The minimalist quiche

[educatingarti]

This is a new thread to replace the minimalist journey one which is nearly full!

Continuing with decluttering. ESP as I was insane enough to invite one of dd's friends for tea tomorrow

It was all going so well but now things are creeping again. Need to crack on with it.

After a few days visiting family, a few days ill and a child's birthday party the house was a tip this morning. But in the rooms which I'd finished clearing, it has been noticeably easier to put things straight. So that's encouraging.

NQP I did also return my Mums sander to her in the box.

Boony it sounds like you have made some good progress.

I may be forced into sorting out my living room cupboard of doom as DH needs the doors from it for his new shop, and he can't find doors like them in B&Q any more. :) I hate the doors anyway and would like something else, but they won't be replaced immediately as DH is too busy trying to open the new shop so it will need to look tidy at least while it is open to view.

ooh lemon if you are embracing open storage you are definitely doing well as a minimalist

Hey sommewhereelse and Teddimac thanks so much for the advice re: messy guests (smile). I particularly loved the phone stack & the 'bowl of sh*t'!

Tried v hard to be easy-going about 'stuff'' but have to say I did enjoy getting everything 'straight' again when they'd left.

DH did a massive de-clutter on paperwork yesterday afternoon, sorted though loads of financial stuff and put all our pensions/investments/insurance/assurance in one v organised spreadsheet then assigned different-coloured plastic folders for things like 'car1', 'car2', 'health' 'Sky' 'home maintenance' etc. Shredded tons of stuff. I could see he had a real sense of achievement.

Hope we're not becoming overly weird on this de-clutter thing!

blossom I'm so pleased I had already started on this journey when DH needed the doors as if I hadn't I would have broken out in a cold sweat at the thought of that cupboard being open. I have sorted it this morning, and it wasn't too bad as I had already been in there previously. It needed a tidy and some stuff got thrown out but remarkably I'm not completely stressed that I can see it all.

NQP I don't think you can be too weird about keeping your house organised. I'm lucky that most people who stay with us are tidy, and much as I'm not very tidy when I visit others I always try to be. My Mum the complete neat freak is the worst when visiting us, she leaves stuff lying everywhere. It probably wouldn't bother me except for the fact she makes such a fuss if you leave anything out of place at her house.

Proper decluttering is still a pipe dream for me as I'm struggling to manage basic housework these days, but I did manage to get a few things to the loft which dc3 won't need for a while (I have been staring at them helplessly whilst feeding for what feels like eons) and inventoried it so I know what is up there. A couple of garage clutter items on freegle, a carrycot sold on ebay, and an old buggy on Facebook. That'll be my progress for the month!

hobnob I know the feeling of feeding for hours. DD is now 20 mths but I really feel like I did nothing but feed her for almost the whole first year.

Well I sorted the cupboard out and don't feel completely freaked out by being able to see everything, in fact it's okay. :)

I've also listed a few more items for sale on facebook.

I have actually surprised myself with how far I have come on this journey. Sometimes when I think of how much is still to do it can get quite overwhelming, but then I just need to remember that I don't need to do it overnight. The most important thing is not to give up.

Finally listed a few things to give away, and have hidden a whole lot of toys with pieces in a cupboard ds can't find, and am adding the extra pieces as I find them.
Ds definitely needs both more storage and fewer toys. Dd probably the same as ds claims all the untidy toys are hers. Eventually she will get her own room...

MrNC finally unsubscribe from things sending us lots of post. Now of course we're getting nearly as many asking us to come back!

Hi ladies,

Not done an awful lot recently but did get out baby clothes and an planning on culling them today; I get given loads which is very kind, but really, after four dc there are only so many you need!

Saw obstetrician yesterday and dc5 being induced next week as not growing well, that has certainly made me focus my decluttering efforts!

May I recommend a brilliant book? "confessions if an organised homemaker" by Deniece Schofield (yes, correct spelling). It's funny, well written and my gosh shes thought about things! Think it may need to be bought second hand but well worth it!

We're still ticking away here - sold three things on eBay, listed another ten, two bags to the charity shop.

I also got DD to tidy her room at the weekend using the method of 'keep what you want and I'll sort the rest of it' rather than actively looking for things to give away. This works much better and quicker with her and she filled most of one of those big blue IKEA bags. Most of it was paper and other things for recycling.

But despite doing this for over three months now, I'm still constantly coming across stuff we just don't need. I am slightly appalled about how much stuff we have/had. The strange thing is that I had less stuff than other people I know to start with.

In a way, it makes me feel a bit sick about how much we constantly consume. If nothing else, I'm becoming much more mindful about possessions and what comes into the house (especially as it's such a hassle getting it back out ).

Mammoth - I hope all is well with dc5

Queen I know what you mean about the hassle of getting things out!

I have managed to sell one thing on ebay - for 99p!

Hope all is ok Silent.

I need to start making an inventory of the things coming in as well as the things going out. We are over 200 things out between me and DH, but I have absolutely no idea how much has gone in during that period - and as we are all learning, it is very much a two way street!

I miss Harriet. How long until Easter?

Pixie - I know what you mean - it sooo easy to bring stuff in without realising it. My net amount of "stuff out" since mid-January is 53 items. I'm aiming to get rid of a net 365 items this year so I'm a bit behind really.

I find having an "in" list is really helpful. It means when I want to buy stuff I start asking questions like - "Do I really want to add this to my in list?" "Is it really worth buying this when it will reduce my overall out total?" and "Do I really want to spend money getting this?"

Mammoth good luck with DC5, and that book sounds interesting.

Queen I like the idea of what do you really want to keep rather than what can go with the kids. It would work much better with my boys I think.

I am also thinking more carefully about what comes into my house now. Once you start getting all of the crap out of your house then it makes you think a lot more about what comes into your house.

I took 3 big bags of baby clothes to my mw friend today for sure start. i won't get much more done until Friday now as I'm at work the rest of the week.

Thank you for your good wishes.

I miss Harriet too.

Trying to gear myself up for mahoosive list of books on we buy books; that'll be fun!

Queen I totally understand your most recent post, I have way, way less then most people but it is still mind boggling when I see what doesn't get used in my house and still needs to go. It makes the idea of people shopping as a 'hobby' or a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon seem so wasteful.

I've been really unwell recently but plan to get back into my decluttering once I'm feeling better, living in a small space really focuses the mind on what you do need and don't need and I can see very obviously what is just sitting there and not actually being used.

issimma I want the City Dyson!

Morning.

I have been naughty and brought more stuff into the house. But can its be excused if its storage boxes, a veggie rack and two big tubs for the little ones toys/dressing up stuff?

Had a day being sick yesterday so house exploded again with the antics of 4 little monkeys. Although dh did tidy up (even if everything is in the wrong place!) I shouldn't grumble as he was supposed to be going out last night, came straight home from work and let me go to bed, leaving the kitchen as a bomb site and toys all over the lounge. He even did laundry while I was in bed!

Morning all!
Starting the day in a fairly positive frame of mind. Not sure how much decluttering I'll get done though - will be mostly work I fear!
I have identified another couple of items for the charity shop bag though. Every little helps !

Sokmonsta - I think buying appropriate/workable storage is fine (not naughty) as long as it isn't an excuse to just store stuff rather than getting rid where needed ( and you seem to be doing really well on the "getting rid"!). I have a pile of storage boxes/trays/containers under my desk at the moment, but I'm not getting rid until I've done much more decluttering and sorting of cupboards as I'm often finding that I can re-use an existing storage container when I sort stuff out!

Nope. This is definitely storing stuff that is regularly used in a more organises fashion. Dd has toys fr Christmas that she still has not had out yet as they have too many small pieces for the big 'general' toy box. I aim to categorise everything and they will be allowed a box each at a time. Similar to ds' preschool and that very definitely works for him. He even puts toys away there as he knows what goes in each box.

Baby asleep. Looking at my utility room of doom and paralysed by decision making, and no DH home to defer to. Lemon drizzle cake beckons.

I had a bit of a revelation on the changes decluttering has made to my life.

Generally if I am ill and can't keep on top of the house for a couple of days then everything goes tits up and by the time I'm well I have a bombsite to deal with.

However this week I've still go an awful cold and now sinusitis, als DD was up srying for 4 hours on Tuesday night due to teething so I've not been doing much in the house this week. Well this morning I noticed that the living room really doesn't look that bad. It isn't untidy and could just do with a vaccuum of the carpets. The living room is the place that has had the most decluttering work done on it and I think getting rid of that huge coffee table that the DC used as a dumping ground has really helped. They don't have anywhere in there to dump stuff now.

It has made me feel better today. It also makes me want to get the rest of the house to a state where things can't be dumped too.

Yes, I experienced that at the end of last week Lemon.