Simplifying Life

rosieben

JenniO wrote: »

Rosieben - I would love to see this, as my OH was just telling me he wanted a garden journal for us to make up and we're having trouble with it as we're first time gardeners. Any tips would have been greatly appreciated!:D

No probs, I'll pm the link to you later today

Edited to say PM Sent!!

mary43

That's a fab idea I haven't got a splashback either and they're expensive. Are we twins I painted mine they were horrid tiles when I moved in about 8yrs ago then varnished it but it's really had it now and looks awful, the wood idea sounds great but what if it's a fire hazard

Hasn't been a fire hazard needmoney...........the cooker doesn't fit flush against the wall anyway.......its electric cooker so no naked flame either.

It's looking bit 'tired' now and I've been keeping my eye open for some cheap tiles that I might be able to stick straight onto it.

champs..............my comp room/office/den also double up as a guest room and I got a sofa bed for that reason. I spend a lot of time in here (when I'm not cluttering the kitchen table with making cards or water colours) so I want it to reflect a bit of 'me' ................you know what I mean. It's my little bit of space so stuff I've got on the walls OH might freak out at if it was in the lounge.................lol

Oh, about painting.............another thing I did.......I bought an old roof slate, stencilled it with some egyptian images (stencils were free with magazine) then varnished it, threaded string through the nail holes and that's my 'egyptian relic'......................lol
Crikey...........now I'm getting in painting mode...........:j

mamamia

I would like to say thank you to everyone for all your inspirational posts on this topic. I have been reading these posts with interest for the past week and I am really catching on with simplifying my own life. I went to M&S today and to my surprise I did not buy anything because I don't really need anything ATM from M&S. In the past, I would have been tempted to buy the £3 pyjamas I saw just for keeps.

I can see my stress level going down to nil with my new simple living.

verynewmoneysaver

I have been reading this great thread and, although I still have some way to go, I have gradually been following the principles of simpler living since I joined this site, and it has turned my life and finances around.

87p

my own little personal phrase from a tale of 2 men (whose names escape me) from hundreds of years ago, when it was commonplace for men to wear swords - one asked the other whether it was okay for him to keep wearing his sword, the reply was "Wear it as long thou canst". He wore it "for as long as he could" and then stopped wearing it. He wasnt ready to stop wearing it immediately.

That is attiributed to George Fox, father of the Quakers. Quakers have 'testimonies', which are sort of the ways of life stemming from their beliefs. One of those is simplicity. The Quaker book of instruction called Advices and Queries says:

1. Try to live simply. A simple lifestyle freely chosen is a source of strength. Do not be persuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford. Do you keep yourself informed about the effects your style of living is having on the global economy and environ ment?
2. We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world. Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life. Rejoice in the splendour of God's continuing creation.

87
(who is really enjoying this thread and thought she better contribute) :-)

ceridwen

mamamia wrote: »

I would like to say thank you to everyone for all your inspirational posts on this topic. I have been reading these posts with interest for the past week and I am really catching on with simplifying my own life. I went to M&S today and to my surprise I did not buy anything because I don't really need anything ATM from M&S. In the past, I would have been tempted to buy the £3 pyjamas I saw just for keeps.

I can see my stress level going down to nil with my new simple living.

Well - that will save on the blood pressure medicine! lol

I know theres all sorts of nice stuff out there in the shops - but hasnt Martin got a mantra about this? something about going away and thinking about whether to buy whatever first?

I guess its a matter of "training" oneself that you can look at something, think "yes - thats nice - I like that" without automatically reaching for your money to buy it. I'm working on the "thats nice....." thought has to be followed up by "am I going to get a good amount of usage out of it
- is it going to last a reasonable amount of time - does it fit in with my life as it actually is, rather than as I might like it to be".

ceridwen

87p wrote: »

That is attiributed to George Fox, father of the Quakers. Quakers have 'testimonies', which are sort of the ways of life stemming from their beliefs. One of those is simplicity. The Quaker book of instruction called Advices and Queries says:

1. Try to live simply. A simple lifestyle freely chosen is a source of strength. Do not be persuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford. Do you keep yourself informed about the effects your style of living is having on the global economy and environ ment?
2. We do not own the world, and its riches are not ours to dispose of at will. Show a loving consideration for all creatures, and seek to maintain the beauty and variety of the world. Work to ensure that our increasing power over nature is used responsibly, with reverence for life. Rejoice in the splendour of God's continuing creation.

87

(who is really enjoying this thread and thought she better contribute) :-)

Thank you for that:D I knew we would have some Friends on board a "thread" like this. Welcome.

Penny-Pincher!!

Just cleared a couple fo things today as Im still not too well:o

I Ebayed 3 items of american food that will sell well and are normally imported at extortionate prices. Also binned 2 old bottles of squash that none of us liked and have been in cupboard for ages, a half bag of flour that had been opened for a while and OH has filled half a black bag with crap from under his side of the bed

PP
xx

Bobbykins

Although not new to the forums, I'm very new to this idea of "simplifying"....I just wanted to say that I've found this thread really inspirational.

I've never really thought enough about my lifestyle and it's impact on others/the world around me etc etc (naive, blinkered, and so on)...or at least, if I have, I've usually dismissed it fairly quickly and moved on.:o

I've found this thread really thought provoking.

Also, thanks Ceridwen for that link.....I've just finished watching it.....the thing that hit me the biggest was the marketing man talking about marketing to kids who said "anti-social behaviour in persuit of a product is a GOOD thing!" :eek: :eek: :eek: . I can't tell you how horrified I am....(I think I need to go away and lie down in a darkened room).

liuhut

Well I spent half an hour clearing out under the bed. Have a pile of clothes for DD2 to go in her warbrobe so she will not NEED any new clothes this year, have to keep telling myself this as there some gorgeous little girl clothes! Have also put two bags aside to ebay or do a car boot when the weather is warmer.
Baby steps!