Anyone want to join me in a minimalist journey?

[lucysnowe]

I've been reading a load of minimalist mum blogs and have been brainwashed inspired . We are undergoing some building work at the mo and the amount of stuff everywhere is absolutely doing me head in. Once it is finished I want to have a ginormous sort and throw out. We are getting a tumble dryer and I plan to start culling clothes, sheets, towels etc, with the aim of getting ALL washing done each week and not have massive full up bins cluttering up the place. Next: toys, ornaments, and random bits of paper. Anyone fancy doing the same for the New Year?

BoffinMum, if you could "like" a post. I'd like that one. It made me laugh.

I'm slightly alarmed at 365 blog post though. I get the 'be thankful for small achievements' motif, but then we are guilted into Eco-tip no. Whatever, which happens to be 'keep all those crappy string veg bags'.

Is 3 tea towels particularly frugal?! Maybe I just don't do much washing up!

I think it is. We are a family of four and until we got our dishwasher a couple of weeks ago, we needed two tea towels every time we dried up.

I have one kitchen drawer for bibs, dishcloths and teatowels, and work on a one in, one out system. #teatowelgate

DC1's 2nd birthday is coming up - have asked family to buy things for the garden - seeds, pots, mini tools - as less plastic tat clutter and more mindful activity - fresh air, team work, tantrums.

Boffin I love your post! I'll remember it when I'm getting too earnest. I second the daftness of the eco tip on the 365 blog. There's no way I'm going to hold on to plastic netting.

I also think 3 tea towels is brilliant but not workable for me yet - so I might try Peppa's system. Anything to reduce the washing mountain.

Hello everyone!
The children are back to school today so now I can get decluttering in peace

We are moving in about two weeks so I'm feeling quite motivated to get as much out of this house as possible as we are downsizing.

I'm going to tackle the under-stairs cupboard this morning as well as doing some housework. I try to put a load of laundry on once a day and put it through the dryer too. This is my daily 'habit' to keep on top of house work.

I also plan on recycyling most some of the children's art work from the Christmas holiday which is languishing in the corner in a big pile.

Just loaded the laundry into the washing machine and while that's going I've made a space in my living room and I'm pulling the contents of the cupboard into the living room so I can see clearly what there is. I wish I could upload pictures onto this thread!

I'm thinking about my under stairs cupboard too (although I'm currently at work, so can't actually do anything about it) - I want to clear space to put the hoover in there. But there's a load of stuff DH is insisting we need to keep (like those folding garden/camping chairs), so I may just have to move stuff elsewhere as a temporary holding post until I can convince DH that as we haven't used them for several years, it's not likely we're going to use them again. But they'll be out of the cupboard (and house), so that counts a bit.

We currently have small-ish dyson Hoover crammed under there, when we move I'm planning to buy the dyson city Hoover as its super tiny. We will have understairs cupboard at new house and its going to need to work hard, hanging coats, shoes and Hoover and outdoor wear like hats and scarfs and folded kids water proof jackets ( which I hate because they go musty even though they have been dried after its rained...) so I'm going to need to be really decluttered and organised to make it work/fit!

Ishall won't he listen if you point out they haven't been used for several years?

IShall my DH is resistant to decluttering but he has gotten better over time...he still resists it though!

oh, he's rubbish about keeping stuff "because it'll come in useful". We have an entire garage of "stuff" - some of which is offcuts of wood, and rusty hinges and old screws. It comes from his dad though, who is well known for having "stock". We helped him move house once, and he took spare windows with him . He'd built a tiny shed to store them in and everything.

I'm working on DH, although currently everything he says we need to keep either gets dumped on his desk, or I open the door of the Scary Garage, chuck it in and shut the door again quickly. He's not happy we all now call it the Scary Garage and refuse to go in, but he won't do anything about it. Apparently he can't start till he has an entire free weekend, and the weather is dry, so that he can take everything out, and sort through it. It's not possible to spend 20 minutes chucking out rubbish from one corner he says . I'm concentrating on the stuff I have responsibility for, and leaving him to it for the moment.

Boffin Love that

Queen when I decluttered the books we are left with a huge shelf full of cookbooks that are DHs. He has never cooked a single recipe from any one of them, but I won't even ask him to get rid of any as I know there is no point. We did at one point have a huge box of cookbooks that his Mum gave him when she moved house to somewhere smaller (this is where he gets it from, his parents would never get rid of anything except to palm it off on us and expect us to keep it forever) I did manage to make those leave the house. Although I think DH has them in his shop.

I'm hoping that once DH sees how much better our house looks with less stuff he may be more willing to actually let go of some of his things too.

Ishall our DHs sound very similar. We have a shed full of all sorts of things. We really need a skip to clear it. DH is terrible for buying something that is a bargain and never using it. We have a huge ancient tent in our shed that has never been out of the bag since he bought it second hand.

At least you're getting it out from your living space which is really positive.

Trying putting on a episode of hoarders in the background one evening, that show is enough to scare anyone into decluttering.

I've just filled/stuffed three big carrier bags, one has gone into paper recycling, one straight into the dustbin outside and one is going to the charity shop tomorrow. My sister is going with me and I hope to have another decluttering session first thing tomorrow ready for the charity shop run so even more stuff can go.

This week my DC's little table and chair is going to a friend and a huge outdoor water table. My DC's have grown out of both.

I need to decided what to do with a toy shelf and two book cases which are also going in the next two weeks as they won't fit into our new house!

Lemon what you just wrote about the tent never having been out of the bag would make me crazy mad! My DH knows that unless something is used it goes, he knows I will go on about it until it happens. It would make me so

MM I know he will allow me to take the tent to the dump at least. He will agree it will never get used, since we have since got a modern tent that has been used. I just get at the waste of money.

Hi ladies. Haven't caught up with the thread yet but will in a sec.

Just home from our wee anniversary break. :) while away I decided I would try NOT bringing my handbag with me when going out for the day. My keys stayed in the safe at the hotel, I had a small purse (holds a dozen coins and 3 cards at most!) and my phone (calls/ texts/data switched off, but brought with me as I had downloaded a map and info on the area so I didn't need paper copies, plus it serves as my camera)

I was determined to not use any bag at all ( inc carrier bag, so no buying a pack of sarnies for later!) and it was so liberating. I didn't need the tissues, hairbrush, playing cards, mini first aid kit, hand cream, lip balm,snack etc that I normally carry. I did miss my reusable water bottle though. (I HATE buying bottles of water)

Obviously some people need to carry wipes, nappies etc but I urge you to have a look at the contents of your handbag and decide what you really need to carry around.

If my lips get really dry ill buy a little Chapstick I can pop into pocket. Dry hands can be sorted at any department store ;) could keep one tissue in pocket and grab loo roll if you need to replace it when out.

Also, being away always reminds me how little I need. Will be back to decluttering after I go for a walk and catchup with my mum :)

MM you should be able to add them to your profile. The pic won't show on the thread itself but we can click on your name and see it that way. :)

Did well yesterday, two huge and hideous cushions I've wanted to ditch for years went to Oxfam, along with some huge and good quality but also hideous curtains. MrNC asked again what will I do when my curtains go to be hemmed properly if I don't have any spare curtains. I pointed out I can get changed elsewhere for a couple days and the light coming in won't be an issue at nighttime.

He agreed I had a point. We may both be fighting loads of hoarding genetics and gifts, but Spare Curtains just in case is certainly a step too far!

Friends are having a clothes and clutter swap party in a couple weeks, so need to dig out lots of stuff for that - I ended up with lots of fab well-fitting clothes after the last one, after giving birth to ds changed my shape totally. Hopefully will be able to repeat that though not sure relevant friends have changed their sizes recently!

We now have a lovely shed that MrNC agrees all tools and widgets should fit in. So I keep putting things in it and the house is looking better. Now to put spare toys in taped-up boxes until the kids actually want some new toys - I could have killed the 'helpful' friend who decided to open all the unwrapped presents at ds's birthday, as small puppets and puzzle pieces just got everywhere and I never manage to get them all in one place again.

We have about 10 teatowels but do have 4 in use at a time (large stupidly arranged kitchen - can't wait to knock it down!)

BC thanks for the tip about photos, I wonder if anyone would be interested in seeing my junk.

Lemon I'm glad the tent is going, I felt on your behalf!

I love #teatowelgate...!

We have a dishwasher and anything we do wash up by hand tends to get left on the side to drain then put away. So really, I'm just lazy!

MM - ill show you mine if you show me yours ;) just remember that it may give away any anonymity you may have on mn.