The march towards Minimalism continues...

[MissAnnersleyismyhero]

Hey all, thought I'd make a new thread to encourage us all to keep going on the journey to minimalism!

Tidied, sorted, and cleaned the bathroom :)

Just brought all the stuff to put on Ebay/Gumtree downstairs. It's not going to sell itself is it?! Why does it take so long? Anyone want a job lot of assorted baby paraphernalia for £60? Anyone?

Still listing it all! Done the easy ones but need to put more effort into the rucksack that should earn me some cash. Have sold my blackout blind though. £4 up, woohoo!

Thanks for the welcome erin99 - thanks for the additions

I have read becommingminimalist.com on and off all day yesterday. It is what i have been looking for. Since moving to a considerably more affluent (well the edge of) area I have found myself doing the 'Jone's' thing. Constantly comparing, feeling jealous of stuff and I really didnt want to be feeling like this.

*I went to sleep bed early last night feeling lighter - it is 'ok' not to have all this stuff'

So now Im up earlier ready to remove items. Im going to focus on clothes.

I, struggling with things I know Ive paid good money for but not read/used - what would you do?

Thomas Tank Engine - large box set (orginal style)
Mr Men boxset
Wooden Castle with schliech figures - probably cost £175 altogether new.

DS and DH have agreed to do a carboot next Sunday - tons of stuff in garage. Today I must focus on clothes - washing, folding, charity shop.

Sorry I hope it is ok to share this too and I dont know how much 'stock' should be placed in this:

I dreamed of a blocked toilet - full of toilet paper and tollet roll holders. In the dream I covered my hand over and started to unblock it.

Im feeling a bit 'woo' about this given my thought processes yesterday.

Well done Jimmy to list all that! I managed four listings and then the baby started whinging. I'm going to aim for another 1-2 today. I haven't really got anything but clothes to go yet and they never sell particularly well from what I can gather.

andsmile just wrote you a really long post but I lost it Just imagine a wise and helpful voice guiding you (not typing it again!) Basically, you have to let the money thing go. And we all feel like that. You will be more mindful of large purchases in future.

pixie thanks! I HATE selling things online. Forgot how much I hate how picky people are. Got texts for people wanting to 'look' at my items. I have priced everything so low and they are still acting like I'm a branch of Mothercare. If it's not gone by the weekend it will be taken to the charity shop. Fingers crossed your stuff sells.

andsmile I meant to be funny in my post referring to my lost babblings as wise. It came across as woo

Having 2 toddlers sucks sometimes :( I have to get up at 6am if I want to get any tidying done downstairs as if I do it when they are around they just mess it up again :(

Well done ebayers. I never know why it takes so long, but it does.

We've been buying instead of selling - both DC needed new bikes and we've bought a swing. But all are good quality 2nd hand bargains and I've already listed their old bikes on eBay instead of bunging them in the back of the garage to "deal with later". The swing is huge, chosen to last, which feels quite 'clean' IYKWIM.

Yesterday something lovely happened. I'd streamlined our dining chairs from 6 down to 4 for day to day. 6 never fitted properly and always looked messy. DD, age 7 and not normally one for toys, pulled out 2 chairs and made an alchemist's lab under the table. She hasn't played under there since she was about 4! I'm sure it only occurred to her because I'd reduced the furniture and she could now see there was a space under there.

Its ok jimmy im all over feeling woo at the minute - wise voice eh? Not a naggy negative gremlin - gotcha

Well I'm jumping on the ebay bandwagon. I have a 2.5 DD who is very busy - does not sit and play! So I'm aiming to:

List the box sets by lunchtime - ive already re-registered my card and bank account details with Paypal and reset password on ebay (not used for a while) I've checked out completed listings for the items I want to sell too see what's what. I find you can get away with using their pics its saves time.
Get two bags for charity shop in car.
Wash and hang two loads of laundry.

Thank you.

Back - surgery was rescehduled for Friday afternoon - thanks to lovely surgeon who, I think pulled out all the stops to get things sorted for me.. I'm very tired, but not in too much pain. I'm on crutches which is making houshold tasks tricky but my aunty is coming tomorrow so she will do some stuff for me. Going to spend otday sleeping - maybe sitting in the garden for a bit this afternoon! No decluttering atm - but a good reason/excuse. Well done to all those who have managed major decluttering tasks.

Good to see you back Arti. Glad you are not in too muchpain. Get well soon.

I washed and hung three loads of laundry

I listed an outfit - it does take long bit of a faff, but I've made start.

I left book box sets as I need to sit and check each book has not been scribbled on. Never got round to it this evening as DD went to bed late.

I have filled two carrier bags and one bin bag of rubbish.

I have filled:
one bag for rag recycling at charity shop,
one very large bag of toddler clothes (not sure what I'm doing with these yet some maybe eBay, some carboot)
Carrier bag of charity shop clothes
2 small boxes of random books and toys

It has took me all day with a grumpy toddler, school run, meals heat.

It's going to take ages isn't it. DS knows he has to get some stuff together and eve talked about something's that can go. DH has said again tonight he will help.

How can you work all day at a house and it looks no better - My DD!

That's fantastic andsmile, great progress. I've done less than that without the grumpy toddler! But DC are very happy with their streamlined playroom today. Next task is to ebay 2 buggies and another bike.

Hope you recover quickly Arti

Andsmile, I find it helps to work space by space so even if it is a shelf or a drawer or a table top, one area looks better.

Also I don't have many clothes in my wardrobe but the space taken up by boxes of unsorted photos, a job I have been putting off for months. At least owning less clothes means this box is not visible.

I thought I'd gone through all my books but we found two boxes in FIL basement. One was easy to sort, all coffee table books that were gifts. We don't have a coffee table and if I want to look at beautiful pics of natural wonders or sculpture I can go online or to the library. The other one was really difficult, it's my novels authors E-H. I definitely will want to re-re-re-read EM Forster and Thomas Hardy but they did write a lot of books between them!

Well done andsmile. Know what you mean about the house not looking better though. I've been doing this for a couple of years now and we still have too much stuff. DD1 is off to school in Sep and I'm sure I will see a difference then!!

Got a lovely text today from the lady who bought all my toys on Gumtree. Just thanking me and saying how happy her kids are .

Going to Glasto this weekend and the weather reports aren't great. Might hold on to the toddler carrier just in case (don't want to lose DD2 in the mud!)

awww well jel of glasto jimmy, we did look at latitude but really cant weve been away too much already. You'll have to give us a full rundown when you back.

erin thanks - hope you get a nice little wad for those big items.

arti hello, are you resting up.

clear yeah I totally dotted about.

two years no no no, I need to be done before DS breaks up for school holidays - for my big swipe.

Have you all committed to minimal purchases then too? Sorry ive not read the threads. I was enjoying reading theminimlalists.com last night.

Ha ha, it's more like Glastonbury 'lite'. We're not camping (live sort of locally) and DD1's social life means that we won't leave till lunchtime everyday. Hoping the kids will get knackered enough to allow us to see some bands in the evening. We are a definite for watching Alex from CBeebies in the Kidzfield though

Stage two of moving the 2 girls into the large bedroom complete (1 was to sell the pile of baby stuff on Gumtree: check/2 was to move DD2's cot into the little bedroom so I can get on with the painting in the evenings:check). Next stage is to paint the ceiling. Watch this space!

Hello all!

I've been off thread as DS spent last week in Sydney Childrens ICU after a massive asthma attack. It, again, made it absolutely abundantly clear that the house needs less in it and my household systems need working on.

The good news is that it took only minutes to tidy the play room when I got home instead of ages. Same with the DCs bedroom.

Two rooms that really need sorting now are the laundry and study. They're the two biggest rooms too which is a pain.

Will go back and catch up with thread now!

digger hope your son is feeling much better now

Hello digger im new (just) to the thread. Hope your DS is recovering well.

sold my listed item - Im so chuffed. Even though I have sold on ebay before!

Oooo want to do another one or two now?

How is everyone else's ebaying going?

Since startting delcuttering do you find yourself buying and spending less or does it become a continous cycle of declutter, replace object with another, declutter.. and so on.

Ive found the blogs really insightful re food, negative thoughts etc.

digger that sounds terrifying, I hope your son is recovering well.

Well done andsmile. Auctions due to end at the weekend here but looks like they will all sell.

jimmy have fun!

andsmile I have almost got rid of everything I put on Gumtree. Very satisfying but I do hate the process (cleaning the item/listing it/inane questions from buyers/actual buyers being picky...)

Since startting delcuttering do you find yourself buying and spending less or does it become a continous cycle of declutter, replace object with another, declutter.. and so on.

I find it's gradually becoming the first. We are much more mindful of what we bring in now but that's not to say that we don't get swayed by things now and again. I actually find that we are quicker to get rid of something unsuitable now so some of the DDs' birthday presents (March) have already gone (didn't fit in with the Simplicity Parenting rules). It does help that DH is on board so we can talk each other out of getting things.

Thank you for the well wishes. Ds is fine but he does like to give us a good scare and visit new hospitals

I'm doing another charity shop run this morning and then I'm doig some work in the laundry. We have a guest coming at 10:30 and I love that it took 5 mins to tidy not an hour.

Well done erin and just smile on successful ad potentially successful auctions.

jimmy have a great weekend.