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!

I also found 7-8 small ornaments which have all been given to me as gifts over the past 10 years and which live in a drawer as I don't like ornaments... some of them are lovely and were from people I adore... keep or chuck??

Keep - but not on a shelf or you'll have to dust them

I finally looked up Project 333, having seen a mentioned numerous times. Very interesting, I feel almost proud that I have been drifting that way already, but it has also given me another boost to keep re-evaluating my wardrobe. I've already done my huge shoe cull, which was preceded initially by a handbag cull. I think an accessories cull is necessary now, but I also still feel like I have too many clothes even though I've got rid of so much - I've started to bag more stuff to go to charity. However I think I also need more staples, things that can be worn easily, as I don't really have any I favour dresses above all so some comfortable, easy-to-wear dresses would be best. One of my favourite skirts is finally starting to get worn out (it has served me very well!) so I think I need one or two more like that. I'll wait until I've definitely cleared everything before decided what few items I need, so that I can properly evaluate things and just buy a few bits. And then shop for them in the sales!

It's strange to say I hadn't considered taking the nappies out of the box to store them We have little space here, but I think I have a couple a drawers I could use and that would help. No under-cot space as it's a travel cot that nearly touches the floor at its base, and all the under-bed space is currently gone (mainly to stored furniture, it's a long story!). I think drawers are the way to go!

Oh dear the spelling and grammar...

May I join please? I have read this and the previous thread and feel inspired to take action.

We (me, DP, DS) live in a decent sized house but even so we have piles of stuff- DP is a hoarder of CDs, old magazines, newspapers etc. I am not as bad but still not good. I hate trying to relax in a messy space so think I am going to have to get a bit drastic about the clutter and ask myself what we really need to keep.

I am also thinking a lot about what I want for DS. I will have to go back to work full time soon and I want the time I have with him to be quality time. He is not yet 1 and we don't really do screen time and that's how I want it to stay. But I am looking at his toys and want to get our 'philosophy' sorted out now. He has a few annoying toys that beep ( including the dreaded vtech walker!) but the toy he loves most is his stacking cups. I am sure we don't need all the beepy stuff and I want to get a grip on that before we go too far down that path. It's his first birthday coming up and PILs and others are asking me what they should get him... I am thinking I will suggest a good quality wooden train set that they can all add to, so he has one good toy that will last well. Any other thoughts?

Anyway, re decluttering, my first task is to call a company today about getting our loft boarded and a proper ladder fitted. Currently there is nothing in the loft at all, which is great, but there's a lot of stuff which we need to keep (mostly baby equipment and outgrown clothes which we are keeping for hopeful future baby) which is sitting round the house. Also Christmas decs and the like. Would love to be able to move them out of the way but access easily when needed.

Other first tasks are to clear the little piles of paper and clutter on the surfaces in the sitting room and have a first cull of books. That is enough of a challenge to start with!

Birdingwidow, the train set is an excellent idea. I would also suggest Duplo and if you haven't got one yet a shape sorter and those wooden puzzles where you lift out the pieces. And good quality animal figurines: farm yard, dinosaur, safari animals, I they are great for imaginative play. He may not be developmentally ready for some of these for a while but they all provide hours of play.

We just had a long weekend in the UK so I was able to drop off a big box of books in English to the charity shop (and only came back with one which my Dad was getting rid of).

I'm going to take a rest for a couple of days as the house is a mess, laundry basket is full and I'm tired after a fair amount of travelling and I have long day work-wise on Friday. Monday the kids are back to school so I'd like to be full of energy, being back in routine will be helpful to achieving more I think.

Hi Birding the wooden train set is a good toy with longevity. My DS's are 9 and 7 now, and we have donated/given away 75% of their toys. The one 'infant' thing we've kept is the train track. Yesterday DS1 had a friend to play and the three of them played with it, winding a long convoluted track all over the place. It's had so many hours of constructive imaginative play. And not a single beep (although be warned GP's will want to buy the electric train that takes a hundred batteries and brakes after 3 goes...)

BirdingWidow, you might like to read Simplicity Parenting which is really inspiring if you want to bring up children with not much screen time, a few simple, good quality toys, a simple, gentle routine etc.

The toys my children (6 and 3) still love most are the ones that are suitable for a one year old - wooden blocks (with Kapla blocks and a wooden marble run added later), playsilks (popular with 4 month olds and 8 year olds, too - I bought the silk from Dharma Trading and dyed it with food colouring for DS's first birthday), wooden train set, a couple of toy cars, a soft doll each). Musical instruments: drums, shakers, tambourine, bells and later on, a xylophone. Good waterproofs for outdoor play, a mini micro scooter, a balance bike and a playhouse/slide etc if you have a garden.

Also stockmar crayons - they are really strongly pigmented, easy for little fingers to hold, and very hard to break.

Hi Birding, my dc are 10 and 7 and I would echo what everyone else has said - wooden train set is a fabulous idea. Ours was a shared gift from Santa and we've added lots over the years and it is still played with. (Together as well) The other thing is Lego, he's too young for that yet but Duplo is great for the first few years. Soft toys are massively loved and played with here but it's too early to know. How about fun yet functional things - eg Trunkis and Little Life Daysacks (I know opinions divided on reins but I used them) - they are good as grandparent gifts and don't clutter your house with beeping plastic. Wheelybug was also another huge hit in preschool years. These outside chalks are lovely and bright.

Looking ahead, I'm very much encouraging experiences or memberships for mine now - e.g my dad renews my dd's RSPB membership for Christmas every year and ds went to an Olympic event around his birthday last year. Or useful things like lovely bedding or pure cotton nighties/pjs. Now if only I could stop them bringing a gift every time they visit...

Delasi Yes, join us on 333! I agree about dresses and have included a few. Mine is mostly staples - black skirt/trousers, jeans, plain coloured tops/vests/cardigans - but a couple of lovely printed things to make me less boring. I have never owned a lot of shoes or handbags - gone from grungy teenager/student who made DMs and a rucksack go with everything to realising that grown ups do actually have shoes and bags to match - so I have a few neutral pairs/bags that I carefully choose. Just realising I can extend that to everything I buy is a revelation!

Thanks so much for the ideas everyone. We do have a shape sorter toy (which he likes) but not any of the other stuff. Re. Small figurines of animals etc, would you recommend any particular brand? He has a set of happyland farm animals but is there anything better?

I think happyland is good for his age and he should get plenty of use out of it - my DCs are 4 and 6 and they still play with all their happyland. Alternatively there is playmobil 1-2-3 which is chunkier and more toddler friendly than 'proper' playmobil. I used to put individual happyland figures in DS' stocking. For more realistic animals, schleich (or however you spell it) is unbeatable IMO, but expensive and not suitable for a baby so perhaps one to remember for the future.

I have to agree about the wooden train set, this was something I always really wanted when I was little so I actually bought their first set before our eldest was born and we have added to it from charity shops etc.

Wooden blocks are great too, I can't imagine getting rid of ours (which include mine from childhood) and also wooden threading beads are nice.

I'm thinking of asking for musical instruments for Xmas from my parents (they don't like choosing which is great in some ways! :o) - we have a gorgeous djembe drum, and of course my beloved piano (so won't bother with a xylophone I think - they've had them before), but a wooden shaker and that sort of thing would be lovely. At a local llama farm they had lots of fair trade handcrafted instruments which were very tempting.

Although I am quite tempted to get DD her first recorder... hmm.

Hello everyone. I've had a couple of very tiring days down on the archaeology site again. I've really enjoyed it and actually found part of a Stone Age knife blade and another piece of worked flint!

The down side is that it has played havoc with the Fibromyalgia ( as I knew it would but soooo wanted to do more archaeology) and I'm exhausted and struggling to do a basic tidy-up let alone anything more . I didn't really get up properly till 3.00pm this afternoon! I know I needed to give myself this "collapse" day but I'm feeling frustrated nevertheless!

You all seem to be doing really well and I'm actually just adding slightly to things ( bought 3 items of clothing off ebay!).

Feel for you, educating. Another collapse day here...well, actually trekking round a couple of shops in the morning for daughter's shoes, and napping followed by not much decluttering.

I did buy a gorgeous basket though. That will definitely help with organisation.

Gorgeous baskets always help with organising building!

Gorgeous baskets are good for storing gorgeous, minimal much loved items :o

Sooo of your archaeology arti. Hope to get the DCs into that next summer. Sympathies with the pain though. I am really really struggling today.

Sliding off the minimalist topic, but your archeology volunteering sounds so interesting educatingarti, and fuzzpig you mention getting DC's involved. Can either of you give me pointers? DS1 is 9 but has loved history and palentology (in a basic child way) for ever, and believes he will be a paleontologist when he grows up . A dig would be a great experience for him if it's possible for younger people?

Downfall - there are lots of opportunities for adults to get involved with projects, less so for children because of health and safety issues however some projects will still take children if accompanied by parents.
Archaeology Today website is a good place to start to look here and there are branches of the Young Archeologist Club all over the country that your son could join [[http://www.yac-uk.org/ here}}

oops - Young Archaeologist link here

After months of decluttering I will be finished tomorrow.. Yippee. That is.. If we are ever really finished. I have to bring one more bag to the chazzer and sort the hot press on last time. Then I have plant pots to give away... That is it!!! Bookcases, years of clothes, resources, Christmas decortations, every drawer snd cupboard, memory boxes made, photos.. The lot..
Just want to defrost the freezer and give the house one last freshen up. Ready for baby then.

Have bought simplicity parenting and going to upload photos to picassa and bonusprint regularly and have storage boxes labelled 0-3 3-6 etc ready to go. So no more clutter is coming my way... Anything we get tht we wont use will go to a good home... Good local charity here and we have politely refused hand me downs til we are ready..

Was a bit brief earlier because on the move with DS and parents but thanks to BadPoet and Fuzzpig for your comments (didn't see Bad's until afterwards as hadn't refreshed). It's lovely that your DD is into birds, DS is unlikely to escape the RSPB's clutches either, courtesy of DP (I refer you to my mn name!).

Anyway, train set from GPs it is after consensus on longevity, thanks all. And I will look up the simplicity parenting book - not sure I will ever be truly minimal but all downward pressure on 'stuff' will help.

Not got anything done today as was out all day but tomorrow the decluttering starts. Should have a good run at it as DParents are here to distract DS. Did buy some stuff on our travels today though: next size clothes for DS (am sure I could have been much more minimal there, so much to learn!) and a duplicate for the favourite soft toy that he has fixated upon and I am terrified of losing (an insurance premium, effectively, and well worth it).

Educating, buying on eBay is helping someone else declutter so not entirely in vain, perhaps

mrspaddy Fantastic! You sound so organised for the new arrival, congrats!

DH and DF started putting the cot together when my contractions became noticeably stronger 12h before DS was born... This is indicative of our state of preparedness and goes some way to explaining our current need for a home overhaul!

In actual fact, I don't think I've lived in a real life properly organised home for the last 5 years. And I've always been so disorganised in my bedroom, since infancy. That will be my biggest task and likewise my biggest achievement home-wise once it's complete.

No advances made today; despite being a day off work, DH and DS are both ill and I slept very little last night as a result of DS being very disturbed in his sleep so my time was spent tending to them. Next free time will be Friday after midday so I plan on continuing with this week's tasks. Have to remind myself what they are first...

Also I've been following this line of conversation with Birding and I've adopted the train idea! Thanks all!

Hello Birding. Just a thought re the duplicate toy you have bought as insurance. My friend did this but when the original greying, bedraggled toy disappeared her daughter refused to accept the pristine, glowing white replacement even though it was the same toy. Have you thought about alternating them so they age at the same rate?