Simplifying Life

rosieben

Mary, I think its so important to record the story and keep it with each thing. It gives them so much more relevance, a silver sixpence on its own is just an old coin? What wonderful stories you have too.

Hello NM, thanks for the quotes! I snagged the one in your signature too, I love Ralph Waldo!

I've not felt well enough to do anything for a few days, but this morning I have - finally! - sorted out the pile of shoes on my bedroom floor; I even managed to throw a couple of pairs out

I'm hoping to rehang a curtain thats been annoying me since washing - not strictly simplifying but will help my blood pressure when I have regathered it so it actually covers the window span without an inch gap at the side!

I need to unpack my new micro/combi oven which was delivered on friday; will need to shuffle things around on the worktops to fit it as its bigger than previous one. I shall take advantage of the shuffle to get rid of a couple of things.

If I manage all that today I will be well pleased!

Have a good simplifying day everyone! :wave:

mary43

Sorry you've not felt well rosieben............hope you're ok now but don''t overdo it.
Charity bag been pushed through the door so now I can get rid of the curtains the freecycle lady didn't want ! Saves having to bleat to OH about taking yet more stuff to the charity shops.
I'll save sorting out Dads memory boxes till I come back from Mums on Friday. Be a nice little job to look forward to over the weekend. Seeing Mum is always depressing with her so poorly. I doubt she'll even realise I'm there. Still, staying with my friend will help. Brilliant mate to have and will listen to my bleatings no matter what as well making sure I'm laughing by the end of it.
Can't see me getting a lot done today. Once the morning goes pear shaped it seems to throw me for the rest of the day.

Aril

Gosh it's very quiet on here today. Where is everyone?....frantically decluttering I suppose:rotfl: :rotfl:
I have now got the next lot of decluttering sorted and ready for redispersal..I've got a freecycler coming later in the week and a big bag of goodies for the charity collection on Thursday. Have also got a couple of bits in the pipeline once they are dried [they've been washed] and reassembled to offer on Freecycle. Some of this decluttering/sorting I am finding great fun as I am finding new uses for possessions..my latest has been to break down all my broken/unworn costume jewellery into beads and then sort them colourwise into little pots I've hoarded. These in turn are being kept in my previously empty Shaker box and will be used in both craft and jewellery projects. I have also been given a cloth bag which is too small for shopping but will provide storage for the cloths I am going to make from my rag stockpile.
Regarding my book obsession.....I turned down 2 whole bags of paperbacks last night:eek: ...erm well actually I've asked my friend to pass them over one or two copies at a time to give me a chance to read them and then pass them on...but hey it's a step in the right direction. Repentant....me no never:rotfl: :rotfl:
Today's quote for me is about looking about some of the items I am guilty of moaning about and then if I approached them from a different angle wondering if I would still moan about them:
People are always complaining that roses have thorns. I am grateful that thorns have roses.
Alphonse Karr.
Hope you enjoy it.
Aril

mary43

Just got back from town.............stage one of using the 'beauty voucher' OH got me forChristmas. Opted just for hair do..........much the same just bit of a trim and it was lovely to have someone was it and do it all for me.
Then off to the bank, fell into the charity shops -really couldn't help it !!! Nearly bought a load of curtains that would have made lovely throws but had to really pinch myself............do I need a throw ? No, we've got one. Picked up four items, put them down again !!! How good is that.
Next shop............only things I got were cheapy bits for my christmas baskets though I did succumb to a sweatshirt for me (smacks hand !!! Didn't need it !)......................Bought bus ticket for seeing Mum tomorrow and ended up having to pay extra £4 just because I'm coming back on Friday ! Came out with ticket still miffed and then had to go back cos I'd left my charity shopping behind (senior moment !!)
Son sent some more piccys of grandson taken in Worthing just after new year when he went to see his brother...............lovely to have them so printed them off.
Done no, absolutely no de-cluttering -but then I''ve not been here.............lol Can't get my head round it now............I'm in charge of dinner and thats all sorted, put stuff needed to take to Mums in a pile so I don''t forget -medication, book, photos of grandson, bus timetable (just in case I miss one at the other end) and even sorted out what to pack so not bad going.............well for me anyway.
One of our lads went to see his mum at the weekend and conveniently missed the bus back.............did the same last night so got to phone him and get him sorted.
Then I'll feel at least my brain is uncluttered if nothing else...............lol
I'll start with a vengeance when I get back from Mums. Back Friday night to it'll be Saturday before I even think about it though might make mental notes on the bus coming back...............lol :j

needmoney

It is quiet today.
I'm nervously excited today I'm planning a major downsizing and wondering if I can pull it off.
My quote for the day is

Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid

Charis

Because of a chance remark by a friend, I spent an hour last night on the Beeb iPlayer site watching 'Earth Pilgrim - A Year on Dartmoor' with Satish Kumar. I didn't download it because I have heard people are having problems but I did manage to watch the whole program in the tiny window the size of a postcard. If anyone is flagging a bit and needs to remember why we are downsizing/decluttering/living more simply then this program is a must. :T Just look on the expression on his face as he talks. It says it all. Be quick though because iPlayer only has any programme on there for seven days and this one only has five left:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b008s1g0.shtml?filter=txdate:20-01&filter=txslot:evening&start=3&scope=iplayerlast7days&version_pid=b008s1f3

I can't stop thinking about his remark about the bees.

rosieben

I'm here :wave: I've been up since 6.30 and got so much done :j then after lunch I sat down with a cuppa and dozed off for 2 hours

Anyway, I did the curtains yesterday, looks so much better, wanted doing for so long and in the end only took about 20 minutes! tried out the new oven too, and very pleased with it. I'm not doing much simplifying today, but making notes for the rest of the week.

Top of the list (tomorrow's job) is to empty a 4 drawer filing cabinet which my bil is having; that will make a nice big space in my back room. I decided that as long as I have 4 big drawers then I will find something to put in them. The drawers are full of cables and discs, paperwork and assorted junk so all of that will get a major sort through.

I'm also having to re-organise the kitchen worktops as the new oven is bigger than my old one. This will be the perfect opportunity to have a bit of a sort out. I have a cupboard full of rarely-used china which would be a useful space for my sc's (yes, I have 2, but I was given the small one and I do use them both but tired of seeing them standing on the worktop) so my thursday task is to empty that cupboard and only put back those things which I really need!

Thats all I'll aim for this week, but I'll check in to see how everyone else is doing.

Aril and NM, thanks for the quotes.

Mary, enjoy your visit with your friend; hope you find your Mum in good health.

JoJoB

That was a lovely programme wasn't it Charis? Should be a series. really want to visit Dartmoor now.

Will be doing a big declutter over the next few days as we have someone coming to see the flat on saturday - finally! It needs to be looking a bit more minimalist I think. Took some books to the seconhand bookshop this morning and got a tenner for them, so that's a start. I really need to bite the bullet and dispense of my shelf of Steinbeck and shelf of Vonnegut etc - I don't need the lovely things on tap, I can just go to the library.

Need to blag a few old shoe boxes from local shops and take my fossil collection off the shelves and put away. Ditto for various kitsch items on my mantle piece (very amusing to me but just insane bits of tat to anyone else -Chairman Mao clock anyone?). They must be put away and hidden!

So much to do!

ceridwen

EDITED OUT - sorry

moanymoany

JoJoB wrote: »

That was a lovely programme wasn't it Charis? Should be a series. really want to visit Dartmoor now.

So much to do!

I love Dartmoor, it is one of my most favourite places in the whole world. To stand and feel the wind as though it hadn't touched anywhere else is wonderful. The place is alive with skylarks - wonderful.

The sight of my yorkie leaping over the streams and jumping from the rocks - walking miles to find springs and iron age houses and standing stones not on the map - can't be beaten.

I remember my first view of Dartmoor prison, Dartmoor makes me think of Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles. If you haven't been it is really worth a look.