Out with the old and in with - NOTHING! Further adventures in minimalism.

[MrsPennyapple]

Following on from the Minimalist Journey and Minimalist Quiche threads. The journey continues...

Well I have finally managed to finish putting the cleaning cupboard together. It is now lovely and organised, though it does need another decluttering session - including paring down my collection of DIY bits (nails, screws, random hooks, etc). It won't make much difference in terms of space, but would be useful so I know what I've got!

I am a bit stuck with what to do with all my sample pots of paint. I can't bring myself to throw them out - they were expensive and they are nice colours. And I like all the little pots . I may pop them on gumtree or something.

Operation kitchen begins. Any further useful ideas/suggestions about food storage and cupboard organisation very welcome. My clothes crates are coming in useful right now!

Would a minimalist keep cupboard shelves that are too high to feasibly reach easily without mounting the worktop clear, or for low use items such as spare crockery for parties (once in a blue moon)?

We have our saucepans under the sink. What do you have? Cleaning stuff is under the utility sink.

I have a double step so I can reach the too tall shelves. But I am 'only' 5ft 4 so most top shelves would be useless.

Under the sink is all our cleaning/washing products. Pans are kept on the bottom shelf of the cupboard next to the cooker along with Pyrex dishes and crockery on top. tins live in the oven except when it's in use.

Too high to reach cupboard and shelf space is for rarely but regularly used items. We have a fondue set used about 4 times a year. Champagne flutes used about 6 times a year etc. I have to stand on a chair to reach these items. (I'm sure a minimalist would manage without them!)

We are shortly building a cupboard for cleaning stuff in the downstairs toilet (which is twice as big a room as it needs to be) and when that's done I will use the space under the sink for the draining rack, dishwasher products and bin bags and hopefully that's all.

Our cupboards beside the oven has a stupidly narrow door but extends all the way into the corner = heaps of space for big stuff like pans but no way off getting them into said space. Very frustrating. I'm trying hard to think of a clever way of using the space without forgetting stuff is there because it is impossible so hard to reach.

On the plus side I have decluttered sippy cups, lids without tubs, tubs without lids, and stupidly large charger plates that we got for our wedding that have no practical use, plus a set of teacups and saucers that have never seen the light of day.

Also trying hard to rationalise our plastic tub collection against the Tesco Pyrex offer. So much thinking after no sleep last night! Need a cuppa.

Hobnob you need one of these for your corner unit!

My under sink space is fairly useless due to the way the sink is and how it has been fitted. I have a small box under there with bibs, tea towels and washing up cloths. I also manage to squeeze in the kitchen roll and kitchen cleaner and the box of dishwasher tabs.

I've just had our kitchen done and love these which we've had put in two long drawers in our kitchen island for crockery and tupperware. I've also had them put in two deep drawers next to the fridge where I stack all our glasses, mugs and also coffee, tea, squash, etc. The kettle lives on the worktop above the drawers and the fridge has a water and ice dispenser. I felt very clever when I realised I could organize it like that. DS (3) can get his cup out and get his own glass of water now .

As to organisation I've tried to keep things where we use them in the kitchen. Crockery in drawers under the main work surface (island) and next to the dishwasher. Pans in drawers under the hob, spices & oils in cupboard above hob. Glasses near fridge. Breadmaker below baking cupboard. Tins, casserole dishes, baking sheets, etc in cupboards above and below oven. Etc,etc..

I have kitchen envy now. That cupboard door is magic but my cupboard is only 78 cm long .

Still, minus all that extra crockery and with all of the weaning tubs condensed into a cardboard box, I now have a shelf for all the breads cleared . No room for Pyrex! Now if I can manage to clear the butchers trolley of crapola then the fruit can all go there and I can populate the garage with all of the now homeless stuff until I decide what to do with it. Love this!

This thread, which I stumbled across by accident, has me fired up for change. Minimalism is surely the way forward for us all... for personal happiness and for the world.

I found this definition of Affluenza which I had never heard of before.

Also, the Everyday Minimalist is another interesting blog.

My DH is getting on board - slowly. He chucked out a carrier bag full of old pants and socks...

I've been on the phone to my mother tonight. She has a massive place in Spain and bedrooms full of clothes she doesn't wear - including the outfit she wore to my first wedding in 1998! She may well get rid of it (and other stuff)... watch this space :)

Well done Sunny with getting DH on board - there are lots of us on this thread dragging DHs along the journey .

Hobnob is your kitchen custom made? That does make it tricky to retro fit any handy storage solutions. I know I've been lucky to get to do mine from scratch (only because what was here when we moved in was so very badly done, ugly and falling apart!). Sounds like you've got it sussed though - are you feeling the kitchen bliss now?

I found pinterest really really helpful with kitchen storage solutions - many are DIY and cheap! I didn't plan for where I was going to store pot lids and they don't fit in the drawers with the pans. I ended up with this in the cupboard above the hob. Ikea has really useful and inexpensive internal storage.

I think I should pursue a new career as a kitchen planner / professional declutterer .

Morning! Onwards and upwards with decluttering today. Bigs are at Nana and Grandad's so tackling their toys pre birthday! Also the shed. Again. As it has so much stuff dumped I had to take it out to get to the lawn mower.

Happily it's a sunny day so will drag everything outside to sort and then straight into the car.

Morning all!

Well I've decided - the new suitcase is going down the chazzer! I think I was "seduced" because it is new and free. I realised though, I've never found myself thinking "I wish I had another smaller wheeled suitcase!" So the chances are I really don't need it. Also, I got out all my bags and realised that the new suitcase was a very similar size to one of the holdalls, and I wanted to keep the holdall. Finally, all the other chazzer donations have fitted really nicely into the new suitcase

OK so this morning I have woken with a headache. I am also working, even though it's a bank holiday! HOW did that happen?! (Actually I know why - it's because I've got students very close to GCSEs and I decided that they needed the lessons!!)

Never mind - I think I've just got to take things slowly and be kind to myself (without eating chocolate because I really must start losing more weight!!)

I wish I was able to spend the day de-cluttering, but I'm guessing, if I had the day free I wouldn't want to do it at all!!

Great decision on the suitcase Arti!

I too am working (but Thursday is a bank holiday here).

Our kittens have arrived so the kitchen is looking cluttered up with litter tray, food and water bowls etc and the house is littered with cardboard boxes which DS has transformed into kitten play houses. They do love them and I guess soon enough they'll be too heavy to play in them (and big enough to go outside). At least the surfaces are relatively clear!

somme - anything that keeps the dc out of your hair provides free creative learning experiences for your dc and inspires them to stay away from things involving an electronic screen is a plus in my book and deserves to be given houseroom for a few days!

Happy sunny day today which meant that we are out and not doing any decluttering. Having said that I've now agreed with a friend a date for car boot sale. And I'm really excited. Not so much for the potential sales (and money) but more because it means I'll get rid of all the stuff and make space at home!

And the stuff that doesn't go will go to the charity shop. Happy days.

Ive been feeling a out of sorts & tired & the DC are with their dad and I'm missing them

I didn't fancy going out today so I've put myself to work and have been through all our clothes (again) - one large box for charity shop, winter clothes away, DD2's summer dresses all washed (out of 3 years storage).

My wardrobe is looking great - I've enough dresses, the tops are a bit scrappy and I could do with replacing a few (I wear them to work mostly), and I need a pair of black summer trousers. But its really nice to be able to see what I have got. I'm keeping too many clothes still, but I've put on weight this year which I'm coming slowly around to addressing so there are some things that don't fit but I don't want to chuck.

The girls have too many clothes even post edit. I can't seem to let go of anything else ATM, but my lesson to learn is re their future wardrobe, planning it a little better and not buying too much. Again now I can see and access all the clothes, along with my new learnings, things will be different moving forward.

Cleaning the flat is so much easier now - it is such a truth that the less you have, with everything in its place, really reduces cleaning time.

I didn't get in the shed today . Bit I did manage to put all the ironing away (3 baskets ) and removed quite a lot of clothes that are either wrong for season

Evening all, I'm trying to keep up with the thread but just don't seem to be on the internet as ofren theses days.

Having had my op has stopped me doing a lot for now. However when my Mum was here helping out she tidied my bathroom and kitchen under sink cupboards for me. So I can just declutter them now as she didn't actually throw anything away.

This weekend as the weather has now improved we started to tackle the garden. DH took two trips to the dump and I supervised al of the heavy work .

We have emptied our summer house of junk and old toys and have bought paint to spruce it up, so we can actually use it. I'm quite excited about gaining back this extra space. It has electricity and light so is a great space that we have just wasted.

Wondered where my message had gone. That's what I get for trying to have 5 minutes to myself.

Anyway, clothes that are out of season or just haven't been worn in an age have been boxed up for appropriate weather or bagged to go to charity shop.

I've also decluttered several towels and odd part sets of bedding from the airing cupboard. Also two blankets from an ambulance I think! They are certainly none we have ever used so can only think they ended up with us when ds1 was born.

The dc's rocking unicorn has been removed from the house ready for storage, along with several other toys the twins have outgrown/we've duplicated or have come from my sister so are being returned. Means I have a full car but its only a drive around tomorrow and they're all gone.

Our bedroom is looking much better today since the ironing went away. Dh did moan as I'd 'started a small job and made it a big one' and it took longer than expected to get everything away. However, I figured if I was rooting through wardrobes to find hangers I may as well pick up all the odds and sods which had fallen out of various ironing baskets recently. So at least the dc have plenty of socks and pants now. It's shocking how far they spread. I also emptied a cardboard box where clothes to be put away had been dumped previously. So effectively another basket load. No wonder I was struggling to find smalls for the dc.

Tomorrows mission is to get the garden toys cleaned so they can be used again while the weather is warm. Not strictly decluttering but if the dc can be occupied outside, I can get on with decluttering elsewhere without them picking things up and wanting to use them.

Can I just share the Ahhhhhhhhhs I get when walking into my kitchen and in the corner of doom which used to house my bread bin and a week's worth if shopping instead I see a shiny toaster and a speaker. And nothing else. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

I still have my food cupboards and the utility cupboards to go. I have a few things which are still homeless. Wendybird, my cupboards aren't custom made, they are just pokey to fit a pokey new build kitchen. I only have one full size under counter cupboard. The other is under the sink, then the silly corner one and a skinny one. And two full width upper ones (half depth) and a skinny one. So we overspill into the utility room. I've tried minimising as much as I can as I've gone - three crates' worth have gone. But I have used most of the stuff we have over the past year. And I unearthed a lovely teapot I got in Japan which I'd totally forgotten about. Strictly it should go, but it is lovely. I just need to work out what to do with it to make it earn its keep. I don't drink loose leaf tea any more!

Aaah, I bet that's a lovely feeling.
Is the teapot beautiful enough to deserve a space on a shelf just for being beautiful?