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!

[andsmileitschristmas]

Little update

DS room empty completely and half decorated. I'm really looking forward o just putting items back intentionally. The new wardrobe will reduce clutter elsewhere.

Looking forward to having one room minimalist - by our standards anyway

I fnd I'm still having to prod and remind DH about what I'm trying to do.

[JimmyCorkhill]

Hurrah, the recycling van is really late today so all the junk mail I received today has gone straight out to the green box!! Sticking it to the man

[andsmileitschristmas]

I am really down and the house is appalling - it one of those weeks where people have had to hunt around for clean socks and underwear.

Everything is in disarray.

I have not made progress with DS room as had a cough, not been able to sleep but strangely feel like I could take on the world at 1am - but can't do anything as everyone is asleep then the next day im just vegged out.

Can I be this sensitive to a messy cluttered house or is that a symptom of how I feel. I just wondered as avide declutters if anyone else feels like this?

[clearsommespace]

Oh dear, rather a clash between your post and username there!

It's probably one of those chicken and egg situations.

Or maybe it's just the time of year, it's suddenly got cold and grey. I don't seem to be lounging more than usual but things I'm responsible for haven't been running smoothly. We have been grabbing clean and barely dry clothes off the airer in the mornings and realising we've run out of basics like bread and milk too often. I have been suffering from insomnia too.

At least internet browsing is silent and can be done while the house sleeps. DDs birthday is coming up and I've also started Christmas shopping which is even more time consuming with all the extra (not wasteful, not cluttering on top of the usual will it give pleasure) thought I'm putting into the gifts I buy.

Anyway, I have come up with a stocking filler idea that I'm pretty pleased with: silicon fairy cake cases and some cake decorations. The cake cases look like a rainbow in the packet so it looks pretty, they will replace the paper cases in the cupboard so not take up any more space and it's like a promise to do baking with the DCs.

I hope you feel better soon.

[andsmileitschristmas]

clearme thanks - Ive had a bit of a cry to DH he said 'you need a night out' and he has offered to help this weekend to help get the bigger jobs moving. I just havnt got the energy to nag/organise others into action either.

I am in a maintenance dose for vitD and if my b12 is low can affect me. Im prone to getting like this and i know I'll get myself back on the bike so to speak..its just well can one really get like this because of a blooming house and its clutter....I keep feeling very annoyed about notbeing able to get clothes dry.

I'm gonna write a list and say to DH to just pick jobs and do them.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Andsmile - that state of our house very definitely matches the state of my mind so yep, you could be right.

[andsmileitschristmas]

minisoks thanks for letting me know Im not alone.

Well DH did ballet first thing Sat and when he came back he had a list to work through. Laundry, paperwork, rubbish and recylcing. I got on and did my decorating in DS room. I heard him juggling kids demands for toys/snacks/paints whilst trying to hang washing. He said he was knackered and wouldbe going back to work for a rest

Yesterday we put loft bed together so I feel I'm on the verge of putting the room back together intentionally - this will be our first truely clutter free room.

[andsmileitschristmas]

Ok thought Ide better post I've got somewhere...

3 bags for chazza
2 boxes to sell on eBay

Still in a dilema about crockery. I know Im hanging onto we havent used a lot of it for over 3 years.

[evertonmint]

Well done and smile! I too feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Baby is a terrible sleeper so I'm spending a lo of time awake at night and walking miles to get him to nap during the day so I'm exhausted and then everything else is overwhelming.

I've just bought a tumble dryer to help with the laundry mess. Ours broke a year ago and we survived without but we now have a baby plus a DD who is currently being seen by the continence nurse plus extra bed linen as DH and I are sleeping separately due to the baby's nocturnal rubbishness! So it's impossible to dry laundry quick enough before another load needs drying space. So we finally caved. At least it's a very considered purchase as it took a year of making the process work (or not!) before we decided to replace it.

Our house is not too messy as we were never too cluttered and have made good progress this year, but I trying to streamline more and that has completely fallen by the wayside.

Plus a few sorted things are still sat waiting to go. I need to make a Herculean effort one day just to get all these bits out in the short window between attempts at getting the baby to nap :)

[IssyStark]

Haven't posted for ages.

House looks just as cluttered as ever but gradually things are going (in time for more stuff to come in as both DC have December birthdays plus Xmas).

Is it very bad of me to have opened their presents from the PiL so I can check if they were suitable? As it happens they had given our soon-to-be 3yo a Crawl and Go toy from ELC (recommended age 6months +) for his birthday, so tonight we're going to ELC in hope of exchanging it for smaller, more useful stuff that he'll actually like. As per usual the PiL and SiL completely ignored the boys' birthday and Christmas lists...

Anyway, had some sucess on eBay recently so quite a bit of stuff going out, so much so that I've almost got through my massive collection of bubble wrap and packing materials (rar, bonus decluttering!). Last month moved dc into bunk beds (an ebay find), so had a cot to sell. Put it on with a John Lewis mattress/4fitted sheets/2 waterproof sheets and it went for the starting price of £5. Winners were complete timewasters so after a fortnight relisted as separate lots and last night they all sold for a whopping total of £48. Goes to show how changeable eBay can be: just as well I see eBay as a way of getting rid of stuff to people who need it rather than as a money making scheme!

[larryphilanddave]

Hope you're all well and yay to see the progress being made I find the darker days make me more lethargic, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's another thing to slow us down during the winter months.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a starting train set, preferably wooden? I remember reading someone had a train set that could be added to but can't find it now DC1 is nearly 2yo and I just want something fairly simple to start with - some connecting track, some trains, that could be it really! And then if he likes it we can add to it over time. Are Brio good? That's the only wooden train type thing I've seen when out and I think that's the kind of thing I'm thinking of.

Also what's good for starting off colouring/drawing? He's started to want to scribble on paper - which meant sneaking off with DH's notebook and pen - not ideal so I bought a cheap colouring book and some pens the other day just to sort of get started. Got the pens because I couldn't find any crayons, oddly. But practically speaking, would crayons be better? I'm a bit scared of him potentially drawing on the furniture if I turn away for a moment! I want something washable but I'm a bit useless with these things, I don't like most shops toy shops and all of the stuff in there, I'd rather find something online and be done with it!

[evertonmint]

Larry - we have a mixture of Big Jigs, Brio and Ikea wooden trains. It is all compatible so you can mix and match. Some of the big jigs stuff is fantastic - DS has a great engine shed which he still loves after 3 years.

On drawing I'd start with chunky crayons or pencils. I'd leave felt pens until he's much bigger (even my just 4yo is a liability still with them!)

I find branded crayons and pencils make much bolder colours than cheap ones. Wilkos should have crayola (they're great for craft stuff in general). Plain paper for now or a cheap colouring book from
Wilkos. Also CBeebies website had colouring pages of favourite characters to print off, and you can get loads of drawings online. Even though they can't colour in the lines for ages, kids do like to colour on pictures!

[evertonmint]

"They" being Wilkos not crayola (though they are good!). Wilkos has fantastic cheap stuff for crafting with kids.

[larryphilanddave]

Thanks everton, that's great - didn't even think of Wilkos! We have one nearby so I'll pop in soon and get some crayons. Yes, I know what you mean about liability! DH was bit when he saw them, I was desperate They've made DC1 very happy though, although he only gets to use them with our help, but he's currently at a stage where he wants either me or DH to do activities with him anyway so he doesn't really want to run off with them.

He did however throw a bit of a strop earlier as he couldn't fit them all in his hands in one go... he seems to be coming down with something and the tell tale sign is the sheer drama a simple task can create. He doesn't seem to get fevers, or sneezes, or super mucus-y, everything just becomes A Big Deal.

[IssyStark]

Can definitely second the Ikea and BigJigs train stuff. We have mainly Ikea track plus some of the Big Jogs extra (level crossing, bridge that lifts etc). DS2 is almost 3 and has been playing with it for the past year and ds1, almost 8, still really likes it and they will actually play with it together.

[educatingarti]

Just popping on to say that my flat still looks untidy but I am doing bits and pieces. Culled 2 kitchen drawers and now things don't fall out when I open them!
With my educating hat on -
Larry - thick chunky crayons or pens are best for very little ones. It helps them develop a better grip for later on when they start writing. Crayoning/chalking on vertical surfaces rather than just horizontal ones really helps develop the right wrist angle for writing too ( this can be a childs easel with chalk/drywipe pens or simply sugar paper masking taped to a door).

Minisoks - I've worked with children with adhd and other similar difficulties. Hope you find ways to help DS1 with whatever the main issues are for him. Don't know if you need any help/advice, but feel free to pm if you want.

[JimmyCorkhill]

larry, Crayola do these which I got from Asda. My DDs love them. They wash off really easily. DD2 likes them because she can have pens just like her big sister.

[erin99]

Love Bigjigs here, and pipsqueaks crayola markers. Crayons are better than felt tips in that they don't dry out, but they can be difficult to get off surfaces. Beware drywipe markers, they are more likely to stain clothes than drier things like crayons, and they stain surprisingly stubbornly.

Not too much minimising going on here with me working extra hours and with christmas and DCs' birthdays both coming up. And SO much paperwork coming home from school at the moment. Feel a bit like I'm drowning in it!

[larryphilanddave]

Thanks all for your input, it has been really helpful! I've now saved a few things to my list, I particularly like a Bigjigs set that I found that looks like a good starter to add to eventually.

I'm also unreasonably excited by the Crayola I'll admit that I want to buy one of those kiddy easels because I never had one as a child but I'll calm down and hold off until I can determine if it would actually be useful...

Nothing happening in the way of minimalism here, but no adding either, just sitting tight waiting for DC2 House is still tidy and organised however!

[clearsommespace]

Andsmile, how are you doing.
Big bag of clothes out today - things DC have grown out of.
A couple of more bits posted on a giveaway site and a local selling web site.
I need to attack my desk again, sigh. It's a serious clutter magnet.

[andsmileitschristmas]

Ooo hello, thanks for asking - standstill I'm afraid. Been good at NOT buying stuff.

I need to get on tomorrow. This week I found two tops that I thought we had lost due to clutter and untidiness.!

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

We've a something in the loft. Best case scenario is mice. Worst is the possibility of squirrel(s). Sounds like someone's dragging things around up there.

I need some motivation ladies and I just can't find it. Fell asleep on the sofa before HS coordinator arrived (I'd forgotten). House looks like a bomb has hit it.

[educatingarti]

Looks like we are all a bit lacking in mojo! I have a small carrier to go to the chazza. I have just had 2 lessons cancelled today which is a pain in one way but relieves some stress. Just need to make sure I spend the day actually working rather than messing!

[clearsommespace]

I've got a decent amount of energy (for winter) but it's nearly all going into Christmas gift thinking and occasionally purchasing. Plus we have just had a DC birthday party with school friends at home.
We have plenty of bits up for sale/giveaway which are slowly creeping out of the house.
And on Thursday I collect a digital version of our one remaining VHS. It's a home video someone made for us and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. Our VCR was rehomed long ago.
Minisoks, did you identify the 'thing'?

[educatingarti]

Minisoks - hope the "thing" has turned out to be a elf who took the wrong turn from the North Pole or something equally Christmassy!