Simplifying Life

Pink.

Hi lilac_lady,

What a great tip...I've added it to the current decluttering thread as it helps to keep all the ideas together.

Pink

Guapa1

Wow, I just read the whole 17 pages!
I've just moved into a one bedroom flat and I just have so much stuff. I moved in a hurry so didn't manage to throw things out before I moved in and am going through the process now. It's really good because I just simply don't have the space.
Only thing that is annoying for me is I bulk buy things when they are on special offer and I won't be able to do that anymore.
I have a charity bag and an ebay box that will turn into a freecycle box if not sold.
I'm looking forward to a clutter free 2008.

Aril

I am very much in agreement that you should always reuse before recycling and this I do as much as possible [although always room for improvement]. Part of my clutter [I am a regular declutterer] is stuff I've squirrelled away to reuse- hence I'm recyling 3 old calendars today which have lovely photos that I had kept for a possible project that has never come to fruition.
My 2 other simplifying aims [aswell as reducing the number of books I buy] are not requesting freebie recipe booklets [I'm freecycling 10 of those today] as I rarely do anything with them and to be more selective about my TV viewing and reduce [I didn't say eliminate ] the amount of pap I watch.
Another quote for you:
Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need-
a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you....enough to eat and enough to wear, and a little more than enough to drink for thirst is a very dangerous thing.
Jerome K Jerome.

Aril

kippers

Wow what a quote that was! So true.

:T :T :T :T :T :T

ceridwen

MoneyGypsy wrote: »

Hi,

tried to give as much as possible to charity but some old stuff is just not good enough for that - old underwear and the like. Cut up some old clothes to use as cleaning rags but really didn't know what to do with the rest so they did go in the bin. Just one small bag full though.

Any tips for next time so that I don't even do that?

Ultimately - when you have done everything possible in terms of giving clothes to charity, making into cleaning rags and making squares of material for patchwork purposes - then I guess what is left has to go to clothing banks (ie the ones you find by some Council glass recycling banks) - at least they wouldnt go to landfill. Theres even one for old footwear I can get to.

ceridwen

Morning and Happy New Year all

Hope theres not too many "bleary eyes" this morning - apart from mine, which I am not going to look at too closely.

Part of the bleary-eyedness is down to the recently-acquired custom of letting off fireworks at every conceivable excuse (New Year being an obvious one). Personally - I dont want to spend so much money to just go up in smoke or create that amount of noise. So - I was lying there pondering on the "Tis a gift...." theme - in this case "Tis a gift to have silence". Silence is one of the most precious commodities in the modern world - and one of the most difficult to get (with car noise, airplane noise...the list is endless). I like music (not at "deafen the neighbours" volume) - but, apart from that, I value "natural" sound - like birds, the wind in the trees, rain, a river in flow.

Another thing that strikes me at this time of year is the Christmas decorations everywhere. Again - personally I am not interested. I think its nice to see candles and natural greenery used for decoration and I like the idea of making ones own decorations (dual purpose thing - creative hobby). But I really dont like commercial Christmas decorations and find them "over the top" in style.

Right....off to reorganise my filing.

Sola

ceridwen wrote: »

Part of the bleary-eyedness is down to the recently-acquired custom of letting off fireworks at every conceivable excuse (New Year being an obvious one)... Personally - I dont want to spend so much money to just go up in smoke or create that amount of noise. So - I was lying there pondering on the "Tis a gift...." theme - in this case "Tis a gift to have silence". Silence is one of the most precious commodities in the modern world - and one of the most difficult to get (with car noise, airplane noise...the list is endless). I like music (not at "deafen the neighbours" volume) - but, apart from that, I value "natural" sound - like birds, the wind in the trees, rain, a river in flow.

Another thing that strikes me at this time of year is the Christmas decorations everywhere.

With you 100% on this. I don't remember fireworks as a kid being any time other than 5th November; now they seem constant. We get them randomly here, and it really unsettles the cats and us. If you're up at 4am letting off fireworks every night of the week, you obviously have too much time on your hands - get a job!!

I just don't do decorations and knicknacks. Or people-photos for that matter; we have pics of ugly kids all round the livingroom. I loathe them all and would ban them from the house if DH didn't get stubborn about it.

ceridwen

Sola wrote: »

I just don't do decorations and knicknacks. Or people-photos for that matter; we have pics of ugly kids all round the livingroom. .

aaawwww! Not your own beautiful (of course) children I presume:D

Ishtar

The fireworks were great last night, but a bit excessive - they were still going off at almost 12.45am....which disturbed my 3 year old DD who woke at 1.10am, then again at 2.45am. Haven't seen the cat this morning either...she disappeared at 10.30 (suspect outside) and no amount of calling can persuade her out of her hidey-hole Not a good night (in terms of sleep), and I'm feeling decidedly blurry this morning...

Anyway, I haven't read the whole thread but wanted to say that my plans to simplify this year include a complete declutter of the entire house, from loft to garage/shed as we are putting the house on the market this weekend and I don't want to have to shift stuff in boxes that will stay in boxes until I'm in my box (if you see what I mean:rotfl:).

Someone mentioned above about clothes not being good enough to go to charity shops. My mum works in a charity shop and they often take clothes that are solely for the rag-man - they get a certain amount of money for handing over the rags. Can't remember what they're recycled into, but if I find out I'll post. Might be worth asking in your local shops (that is, if you can't find a use as cleaning cloths...!).

Happy New Year all
D.
(Who's now off to read the entire thread to glean tips for decluttering!).

Sola

ceridwen wrote: »

aaawwww! Not your own beautiful (of course) children I presume:D

No kids of my own, but stepkids. They're not really ugly, quite attractive really, but I don't want to look at anyone's photos whenever I'm sitting on the sofa. I particularly resent the photos of DH's bratty revolting nephew. Every once in a while I pile them all facedown on the coffeetable but DH always puts them out again. I'm fine with landscape photos but just hate looking at faces, even pretty ones.