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...

Evening!

Just wrote a long message and laptop crashed... arrggh!

Anyhow, am shortly off to bed but want to confess I also bought some unnecessary new nice showergel this week! I'll enjoy using it though.

Yesterday I made a start on the kitchen - large box of kitchen utensils, crockery and glassware to take to the chazzer.

Might try and do a bit more over the weekend, but we have a lot on, and I do want to get out in the garden too, to do some of the jobs out there.

I had a relapse with toileteries in boots and the pound shop yesterday .
In my defence ds will be out of action for several weeks following surgery and I don't trust dh to get the right stuff won't be able to get to the shops easily.

Gee it's all going tits up with the minimalist gang

I've fled the coop as Dd's are with exP all weekend so I'm luxuriating staying with friends so I don't indulge in depression.

Back into it Sunday. Until then it's all high thread count, wonderful food and wine and sleep for me.

Mind you I did pack an astonishing amount for 2 nights chilling so I'm looking into that - still engaged in the process

Well ds' presents so far have come from us alone (a thundercats tank, chuggington set which works with one we for for Xmas, bike and bell). Everyone else has sent cash or will bring presents Sunday. It will be a food time Monday to declutter their existing toys again. Dh is trying to talk ds' godfather out of a Hornby train set. We've no idea where we will put it and its not going to be one a 3yo can just play with by themselves. We appreciate the thought but its hard to say we don't want what they think is a fab idea.

Party things are all organised into boxes/stashed behind the sofa for Sunday. Just food to organise now and the cake to ice. Angry birds buns went down well at preschool.

Am still generally stuck in a rut so have found a 'to do' pad in with dh's business stuff. Have hijacked a few sheets with the aim of ticking off at least two items a day.

We've got guests tonight so no heavy duty decluttering for us as I can't cope with the fallout at the same time as preparing for them.

However, this week I have got to the bottom of a pile of old papers that have been sitting around for (ehem) a couple of years and recycled them, AND gone through all the household papers that have been piling up; and actioned, filed or shredded them. I cannot believe how much lighter I feel just for having done these things - not much has left the house but my mind is much happier!

Can I ask a question please?
Be wanting to ask for a while, but dont want to put a spanner in the works for anyone.
I have been slowly decluttering for more than a year.
And have only read the first page of this thread, so this question may have already been answered somewhere else on this thread, or somewhere else.
My problem is this. This is like an admittance of guilt and why I stumble nearing the end of a good clearout.
I am all right with cupbaords[ish] if they are emptier. Sometimes I put other things in there from elsewhere, to ease somewhere else that is a bit full.
But..I struggle with seeing comletely or almost completely surfaces, such as say a dressing table.
They look boring or empty or something.

Hello, I like.

Completely clear surfaces are not for me either.
I'm pleased to have got some of the items that were on the kitchen worktop into cupboards, it make it easier to prepare food. But there are still things eg bowl of tomatoes and kitchen roll which is always in use.

Likewise for the sideboard in the living dining room. The clutter is gone but there will always be one or two decorative items. They look better when they can be seen properly.

I don't have one but IMO a dressing table is supposed to have a few bits on it. They look good in the old films, hair brush, hand mirror, perfume only, not a whole load of little bits of make up and hair bits etc which gather dust if not in drawers.

I'm taking my first steps into my minimalist journey. I recently sent a bag of clothes to the charity shop that felt great to get rid of, and today I did my first ever car boot. In the freezing rain! But I sold quite a bit of the kids old toys (just little bits n pieces) and made £35 in 2 hours!

I have found this thread really useful, I now look at my home and think "why do I have this item?" and I'm starting to lose the guilt at chucking stuff out. Thank you to the poster who said memories are in our minds, not in the items sitting neglected in our homes!

I haven't got rid of anything for the last couple of days. I intended to give some furniture to a friend but wasn't able to get over there.

The crappy desk is unmolested, so this weekend it's going to be taken to bits to give some more space in the sitting room.

I need to rearrange the books in the living room - I've got rid of loads so there are 'holes' everywhere, and one of the bookcases is falling to bits. If I get rid of it that's more space :)

Since my last post I've sorted through my jewellery and got rid of about half. Off down the chazzer shortly :)

Great day today - managed to get rid of 3 sets of old manky bedinen and some odd pillow cases, sheets etc to the fabric recycling bin and finally got the nerve up to donate a load of old china given to me by a relative which I do feel guilty about but it was encrusted in dust from the top of my bookcases and they look SO much better now.
Also got rid of a broken typewriter I bought to "fix" (it looked so cool, very 1940s) and an old table top mirror.

Next: CDs. This may cause divorce.

whereby I will have de-cluttered DH

Artemis
Currently trying to do 20:10 with work and housework!

Hello! Fallen off the wagon somewhat as have been travelling for work and life gets knocked out of kilter when something like that happens. At least in my life!

But... I am doing a car boot sale tomorrow. Wish me luck! Have never done one. Lets hope it's all that it claims it is....

I've added a few more items to the chaz-bag today, just some clothes that were passed to DD but are actually quite worn, and as she has plenty they probably won't be needed.

We have started clearing the room that DD will move into, as DH needs to do some work in there before she can move in. The double bed that's in there will be sold (or freecycled if it doesn't sell). Today we discovered that we have four - yes, four - double duvets. So I've freecycled two of them, we're keeping the super thick heavy one which is only a year old, and the lighter one which is on our bed now. The freecycled ones should be collected tomorrow morning. I can't wait to see the spare room empty!

Re: completely empty surfaces - I like the dining table to be completely clear, but for things like sideboards, I agree with a PP who said (and I'm paraphrasing) that you can see and appreciate beautiful items much better if they are not surrounded by all sorts of other bits. Not to mention easier to dust!

I really need to clear the top of the bookcase. The flylady-style hotspot has moved from the table to there, and I'm not sure how to eliminate it. There is the "bowl of random shit that doesn't live anywhere" up there, containing things like nail clippers. I keep them near where I use them, and that is in the lounge. If they weren't in the bowl, they'd be on a shelf. Other than the bowl, it's mostly paperwork that can't be filed just yet, because it is waiting for something to happen. Like me completing my tax return. Note to self: Do tax return tomorrow!

I'm floundering today. I need to sort out the growing pile of trash outside our house - the pallets seem to be attracting random garbage and I need to take it to the tip and list the pallets on freecycle. There is no reason not to do this today and I would feel a lot better to get it sorted as this is one of the tasks really hanging over me. I'm suffering with a cold and CBA to get off the sofa. Kick up the bum please!

you can do it wendy! Just think of how great you'll feel sitting down tonight with a glass of wine/cup of tea knowing it's all gone.

I am going to the recycling bins with a mountain of crap today - cannot wait!!

Thanks Artem. I did load the car up and take it to the recycling centre. and I do feel much better for it! Also listed the pallets and a couple of doors on freecycle - hoping for some response or we'll have to pay the council to get them. I have a stack of things to be sold waiting for me in our annex - I'm going to try to get those listed on gumtree this week.

Afternoon everyone!

I have been asleep this arvo - now very achey and lacking in motivation, but I have managed to put on a load of washing. I'm currently feeling very at myself as there are a number of really easy "quick wins" I could do and yet I'm avoiding doing them! Whey do I do that?

I think I need to do some 20:10s
It worked a bit last night. I got done the essential work I needed to do plus reported the fact that our paper recycling bin hasn't been emptied ( shared one for flats) and is now completely overflowing. I've had paper and card recycling stacking up in the house for over a week but the bin has been full for at least that long!
It is all very well asking us to recycle ( and I want to) but they need to provide the correct infrastructure!

I've sorted out 2 bags of handbags, some more books, shoes and a vase to go down the charity shop tomorrow.

Just listed 17 bits of jewellery and a jewellery box on eBay. URLs available on request I caved towards the end and just listed a giant tin of bits as a job lot.
Anything that doesn't sell is going to the charity shop next week.

ok... 40 Cds valued at 15.57 in total by music magpie. charity shop it is.

Hello
This thread and the others have been compulsive reading. My summer ( hopeful ) mission is decluttering and general fine tuning of household management. Thanks for all the fabulous inspiration.
I have 5 full Ikea bags waiting to go to the charity shop this week. I managed to clear 70 books off the shelves and into bags on my first book cull.