Simplifying Life

[Deleted User]

It is ages since I popped onto this thread and by golly it has grown. I feel fairly sorted these days, except for the bottom of the wardrobe but hey everyone needs a place to dump things from time to time. I have re-vamped or simpified my cooking methods, mainly because of the ever-rising energy costs and my electric oven is just a storage hole at the moment, only baking tins though.

It wasn`t that long ago that I was running my store cupboard down and trying to be more minimalistic but all that turned on its head when the uk economy took a dive. I now have a very good store of dried goods and tins, wind up radio, wind up lanterns and wind up torch. Oh and my pride and joy: a storm kettle. Loo rolls, candles, matches, first aid things and good water filter/cleaners but I have just realised that I have nothing to carry water in, apart from a bucket so I`ll have to look into getting a couple of carriers. LOL I don`t know how I have managed to stash it all away but I have and I don`t notice the extra stuff. My dh built narrow fitted shelves all aroung the understairs cupboard and they are a godsend

My study turned into a sewing room as if by magic and I have managed to stash about 250 metres of cloth away (all could not be resisted fantastic buys from a certain sellar, fab fab quality cottons and linens) I stashed by leaving them on the long rolls they came on and standing the rolls behind the door. 25 rolls in all and each containing 8-11 metres

The last bit of simplification was done last week and the house insurance was due for renewal. A bit more complicated as we are leasehold so I wanted to make sure that any furniture we added ie fitted by us was taken into account in the contents and so we increased our cover. The thought of making a list, a just in case list, was daunting so my dh photographed every wall in every room and that will be a good memory jogger if needed and also proof. The photos are now in the house file

My next job is to sort the house file, ie the box that we will pick up if there is a fire

ceridwen

Well...I spotted an article yesterday - in which a Govt Minister commented how vulnerable Britain's food supplies are to any untoward occurrence - as we are so far from self-sufficient...and thought to myself "Yep...thats true...but many of us O.S.'ers could now hold out if need be for at least a couple of weeks...valuable breathing space whilst things got sorted out a bit...and maybe even have the resources to help others we know."

So - keep up the good work.

mary43

kittie - you seem to be getting things well in order and so organised !(memo to self -must try harder !)

ceridwen - I can see my spare room being taken over by cans and packets of stuff to add to the loo rolls already there (plus christmas pressies !) Shelves and more shelves for OH to put up in the back store room........and not forgetting the garage.

Well, last night almight arguement with oldest lad...........couldn't get a life home from work, could we book a taxi ............money ?? No, he can't find last weeks pay cheque (he says) so hasn't paid it in to the bank and has none left over from previous ! Much shouting and carrying on from him........so we got him a lift home by which time both OH and I had hot air coming from nostrils............in walks our our lad, very sorry etc. etc. and then went out again ! Looking for lost cheque ? No way......which makes me think its not really lost at all..............kids !!
Rang oldest son last night..........he was getting in a state trying to bath and sort out baby (his partner has gone back to work part time in the evenings). He phoned back once baby was settled and was feeling very down........he's 40 this August (gulp ! am I that old ???) and being a Beatles fanatic he's booked a hotel for a couple of nights in Liverpool but so far not much spending money to take............wanted to visit John Lennons home.....so being ever helpful Mum I said I'd have a look on the website today.
Well, the date wanted for this particular trip on the website were available until it came to booking it..........suddenly they all became full ! Confused I was So rang National Trust who run the tours.......eventually they answered the phone after what seemed an absolute age saying they would double check but it looked like he would miss out on this tour he wanted. But (big pats on the back to them) they phoned me back, yes there was space for the date he wanted and yes, the right time etc..........so, tickets now booked and printed out via e mail................took nearly all morning to sort this out what with phone calls to my son trying to explain what was going on...................still can't work out why web site says on one page there's spaces, go to book -sorry full up........phone up and there's a space !!
Lack of communication somewhere along the line I think.
One missed phone call while I was in the loo...............tried to ring back and got that awful whistling noise you get when its a fax machine ! So, who it was I've no idea............maybe will never know !

So, this morning has been anything but simplified.......list of 'stuff to do' is now 'stuff not done'.....this afternoon I'll get my card making stuff out in the hope that our younger person will still want to make a card for him Mum...........better alternative than deep sighs followed by 'I'm bored' ........................

Oh dear..........this does sound like a moaning kind of post.............wasn't meant to sound like that at all ! Oh well, got it all out my system anyway
and hopefully this afternoon will run a bit smoother than this morning

Charis

Aril wrote: »

OH has made a removable bath panel [held in place with magnets] out of cladding and I can keep spare loo rolls etc stored under there.

What a good idea. I could do that quite easily, as the bath panel is tongue and groove.

I have additional shelves in the garage .... I've currently got my bulk purchases of sugar and pasta I made recently stored out there:D
Aril

I hope they are in plastic storage boxes, because ants just love sugar :eek: We are regularly infested with ants although we try not to entice them. One night recently I found a trail of them marching across my study up the chest of drawers where one of their scouts must have sniffed the scent of a bar of chocolate I had in there months ago. At most they would have found one crumb to share with the rest of the colony. :rotfl:

weeping_river

I have to say this thread is amazing. I found it about a week ago and my oh has wondered were I disappear to coz when I get a few free seconds jumping on this.

I've started reading from the begining, upto 66, and still going, could be at it for a while, but it has already inspired me to sort ut the kitchen cupboards, ransack my (very overflowing) bookshelf and we've sent the dining table to my parents, for when we need it in the future.

I really like the idea of a simplified life, but can see I'm a fair way ( and a slightly more cosmopolitan than he'd admit oh doesn't help as such, though he has expressed an intrest in what I'm doing, weather he'll get on board is a whole different matter.)

Right I'm going back in for some more reading, but just wanted to say how much I love this thread, Thanks!!

ceridwen

Hi and welcome to weeping river

Happy Reading!

JayJay14

Hi weeping river - it's all right you simplifying life but I now have an extra dining table in my garage:rotfl: :rotfl:

I'm off to Norfolk for the weekend but I thnk I may be joining you all when I get back as I will need to get organised as I start a new job on 14th and will need to make a few changes just to survive:eek:

Keep up the good work everyone

[Deleted User]

I am having a break, or I will start to make mistakes and they will be irreversible as I am shredding stuff

I have started going through the home filing system and have sorted old bank statements, house insurance, car insurance, building societies and boiler maintenance. I still have 1/3 of the file to do and it is already a lot lighter

I am going to type all the banks etc onto a piece of paper and I am going to laminate it so I can write and re-write on it. I am not putting passwords etc on it, just amounts in them and whether they are mine or my dh`s or joint. I`m not burying my head in the sand here as it will make things easier for all concerned just in case!!!! That will be my next job. I think I will also add account numbers and a phone number

[Deleted User]

well my last post vanished somewhere. Oh there it is

I was taking a break from sorting through the household file and the shredder needs to cool down. I have done the car stuff, contents ins, boiler ins, banks and building societies. I am about 2/3 of the way through but had enough for today as my mind is getting dazed. I am changing tack now:

I have just been on `word` and made a table and have listed all our bank accounts and savings places together with account numbers and telephone numbers and I have left two wide columns and have laminated the sheet. I found a non-permanent pen and put in the approximate amounts in each place. Now that isn`t for me but it is a `just in case` thing as I am the one who does all the bills and saving etc ie I have all the purse strings. The upside is that I have totalled everything up and I am smiling :j :j because there is more than I thought, once I added in the interest

mary43

kittie - you do sound like you're getting organised...........my paperwork is fairly well organises though there are still my filing cabinet bits to sift through...I just know there's stuff in there I dont need and only kept 'just in case'.

Have decided to re-arrange top of my desk tomorrow.........I bought a lovely little bamboo sort of pencil case when we were on holiday - handy not just for pens (so the kids don't run off with them) but I can pop reciepts in there but for all sorts.......then I can thin out the two pots of pens I already have, plus a box that holds I don't know what and several other little pots that have been bought me that I shove loose change in etc. All can be condensed into the one box (I hope !)
Then I need to sort out the cards I've made for mums care home and out them in some sort of box where they won't get spoilt.......at the moment they're likely to get either sat on or knocked over by an ageing cat !

Been a lovely day, visited my disabled friend and had a few laughs, came home to sit in the garden for a while and suddenly the world seemed to look very good. Even better.........e mail from bug bruv to say he'd be 'off line' for a week entertaining his son and enjoying 'the good life'........so peace from that quarter ayway.

Best of luck kittie and all with your 'simplifying'..........at times its not easy but its so satisfying when you can actually feel the space you've created, not just in your environment, but in your mind.