Moving Forward With Minimalism

[MinimalistMommi]

This is a new thread following on from the previous 'm' thread on Good Housekeeping!

All Minimalists or aspiring minimalists welcome!

This morning I have filled two bin bags with clothes and half of one with shoes. Shoes probably aren't good enough to go through return to earn but are fine for a shoe bank.

Woo hoo. Feeling slightly better now I've made a start. Just need to keep the momentum going.

fuzzpig, not posting until you've achieved something is purely self-inflicted, I don't think there are any hard and fast rules!

well done for sliding gently back into the swing of things

I went to the charity shop this morning because the box was full.

clear It's not staying for 16 years! When we move, there will definitely be none moving with us!

I've been working (that is, at home) this morning, so decluttering my 'to do' list (I'm counting that as progress ). Still tons to do but it would seem that I have finally reached that point again. It's been nearly a year since I was this busy - once I went on mat. leave things were obviously more flexible, then I dropped a couple of commitments in the run up to DS being born. But at the same time I took on my studies, and now I've added two new commitments and have returned to work. So I'm back to the same busy-ness levels of before, only I now have a child and a minimalist mission too!

Plan to tackle a little more of the temporary stash today - even if it's just a little, I need to see it diminish!

Hi everyone,
This weekend I went did a deep clean of the bathroom and chucked a load of toiletries and a wooden box that was holding said toiletries - it was rotting a bit where it was wet. I decided to get rid of it without replacing it because if it's there I want to fill it and then I end up with too many toiletries that I don't need. Inspired by this I went through my dressing table drawers and got rid of a load of toiletries from there. They were all gifts - make up that didn't suit me, perfume I didn't like the smell of etc. I felt really guilty getting rid of things that people had kindly bought me but I knew I wasn't going to use any of it and it would just continue sitting in my drawers unused, taking up space. I passed it on to my sister who was glad of it :)

The first load of stuff I put on eBay sold yesterday and I got some really good prices so very pleased. Two things didn't sell and I promised myself if this was the case I'd be giving them to charity so I'll be doing that tomorrow.

Not a lot done this week though really, just been so busy. But this week I have plans to finish my wardrobe and get back to tackling the spare room.

My wardrobe I am finding really difficult. I have got rid of loads but I still have a huuuge 'maybe' pile and I'm finding it hard to know whether or not to throw things. I think I will keep them for a month and if I don't wear them in that time then I'm never going to am I? There are a particular pair of jeans I'm really struggling to part with. They are the most beautiful and flattering pair of jeans I've ever worn but they are too small :( I might hide them under my bed

Hello all - no decluttering progress at all as I've been unwell and then playing with my new radiator brush. . Decluttering years of dust counts, right?

I know I am quite minimalist when it comes to toiletries. If I don't like it after trying it, I keep it for a bit and eventually chuck or give away without feeling bad. I am gradually learning what works for me and what definitely doesn't, but sometimes want to experiment and play with new products, which is fine and normal. I do NOT like fifteen different shampoo bottles in the shower, unlike my sister.

Shining have you ever tried the hanger trick with clothes? I'm trying that for the first time - put all your clothes in your wardrobe with the hangers backwards on the rail, then hand things up normally once you've worn them. Then you can see in a few months what you never actually wear. I'll see what makes it through this winter. Clothes I adore but don't fit into at the moment - I've kept about 5 things that I still like but it has been years so quite a lot has gone.

And really well done selling on ebay - it simply doesn't happen in our house.

delasi do you have a plan for the rightful owners to come by? Is there an actual date in the diary when you have invited them round for a cuppa and collection?

Shining - get rid of the jeans!!
I had a lovely pair of jeans which fitted me perfectly when I met dh. 4 kids later I have accepted that I really will never get back into them. My hips are not as narrow as they used to be even if I could get back into that size jeans. They went to carboot and didn't sell so are now in my boxes/bags of clothes to be sent off. They are in damn near mint condition and a lovely shade of dark blue.

Started packing for our trip
Preparing the medical supplies bag turned into a sort through the medicine cupboard so there's a bag of out of date medecines (to be taken to the pharmacy) in a bag by the door.

Kegels There have been tens of dates in the diary and plenty of cuppas, it's just never resulted in removal! Tbf it's a bit of a unique situation, but essentially they've helped us out a lot and we are doing a series of things for them too, as they need our help in return. The storage of their stuff is just a minor thing in the scheme of everything else and I know they feel bad about it so I'm not too pushy on that front. However I figure it will be much easier to work through/remove if I make it all organised, hopefully I'll get them around this week even it's just for a few bits Hope you're feeling better

clear Forgot all about your super trip! still want to know where you're going

I haven't made much progress since my last update, but I have been measuring things up for moving some furniture about. I'm hoping to move DS into his own room but that will require a bit of work. I've also kept on top of maintenance - tidying away toys, clean kitchen, clean bathroom etc. Also making sure I don't buy lots of random bits, I keep getting emails for sales and whilst there is actually stuff I like, that would fit and suit me, and good quality, I'm also trying to work out when and/or with what I would wear it and the answer so far has always been "forget it" - that's a big change for me.

I have stashes that need sorting - the aforementioned bags, plus some of DS' practical stuff (bibs, bowls etc) and the post. They're at a relatively okay level, but need improvement. That has to be a task for this week.

Unfortunately I've been unwell, kept thinking it would go away but so far hasn't so need to see GP at some point this week. Hmph.

Well I took the blanket and duvet to the chazza on Friday and since then have done very little else! It is strange that my urge to declutter disappears on Sundays when I actually do have a bit of time to do it and re-appears on Monday mornings when I need to work!

Artemis - my Mum is coming in a fortnight too! Maybe we need a spare doom sorting pact!

Big blue bag arrived this morning. So I've filled it with unwanted/outgrown clothes and arranged for it to be collected tomorrow.

Have also dropped a few bits in to my neighbour as her dd is a little bit smaller than my twins so she may as well take advantage of the very nice stuff.

Now to throw away all the odds and ends that weren't suitable for the company. No point in keeping them as they're stained bits which escaped the net last time. Or maybe were in bags given to us which I didn't actually sort before storing

Anyway. That's a whole 3 bin bags and one archive box worth of clothes gone.

Big blue bag arrived this morning. So I've filled it with unwanted/outgrown clothes and arranged for it to be collected tomorrow.

Have also dropped a few bits in to my neighbour as her dd is a little bit smaller than my twins so she may as well take advantage of the very nice stuff.

Now to throw away all the odds and ends that weren't suitable for the company. No point in keeping them as they're stained bits which escaped the net last time. Or maybe were in bags given to us which I didn't actually sort before storing

Anyway. That's a whole 3 bin bags and one archive box worth of clothes gone.

Good going.
Magazines picked up today.
Trying to declutter my in-box by deleting two or more emails every time I reply to one.

Hello again. I hope you don't mind me popping in from time to time on a very irregular basis.

Since starting work FT, family life is getting a bit frayed around the edges and I feel the need to reread Simplicity Parenting... Are you still finding it useful, fuzzpig (and others)?

I'm up for some screen minimalism for me (by which I mean conscious and intentional telly, phone and internet use) before I try to prise the kids away from intravenous gaming. Practice what you preach, etc... I guess it's applying the useful/beautiful rule. (And sometimes a bit of crappy telly can be useful ).

So, no screens for me in the bedroom tonight. Not one. I get so anxious about not being able to fall asleep, spend ages choosing something to watch or listen to and then usually fall asleep within 2 minutes of programme starting but get woken up by the music at the end and feel the need to choose something else. Repeat and fade. Madness.

Plan for tonight: bath with book, then do a guided mindfulness meditation in bed and hopefully fall asleep v quickly.

LOL at intravenous gaming.

I've never had a screen in my bedroom (unless you count DHs e-book reader which is a very recent arrival). But I know what you mean about being woken up by the music at the end, the number of times I've watched half a film and then dozed next to DH on the sofa...!

Darn, posted without minimalising anything. I'll have to do double before my next post.

I am ill I have a problem that is slowly getting worse but I have no idea what it is - mentioned a while back that I'd had bloods done, turns out my levels are fine for my existing condition. Saw the GP today, gave them samples and going for different bloods this week.

As a result I didn't go into work today and I figure if I am on sick leave from work, I am on sick leave from minimalism Therefore, I can post without progress!

I did declutter the fridge. Not in a I-ate-stuff way, as in throwing out some odd bits that are no good or will never be consumed (doesn't happen often, but I have bought the wrong thing or a huge pack of something before and ended up with stuff in the fridge that we don't need or want).

Oh no! I hope they work out what it is soon so they can get you the appropriate treatment.

I went through the childrens books and filled a box with ones that are way too young for them. DD likes to read picture books to relax when she's tired but even then she can handle books with more than one sentence per page. Most of them have been read over and over again and I am boxing them up until the children can decide if they want to share them with their children.

But I found a few that didn't get read often so are not particularly loved plus some duplicates which can go to new homes. Some are my childhood books which I shared with DCs but they didn't take to. With hindsight, they aren't that great, especially compared to what's available now. But I didn't have many so I attached a great value to them all.

Delasi - I hope you get things sorted very soon.
No decluttering here but I am poorly sick with a painful blocked up ear ( has been blocked for 3 weeks but started getting painful yesterday) plus probably staring with a cold. I have an appointment with the practice nurse later this morning! Meanwhile I am alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen at 4 hourly intervals whilst trying to encourage myself to keep working!

Sorry there's so much illness about... I hope delasi and arti and everyone else who's not well starts to get better very, very soon.

A question to the regulars (of which I am no longer one!): are people interested in discussing/applying minimalism as a philosophy and way of life, simplicity parenting, etc, or is the focus of the thread more about decluttering the physical stuff and mutual encouragement to keep doing that?

Just to clarify - it's fine if it's the latter but I'll hold back on my more philosophically inclined posts.

Well, I only joined the previous thread with the aim of decluttering physically. It was thanks to the thread that I discovered it could be a whole new way of life and that it didn't mean bare white walls etc as I'd previously assumed.

So I for one would love to read your more philosophical ponderings :o (and in answer to an earlier question yes I am still finding the SP book useful and inspiring :))

Thanks all - hope to be on track shortly. Using this as a good excuse to just sit and do nothing. Slightly panicky as I actually have lots of stuff to do, but trying not to think about it too much!

arti Get better, blocked ear for weeks sounds quite miserable.

harriet I joined the thread without having read any of the earlier threads, so I came into it with my initial goal which was to declutter. However since joining I've come to know more about minimalism as as concept so now I am doing a bit of both - motivation to keep decluttering, but also learning about and applying approaches to minimalism. I don't think my aim is fully minimalist - I've bought bright plastic noisy toys and we're into gaming and films on our widescreen HD TV with surround sound (these seem to be not-so-minimalist when I read about it!) But our overall lifestyle is more minimalist so I think it's minimalism a la delasi. I am so much more conscious now of what I buy, I really wait for it to be 100% what we need or want. I like coming across more ideas for applying minimalism so I always read through the things people post or link on here. I really want to strip back to the essentials - essentials being things we really love or need, and not having excess around the house. I'd like to keep learning more about these ideas - Project 333 for instance was really useful to read about and has influenced my clothes and accessories. I actually like having gaps in my drawers and wardrobe!

We're already fairly minimal in other areas, I think - when we go out it's just to spend time together but in different scenery, we don't do cinemas or big shopping trips, expensive things or anything fussy for instance. We tend to forget about our birthdays or anniversaries and don't care about gifts. I use our birthday as an excuse to spend more on a meal out but in reality it's just a meal out that we want, it's not necessarily on our birthday itself. Our main treat is food - we're both foodies (that means we enjoy finding good food, not spending silly money because something is supposedly special!) so we occasionally treat ourselves to some special ingredients. We don't celebrate any of the holidays so it's always been very low key in our household.

Evening ladies.

Big blue bag has gone. More clothes dropped round to neighbour. Some have gone to a clothes/shoe bank too.

In answer to your question Harriet, I'm decluttering my environment but I do want to apply minimalism to my whole lifestyle. Simply because I find things so hectic and I want us to slow down and enjoy each other more.

Please don't hold back on the philosphising. I find people's thoughts around the subject can be very motivating.

Morning all! I enjoy the philosophical aspects too. I'm wondering when I will start to enjoy the calmness reported by others!

YY re philosophising.

For me it started off as a kitchen clean. Then it spread to the rest of my flat. I then began to realise that I didn't need a new flat to make improvements to our lives. I could make those improvements NOW, in the space we have, by changing how I think, feel and act about objects. And by getting rid of LOTS OF STUFF I had held onto for years. These first acts felt revolutionary and wonderful. So different to how my entire life had been structured (I'm 46).

I started a thread on MN about my kitchen which lead me to these threads - I'd seen them before but never peeped in - they could never be relevant to me!!! Could they? Blimey they are! Then I started to read blogs etc and look around the www for inspiration.

I haven't read widely on the subject - but the snippets here and there all started to add up - and slowly I started to change inside, not just my home.

If I had to choose a label I would call myself a "comparative minimalist" - I've come a long way, but I have even further to go to become a true minimalist. And with a family around you it all has to be relative!

But I do believe that it doesn't have to be a hard core all or nothing belief. It can be a process.

I've not read Minimalist Parenting yet but have signed up on FB. I am interested to know more.