Simplifying Life

ceridwen

:T saw the following article today (featuring James McAvoy):

www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=509228&in_page_id=1773

very commendable :A

What a good example - he earns loads and yet lives that simply - cheap flat and small car - and prefers meals with friends to flashy showbiz parties.

JoJoB

My conscience is twitching re all my books now. I am so loathe to get rid of them, mainly because they are all so good and I wasnt good books around as my little one grows up. But that's silly isn't it. I mean, it's not going not read Jung until at least 10, and at least another couple of years before it starts on Nietzche.

I keep thinmking of renting a garage or something when I go off to the yurt, so I can keep boxes and boxes of books for the appropriate time. Or dream of a little yurt reading room/library. But that is probably insane isn't it. Oooh, this is going to be a challenge. Especially when I look at the shelves and see that every 2 feet of books sometimes equates to about a hundred quid. :eek: And I've sold loads and loads over the years. Trouble is I'm now down to quite specialised stuff that the second-hand bookshops don't know what to do with and won't buy, or really nice one-off things which i really don't want to give away.

I will have to figure this out somehow!

Aril

JoJoB- if your books give you pleasure [like mine do] then don't feel guilty they are there as a source of information, a means of relaxing and escaping into another world, new ideas and ways of doing things....I could go on listing the advantages all morning. I would be bereft without books. What I have done is thinned out the ones that I have ahem bought on impulse and read half and decided I didn't like them but have been storing them on my shelf, freecycled recipe books where I've only ever done a couple of recipes [just copied them down first] now use recipe books from the library and got rid of fiction titles that I have enjoyed but will never reread [eg thrillers]. Basically I've overhauled my book buying habits and used the library to ascertain whether a new title would really be of benefit.

Well I survived the jumble yesterday:D and simply recluttered [only joking...I recluttered simply...I have really taken on board all the new ideas from here and am putting many into practice] I bought a strange assortment of goods but all that have a purpose eg a basket to store my remote controls in as they regularly take themselves out for some recreation down the side of the settee [usually when I'm trying to video something at short notice:rolleyes: ], 3 ramekins [was done to 3 and not much use when we have people over], new shirts for OH [some of his are more thread than shirt] so old ones will be demoted for work and others to the rag bag. Also got a book [that will go to my Mum's never to return once read] and a beautiful beaded photoframe [am a real magpie and love anything that's been embellished] still with its labels on it. That has replaced a clock which OH has had for 18 years which I mistakenly believed was of sentimental value and I loathe. For the first time ever I asked him if he minded if I moved it and he just told me to get rid of it to the charity shop. However, wasn't totally good as paid 10p for a necklace and 10p for a skirt I didn't need but I can now wear two jumpers together that I couldn't before because the new items have created 2 new whole outfits...besides it'll shut the material girl up and keep her in her box for a few more weeks. I justified it from the words of George Orwell:
On the whole human beings want to be good, but not too good and not quite all the time.
A man after my own heart:rotfl: :rotfl:
Another one that caught my eye and made me take a step back and think after the wet weather this last week is from Dolly Parton
If you want the rainbow, you've got to put up with a little rain.
Hope you like them
Aril

mary43

Oh Aril you did do well at the jumble. Hope our table top sale/indoor boot fair at the local church is as good..............lol The one before Christmas was.I got loads of christmas pressie stuff and so cheap !
Well, been doing some 'simplyfying' - proper - this morning..........went through my bedroom drawer ! Amazing what you find ! Six books ! Couldn't believe it. I've read them all so now all bar one they can go to the charity shop. I''ll keep the Spik Milligan one as it was a pressie from my son. Other stuff I've earmarked for my christmas/birthday baskets -then I started going through the tin of badges........took a few out that I can stick on birthday cards but the others can make their way to the charity shop.........I mean, what do I want with badges of Madness, The Police etc..............lol
Dad's army badges I've kept and put somewhere else. My kids would never forgive me if I parted with them but little do they know that bit by bit they'll receive them as 'pressies' this year. Sorted out my beads...........another lot allocated for the 'pressie' box so at lest I can see what I've got now and only kept the ones I know I'll wear. Other jewellry, well I'll hand on to those as they were either grans, mums or pressies from OH.
So.............I'm now starting to feel like I can 'let go' bits of my Dad that I've hung onto maybe for too long. There are things that are personal and important to me, his diaries photos etc. but do I need four of his wallets ???? I'll keep certain things inside the one that he took all round Africa and Italy during the war..........something tells me to do that but the others.......more stuff for my kids I think (They're gonna love me cluttering them up.........lol)
There's two more boxes to go through of pen knives and cigaretts lighters that don;t work, then there's the shoe boxes..........I've forgotten what I put in there, they're just labelled 'Dad'. Be fun going through them again -haven't done that for a few years now. He died in 2000 and I just felt I had to hang on to anything and everything he touched or looked at. Now I don't feel the need so much. Hope I'm not acting in haste doing this but I'm going by the feeling I have when I go through things bit by bit, whether it makes me smile or not. If it gives a smile then hang on............if it doesn't it goes. Might bring a bit of cheer to someone else.
So, decision made (and oh eck, it's in black and white now!) I've got to stick with it !
Bear with me if I lapse a little but I'll try not to.

Freecycle lady who wanted material doesn't want mine........she managed to get some from someone in the same village so OH will have to make another trip to the charity shop.............not sure he'll be too happy about that.

Oh.............had quick glance in the bathroom and spotted a few more potential 'pressies' .............stuff on shelves I bought because I liked them at the time............not so bothered now...............at this rate christmas will be cheap............................lol:T

rosieben

mary43 wrote: »

... I'm going by the feeling I have when I go through things bit by bit, whether it makes me smile or not. If it gives a smile then hang on............if it doesn't it goes. Might bring a bit of cheer to someone else.
...

a great rule of thumb for sorting through belongings. dont feel guilty because you cant throw things away though, you'll let them go in your own time; I love the idea of passing things on to other family members.

Aril, thank you for more quotes. I'm saving them you know! I've collected quotes for years and use them in some of my scrapbooking projects, altered books etc. one-liners like the last two you gave us are great for windows screensavers - I rotate mine regularly. Thanks:T

mary43

Just spoke to youngest son...............he's as big a hoarder as me............lol
Told him I was going through his Gramps things and he straight away said.........'Mum, what you sending me now ?' (with a bit of chuckle in his voice which means he'll love it.............lol)
Just when he's trying to sift through stuff from a previous relationship and get rid of I'll go and land him with replacements..............lol
Right..........now to start on the dads boxes............................:j

mary43

Just came to a bit of a standstill.............cigarette case with Dad's name on -no prob, then cigarette lighter with Dad's name on but doesn't work and OH has looked at it till he's going daft and it still won't work. Then the rest are Ronson..............OH says put them on e bay. Well, I''ve got no way of sending an image of them so can't see that happening but he reckons we might as well get something for them if possible then give money to the kids. I can't see they'll be worth a lot but you never know so I'm holding back on those for a bit.
Then eldest son just sent through loads of photos he took of grandson at Christmas so have just printed them all out.............well behing schedule now I am...............lol

I've got endless books of quotes as well rosie............normally charity shop buys for about 10p. Ideal for putting in birthday cards etc. and just enjoy reading them ............they put things into perspective

Aril

Mary- just a thought and it may be of no relevance to you so please forgive me if I am speaking out of turn. Could you create a memory box for your Dad? I've seen this done with children when they lose a parent so that your treasured possessions and memories of him are brought together in a way which has a special meaning for you personally?
Aril

needmoney

I used to collect quotes too you probably have them but these are a few I'd forgotten about.:D


That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest"
- Henry David Thoreau

Love Me When I deserve it the least, it's then I need it the most.

Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.

Come ye away to a dessert place and rest a while.

mary43

Orignally posted by Aril
Mary- just a thought and it may be of no relevance to you so please forgive me if I am speaking out of turn. Could you create a memory box for your Dad?

At the moment Aril I've about four Memory boxes of sorts..............lol Well, al boxes with Dads things in is putting it correctly.
I mentioned a bracelet to my son yesterday that Dad bought for Mum from Italy during the war and I've got his 1943 diary that mentions him buying it. Son suggested the bracelet and diary should go together and he's right. As should the prayer book and silver sixpence given to him by an old lady in his village to protect him during the war. He took him with him there and back safely so they belong together along with the name of who gave them to him. There are several things like that .......things that I some tale about and I really ought to put them in a separate box along with the stories that explain why they're there.
Upstairs in the spare room I've got his suitcase he took to Jersey with him when he first played in a dance band, and inside are all the musical arrangements he did for other instruments. Mum said he used to sit up all night sometimes writing them out. The suitcase has his initials on it. Nothing grand, not leather or anything and it looks as if the letters were either printed on or stamped on. There's war medals, army badges, all sorts. A lot of his tales are written in my family history folder but it wouldn't hurt to jot them down in a memory box with the items concerned.
So, thats another project for me to add to me never ending list................lol I'm spoiled for choice now. Am I simplyfying my life doing this ? Well, I think so - it's putting things in order isn''t it.