Simplifying Life

mary43

Happy to share it ellidee - especially as there were times that I never realised this lad had another side to his somewhat disturbed personality. Just goes to show, everyone deserves a chance and some enouragement.Might not always work by my word when it does..............if boosts the 'feel good factor'.

Think I've done my 27 items and more today............and OH found an old picture in the 'junk room' I'd forgotten about..........lol Well, when I say old, its not really old..........its a reproduction of an old Bovril advertisement that I coloured and aged .....looked a treat then the glass broke on the frame and it sort of got shoved in the junk room and ended up behind a pile of 'stuff'........think now I just might treat myself to a new frame for it and hang it on the wall.It's better than the one on there are the minute. Thats a Hovis advert I gave the same treatment too but I prefer the Bovril one. That'll be my treat for working so hard..................I'm worn out now and OH insists I stop de-cluttering for a while.................don't think my 9 days are up yet though are they ? When did I start ? I'll have to go back on this thread to see. I get the feeling it was Monday............if so then I've got 4 days left............I'm sure I can sneak another 4 days worth and he'll hardly notice............lol especially if I do my corner of the bedroom and the built in cupboar that hides I don't know what.............mainly bags of various sorts I think..............tapestry holdalls (must keep them), ohhhhhhh...........can't wait now......................:j
Am I right in thinking with the 27 days its either 'move something or throw it out' ? I can get away with moving stuff and OH will be quite happy

Rowan9

Simplifying today - DD almost finished ironing the massive ironing pile! When this is gone, the corner becomes my little peace corner. I have managed to avoid just dumping the ironing pile somewhere else. By going through it, I have another big bag of clothes to go to the charity shop. That encouraged me to look through some CDs and I added 3. Bit by bit this house is becoming more peaceful and less 'busy' looking. I am really finding that if I have open spaces in the house and less clutter, I feel calmer and happier. I also feel more content knowing that I don't have dozens of plates, T shirts etc but have enough and can let others be passed on for new ownership. This means keeping on top of the washing and the washing up (threw out dish washer a few years ago and haven't missed it) but that's not a bad thing.
w

groatie_queen

RIP the tumble dryer! Drying will be done the simple way from now on - clothes airers - sadly I don't have room for a pulley which I would love, but the ceilings aren't high enough and my kitchen's too small.

Not using the TD will be very good for the electricity bill too. Simple savings for me and for the environment.

GQ xxx

Aril

Hello virtual friends:j
With the children off this week there hasn't been a lot of sorting out as quite a few of the spare surfaces are currently filled with different elements of a Hobbit Hole that the small person is making for school. I am grateful for all the decluttering previously because it has enabled me to locate all the bits needed to make the model and we've been able to use bits which would otherwise been unrecyclable. Having said that we still sent his friend home with a football that landed in our garden a couple of years ago and for which we never found an owner. The small person loathes the beautiful game with a passion and calls it the "f" word:D
I had a lovely time with my friend yesterday as she stayed on for lunch. She has never owned a TV and reads widely. I like Heather because what you see is what you get and she's very straightforward about her priorities. Both she and her husband are selfemployed and work very hard but her family always comes first. She is not one for shopping or acquiring unnecessary items and I always enjoy her approach to life. She has a way of making you take a step back from your own life and reassess but is not judgemental in anyway. I think we could all do with more people like that around us.
A quick quote tonight:
If you are in the ratrace, win, lose or draw you are still a rat.
Anon
Aril

ceridwen

groatie_queen wrote: »

RIP the tumble dryer! Drying will be done the simple way from now on - clothes airers - sadly I don't have room for a pulley which I would love, but the ceilings aren't high enough and my kitchen's too small.

Not using the TD will be very good for the electricity bill too. Simple savings for me and for the environment.

GQ xxx

Wonder about the bathroom - for drying space on a clothesdryer? My bathroom is big enough that I can get 2 freestanding clothes airers in there (and of course theres always the bannisters to drape a sheet over). Have noticed a half-size fold-down concertina type clothes airer in both Lakeland and Woolworths - looks small enough that it could fit in a lot of teensy places.

ceridwen

Like Aril's quote, as ever. Can relate to her comment re her friend - we could all do with a "role model" friend. I have one like that - ALWAYS kind, caring and as generous as she can afford to be (okay then - more generous than she can afford to be) and a very strong sense of right and wrong. I have never known her to be otherwise and I've known her for many years now. Dont think I can be far off in my assessment - as everyone else loves her too. Sometimes one has "angels walking in one's midst all unknowingly" is a phrase I would use about her. (The funny thing is she has often told me she has a temper as well - but I have yet to see it in all these years! I do get "ooh (ceridwen) - do you think you should?" if she disagrees with me about what I am proposing to do and have "come a bit of a cropper" before now with her with her very firm sense of "morals" - but I can respect where she differs from me and wouldnt change her).

Her dream of what she'd like to do isnt even for herself - her wishlist item is to be able to buy a house where people in need of a holiday from their life could go and stay for free (I would say her "if I win the Lottery" wishlist, but she doesnt gamble - just as well she WOULD be prepared to take a bit of any Lottery winnings I got - I know very well she would probably spend every single penny I gave her for herself on other people - she might just allow herself a bunch of flowers and a very cheap weekend away!). She is a VERY "old soul".

champys

ceridwen wrote: »

Wonder about the bathroom - for drying space on a clothesdryer? My bathroom is big enough that I can get 2 freestanding clothes airers in there (and of course theres always the bannisters to drape a sheet over). Have noticed a half-size fold-down concertina type clothes airer in both Lakeland and Woolworths - looks small enough that it could fit in a lot of teensy places.

You can find (admittedly not that easily) a towel rail to hang on a wall over the bath which opens up, and: out slides a clothes airer! I used to have one when I lived in a studio flat and they are brilliant. Made by Brabantia I seem to recall.

Rowan9

Your friend sounds lovely Aril! No wonder you were glad that she stayed on for lunch. I really love discussions about literature with people, although I'm wondering when you said she was well read that you mean acquired knowledge. My OH is not a book man so no discussions there but DD has also studied Lit and I feel so lucky to have that link in the family. My DS is studying theatre and when we do meet up (not so often!!) he is also good to have a discussion with.
Champys - I remember seeing that type of dryer in a flat. Great as it had a few lines so you could hang quite a lot. My clothes horse was a present to my mum when I was born so is now the proud age of 47 and has dried all my children's nappies as well ('all my children' = 2 ) They are great things. Mine is a concertina up and down wooden one and sits permanently at the top of the stairs.
Top of the fridge freezer is on the list to declutter, clean and make look nice today. It's not massively tall so i am going to put my old enamel bread bin there. It has been languishing in a cupboard since I declared war on my kitchen surfaces a few years ago and removed everything except the toaster, kettle, micro and radio. A few cookery books have sneaked in beside the microwave but I keep a beady eye on them and make sure they are worthy of calm me. At the moment they are: 2 x Cranks, World Food Cafe (glorious + little stories of the areas they travelled through), 3 bowl cookbook (Zen + beautiful), More than Moonshine (about old recipes from old days in America and more stories in this one), a Beverley Lewis cookbook (she is Amish, I think, so has religious texts in it - good but she uses too many cans of things I think) and finally - what is she doing in my den of calm??? Gillian MacKeith You Are What You Eat. I have some more which are kept in the cupboard. I have simplified cookery books over the last few years though and put a load to the charity shop. oooh I got Nigella Express for Christmas from my stepsons and I have it in the livingroom. I love it. She writes so well too and I think this makes the book one you can just sit and read.
Other simplifying plans today - to finish the ironing and move the new chair into its little place. Once I get that done I'll put on a photo but folks, it's a little chair and a tiny corner so be prepared!
Have a lovely Saturday all!
w

Silver_Lilly

How do yoy keep your favourites organised on pc my house is almost there but my pc is a nightmare!

mary43

groatie qeen - we've not had a tumble dryer for years now, not since the timer went on the old one and one hour became two ! I don't really miss it. I've a concertina airer in the room that leads off the kitchen - (still 'junk room' ) and some of those rails that hang off radiators.

Aril - love the quote........how very true. What a lovely friend you have - I have one similar but unfortunately she lives a distance away but I see her when I visit my mum when possible. She's always at the end of the phone if need be despite any worries of her own and she is honest..........if she thinks I am wrong about something she will say so...........I appreciate that. So many people go along agreeing with everything..........it's refreshing to be pulled up now and then either on a thought you have or something you may be intending to do and can prevent an awful lot of errors made.

ceridwen - our friend also sounds a delightful person and so 'giving' ...........the world could well do with more people like that.

silver Lily - my computer isn't the best organised..........bit like the house at the minute...........lol...........I put stuff in My Favourites and sometimes forget about it being there long after I no longer need it. My Documents and Pictures folders are about the same.............I'm always afraid to get rid of stuff in case I may need it (likewise the house) but having had a major de-clutter of 'stuff' around the house (well 'major' to me)..........maybe I'll feel inclined to go through my computer and only keep the things that really matter.

Simplifying today will be hoovering the carpet that I can now see.........boxes and bags have been collected and I can now see the floor...........it's crying out to be hoovered and the dust is begging me to wipe it all away...........lol So, maybe this afternoon, sometime I'll do just that.
No more de-cluttering today...........OH says I must stop or slow down before I get rid of something I'll regret.............but I've told him about my 27/9 - four more days to go - but if moving stuff counts then I've done a fair amount of that already.
Just thought...............if I wrap up all the bits and pieces of Dads and put them in my sons box ready for his birthday............that'll be another 27 by the time I've done..................sorted !!:T