The minimalist quiche

[educatingarti]

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

Oh you're so right sommewhereelse! I have said this to them... The trouble is they don't want DH and I to give the car up. I think they'd be okay if we were trading it in for a fancy new car, but us returning a gift without having something more expensive to replace it upsets them. It's very difficult to not accept things from them - they're always phoning me up saying they've seen something and do I want them to buy it for me? And when I say 'no thanks' it's like I've said 'I don't want your love' - they get all silent and 'okay. fine. whatever.'.

They also had a bit of a flip-out about us moving out of this flat into our new one - they kept phoning every day, several times on one particular day, and offering money for us to stay where we were or move to a property that they'd feel better about (but not enough money to cover our costs). I do love them dearly but they drive me nuts! In fact my minimalist journey probably has a hint of post-teenage rebelliousness about it!

DS1 is interested in the fewer-toys experiment.

I'm proposing that they have Lego, a tub of little soldiers, Playmobil, Match Attax cards and books in their room.

That may not sound like much but we have huge quantities of Lego, mostly sorted by colour () and in different sizes of container (so not nicely stacking), so it does take up a lot of space. But I've just realised I can swap some of the boxes from the stored toys for the Lego and they will then stack.

I realised today that if I'm at home I find it really hard to work at the moment. I keep getting distracted by stuff. (Getting rid of stuff, but still obsessing over stuff). SO not the point. I think I need to start getting myself down to the library instead...

Bec star that sounds so frustrating I can't I imagine. Argh, the potential for either upsetting loved ones or being angled into a situation you don't want!

Wendy, my four share a room, it's surprisingly hassle free! Not saying it will be like that when they are teenagers though...

Harriet, I had dd1 when I was doing my first degree and had cast iron rule that work stayed at uni and I spent eight til six in the library give five days per week, do know exactly what you mean!

Becstar - How utterly frustrating! And slightly intrusive. I think I would also be annoyed about a 'gift' that had so many strings - like you can't sell it and keep the money without consulting them. Somehow they need to get something back - either the car or the money. In which case, it wasn't really a gift was it?

My mum can be a bit like this, though she has gotten much better. She does write on any books she sends for the kids 'Love Granny and Grandpa' in big letters so that it is very clear who the book is from. My mum is one who needs credit and recognition for everything, I think that is why she just can't give stuff to charity - no glory in it. If she gives stuff to people she knows then she gets gratitude. I suppose my attitude towards stuff has more than a bit of rebellion in it as well .

Harriet - I am a real nester and have a very hard time doing anything if the house is a mess. I need an organised and clear area to get any written work done. I have also been using decluttering as a very good procrastination tool whilst avoiding my taxes.

Pinch, punch first of the month!

Off to the charity shop I go this morning with 3x bags of 'stuff'.

Using up 1 bottle/pot of body lotion/cologne/face cream at a time, throwing it away when empty then moving on to the next. Gradually my bathroom cabinet is decluttering itself. Very satisfying.

Also chucked out a load of ugly, dated costume jewellery yesterday, plus some "memories" that no longer meant anything!

Silent I would love to hear about your room set up with four sharing, I love hearing/seeing pics of stuff like that! Are they in two lots of bunks?

Minimalistmommi - Have you seen the story about a family in California (I think) who literally produces no waste? They take their own containers to the whole foods store, recycle and compost everything. She has a very minimalist house and only 1 basket of toys for her kids. I'll see if I can dig it up. I think that is too far for me, but was really interesting to read about.

Here it is!

Looking forward to checking out that nk wendy, on mobile at mo.

Mm, two are in bunks, dd3 is 3 and I'm not happy with her in a bunk yet so shes in a single, but we had our bunks made to order so another can be slotted om top iyswim? Dd4 still in cot at present, but will be purchasing new no bed soon I expect. It helps that we have very old house with large victorian rooms, we'd never manage that in a new build.

Antoinette,that foundation looks lovely, I'll give it a try.

wendy,nice link, compostable toothbrushes! Brilliant.

Ooh, good link wendybird77, I like the look of their house. I wonder if there's any dry goods stores like that near us to avoid buying packaging. I haven't seen any...

Thanks all for your understanding about my DPs - I feel so much better just getting off my chest to people who can relate and understand why it annoyed me!

I spent far too long faffing about on MN yesterday so I've resolved not to come on here for the next week. I've got a project I really want to finish and I find MN so addictive! I'm better at going cold turkey than I am at limiting myself. I emphathise with your 'library rule' SilentMammoth and your distraction at home harriet - that's exactly what happened to me yesterday. But this morning I went off to a cafe without an internet connection and blitzed through yesterday's work. I need to do the same through next week I think.

Then the week after that I'm going back to the office where I've been freelancing a lot recently... And in that office I have The Inbox of Doom. Over 2,500 unfiled e-mail messages when I left on Tuesday to do my current project, 300 of them unread. By the time I return to the office it's going to be 3,000 messages. I'm covering sick leave for someone who I think is actually off sick with exhaustion due to her work load! I've arranged to hand over half of her responsibilities to someone, and I've got a strategy to clear the in-box to empty (or to just that day's email anyway) by March. It really is virtual clutter. Just opening Outlook makes me feel slightly nauseous!

HmmmWent into Wlikinsons to buy one thing today but at a time when I was feeling tired, hugry and low - came out with 5 things - all stuff I want-- need but even so!

I want to get back to de-cluttering but real life and work keep getting in the way!

I'm still winning with my "in vs out" list though not by as much as I would have liked!

Are you keeping an actual list or is it just in your head?

I'm keeping an actual list for the moment. I'm not sure why. I just feel like it!

It's a good way of keeping track :-)

I might try it for the month of Feb. Not counting food.

I'm not counting any "consumables" eg food, loo roll, toothpaste! Or any items I buy for work ( most of which are consumables anyway)

Hello all, good to read you are still going strong. Lovely to see you again mm, I was wondering where you were, had forgotten about the move. I only have one DC but love the idea of DC sharing. I have quite a bit gap between me and next Dsibling so was a bit like an only and I always wanted a sibling my age to share with. You have inspired me to think seriously about whether we would 'upsize' if we have more DC, or stick with what we have and try to pay off mortgage sooner. I love the idea you spoke about way back on the other thread, of having more money for holidays and experiences because you have chosen a small house.

bec iirc you're off to the DP this weekend, hope you can remain cheery and calm yet firm about the car.

I am feeling a bit stuck. My to do list today had an entry: "Clear ANYTHING out" as I just need to get things going again, get some momentum. So I have cleared a small box of random papers, some thrown out; some scanned; some waiting for tomorrow to be filed in nursery/spare room where we keep folders for statements etc. Feeling a bit more positive but I think the real issue is that I need to do something about clothes...back at work after mat leave and bit annoyed with lack of nice clothes which are suitable for pumping milk in lunch hour. Don't want to buy new without first sorting through wardrobe but I am AWFUL at throwing clothes out. It seems such a big job, the fear of it is paralysing me. Any advice or inspiring words?

Oh, and can you freecycle booze? (not vodka, obviously, that's all moved into my cleaning supplies area....)

And wow wendy that family is amazing - going to be reading that blog in my allocated blog time this week and when my self control fails me all the time. Not completely sure on the uber minimal all white decor though, bet the kids grow up to have super cluttered kitsch mansions.

blossom I don't know if this would work for you, but I too was reluctant to throw things out unless I loathed them or they just didn't look right. (Much as I'd love to start a new wardrobe from scratch, I don't have the money for anything non-essential right now). I'm finding the suitcase thing to be a useful transition. (I kept out a few items, then filled a suitcase with clothes that I thought I could do without & then put the suitcase away). I'm really thinking about what works/what I like as a result. Not very inspiring but might be a possibility?

Yes harriet I think something like that is what I'll end up doing - already do something similar with wrong season/notsure clothes folded into drawers and boxes. But maybe I'll try to vac pac all but a 33 items and shove em under the bed...
then I could see how I go with a few items. Problem is, I've done similar before and even if something has been in a box for a year and I've not missed it I still find it hard to throw out, just in case I one day do miss it and would kick myself at having to rebuy it.

How about forcing yourself to wear those 'suitcase items' out and about? If you really can't do it, it has to go?
I have a top I never wore but couldn't part with and I've realised this week is that it isn't warm enough for this season and the colour doesn't go with what I wear in the warm weather.
But I've realised I have the ideal item to layer it with and had a genuine 'New top?' 'What this old thing?' conversation with DH
For everything else I've put on since I started doing this, I've been reminded why it always lingers in the drawer and has been put in the 'give away' bag.

I like the idea of 'forcing' yourself to wear items that you feel scared to actually ditch, sommewhereelse.

Despite taking stuff to charity shop yesterday ( including a beautiful cardy, £45, never even worn, don't know what I was thinking when i bought it, it was SO not me! ) I'm still niggled by things in my wardrobe. it's guilt that makes you hang on to things, I think. But every time you see that unloved item hanging there you feel guilty again so may as well just let go ( and let somebody else enjoy it ).

I'm also doing one in, one out on the wardrobe front. Binned 2 x pairs jeggings that had bagged at the knees/waist yesterday & bought 2 x smart new pairs.

Just had a minor revelation. At least 2 of the unworn items I donated yesterday ( including THAT cardy ) were things I bought when shopping with friends: "no, get it! It really suits you! Makes a change from your usual dull monochrome look!".

Mental note - do not buy clothes when out with friends!