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!

Arse n feck! Dh informed me yesterday we need to clear the lock up THIS WEEK. like I have a spare room to put everything in, let alone the time to do it. Oh well. Looks like there will be several well stocked charity shops in town this week.

so clear where are your tweezers going to live permanently now? The place they will always return to so you will always find them?

It generally works for us, though the DD's hairbrush has gone AWOL - and my DD's have very tricky very curly hair. I keep thinking it MUST turn up, so I'm loathe to buy another but I need it before the weekend for sure. Usually it lives 3rd drawer down in bathroom and it is DD1's job to return it there after we've done her hair for school. System fail!!!! arrrgh! (they are both currently in increasingly frazzled but must last the week plaits)

Sok Oh No!!!!! You've done well to make it last this long. can you even recall what is in there? Be brave Sok, be brave & ruthless

Sok, I think I need a bit of pressure like that. We have a plumber coming to fit bathroom furniture today (when we bought the house the family bathroom was halfway through renovation, the previous owners had done the ripping out stage ) and it's amazing how productive I was last night about the remaining bits of wallpaper on the walls and other bits that we needed to do before he starts.
Looking forward to no longer having 4 people sharing a tiny ensuite

The tweezers live in the bathroom. They have a home but the problem is that the afore-mentioned ensuite isn't very well lit so I have a tendancy to take a little mirror and the tweezers and sit near a window when it's time to tidy my brows.

BeCool, I think you can justify another hairbrush. I'm guessing DDs are a bit young now but what about when they start having swimming with school or one goes to a sleepover without the other?

I found the hairbrush this morning!!! Hiding half in plain site for a week. And it has now been restored to it's "proper home".

We do have other hairbrushes, its just this is the only hairbrush that really works on their masses of curls without screams .

Hmmmmm actually I can have a further hairbrush cull as all the others are only used by me & I don't need them.

Clear I have never been able to master my own brows. I finally got mine threaded (after months and months) at the weekend and they look great again. It does hurt though. I can manage the random stray but any shaping is beyond me.

Hello everyone. How is everyone doing. I'm having yet another "struggle to focus" day ( had a really bad one yesterday!)

I exceptionally have a day off work with DCs at school and various trivial but annoying things have occurred resulting in the day being less productive than it could have been.

However as I received three Haramaki I'd ordered by post, I had to go through my wardrobe and I found more than 3 things to put in the charity bag. It turns out that clearing out is a good way of channelling my irritation and it has turned around my mood. Or that could just be the fact that my midriff isn't cold.

Arti, look at the pics on your profile and see what you can achieve when you focus. They're very motivating!

Hi everyone,

Do you all find that it gets worse (messier, more cluttered etc) before it gets better? Having taken a load of bags to charity and eBayed lots, the spare room was starting to look bare again, yay! But my joy was shortlived because I've been clearing dd1's room today and now the spare room has big piles of 'stuff' in it and is looking very un minimalist, boo :(

On the bright side, dd1's room is starting to look lovely, we've recently decorated, bought new furniture, bedding etc and it's all starting to 'come together'. As I was sorting through it today I had to keep saying to myself 'minimalist philosophy, minimalist philosophy' - I have to admit, I found the whole thing quite hard. I think it's the guilt - that friends and relatives have spent their time and money buying the dc gifts and it feels horrible to get rid of them. But then, seriously, how many cushions does one person need on their bed? Dd had about 10 - all gifts - Disney princess, Minnie Mouse, tatty teddy, hello kitty etc etc etc, which at ten yeas old she isn't really into anyway. Felt so mean putting them in the charity bags. I keep reminding myself how gorgeous the room will look without all the junk/tat/clutter. I'm really excited about it actually

So, now I have the following piles in the spare room: eBay, for friend, for charity, for the attic to keep for younger dds and also a rubbish bag. So now I have to try and clear that.

We also had a shoe cull this week. Lots gone but I still have a big 'maybe' pile of my shoes. Can I be cheeky and ask how many pairs of shoes you each own and what their functions are? I have my lovely black boots I bought a couple of weeks ago, a pair of knee high boots that I'm not fussed on but are good for the school run when it's pouring and I don't want to get my precious new boots wet , a pair of converse high tops, a pair of vans (both black so versatile :)), a pair of wedges and a pair of sandals for the summer and about 10 pairs of 'going out' shoes, i.e for parties, events, nights out with dh etc. most of these shoes are from before I had the dc and probably aren't in fashion anymore! And it's not as if we have too many of these type of occasions anymore. But I keep thinking, 'what if I have a lovely gold dress to wear to a party one day, those strappy heels will look lovely', or 'what if I find a lovely purple belt, those shoes will match it perfectly.' It's silly - all these what ifs. Most of these shoes have been sitting untouched for years. I have to be strict and keep reminding myself of the benefits of ditching things I don't want or need - more space, less time doing housework, more time with the dc...

I'm so glad I found this thread because already my home is much nicer to live in and my life is less stressful and chaotic. Thanks all

Well, must crack on with it all.

Oops I also have a pair of old boots for the garden.

Oops I also have wellies for when it snows . I could use the wellies for the garden couldn't I and ditch the old garden boots?

Re shoes:

1 pair of decent sporty type trainers. These are what I live in - whether shopping, going out, school run etc - and on Saturdays at work when we dress casually. Due to my health it is vital for me to have comfy feet. I'll wear them until they get tatty, then I'll replace with another decent pair and chuck the old ones. They last about 2 years I reckon.

Skechers (like ballet flats but more substantial, with straps) - have 6 pairs but only really wear 2 so I need to sort those out. Some of them don't fit as well (my feet are quite wide) and I need to wash them. These are for work as usually we dress smartly.

Flip flops - one decent pair for summer

Black boots - very smart but I really don't wear them much as they aren't comfy so I should just get rid.

Two pairs of shoes from when I was a bridesmaid twice recently. Not sure what to do with those.

One pair of winter boots - they are like uggs but made by Skechers, I found them in a sports and soccer sale a few years ago and I absolutely love them! They have a firework pattern all over and always get compliments.

I need some warm work shoes/boots for winter but it's so hard to find something that is smart enough for work but also supportive and comfy

Reading that back I seem to have loads of shoes. And I'm really not a shoe person I swear!

I would love some converse or vans (and I really coveted some funky patterned converse-style fila recently) but the fact is they just don't fit me well enough :(

And yes cadence, it absolutely does get worse before it gets better! Just hold on to the fact that every bag that leaves the house = less clutter - even if you can't see the difference, it IS there

I have:
1 pair of black lace ups
2 pairs of trainers
1 pair of slip on black pumps (that actually slip off)
1 pair of knee high black boots
1 pair of wellies
1 pair of brown ankle boots
1 pair of black ankle boots
1 pair of birkenstocks
1 pair of crocs
1 pair of patent wedge heels
1 pair of hiking boots

That's more than I thought! I hate buying shoes as I have very wide feet across the toes but narrow at the heel, so can't get away with ballet pumps or any other slip on. The lady at the shoe shop was pointing me in the direction of Ecco and Hotter shoes, but not yet! I'm only 31!

I am back from the depths of the lock up. Completely cleared of my stuff. So the list was as follows;
1 single silver cross pram/pushchair, complete with foots muffs and pram liner.
1 3 wheeled double pushchair (my 'winter' one).
1 kids trike with parent handle.
1 small dolls pram
3 mahoosive boxes of children's clothes.
2 bin bags stuffed with children's clothes/baby sleeping bags.
1 bag of toys.
1 complete baby activity table.
2 bags of cushions.
1 box of books.
2 boxes of random glassware/crockery when we culled the kitchen and drinks cabinet after getting new stuff.
2 microwave bottle sterilisers complete with boxes and related paraphernalia.
Box of baby weaning pots/spoons/soppy cups.
2 doors.
1 small box of what ended up being rubbish.

Rubbish box and doors went to the tip.

I kept the silver cross pram and trike, photographed them and put them on fb before dh took them to his parents garage. My 3 wheeled buggy is now in my car and the double stroller in dh's car.

Everything else went to a local charity shop which gives funds to a variety of local charities. They were made up with the children's clothes - I'd popped in yesterday to ask if they wanted all of them, thinking the massive boxes may overwhelm some shops so I'd share them around. But they snapped them up as they only had half a rail of children's clothes.

My car was stuffed. To give you an idea of how much stuff, I have a c4 grand Picasso. Ds2's seat was moved to front passenger and dd2 was seated directly behind. I flattened the remaining seats and it was rammed full on the first trip over, maybe half full on the second. By the time I got to the shop with my second carload, they were putting the toys and children's clothes on display. Getting rid of so much stuff felt do good. So now all I have to do is apply that to the rest of the loft...

Excellent work Sok!

15 pairs of footwear here but I have worn them all since January apart from the two pairs of special occasion shoes (for posh summer dress and posh winter dress) as there have been no weddings this year.
We have cold hard floors everywhere so the above includes warm winter slippers and old birkenstock style sandals used as summer slippers. There are only about 5 days a year it's hot enough to go barefoot indoors! Also included ancient plimsolls used for kayaking etc, hiking boots and snow boots which get used on very specific occasions but have been used this year. And ancient paint splattered trainers for DIY and trainers in good condition for sport.
So that leaves 6 pairs shoes / boots for every day use.

Fuzzpig, have you tried on any Camper shoes? I find them both comfy and smart enough for work. They are pricey but worth it.

Oh shoes!

I have;
Casual trainers
Gym trainers
Knee high brown boots
Black ankle boots
2 pairs of heeled brown ankle boots
Pair of flat brown boots
Pair of caterpillar boots
Two pairs of slip on pumps for summer (navy and white so go with most casual outfits)
3 pairs of flip flops
Brown wedges
Walking boots
Wellington boots
Black kitten heel shoes

Then to go with formal dresses I have...
Black heels with matching handbag
Red heels with matching handbag
Blue heels with matching handbag
Pewter heels with matching handbag
White/ivory heels

I'm sure I probably have more shoes I have forgotten about and I'm not even a shoe person!

Looking through, anything I've forgotten can probably go. Unless it's heels for formal wear. All the shoes/bags apart from the blue can be worn with two or three dresses. The blue probably could go as while I've got the dress I bought them to match, I no longer fit it. The dress owes me nothing, it was a £40 monsoon bargain bought for my May ball when I was 18 and I have worn it on 2-3 occasions. But I've been holding on to it as it's a gorgeous dress and I've never seen anything like it since.

The walking boots can go as I bought them when I first went skiing in 2005 and last went in 2007. I have worn them maybe a couple of times since, but not since dh bought me the caterpillar boots which do the same job and are easier to drive in.

The rest of my shoes do all get worn depending on weather and what I'm doing.

Morning everyone! Somme thank you for your encouragements to look at my own photos. It has really helped to provide inspiration/encouragement.
Cadence Think about some younger child who will be delighted with one of your dd's cushions from the chazza - maybe a Christmas pressie for a child whose family could not afford to get it new? (or am I being ridiculously sentimental there?)
Mazzi I too have broader feet across the toes and narrow heels as well as a high instep! I feel your pain but I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't wear ballets/courts. My Mum keeps telling me how wonderful Hotter shoes are and how I should get some! She is 76. I am not!! I feel exactly the same as you about them.

arti Thank you so much for saying that about the charity shop, for some reason it made me feel a bit emotional. It's lovely to think of another child enjoying something that my dc no longer use/play with. I think I've been looking at this all the wrong way.

fuzzpig, your sketchers boots sound gorgeous. Have you tried Clarks for boots? I've bought a few pairs from there and they've always been comfy and sturdy but look smart. Last well too. I have wide feet, a high instep and one foot bigger than the other - only half a size so not noticeable (I hope) but makes finding comfortable shoes difficult. Tbh the converse and vans were really uncomfy when I first wore them but I persevered with them because I loved them . I've now worn them so much they seem to have moulded to the shape of my feet and are lovely and comfy .
mazzi2fly, ditto with Clarks for you, I also can't wear ballet pumps even though I own 2 pairs which I forgot to list above
sok, wow, I'm really impressed with how quickly and efficiently you cleaned your lock up.I am so, so indecisive about what to keep, what not to keep, where things should go etc. Well done.

I'm glad you all have a good few pairs of shoes, makes me feel better :)

Cadence, I am normally very indecisive about things, hence being overwhelmed by heaps of junk. But I'm slowly getting to grips with if it's not out on display/used regularly, then it can't actually mean that much to me. So it should go really. Even things like tiny wade ornaments. I have two that are hugely sentimental - one is a little Bambi my grandma bought me, which I just love. And another is a dormouse in an ear of corn. I won that at junior school for writing a poem. They're just in a box in the loft since dh and I bought our house as there is nowhere to put them right now. It's only a smallish box of nik naks and I'm leaving it until last to sort, on the off chance we may get a bigger house and Then I would have room to display it. But the bigger things are easier to get rid of because you actually see the space they clear so much quicker.

Just wanted to check in and say hi Reading all of your updates to keep me in the right frame of mind!

Thought I would contribute my shoe wardrobe as that's all I have to contribute
Currently I have:
1 pair black leather boots
1 pair grey sheepskin ankle boots
1 pair black flats
1 pair tan flats
1 pair trainers for exercise that don't get used

I would like to slowly add to the collection - I want tan or brown leather boots, and a pair of really comfy tan or brown heels and black heels (makes me look like I love tan, brown and black, but they just go with everything I have and I decided to have a very simple shoe collection). I also need to get a new pair of flat sandals/flip flops next year as I've finally worn out my old ones.

I used to have 40+ pairs of shoes and boots in all manner of styles and colours, and I used to wear them all, but I used to also walk very short distances, have hundreds of items of clothing and accessories to coordinate and didn't mind suffering painful feet for the look

Delasi, you've come a long way on the shoe front!

Arti, glad to be of service and above all be easy on yourself. I remember when I lost my Mum it took about 6 months to feel my usual self again and I didn't have any health probs of my own to cope with.

What are everyone's plans for the weekend?

Sokmonsta, can you display your ornaments in a trinket wall display unit? The ones underneath the main picture are nicer.

Ooh Jimmy that's a good recommendation, we have a similar-ish system. We have a modular shelving unit and part of it is a small glass doored cabinet. We put all of the truly sentimental bits in there, so they're always on display, they're protected and they don't gather too much dust. It feels much better than leaving them in a box.