Simplifying Life

ceridwen

I've been scanning the Zen blog again and found:

http://zenhabits.net/2007/07/how-to-find-peace-living-with-a-packrat/

was having a rueful grin to myself about that one - in that I dont live with a packrat (or anyone else either come to that) - but I'm well-known as a declutterer at work and I have to find a variety of strategies to throw things out whilst the clutterers in the place are busy trying to hang onto things - no matter how obviously useless.

ceridwen

Just found:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/eco_worrier/

the 3 April article on it - "Ten great ways to give things away for free".

So - for all those still decluttering and wondering how to usefully get rid...

Rowan9

Good link - I'd forgotten about self-sufficientish and haven't looked at them for a while.
Plans today include ironing of some old linen that I don't want and will take to antique shop some time this week. Other than that, not much. Haven't ventured up to loft for a good few days so maybe today is the day to take down the rest of the linen. Might even manage to get to the old bunk bed set and take to dump. That would be good. I also have my dad's camera collection up there and plan to get one or 2 cameras valued and then sell them all.
Hope everyone is finding simple living things to do in this cold weather!
w

mary43

Done no de-cluttering over the weekend. Yesterday was a day of people 'popping in' namely one ex foster girl with her 3 yr old son who was wanting to take half my bits and pieces and play with them !! Lovely to see them. She's grown up now and is a superb mother.......her little son is a delight.
Afternoon brought ex foster lad and his girlfriend plus dog -cue for cats to contemplate leaving home............a 3 yr old and a dog ??? More than they can deal with ! - he'd come to do some more gardening for me so now at least the ivy that covered the shed and was starting to do the same with the twisted willow tree has been cut back -then he started on clearing up the odds and ends that seemed to be kicking about the yard area........now they're all packed up and in the garage (bit out of sight out of mind I know but the wheelie bins were full and OH hasn't time to go to the tip this weekend). He's coming up again this week to tackle the plant growing up the front of the house..........then maybe I might see a bit better through the window without feeling I'm in a forest...........mind you I quite like that feeling. Still, needs must so the shears will be out again.
Trying to freecycle Dads wrestling mags & and my sheet music but no-one seems to want them. Think they'll end up being donated to the local 2nd hand book shop.
Eldest son rang and wanted photos I'd got........he's putting them on a disk for a sort of modern day family history. Hadn't realised just how many photo albums I had !!! Half of them were only half full so there's another job needs doing. It's never ending and I wonder if I'll ever get there.
Builder supposed to be coming tomorrow evening.........3rd one we've tried....they all say they'll come and just don't show and I'm getting just a little fed up with it to say the least. But hopefully this one will be able to do more that pop the missing tiles back on the roof. I'm hoping he can plaster the wall in the 'building site room' as its now known, plus I've a little side window that is rotting slow but sure, serves no purpose and could do with coming out and being bricked up. (scratches head and wonders what this will all cost )
I've some more stuff to send off to the history society -bit more paper clutter out of the way........trouble is, never see much space when its gone.
OH looks on with a despaired frown sometimes as I plough through stuff. He's not a great 'grabber of bargains' as I've been in the past, nor has he 'inherited' loads of 'stuff' from his Dad but mention to him parting with some records he's had for ages and never plays, of any of his corkscrew collection or odd shaped wooden objects and he becomes just a little bit stern !:rotfl:

Rowan9

Hello fellow simplifiers
Today's Telegraph has an interesting article about clutter being linked to mental health (well, ill-health I suppose) and its connection to OCD. A study showed that those who found it difficult to give up 'stuff' and linked them to people - the example was a bus ticket used to visit someone- by giving it up and throwing it out, they felt that their love for the person visited would be diminished. A brain scan showed action in the part of your brain which makes decisions, whereas people who lived with clutter but were 'just' disorganised didn't show this brain activity. hhmmm. I certainly find it easier to give away/ sell some of my things when I have someone with me to kind of bounce ideas off. I am also more and more aware about having been bogged down with things which belonged to my parents but were not my style. I've been able to let so much go (as I keep saying, sorry for repeating but this is a big step forward for me) and feel so f r e e skippetty hop skippetty hop. The article stated that less clutter = a calmer mind and I have certainly found this. Remember, I am paraphrasing the paper and don't have the article in front of me.
Anyway - the article has inspired me to free up more space and to keep on top of ironing etc. I LOVE minimalism. I never thought I'd get a chance to really embrace it, attached as I was to all those memories linked to stuff. Goodbye stuff ....the memories will still be here

Hope you are all well....quiet in here lately eh? Maybe this means we have all simplified and are uplifted
w

ps when DD comes back tomorrow I will put on photos of my decluttered kitchen and also my £6 peace corner chair in the bedroom

mary43

wmf - sounds like an interesting article. It does seem I am one of those people who find it hard to let go of 'people stuff'.........they've touched it therefore I want it - especially in the case of my Dad. As for the rest of the stuff I love to surround myself with (pictures on walls, bread board collection and an immense amount of 'old' wooden tools etc, ) I was told once that people who feel the need to 'have or own things' are insecure and having these things around them gives a sense of security. Not sure quite how that theory came about. I'd hate to be very minimalist - it's just not me, but the stuff I've collected because I find it pleasing to the eye I don't see as my problem. For me its the 'unseen' stuff...........hence the need for endless storage boxes ! I dwelt at length this morning on whether to send off to my old home town history society actual items or whether to have them photocopied and keep the originals. Decided in the end they can have the original pieces..............they're just letters to my dad from builders/solicitors -dental bills etc. and they're more beneficial as part of the history of my home town than they are for me. So, I'm making a good start I feel. I've promised the history soc. I'll delve through my stuff and if there's more they can have it. I know it's safe but I don't have the responsibilty of it.
Still waiting for some response to my Wrestling Magazines and bits of sheet music and get the feeling they'll end up at the second hand book shop. And it doesn't bother me either............how strange when I really thought that it would.
My son put in request for some photos of him as a child -he wants to do his own little version of a family tree. So many albums, so many photos -many unseen for years..............I will keep them but I'll certainly sort them into some sort of order.
I must admit I too find it easier if someone is doing it with me........where I dither about something the other person will make the decision ......think I'll phone a friend...............lol
I do feel though that maybe I'm winning ??

Rowan9

Sounds like you are winning with it, Mary. I think it's great that you have the link with the historical society - such a good idea to pass on those items for them to keep and display.
Off to put my feet up - have been lazy tonight and bought a ready meal so it's that and my book. I felt the need to simplify tea as I'm on my own here and am starving but didn't know what to have. It's unusual for me to buy ready meals as I like to cook from scratch but I could see that I've done a lot and sometimes get beyond hunger. So...Thai curry. Yes, I know it won't have much actual chicken in it but it's what I've gone for tonight!
W

mary43

Being in charge of kitchen duties I've got a ready made steak and kidney pie from supermarket.........OH did enough veg yesterday to use today so I've added cheese sauce (packet mix) to the cauliflower.......popped pre-cooked potatos in and about to boil the cabbage...............thinking that surely I can't mess this meal up ???....................lol (though it wouldn't be the first time)
Have sorted out stuff for my son and found out there's a museum in my home town now...............methinks I could practically fill it up.............lol

Enjoy your relaxation and book................sounds a good idea............only wish I could. Sometimes its nice just to have your own company and do what you want, when you want..............:j

ceridwen

Hi wmf

You could well be right - perhaps we have basically decluttered away.....it certainly does help us all to have others in the same boat ...gives a bit of encouragement and some useful how-to ideas.

Dont know about anyone else - but I personally am a lot more uncluttered than I was and it does feel less stress-y to see various rather barer than they were bits and to know that I can instantly put my hands on anything now (bar the paperwork - I've still got that Paper Mountain to deal with - left the worst bit to last perhaps:D ).

Just odds and sods type bits now in other respects - using my way up through various cosmetics (ready for making my own) and just odd little bits heading to charity shops still (took a couple more today - and got a BIG smile when they realised how much money they were going to be able to charge for it).

I personally am "balancing out" a bit - in that I have been anticipating a big Recession for some time now and doing a bit of judicious stocking-up of items I will find useful when it starts (which I have very nearly finished). So - in my case - its not all been one way (straight out of the house) - but I have still managed a net loss of stuff in my house.

mary43

Must admit, looking at our pine dresser it's a lot 'tidier' than the old one was........the open shelves are full of the things we both like but we can clearly see them.........nothing tucked away and hidden from view........phone books in one drawer, place mats, tablecloths etc in another,crockery that only comes out now and then is in the cupboard...........and I've still got empty drawers !! Wish the same could be said about my computer room though. Two drawers in one cupboard full of all sorts that need a good sort out and heaven knows what lurks in the kneehole of the comp. desk..........three stacking wicker baskets for a start, electric typewrite (do I need it any more ?) two folders with several compartments, very useful but I get the feeling there;s a lot of stuff in there I don't need any more.
With OH at work this week and out of the way I just may get around to delving under my desk ............might find some surprises...........lol
This room really does need sorting out. It's starting to look like a room I''d rather not be in...............
Oh well, for now, I'll go away and hide on the sofa I think while I mentally sort it all out. It'll be a start. If I get my mind in gear the rest surely will follow