Simplifying Life

rosieben

There are so many really good threads I'm following at the moment, including this one, and I feel inspired to sit down and write the changes I've made in my life since I found the OS forums (and MSE generally). OS has been the biggest influence in my life ever and has changed my outlook and circumstances for the good in ways that I could not have imagined. Off to find myself a nice notebook ...... might turn it into an OS journal

mary43

Good idea rosieben............I only joined just before Christmas but have found out such a lot since then. Brilliant ideas about how to save money which, lets face it, I think we all need to do.
I also have loads of notebooks bought me at Christmas and birthdays so I'm keeping one to keep tabs on what I spend on christmas and birthdays, another just to keep an eye on personal spending -whenever I get my pension out I always treat myself to something and later wonder why............lol
Had a gardening journal last year which was handy for making note of the weather, what plants/veg grew well and what didn't..........saves wasting money on seeds that out garden isn't suited for.

So, off to sort out which notebook to use next....................:T

tooties

What an absolutely fab idea Rosie do you mind if i steal it?

rosieben wrote: »

There are so many really good threads I'm following at the moment, including this one, and I feel inspired to sit down and write the changes I've made in my life since I found the OS forums (and MSE generally). OS has been the biggest influence in my life ever and has changed my outlook and circumstances for the good in ways that I could not have imagined. Off to find myself a nice notebook ...... might turn it into an OS journal

:T :T :T :T

tooties

Well everyone im back from the attic in one piece lol to be honest it wasn't too bad up there.
two trips to the tip and it was all over just have a couple of boxes of toys left over to recycle and thats it.
was so inspired i even started on a bedroom of my teenage sons (which wasn't pleasant) but that too is also looking gleaming.
tomorrow i may even venture into the other teenage sons room.
Mind you i now have at least 6 loads of dirty laundry to get through now.
can anyone tell me why teenagers leave all there clothes in their rooms until they have nothing left to wear and expect me to have it all washed, dried and ironed ready for their return an hour later????
Im planning a daily delve into there i think as it must be easier than getting all the laundry at once.
regards
tooties

mary43

I think teenagers are a law unto themselves..........the ones I foster chuck their clothes in a heap then rifle through them to see which are the clean ones and which need washing...........usually when they want something to wear. Give them a wardrobe and chest of drawers and its almost like its alien to them to use it............the floor has much more space.........well before they dump their clothes on it,plus cds. ps games and more,...........lol

rosieben

Take heart though, teenagers do eventually become human

My son was one of the absolute messiest - in the end I refused to go into his room because there was literally no carpet showing! If he didnt put washing out it didnt get done and if I suspected lots of dirty dishes in his room he was refused food until he brought them down and washed/wiped them. He's been living on his own for many years now and his place is so very tidy its hard to believe that he's the same son!! oh, and he's very much a minimalist, never allows clutter to gather

rosieben

Glad some of you like the idea of OS journal, I've made a start on mine!

I love the idea of a garden journal, started one of these a few years ago and let it drop. It's really useful as you say, Mary, to know what does well and where etc. Also useful for keeping track of which varieties did best.

I found an empty boot box (ds loves boots and men's boot boxes are a really useful size!) and covered it with flower and veg pics from mags. keep all my seeds (loads of freebies from gardening mags) and my gloves, plant labels, plant ties, catalogues, twine, secateurs and gardening gloves. I shall keep my gardening journal in there too. I only have to pick up that box when I go out to do any jobs and I have everything to hand.

I shall make some more plant ties (from old tights) and keep them in there.

mary43

Oh rosieben what a lovely idea.............there's always a shoe box or two kicking around here what with teenagers and their trainers.Any chance of a piccy for inspiration ? Hadn't thought of being so organised.........thought I was being good with my gardening journal..............lol
If I have a shoe box I can keep my 'indoor gardening tools' in it. I'm no good with indoor plants but theyre handy for transplanting seeds.
And wouldn't something like that make a lovely present for someone.........now there's a thought. First girl we ever fostered (she'll be 30 this year........groan........I feel old all of a sudden.........lol) has moved to a lovely cottage in the country and longing to get her garden sorted.
So looks like a box for me and a box for her..................lol :T
I'll never get any housework done at this rate will I
Oh, forgot to mention.......gardening magazines I've bought in the past -if I see something in them I like,such as flower tub arrangement, stuff like that, I've stuck it in a scrapbook so I can copy the idea at a later date.
Got the idea of hessian for my hanging baskets from a magazine.......not shop bought hessian..........more like a load of old sacks someone didn't want but they did the job for me.....:j

kethry

rosieben wrote: »

Glad some of you like the idea of OS journal, I've made a start on mine!

I love the idea of a garden journal...

I was given a garden journal for christmas, which i'm currently filling out, and i think its going to be extremely useful. Each seed i've got has a page in the journal, with notes about when it was bought, when it goes "out of date", what company, variety, etc. etc., and - eventually - where and when they were planted, when they were harvested, and so on. This time next year it'll be extremely useful for working out which ones did good and are worth keeping, which ones were okay, maybe could be moved to a better spot to grow better, which ones i won't be growing again..

I've also got an OS Journal which i keep all my recipes and household notes in. both are just covered A5 clip files, and i write my own sheets, however, there is this site if anyone wants it, which has printable sheets for just about any planner. This lady (who writes a simple living blog) used it to make a planner which looks really lovely.

speaking of blogs, I would also add that blogs are extremely useful in different ways to the journals. You can share your triumphs and disasters there, it works as a kind of diary as well (for the past, rather than the future)... i really wouldn't be without mine. I know there are quite a few people on here who have their own blogs - i'm slowly finding them! - but i think more is always a good thing!

keth
xx

jane130

I have introduced a new rule to my house today to make life simpler , we all eat together , if ou not in a mealstimes you go without. It my sund harsh but there are 6 of us and at least 3 of us were eating seperatly to the rest of us which meant not only extra costs to heat them , but more often than not seperate meals and 3 lots of dishes to do. so this should improve things no end.

there will be a few exceptions , Eldest DD works late tuesdays so she will be excused and when DH is on lates he will be excused but I will make sure all meals on those days can be easily reheated in the microwave or eatten cold.

I am slowly working on decluttering and its working it only took me 20 minutes to tidy my boys bedroom this morning and that is usually an all day job and even the laundry got finsihed in one day today / quiet and acheivement I can tell you.

which leaves tomorrow free for some baking in the already tidy kitchen because nobody wil be eatting at 9pm tonight and leaving the dishes until the morning . this simplifying life thing is really starting to pay off