the last few weeks. One of the direct advantages is that I now have a far clearer idea of where many things are and a mental picture of what I own [still got a few hotspots I am not brave enough to tackle....like the loft:eek: ] Although things were already quite organised I have been able to still make improvements. One thing I have done is to use a previously empty Shaker style box to store all the beads I have taken off defunct clothing [still got one skirt that needs the beads taking off that I found yesterday] and other bits suitable for card making. Also found a small stash of cardboard so bringing all the bits together has allowed me to make OH a free Valentine's card. It's a very simple pimple design but hey I had fun making it:D
By doing the sorting out in small stages it has really given me a chance to look at what I have materially [and blessings wise..I really am a very lucky lady I think in this respect] Many items I have realised I was just giving house room to but they no longer served a purpose and it has given me a lift to see other people's appreciation when I have freecycled them. The whole process however, has also made me more mindful [only sometimes I am no saint:o ] and I have really looked at objects again as if for the first time...from this I realise that I am surrounded by many beautiful things [not as in expensive money wise] but appealing to the eyes and which have been chosen for me very carefully by friends and family. Some of my personal highlights have been my much treasured dollshouse and its contents that my husband has made me, the picture of Dennis the Menace that the small person drew which hangs in my hall and the beautiful quilt my Mum designed and made for me when my son was born. I have also found lots of little treasures like little notes from my son and my Nana's thimble which are part of the flotsam and jetsam of my life but incredibly important to me.
On another level it's also been interesting finding out some new things about myself...deep breath as I prepare to share.....prepare yourself.....yes I have a lentil buying addiction. To my horror [bit of a perfectionist if I were to be brutally honest and like to think I'm always on top of things like knowing what's in my cupboards:D ] not only did I find two lentil packets opened and 3 years out of date but I have bought and hidden a 3rd. Why Apart from me everyone else loathes them in this household:rotfl: :rotfl: I also realised how much my son has grown up...bless him he's got rid of all the younger child toys and books he had in his bedroom. I've had to be strong and get rid of them but that's been harder for me than him I think [except I have hidden away the Elmer elephant backpack because I couldn't bear to part with it but that's a secret so shhhh:D ]
I am so sorry I have rabbitted away so much tonight....you must all be bored out of your boxes! I shall leave you with a couple of quotes from our ancestors tonight..they knew a thing or two!
Courage is the first of all the virtues.
Aristotle
If I had but two loaves of bread I would sell one and buy hyacinths for they would feed my soul.
The Koran
Better to light a candle than complain about the darkness.
Chinese Proverb.
Aril

ceridwen

Present:

www.dailygood.org

ceridwen

...was thinking of the phrase about finding "books in the running brooks and sermons in stones" and found a website you might like..

http://quotes.gaia.com/topics/sermons

...will investigate further when I come back...<dives out door>

Rowan9

Morning everyone
Very sunny here - aren't we lucky to be having such nice weather?
OH and step son 16yrs are off out with the dogs. Stepson needs fresh air as I heard him watching Tv at 4am but was too tired to go down and sort it out. So...we woke him nice and early today

I have been really enjoying reading this thread. It's full of such lovely friendly people

One of my favourite books is Clearing the Clutter by Karen Klingston (I think\). I read it every now and again and it helps to give me a shove to either clear physical or mental clutter. The other day I was inspired to wash down my front door and cut back a bush that has been creeping up the livingroom window. The idea is that this will give more light into my life (I think??). Anyway, I'm pleased to have done it. Daughter and I have made a long list of jobs to be tackled, like clearing out drawers and relining them. She lined all the kitchen cupboards and drawers a year or 2 ago, and some of the paper was Harvey Nicholls (sp??) thin wrapping paper and it gave me such a kick to see the harvey nicks logo all over it!! This time it will be either greaseproof paper or we're thinking of using up some Christmas paper by reversing it. It is so lovely to get things out of a nice cupboard. Sound sad, don't I?
Has anyone read Summer Book by Tove Jansson? It's a wonderful short book about a girl and her grandmother living on a tiny island for the summer. I find it really descriptive and very grounding. I have another of her books out from the library just now - Fair Play - which is short stories about 2 women. Great!!
Plans for today include roasting a turkey breast which i bought reduced just after Christmas. Basic veg with it and not a roast potato in sight as everyone is having a healthy day. Having said that, we might have apple crumble as i still have apples we bought at a farm in October (stewed and froze them). It depends if i feel like putting the energy into making a pud as we don't usually have one.
Other plans - I'm driving the boys back to their mum's today and might stop off at the garden centre on the way back and just look round. I am not much of a gardener, although i have plans for salad leaves this summer!! But it's lovely to look for inspiration. Might also have a coffee while I'm there - a lovely thing to do on a weekend day - or any day really!
I'm also going to take some time out to do a meditation. This will be day 3. I'm not very focused yet but I know that they only way to get more focused is practice. I used to meditate years ago and found it very calming. Instead of wishing I had never stopped, I'm going to focus on being positive and concentrate on it again.
What is everyone else up to today? Hope that you enjoy what you decide to do.
Take care all
W

mary43

aril - lovely posting and brilliant quotes as always.
You're right about clearing out stuff and finding yourself looking at things again, maybe in a different light. Done that myself.......memories come flooding back of who gave me what, when it was and I realise then why I must keep said item but get rid of those that have no meaning or purpose.

ceridwen - not read through the links yet but will later.

wmf - reminds me............line kitchen drawers..........got enough odd bits of wallpaper that should do that.........plus must make phone call to ex-foster lad who loves gardening..........plant growing up the front wall is starting to encroach on my 'space.

I was up early, well early-ish, this morning. Phone call from nephew last night. He'd been in a car accident...........no injuries apart from a cut head thats been treated and feeling very shaken by it all. All this when only aweek ago it was his Mums funeral (my first hubby's sister). He's also lost his job so instead of taking the early retirement next year as he'd planned, looks like it'll be next week. But being a builder I know he'll get odd bits of work here and there to keep him going. I care for this chap a lot, he's the only link I have now with my first hubby and, bless him, he's put things into perspective beautifully. They won't have as much money now as they're used to but he says its the quality of life thats most important. So what if they can't go abroad or buy the kids and grandkids so much...........he and his lovely wife will have that all important thing.........time. He went through all sorts of depression during his Mums two year illness so is very concerned about me which, I have to say, is more than my brother is. (I've not worried my kids about it all. I want them to have a life as free from worry as is possible)

So, I watched the sun rise and the birds come out singing, sorted out some more of Dad's little bits and picked out a drumming badge he used to wear on his jacket - that'll go to youngest son who is all of a sudden keen to play the drums ! Other odds and sods are being assembled in various carrier bags ready for ex foster girls sister (must phone her again today).
Had e mail from someone interested in the bike thats taking up space in the garage so hopefully that will go on Tuesday. Feeling positive I put the two drawer chest I cleared yesterday on freecycle.........well you never know.
Still no replies about the wallpaper so that might end up in the charity shop or with foster girls sister.
Oh lor...........next door neighbours just driven a trailer up...........bet he's getting his kitchen units out and we haven't cleared the 'junk room'......:eek:
Oh well...........they'll just have to stack in a heap somewhere for
Ummmmm.........not sure not..........so far on the trailer there's a fold up wooden chair and a television,.............oh now theres a two tier round table..........what next I wonder..............

Can see me turning into one of those 'nosey neighbours' without the net curtains to twitch.............lol

lilac_lady

I'm trying really hard to declutter my books and I know that I'll never part with some of them. One is a copy of Louisa M Alcott's "Little Women" that I've had since I was 11. When I was younger I must have read it 100 times. Another one (more recent - 5 years old) is a book called "ten poems to change your life" (no capitals) gathered by Roger Housden. The blurb on the back jacket has the description "It shows how these astonishing poems can inspire you to live what you always knew in your bones but never had the words for". That says it all.

huxley

Well the weather is glorious, it makes you feel good:j Snowdrops are looking lovely in the garden and new shoots appearing everywhere. Sunday is never a declutter day here, mil comes to dinner at 2pm so the roast is nearly done, triffle for pudding and they like cake at 4 (dont ask habit they all got in to years ago!) so today it will be hot scones and home made jam mmmmmmmmm. DD has a friend coming for dinner a lovely girl she met whilst at college the poor giril is waiting to go home to her family has had to apply for an exstension on her visa as she had to have her appendix out and they wont let her fly yet:o So today is an enjoy the sunshine and company day, hope everyone has a good day:T