In March I managed to find 420 things that could leave my house. Which is a decent effort. I was hoping to find more to be honest. But the last third of the month was spent with me sick or with me working and looking after sick family. Seriously, my daughter got a chest infection, ear infection and croup, all at the same time. Then 10 days later she got tonsillitis. Not my idea of a fun time, and by the looks of it, not hers either.
She's healthy now, my husband is on the mend, I'm mostly healthy again (just in time for the weekend). So time to see how much I can find to leave the house in April.
Current total for 2014: 867 items.
Wednesday 2 April 2014
Thursday 13 March 2014
The Minimalist Game
Last year I came across 'The Minimalist Game.' (Click on the link to find out more about it). It's quite a simple theory. Get rid of 1 thing on day one of the month, 2 things on day two, 3 things on day three. You get the idea. Fast forward to the end of the month and the goal is to get rid of 30 odd things a day.
I liked the concept, but didn't think doing it that way would work for me. Because I have good days and bad day. Days with energy, days without. Days where I work lots, days where I don't. Days where my daughter gives me space to do my thing, days where she wants to always be in my space.
So I decided to change it up to work for me. What I did was create a word doc for that month (being November), and at the top I wrote how many days there were in the month, and how many items I'd declutter from my life if I met the challenge. Then each day, I wrote down what I decluttered, and at the end of the line I put my daily total and updated my monthly challenge.
So far this has been a success. I'm having more days than not where items get earmarked to leave the house (via giving to friends, donating or the rubbish bin). As I go on, there are fewer and fewer days with 'nothing' next to it. I'm really building in the habit of decluttering. Which is fantastic. People, including my husband, have commented they can see the difference in the house. And for me, it's brilliant motivation, as I can look at it and see concrete proof of my progress.
It has also helped me identify an area of waste I wasn't too good in. Or rather, I was good at it. The amount of food that I was wasting. Ends of packages of food mainly. But also the last serving of leftovers, that I really should have frozen for later. I no longer track that when it goes out, as it doesn't happen so much anymore. I'm so much more conscious of using it all up so I have less waste. My fridge is looking a bit better for it too, and my bank balance probably approves too.
So, my numbers.
November 2013 - 220 items
December 2013 - 453 items
January 2014 - 189 items
February 2014 - 258 items
That adds to 1120 items out of the house in a 4 month period. So far this month I'm at 157, but I'm not even half way through the month. I'm aiming to beat my December total, but really, I'm just happy to see how much is leaving.
I liked the concept, but didn't think doing it that way would work for me. Because I have good days and bad day. Days with energy, days without. Days where I work lots, days where I don't. Days where my daughter gives me space to do my thing, days where she wants to always be in my space.
So I decided to change it up to work for me. What I did was create a word doc for that month (being November), and at the top I wrote how many days there were in the month, and how many items I'd declutter from my life if I met the challenge. Then each day, I wrote down what I decluttered, and at the end of the line I put my daily total and updated my monthly challenge.
So far this has been a success. I'm having more days than not where items get earmarked to leave the house (via giving to friends, donating or the rubbish bin). As I go on, there are fewer and fewer days with 'nothing' next to it. I'm really building in the habit of decluttering. Which is fantastic. People, including my husband, have commented they can see the difference in the house. And for me, it's brilliant motivation, as I can look at it and see concrete proof of my progress.
It has also helped me identify an area of waste I wasn't too good in. Or rather, I was good at it. The amount of food that I was wasting. Ends of packages of food mainly. But also the last serving of leftovers, that I really should have frozen for later. I no longer track that when it goes out, as it doesn't happen so much anymore. I'm so much more conscious of using it all up so I have less waste. My fridge is looking a bit better for it too, and my bank balance probably approves too.
So, my numbers.
November 2013 - 220 items
December 2013 - 453 items
January 2014 - 189 items
February 2014 - 258 items
That adds to 1120 items out of the house in a 4 month period. So far this month I'm at 157, but I'm not even half way through the month. I'm aiming to beat my December total, but really, I'm just happy to see how much is leaving.
Tuesday 11 March 2014
A slowly changing mindset
It used to be, when I saw something that I liked, especially if it was a good price, if I had the money in my account, I'd get it. Sometimes I'd feel guilty over spending money I didn't need to. More often, I didn't think about it at all, I wouldn't even notice what I'd bought.
I recently got offered a chance to buy a really cute piece of jewelry, supporting a small designer who's starting out, at a good price. And I decided to pass. I'd maybe wear it a couple of times, then it would either end up in my drawer or on my wall as I went back to my favourite pieces. Having a few 'occasion' pieces is all good and well, but this wouldn't quite fit into that category.
This decision is showing my changing thought process. I'm more aware of bringing items into the house. Only wanting items that add value to my life.
I'm happy with my decision. It's one less item coming into the house. It's a few more dollars that can be used to pay off the mortgage.
I recently got offered a chance to buy a really cute piece of jewelry, supporting a small designer who's starting out, at a good price. And I decided to pass. I'd maybe wear it a couple of times, then it would either end up in my drawer or on my wall as I went back to my favourite pieces. Having a few 'occasion' pieces is all good and well, but this wouldn't quite fit into that category.
This decision is showing my changing thought process. I'm more aware of bringing items into the house. Only wanting items that add value to my life.
I'm happy with my decision. It's one less item coming into the house. It's a few more dollars that can be used to pay off the mortgage.
Saturday 8 March 2014
When a surface is clear....
When a surface is clear it's able to be used. Simple concept, right.
When a surface is clear it's also a magnet for clutter, but that could just be me.
When my kitchen benches are clean, I'm more likely to put things away or in the dishwasher, as it's the work of a moment, not five.
When my kitchen benches are clear, I'm more likely to bake, as there is space to work.
When my dining table is clear, my daughter wants to eat there rather than at the coffee table.
When my sewing worktable is clear, I'm more inspired to work on projects.
It's a really simple concept. But one I need to keep reminding myself of.
When a surface is clear it's also a magnet for clutter, but that could just be me.
When my kitchen benches are clean, I'm more likely to put things away or in the dishwasher, as it's the work of a moment, not five.
When my kitchen benches are clear, I'm more likely to bake, as there is space to work.
When my dining table is clear, my daughter wants to eat there rather than at the coffee table.
When my sewing worktable is clear, I'm more inspired to work on projects.
It's a really simple concept. But one I need to keep reminding myself of.
Monday 24 February 2014
Letting go of a skirt
It seems such a simple thing. A skirt. Sitting in my UFO cupboard. It doesn't need much done. Just the worn existing elastic taken out and new elastic threaded through. Not a hard or time consuming job. But it's still sitting there. And has been for about 2 months now.
The hard thing, is I was given the skirt. A friend moved away, and kept it aside as she thought I'd like it, seeing as how I wear skirts over 50% of the time. Skirts in a very similar style to that. But this skirt, while in a nice colour and design, is a colour I'm trying to get out of my wardrobe. It's a brown. Don't get me wrong, I like brown. But I prefer black and jewel tones. I think they work for me, it's something I keep meaning to find out, but it's what I gravitate to. Browns mean finding autumnal hues to wear with them, something I don't have much of at all in my wardrobe. I don't want clothing that I have to find other things to wear with it, or is really limited in what I can wear with it. For 'occasional' clothing, sure. But not for something that is of my everyday style.
But it got given to me, was picked out for me. Which adds a whole new element to getting rid of it, an emotional one.
It needs to go.
Because it doesn't fit with my overall view for my wardrobe, and it doesn't fill a gap that I haven't found the right item for.
So out it goes.
Such a simple thing, yet so hard at the same time.
The hard thing, is I was given the skirt. A friend moved away, and kept it aside as she thought I'd like it, seeing as how I wear skirts over 50% of the time. Skirts in a very similar style to that. But this skirt, while in a nice colour and design, is a colour I'm trying to get out of my wardrobe. It's a brown. Don't get me wrong, I like brown. But I prefer black and jewel tones. I think they work for me, it's something I keep meaning to find out, but it's what I gravitate to. Browns mean finding autumnal hues to wear with them, something I don't have much of at all in my wardrobe. I don't want clothing that I have to find other things to wear with it, or is really limited in what I can wear with it. For 'occasional' clothing, sure. But not for something that is of my everyday style.
But it got given to me, was picked out for me. Which adds a whole new element to getting rid of it, an emotional one.
It needs to go.
Because it doesn't fit with my overall view for my wardrobe, and it doesn't fill a gap that I haven't found the right item for.
So out it goes.
Such a simple thing, yet so hard at the same time.
Saturday 21 December 2013
Beginnings
I realised that I haven't posted in my PolyCraftual blog in over 2 months. This isn't for lack of time spent on the computer, although the amount of time spent on the computer has significantly reduced in the past couple of months. I've just not been crafting as much as I usually would. When I do craft, it tends to be smaller amounts of time.
There are a few reasons for this. One is I started working three months ago, so that takes up a chunk of my time. Especially as we've gone into the holiday period, people are on leave so I'm covering more clients, meaning more hours spent away from home. Another is my husband got work in another city, so he's only home during the weekend. This means during the week I'm it when it comes to childcare, and my daughter goes to bed about 10pm. I'd love her to go to bed earlier, and I've tried to get her to sleep earlier, but she like her daddy, a night owl, I'm learning to just go with it. Unfortunately this means by the time she's asleep and I've done the end of day things that make the morning easier, I'm ready to sleep too. I've also been trying to work on building some good habits and actively decluttering, which is being done in some of the time I would spend creating.
I like writing things down. Always have. Having a visual record of it helps with memories that so often change over time. It allows me to look back and see what progress I've made. Especially when progress is small and not otherwise noticable. Which helps with motivation, as so often when you can't see progress it's easier to give up. Or maybe that's just me...... So I've wanted to blog about what I'm doing. Not for anyone else, but for me, so I can see what progress I've made. I didn't think crafting blog was really a place to ramble about Project Simplify (I think that's what I'll call it, I'm not exactly sure, but I'll explain that in another post), so I started this one. Maybe it's biting off more than I can chew, with another blog when I've already got one I barely use, but it's where my mind is at currently.
So, here goes....
There are a few reasons for this. One is I started working three months ago, so that takes up a chunk of my time. Especially as we've gone into the holiday period, people are on leave so I'm covering more clients, meaning more hours spent away from home. Another is my husband got work in another city, so he's only home during the weekend. This means during the week I'm it when it comes to childcare, and my daughter goes to bed about 10pm. I'd love her to go to bed earlier, and I've tried to get her to sleep earlier, but she like her daddy, a night owl, I'm learning to just go with it. Unfortunately this means by the time she's asleep and I've done the end of day things that make the morning easier, I'm ready to sleep too. I've also been trying to work on building some good habits and actively decluttering, which is being done in some of the time I would spend creating.
I like writing things down. Always have. Having a visual record of it helps with memories that so often change over time. It allows me to look back and see what progress I've made. Especially when progress is small and not otherwise noticable. Which helps with motivation, as so often when you can't see progress it's easier to give up. Or maybe that's just me...... So I've wanted to blog about what I'm doing. Not for anyone else, but for me, so I can see what progress I've made. I didn't think crafting blog was really a place to ramble about Project Simplify (I think that's what I'll call it, I'm not exactly sure, but I'll explain that in another post), so I started this one. Maybe it's biting off more than I can chew, with another blog when I've already got one I barely use, but it's where my mind is at currently.
So, here goes....
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