A new elimination method for decluttering (also Project 333 series part3)

I came up with a new method for paring down my clothing last week.

I was struggling with the decision process in decluttering. This is probably something we all experience sometimes, yes? Which tops do I get rid of? Which are my least favourite? Which is my favourite?

This technique works on the psychology of choice. It is designed to limit the choice to one of two items, rather than 1 of 14 or more. The paradox of choice argues that decisions get harder the more choices we have. I was certainly feeling that way regarding my clothing. I tested the technique last week, to see the results. It seems to have worked, and I will continue using it for other categories.

The results from this were:

- I know which of my tops are my absolute favourites, and which ones are good but not great.

- I decluttered 4/14 tanks/strappy tops, and now have a nice round number of 10 (11 counting a winter tank, but I didn't include that in this round) tanks total. Before I started decluttering this summer, I had a total of 23 in this category.

- This method makes it easier to declutter overall, even if it might be a bit time-consuming. I prefer that the end result is a decluttered wardrobe, rather than not deciding at all.



I am going to attempt to explain how it's done! There are lots of photos, of each and every step. I thought it was best to include the whole process so I can explain it via illustration.

Step 1

Label 3 piles:

- FAVOURITES

- PROCESS

- PENDING

Step 2

Choose a single category of clothing, and get them all out. I chose tanks and strappy tops, as I was getting annoyed at the not-so-good ones in my wardrobe.

Put them in the PROCESS pile, one on top of the other, so you have a stack of items.

Step 3

Take the top item from the process pile, and lay it on a flat surface (I used the floor for easy photos). Take the next item from the pile, and lay it to the left or right. It doesn't matter at this point.

Step 4

Imagine you are in a shop, and you have only two choices; the two items of clothing in front of you. Pick your favourite, and then remove the other one to the pending pile. You always want to keep the favourite on the floor/table.

Step 5

Take the next item from the PROCESS pile, and put it next to your favourite from Step 4, replacing the previous item in the exact same location (i.e. left or right) Again, choose your favourite, imagining that you only have 2 choices.

Step 6

Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have cleared the PROCESS pile. All your non-favourites are in the PENDING pile. The item that you are left with at the end, after you have run through the PROCESS pile once, goes into the FAVOURITES.

Time for an illustration

Round 1

I chose my absolute favourite as the first item, and so it won all 12 comparisons, but it doesn't really matter where you start.

Here is a collage of round one (reads left to right). The favourite of the two choices is always marked with a white star.

Result from Round 1. Blue strappy top goes into FAVOURITES.

Round 2

Move the whole PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile. Do not reorder it or tamper with it!

Starting with the top item in the pile, go through Steps 3-6 from above.

Here is the collage for Round 2. Again, favourites are marked with a white star.

Round 3

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

Round 4

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

In Round 4, I switched favourites half-way through. It's important that you don't start again with the PROCESS pile, or you'll be there all day! Just keep on taking the next item from the pile until it's clear.

Round 5

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

The turquoise tank won most of the comparisons in this round. Another favourite.

Round 6:

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

Round 7

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

Round 8

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

Round 9

Again, move the PENDING pile to the PROCESS pile.

Start again with steps 3-6.

End results:

In the end, I kept 10 (including the top I was wearing at the time), and decluttered 4. I kinda just went with what felt right. At first, I thought I may stop at 6, but then I was still missing some versatile options, and an old favourite. 10 seemed like a nice round number, and I may even repeat this process again in the future.

Note that the decision process isn't always as clean as I make it out to be here. Of course, our minds will be influenced by what we've already chosen. In my case, I chose versatile options as my favourites to start with, a) because I like versatility, and b) because I need them for work. Then once I had my versatile favourites, I was drawn towards the patterns.



As far as I know, this idea is my own, and I haven't unknowingly copied it from somewhere. If you know of something similar, do let me know!

Also, I'd love to find out if you try this for yourself. I realise that if you have more than 14 in one category, it might take a while, but it feels good. Sometimes, a methodical approach works well. Other times, I'm more laid back about decluttering, chucking things left right and centre (albeit rarely).

Any questions? Anything that isn't clear?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments.



Thanks for reading! 

44 days without TV

On 14th June, we got this reminder:

Renew your licence before it expires on 30 June 2013

to remain legally licensed.

Like last year, the licence fee is £145.50

Last year, I would not have hesitated to pay the bill. That’s just what you do, right? TV is normal, and it’s just a fact of life in the UK that you pay your TV licence.

Or is it? When this reminder popped into my inbox, we were having some financial worries, and I wasn’t keen on seeing that amount disappear from my bank account. After some thought, and a discussion, we decided that we wouldn’t renew our licence. This meant that we would not be able to watch any live TV, as it was being broadcast. Catch up services would still be available to us.

 

We asked questions such as:

- do we need it?

- my partner asked how he would watch the world cup, next year.

- what if the licencing authority doesn’t leave us alone?

- what will we do without TV?

 

I knew that we could pay our licence at any time and start watching TV again if we wanted to.

On July 1st, our experiment of living without TV began.

The first week or so, while we broke the habit of our nightly TV watching after dinner over peppermint tea, it was odd. It came up in conversation.

Take note of the last word in the above sentence. Conversation. Switching off the TV allowed us to talk over our peppermint tea, rather than mindlessly watching whatever remotely interesting programme we could find.

We are independent people, and don’t spend a lot of time in the same room. When we did (with TV), we ate our dinner, had our tea and watched TV. Then we would disappear into our respective rooms, one to study, the other to faff about online (me).

Now, it is different. We eat dinner, chat about our days, and then sit down with our peppermint tea on the sofa, and talk. Like, talk about our days, plans, happenings. We engage in meaningful conversation about news, world issues, our thoughts of the day.

We don’t miss the TV. We watch the occasional show on catch up, and I have indulged in a bit of 90210 for some mindless TV watching. The big difference is, we don’t let it rob us of meaningful time together. Our occasional TV watching is mindfully done; a show that we like, and can enjoy together.

We mindfully invite TV into our lives, rather than the other way round. We do this by asking why, and if it is a good use of our time. If it’s our favourite show, it passes the test. If we are desperately searching the catalogue of catch up shows, then we notice and turn the laptop off and start talking instead. TV doesn't rule our lives anymore, and I love that.

The TV is staying unplugged, and unlicenced.

 

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to subscribe to my posts by RSS or follow me on Twitter. 

Focus on the essentials

 

Focus on the essentials

This is one of the minimalism mantras. You will find references to it here, here.

I’ve read lots (hundreds) of articles on minimalism, simple and intentional living. The core principle of minimalism is to cut out the superfluous so you can focus on the important.

I’ve recently gained an extra evening in after finishing my counselling course. While I’m still between courses (photography or writing next), I’ve decided to dedicate a fixed period of time for crafting. I’m the queen of excuses when it comes to working on a project in a whiny sort of voice in my head;

“oh, the sewing machine is ALL the way over theeere.”

“I have no time, I’ve got laundry, cleaning, work, and all this paperwork, to sort out”

“Hand-quilting is sooooo booooooring”.

“I’m not very good at choosing fabrics, or I can’t find a pattern”

 

Meh. I’ve used them all. But you know what? I absolutely LOVE creating things. It’s been something I’ve always come back to, and I love learning new things in the crafting world. So why all the excuses?

Because I tend to convince myself that I shouldn’t use the time for something I LOVE. Sound familiar?

Here’s an idea:

 

Set aside a chunk of time to do exactly what you LOVE and nothing else.

 

It works, trust me. I set aside 1.5 hours each week, to go and meet my writing group. Nothing else happens here except writing and connecting with close friends. There are no distractions involved. I often achieve my best and most insightful writing at these times. I am convinced it is because I give myself permission to spend the time, just writing. In contrast, if I try to write or craft or do something at home, there are always distractions.

 - programme on TV

- Internet

- Emails (oh my I haven't checked them in the last 5 minutes!)

 

My answer to this is to set aside time for myself to work on my projects. I don’t get enough of the awesome satisfaction of finishing a project, because I rarely work on them. Therefore, I’m turning my crafting into one of my essentials, to spend time on each week. I can’t wait!

Blogging is also essential to me, but I only have limited time. Therefore, I’ve withdrawn from the 52 weeks of happy project (sorry Jen, and all the others), because I spent too much time worrying about having enough variety in those posts. I'm grateful for the project though, because it helped me notice the small things that bring pleasure.

The increased crafting time will also give me some stuff to show you on the blog, as I have various works in progress and things to make! Exciting stuff (I think so anyway)

p.s. My 12mm crochet hook arrived in the post (a present from my partner), and the rug in progress got unravelled to make way for the awesome Simply Crochet pattern, instead of just winging it! Yipeeeeeeeee

Your turn. What are your essentials, and how do you make time for them? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

 

 

Means to a beginning

 

Laura Mardon via Compfight

I’ve chosen to reward myself for my hard work this winter.

• I’ve completed 6 months full time work, something I never thought I could do so soon after leaving my PhD.
  


• I’ve completed a 3 month introductory course in counselling.


• It’s been 9 months since I left my PhD, and the decision alone was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.


• I’ve started two blogs


• I’m learning and growing every day.

After much deliberation (about two months) and finally choosing my reward at the weekend, an entry level DSLR camera , I’ve come to realise that minimalism isn’t really about the stuff in the end. It’s not about owning the least amount of possessions. It’s not a competition over who can have the best, and most simple decor, or the amount of white walls in our homes. It’s not about decluttering either. Getting rid of the excess is just a means to an end.

The end, and simultaneously, the beginning, is learning what is important. Freeing up space allows us to discover what else there is besides stuff. It’s the beginning of a new life full of discovery.

The beginning will be different for everyone.

I’ve discovered a passion for writing, rekindled my creative endeavours, and have dipped my toe into the world of photography. I am learning what is important to me.

This blog is important to me, and because I am a visual person, the look of my blog is important too.  Hence, developing the ability to take better photos is important to me.

My new camera is pretty awesome, but it’s not the plastic casing and the technology per se that I lust after.  I could amass a great collection of lenses, a tripod and all the kit in the world (given the money), but there’s no point in owning all of those if they just sit on a shelf, untouched.

The camera is just a tool to get me closer to something I love doing. It’s not the camera, but learning how to use it that will add value to my life, and will challenge me to be creative with a new medium.

How about you? What is truly important to you? Feel free to share in the comments.

 

 

One handbag

 



 

I am a one-handbag girl. I like to keep everything in the same place, same handbag. It makes leaving the house a lot easier!

I don't switch between multiple handbags depending on my outfit. I own this handbag, a rucksack and a couple of others that rarely see the light of day; a small leather bag for special occasions, a holiday bag, and a small holiday cross-body purse.

This is my day-to-day bag, the one that comes with me everywhere I go. Trust me, there would be stress if I even considered switching between bags, and further stress once out because I would be checking whether I had everything.

A view of the inside:

 



 

It has two main sections, and a zip-pouch in the middle. It's a nice size for my day-to-day handbag needs.

 

Here is what I keep in it:



 

I'll admit that I often accumulate more (who doesn't?) but these are the essentials that I like to carry with me.

I'm pretty used to having one good handbag. It works well, and keeps things simple.  I don't think I'll ever go back to having more than one for daily use. I would like to get one of these though.

I am considering extending the idea of "one is enough":

-One pen

-one each of bowl, plate, mug, cutlery (less washing up!!)

 

How about you? Would you consider having just one of something? Maybe it's something you do already?

2013 in 2013 challenge

You may have noticed the little gadget on the top left, called "2013 in 2013 challenge" and a little progress bar. 

That is a marker for my challenge in 2013, to declutter up to 2013 items in 2013. I'm not sure if I even own that many in the first place, but I will certainly give it a go. 

My lovely friend in the blogosphere, Brooke, came up with this challenge. You can see all the details here. 

It is a year long challenge, because the point is to do it slowly. To not get too caught up in the rush of decluttering, and then feeling exhausted afterwards. 

I will update the progress bar every couple of weeks, or if there has been significant progress in the challenge. 

Wish me luck!! 

Project 333 Season 2 list

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 


First, a quick recap and thoughts on the Project.

I have completed one season of Project 333 and intend to continue for the forseeable future. This method agrees with me. I am happier as a result of it. 

Experiences of Season 1:

• I found the occasional boredom creeping in, with my lack of variety. Then I remembered that there is more to life than clothes, and the benefits far outweigh a little boredom. 
• I did add a couple of items along the way, bending the rules a bit, without rotating something else out. I will definitely rotate in/out this time, if it happens again. 
• I didn't include jewellery, and found that I haven't worn it at all, so I'm not including it this time. 
• I got excited about designing the new season, early December. Never has the idea of 'shopping'  from my wardrobe been so appealing. 
•  I stick by my decision to not include belts, because for me, they are part of the trousers. They never come off, or get changed. Therefore I don't class them as accessories. 

Lessons from Season 1:

• It is easier to choose what I'm wearing, because it all goes together. I'm not overwhelmed with too many choices. 
• I have found a style that I'm happy with, and all my clothing choices reflect this. I'm not trying to follow fashion or keep up with 4-week long trends that change constantly. I also don't care what others think about my clothes.
• I am happy living with 33 items, and feel good because I only wear things that I'm comfortable in. 

I got to work building Season 2, from my pile of staple clothing items. I almost found it hard to fill 33 slots on my sheet. I had a feeling I could live with even less if it came to it. 

Again, like Season 1, I've made a collage of all my clothing, and some potential outfit combinations. 

I reduced the number of shoes in my collection, because I just don't wear that many. I have work shoes that I keep at work, so they go in a similar category as work-out clothing. Same with the boots I cycle to work in. They don't get used for any other purpose. 

Here is a list of the items, from top left on the collage. The ones with asterisks * are new for Season 2.

1. Purple Berghaus waterproof jacket
2. Black warm coat
3. Pink lacy scarf
4. Blue cowl
5. Black wool shawl
6. Pure wool headband
7. Handbag
8. Black wool gloves* (the other ones got a hole in them)
9. Blue suede trainers
10. Brown leather boots
11. Long grey cowl jumper
12. Light grey button jumper
13. Thick black knit cardigan*
14. Purple "tracksuit" top*. I decided I wanted something super casual this season. 
15. Taupe knit top*
16. Blue floral dress top
17. Magenta long sleeve top*
18. Bright pink cardigan*
19. Black cardigan
20. Navy long sleeve top
21. GAP fuschia 3/4 sleeve top
22. Oatmeal long sleeve top
23. Black flowy t-shirt*
24. Dark blue t-shirt*
25. Black strappy top*
26. Cream/pink knit-tank*
27. Black work trousers
28. Black work trousers
29. Bootcut jeans
30. Skinny jeans
31. Grey tank* (not pictured)
32-33. 2 pairs Black leggings (not pictured)

Again, like last time, here are some possible outfits from the above items:

You'll notice that the bottom half of the grid stays much the same. I don't really mind having only two or three pairs of shoes, or limited options for trousers. I find it easier to mix and match outfits if I have variety for the top half, and with these items, I could create lots of different looks. 

Columns 1-2: typical work outfits
Columns 3-4: weekend/socialising outfits
Column 5: my super casual, comfy outfit. 

I managed to purge a few items from my maybe box, and I also realised that I have a lot of different colours stored away, most of which don't go together, or don't go with many things. 

*Confession* I went out at the weekend and bought a replacement pair of black leather flats, while they were on sale. I doubt my current ones (pictured above) will last another year (I've already had them for 4 years!) Here are my new shiny black flats:

This is the last purchase for at least 6 months. They were relatively expensive, but are great value if they last the same time as the others. I will only buy quality items from now on, that are likely to last.


I'm excited for what 2013 has in store, and it has got off to a great start already. 




P333'ers: what is your experience of building Season 2?
Others: would you consider this Project?

In the nick of time: Reverse 100 thing challenge

I do better if I have a set number, a limit, something concrete to aim for. 

I decided to do the Reverse 100 thing challenge, and added an extra bit along the way. Complete the challenge before the new year. I started this on the 27th December.

And I have!! I just counted them, and the grand total, including things that I had already decided to get rid of, is.....


140!!!!

Woah. I was thinking to myself, never will I get to 100 this evening. I even overshot my target! 

I've been hampered by my lack of photo taking opportunities (being at work full time and arriving home in the dark). So I've got a badly-lit-flash-gone-off-messy-photo of all the items. It will have to do! :)

 

This feels great. I am ready to take on a New Year, to continue to question my belongings, and be free of all this stuff that I see everywhere I go. I will probably do this again in early 2013! My ultimate dream is to reduce my personal belongings to a total of 200. Never again do I want to make 7 car trips just for my stuff when I move house. 

I'm excited for what the New Year will bring. I have a long project list to keep me busy, and will look forward to making some regular blogging time! 

In the mean time, I wish you all the very best for 2013, and I also want to thank my readers for the support and comments these past few months.



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
  

Project 333 Season 1 List

I've wanted to write this post since I started Project 333, and now a month into the first season, I'm ready to share my list. The following list is all I'm wearing from October 1st-December 31st 2012. 

I've finally tweaked my list and written up the final version of it (I was supposed to have done this first week of October, oops! P333'ers you'll know what I mean!!). 

Using the collage above as a guide, from top left (moving down by rows):

1. Waterproof jacket
2. Warm coat
3. Long pure wool Icelandic jumper (hand-knitted by my great aunt).
4. Pink lacy scarf
5. Blue cowl
6. Pure wool black shawl (hand-knitted by my grandmother <3 )
7. Pure wool headband 
8. Handbag
9. Pure Icelandic wool gloves
10. Hiking shoes
11. Black flats
12. Blue suede trainers
13. Brown knee-high leather boots
14. Dark grey cowl-neck jumper
15. Light grey button jumper
16. Long colourful dress top
17. Navy floral dress top 
18. Grey short sleeve dress top 
19. Fuschia stripy top, 3/4 sleeves
20. Oatmeal long sleeve top
21. Black cardigan
22. Purple long sleeve top
23. Navy long 3/4 sleeve top
24. Black t-shirt
25. Purple stripy t-shirt
26. Light blue strappy top (excuse the wrinkles!) 
27. Black work trousers
28. Black work trousers
29. Bootcut jeans
30. Skinny jeans
31-33. (not pictured) 1 pair tights, 2 pairs black leggings. 

I made a collage of some of my outfits, if anyone needs some inspiration. I can make so many different combinations with those 33 items, because they ALL go together. Some of the pieces are great for layering too. Here are 4 outfits:

Column 1-2: My go-to weekend/socialising outfits
Column 3: Typical work outfit. I'm lucky that it's business casual. I obviously don't wear it that wrinkly!! 
Column 4: Casual weekend outfit, for grocery shopping etc. 

All the above can also be mixed and matched, to make more outfits! 

I think these are my favourite combinations. Since I started, I have switched out a few that I didn't want to wear, or seemed less practical. My white button down shirt is now reserved for interviews, since the dress code is business casual at work. I am not comfortable in a white shirt, like at all. Luckily, all the clothes above are neat enough to go to work in (except the denim), so I get to use most of my favourite pieces! 



What I've learned from this project:

• I don't need a lot of clothes to feel good in what I wear. 
• Sometimes, I wish I had more variety, but I stop myself and remember, "there is more to life than clothes".
• I feel much better having fewer options. Too many are overwhelming.
• So far, I almost haven't noticed that I have 33 items total to wear. 
• I don't want to buy new clothes for a long time. I don't need to. 
• A simpler life is a better, happier life.

I'll say it again:

A simpler life is a better, happier life

Taming the paperwork monster

This post is part of my September challenge (even if it's October!). I aimed to organise/declutter one small area of my home each day for the month of September (and did ok, until other things got in the way!).

The topic of this post is paperwork. Bills, certificates, bank statements, any sort of important document. I used to have mine in four different places, and each time I'd need a piece of paper, I'd have to remember which category it was in, and where that category was stored. Once I decided to overhaul it, it became one big pile, and stayed that way for a few weeks. Eventually, I'd had enough and devoted a long afternoon to the job. 

I used Brooke from Slow your Home's guide to banishing the paper clutter. It's amazing, so well thought out and easy to follow. I just noticed it was posted on my birthday, which makes it even more amazing. Just sayin' ;)

I started by collecting everything and dumping it all on the floor in the living room. Every single file and bit of paper I could find. This is what I came up with:

Confusing? I think so. As luck would have it, I knew exactly where to find different bits of paper, but in the effort to simplify my life, I wanted it all in one place. My new filing system is based around an idea I found at the Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking.

I tried to find a suitable basket, but as I'm not willing to spend any money on my projects, I  searched around the house first, and found a box that was the perfect width. It's made out of thick cardboard. I bodged a banana crate from a supermarket, I basically cut out the middle part to shorten it and stuck it back together!

I then covered it in brown paper to hide the holes, and all that sticky tape! I wanted something plain and simple, because the suspension files I had available are bright red. It's no good having clashing colours (not for me anyway).

I followed Brooke's guide step by step , did all three days work (3 parts) in 5 hours and was so satisfied when I got it done. I shredded a tonne of paper that I didn't need, and finally got everything into one place:




I had the opportunity to test this out tonight. I needed a bank statement, and it was so easy to find because this box sits in the corner of my living room, and it's the only place now where I store paperwork! I was even able to put it back in its place, which I must say is an achievement for me! 


Do you have a paperwork monster lurking in your house?

Has it really been this long?

I realise I haven't posted anything here in a long time. I'd best update you on what I've been doing! 

When I last posted, I'd just begun the Project 333 quick start course. I thought I would be able to do both my September Challenge and the course, but I didn't know about the project 333 course until after I'd started my monthly challenge. So, things got a bit hectic, and I ran out of time. 

Project 333, in short, involves selecting 33 items of clothing, including jewellery, outerwear and accessories to wear for 3 months. Every quarter you change up your selection to match the season. 4 seasons, starting Jan 1st, April 1st, July 1st and Oct 1st. The rest that falls outside of the 33 gets boxed up for the next change-in-season.

As I am on a journey to simplify my life, the course was a great opportunity to become accountable for the challenge, and get involved with a community on the same path. Things are much more fun if you do them with others! Joining the course was a great experience, I am still connected to approx 200 people all over the world who are simplifying their wardrobes, and learning to live with less.  

Some photos I took during the course:

The three piles of clothes for Week 1 homework, and the donate bags after the first week. 30 items total gone to charity!

This is my wardrobe for  Oct 1st - Dec 31st. 

29 on the bed....
















...Four pairs of shoes


total = 33















This is what my drawer looks like now.


This is the only one with day-clothes in, the others have make-up and pyjamas. 

I love this! It is so easy to find what I'm looking for. 












I'm now two weeks in to the first season of Project 333. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to last the 3 months, but I'm more confident now. There is more to life than clothes, and with these choices I don't have to worry about feeling uncomfortable, or whether they look good on me. That is because, I ONLY chose items that fit well, look good and suit my style. 

In other news:

• I started a new job on October 1st, temporary to begin with, but hope to go permanent. Hence, less blogging time. 
• I have got a few more posts lined up that belong with the September challenge. 
• and several others for little things I've been doing in my flat. 
• I am committed to having and living with less stuff. Most of the projects here will be done with what I already have in the house, and preferably without spending anything. 
• I'm trying to juggle two blogs now, but I am going to try my best to keep coming here with craftiness! 

Have you been doing any big projects lately?

Sorting through the beauty products

This post is part of my September challenge. I am organising/decluttering one small area of my home each day for the month of September.


By beauty products I'm referring to all make-up, lotions, creams, moisturisers and medication that I own. 

I've recently become interested in the ingredients list on these products.  Chemicals. Unnatural names for unnatural substances. Something concocted in a chemistry lab. How do we know what these are doing to us?

One particular ingredient that has had a lot of attention are parabens. They are used in lots of products, as a preservative. These chemicals mimic oestrogen, and who knows what that might be doing. Alternatives might take some searching for, but they are out there. I found a good article that reviews some products made from natural ingredients. The GoodGuide has more in-depth analyses, but doesn't feature many products I find in the UK. 

For this little project, I started by collecting EVERYTHING in my whole flat that falls under the scope of this challenge. This is what I found:







The goal was to fit all of this into my two bedside table drawers, shown above, and the two lilac baskets which live in the top drawer of my dresser. I use the contents of those baskets every single day, and they are very accessible there. 

Then I sorted everything into categories. 






oh and my make up (why aren't there 5 picture collages?) 

I'll briefly outline what I got rid of from each category:

1. Hair: Duplicates of products that I use very rarely. I had two combs and two hair brushes. I only need one of each. 

2. Lotions: Any containers approaching empty and that had been open for over a year.  Anything that used to smell nice, but now smells off. You'll know. Anti-bac hand gel that attracts wasps and bees (lavender). I am phobic of wasps! 

3. Nails: I love painting my nails. I managed to get rid of 4 bottles  - the colours I won't wear anymore (black, bright red and princess pink). 

4. Meds: Anything out of date. I trimmed down meds for conditions we hardly ever suffer from.

5. Make-up. I'm not a big fan of caking make up on so it's an inch thick. I found an eyeliner that was more than 10 years old, and surprise surprise had parabens in it. I don't think they're supposed to last that long! Chemical breakdown + my eyes = not a good combo. 

In the end I managed to empty the plastic crate, so now I can fit everything in the two drawers and two baskets. Yay!

In future, there is a definite one-in-one-out policy in place. I will have to surrender something I have already if I want something new. That way, hopefully, the drawers won't overflow!

Also, every new product will be researched. If I buy less of them, I might be able to afford to spend a teensy weensy bit more to avoid the nasty chemicals. 


How do you feel about the synthetic ingredients?

September challenge: decluttering one area per day

Sometimes, projects and ideas just don't work out. The best thing to do in those cases is to come up with new ideas, or refine the old ones. Last month, I started a project called 30 things in 30 days. I was attempting to find a way to continue with decluttering over a longer period of time, instead of taking the tasks in bursts and getting bored too quickly.

But, it didn't work because I wasn't motivated to do it. And that's ok. I found another similar approach, which involves writing a list of 30 areas that need decluttering, and tackling one area per day (read more here) It appeals to me more because the areas are distinct, and at the end of each day, I have organised/decluttered a specific area in my home. Result!

Each morning, I generate a random number, and then choose the item corresponding to that number from the list. I take before and after pictures of the area, and take pictures of everything that I'm committing to get rid of. At the end of the month I hope to have a collage of photos of all the things that have left the flat.

So far, it's working! 

Here is my list of 30 areas:

1. Bathroom shelf (we keep toothbrushes, mouthwash, floss etc. on here)
2. Bathroom cabinet (extra shampoos, shower gels, lotions)
3. Cupboard under the kitchen sink
4. Food cupboard (we only have 1 to store all dry goods/groceries)
5. Cereal and tea shelf
6. Cutlery drawer
7. Kitchen counter (main counter)
8. Kitchen counter by window (lots of random things end up here)
9. Beauty products (lotions, medications, hair products etc.)
10. Floor of the wardrobe
11. On top of the wardrobe 
12. Pyjamas
13. Sides of the wardrobe (can you tell things are crammed into every crevice in my flat??)
14. Suitcase full of clothes (that I boxed up when I started Project 333)
15. Crate of clothes (also boxed up due to Project 333)
16. Linen cupboard (also where we keep lounge wear, hoodies etc.)
17. Bedside table
18. Winter clothes box
19. Hallway - small storage cubbies
20. Hallway - Top 3 large shelves 
21. Hallway - Bottom 3 large shelves
22. Books in the living room
23. Paperwork
24. Dropzone (where we dump our stuff when we come in the house)
25. Sewing box
26. Sentimental/keepsakes box (yikes! I'm most scared of this one)
27. Junk corner (random things accumulate here)
28. Junk bag in the study (leftover from previous organising)
29. Craft shelves in the study
30. Box of DVD's and books 

Sheesh that felt long! I can also think of more areas that I want to add to the list! Some areas are easier than others, but I think it's important to have some easy ones on the list too, so as not to get overwhelmed by the difficulty. 

My aim is for this challenge to help me create a simpler, frustration free life. 

Anyone want to join me?

Stationery is my biggest weakness

Close second comes fabric and craft materials. Colourful things make me swooooon.

Remember this list? 

************************************** 

Here is the list of areas that I need to work on so far:

1.  Books

2.  Stationery

3.  Paperwork 

4.  Clothes - attempt 33 items including outerwear and accessories

5.  Craft materials

6.  Tools and electricals

7.  Decorative items

8.  Bookcase in the study

9.  Crates on the floor of study

******** original post here ********


I knew number 2 would be most difficult, because I've been pretty much addicted to stationery, pens, pencils, crayons etc., since I was a child.  I didn't have loads of dolls or Barbies (I had 5 when other kids had 50), but I always had multiple colouring books and lots and lots and lots of crayons. I loved it. Now it includes every type of folder, notebook and pen imaginable!

The dilemma here is that I'm also trying to simplify my life and eliminate as much of the visual clutter as possible. I finally psyched myself up for the challenge of de-cluttering the stationery. My reasoning was that if I succeeded at this challenge I could do anything.

I began by going through every room and collecting every pen, pencil, folder, scissors, etc. that I could find and dumped it all in the living room. 

This is what I ended up with (*hides behind the sofa in shame*)

Now, I reckon that must be half a car load right there. Or close. Erm yeah. That lot doesn't really fit in with the lifestyle I'm trying to achieve, so I started going through it. It was a lot harder than I thought. Turns out I'm attached to my stuff. 

The challenge took a long time (I struggled with it over 2 days). I managed to let go of this stuff: 

Folders, pencils, pens, coloured paper and so on. It's a start, but I will probably have to do it again in the future. It made me realise how hard it is to declutter an area that you still value, or is somehow part of your upbringing/childhood. 

The things I kept, I was determined to display. I wondered why I'd kept all the lovely colourful pencils hidden, when they could be displayed and enjoyed, even just by looking over at the shelf!

So I set about collecting some glass jars, and chose the items that were colourful in my remaining collection.

Here they are in their new home: 
  

I look over at my shelf lots of times every day and each time, it makes me happy to see the lovely jars with all the colourful pens in them!  The leaves at the back of the shelf are a result of a random evening of watercolouring. It definitely brightens up the shelf.

I'm done with stationery organisation for now so that means I can cross it off my list!

1.  Books

2.  Stationery

3.  Paperwork 

4.  Clothes - attempt 33 items including outerwear and accessories

5.  Craft materials

6.  Tools and electricals

7.  Decorative items

8.  Bookcase in the study

9.  Crates on the floor of study

I've conquered a couple more on that list, but the fun bit is writing about it!


Anyone else been de-cluttering an area that's difficult, for any reason? I'd love to hear about it!