Are you one of those people who has a shelf full of cookbooks with the good intention of being experimental in the kitchen but tend to stick to the same tried and true recipes? Or perhaps you are someone who steps that up just a notch by trying a new recipe only once in a while. Then this post is for you.

In fact even if you are adventurous in the kitchen then this post may also be for you. Especially if you’d rather spread out your cooks gear than waste space on cookbooks that you don’t really need.

Or perhaps you are a want-to-be cook who buys foodie magazines and clips recipes that you never get around to using. And when you do remember a clipping, that you want to try, you can’t find it among the masses.

The solution is simple for those of you who own either a laptop computer, a tablet such as an iPad or a smart phone. Instead of hoarding shelves full of cookbooks that house only a few recipes that you like, try using the internet as your endless supply of recipes at the touch of a few buttons. Whatever you want you can just Google search either by recipe or by ingredients on hand. You can create a board on Pinterest of those recipes you want to try, bookmark them, or only look up a recipe when you need it and then only save it if it turns our well for you.

When you are ready to use a recipe all you have to do is place your mobile device on the countertop and have at it.

Now lets say you only have a dest top computer. This is a little harder to manage, however you can still save yourself all that shelf room by only printing the recipes you are going to use. Of course you can save paper and ink by only printing the ingredients and instructions on the back of already used paper. I suggest this because paper and ink cost money but then so do cookbooks and magazines. You can them limit your amount of wasted space by only keeping the printed recipes that you are likely to use again.

I decluttered all but my home printed family recipe file a long time ago and I have never regretted it. Sometime I print and add another often used recipe to it. I could even declutter this file and access the recipes via my laptop if I so wished.

So give it some thought. Could you make better use of that kitchen shelf to spread out your other kitchen items, making them easier to access.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter the messiest most cluttered drawer in your home. if you have one that is. If not perhaps you have some other small, messy, cluttered space you could attend to.

“If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what makes us think we’d be happy with more?” — Unknown

Eco Tip for the Day

Only print out document that are absolutely necessary thus saving paper and ink.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

“…the answer is invariably in the question.”  This is part of a quote from a wise man. That man is Billy Connolly and the quote is from the same book I mentioned yesterday. So, how does this relate to decluttering? Well I am about to give my thoughts on that.

In the Guides section of my blog you will find my Declutter Decision Making Guide. It is packed with questions to ask of yourself when deciding whether you should declutter an item. However this quote from Billy Connolly got me thinking ~ (Wise words from worldly people often have me applying their wisdom to the subject of decluttering). My thought was this, that the answer is indeed in the question, that is, if you are even bothering to ask the question you already have the answer.

Let me give you an example. Lets say that my utensils drawer is over full and I decide some things have to go. Do I take out my spatula and ask “Do I use this often enough to justify keeping it?”. No I don’t, I know without question that I use it all the time and have no intension to declutter it. However as I scan the drawer I can see several items that do raise this very question. Inevitably the answer is in asking the question in the first place and the answer is no.

The same result can be found found when asking…

• Do I love this enough to spend time dusting it every week?
• Is the sentimental attachment to this item strong enough…?
• Have I used this in the last three months?
• Am I ever likely to make something from this fabric?

… and the list could go on. If you are asking the question then the answer, at best, is borderline, but in a quest for simplicity, space and downsizing the answer is usually no.

A good circumstance to apply this theory is when you have too much/many of something. Say you want to downsize a collection, reduce hobby supplies, limit the space your books are to fit into…

First set aside all the items there is absolutely no question of you decluttering. Then separate the remainder into two piles. Pile one for the maybes that you feel the need to ask the question of. And one for the can-goes for the items there really isn’t any need of asking the question. Then you can make your choices of the remaining selection depending on what space you have left to fit them into.

So next time you find yourself asking the question, do I need, treasure, care to maintain or love this thing, and the answer is probably at least “not really”. Then allow your space goal to assist you to the final answer to keep it or let it go.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter five small long time unused items in your mending kit.

Eco Tip for the Day

Schedule at least an hour of family time each night. That way you will all be in the one room using one light source instead of scattered all of the house using electricity like it’s going out of fashion.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Recently my parents put a deposit on a property in a gated retirement community. I have to say I am very proud of them for taking this step. Mind you, it isn’t a fait accompli until the home is built and they have moved in, but being open to the idea and making the first move is a wonderful thing.

The home my parents are currently living in has become far more than people at their stage in life to should have to maintain ~ inside and out. In my opinion, the home itself has become their biggest item of clutter. Too many rooms to keep dusted, vacuumed and fresh, to much yard to mow and gardens to weed. Now they have decided to trade that in for a smaller premises, with added security and with lots of extra amenities thrown it ~ that they don’t have to maintain.

 For many people taking this step can be very difficult, sometimes only taken when fate steps in and deals them a painful blow, so to speak, which forces their hand. Often, once taken, these folks wonder why they were so reluctant because the outcome was far better than they had envisioned. Sadly I have also heard of many cases where the previous dwelling was the actual cause of that painful blow, due to its unsuitability for the persons mobility or reduced capacity to deal with the responsibilities involved.

My husband and I have already made such a move in our middle age. Better sooner than later I say, than wearing oneself out on unnecessary household duties.

I am glad that my parents have, through choice,  moved from house to  house throughout their married life making it less difficult to make this next move. but this isn’t the case for many people. Some having lived in, raised their children in and intend to die in the same home for just about their entire adult lives. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for them. And for some it is never necessary to make the move.

Like my parents, my husband and I have also been temporary dwellers in several homes. To us a home is where the heart is and the heart can be very transplantable in our case. Like Marco’s blue polo shirt in the post I linked to yesterday, the difference ii a polo shirt v the polo shirt. We are happy with a home to live in not needing it to be one particular house.

Has your home become your largest item of clutter. And if not, this question sure puts into perspective how trivial all those other smaller items of clutter are. Even if your current home is really quite suitable for you now is a good time to practise not being attached to material things by letting go of those little unimportant items.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter a something you have kept out of obligation but really wanted out of your house for some time. Perhaps an unwanted gift or a family heirloom you wish to hand on the responsibility to someone else in the family.

Eco Tip for the Day

Give consumable gifts. Preferably one from sustainable sources.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

This is what I decluttered on the day of the original post. Can’t say we’ve missed it.

I was wondering what I should write about today when it occurred to me that I have just past the four year anniversary of blogging about decluttering here at 365 Less Things. That got me thinking about how things have changed and in some cases how things haven’t. My living circumstances have certainly changed, having reached the goal I originally started out trying to achieve. I am a little amazed that the goal never really changed over that time.

However, my principles of decluttering haven’t changed at all. So today I thought, just for fun I would dig up a blog post from about this time four years ago. I chose one on retail therapy, something I have not reverted to since writing this post. I only go to the shops if there is something I need to buy. In fact sometimes I need to buy things, like the new bra I really ought to get, but keep putting it of for several weeks because I just can’t be bothered.

So without further adieu here it is.

I have discovered that decluttering is the cure for resorting to retail therapy.

How often do we use retail therapy to make up for times when we feel down, disappointed, bored and other conditions of the mind. What does this kind of therapy do to improve the situation? Usually it just adds more problems like credit card debt, guilt, regret and potential clutter.

It has amazed me how quickly I formed a dislike to shopping once I committed myself to my 365 day resolution to de-clutter my home.

Now when I get spare time I don’t get bored, I use that time to find the next thing I am going to get rid of, rearrange an area that has been somewhat decluttered, or try to come up with a subject for my next blog post. This leads to the satisfaction that I am using my time constructively and am less likely to feel down. I generally feel better about myself and my bank account is looking healthier too. Not to mention the satisfaction that I am helping others by donating items to charity.

Has decluttering changed your attitude to recreational shopping. If so, tell us about it.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something from the basement or attic  if you have one.

Eco Tip for the Day

If doing the right thing by the environment isn’t inspiration enough to be eco friendly, consider how much money it could save you.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Today I want to share with you photos of my new home. It is a work in progress but I am sure you will agree that we have slotted in fairly well so far. However my photography leaves a little to be desired.

We are constantly decluttering and reshuffling and it is coming together nicely. This Friday we take possession of a secondhand 70s sideboard which will replace my craft cubes that have been serving as our TV cabinet since we moved in. Two of the cubes will go into my kitchen cupboards while two others in the spare room wardrobe will be decluttered to make room for the paper file drawer cubes.

We are also getting some organisational fittings in the pantry and laundry in the near future to make them more functional. I will take some before shots of these spaces prior to the improvements and share them with the comparison after shots when complete.

And we will eventually also be fitting picture rails to some of the walls to accommodate the art and framed photos that survive our constant culling. At the moment the spaces under the beds are cluttered with these items.

One step at a time and, as per the usual 365 approach, there is no hurry. We will slowly bring it all together in our own good time and let go of the things that don’t fit with our ever evolving vision for it.

Below is a photo of the bath tub side of the main bathroom at the time the other photos were taken. It has since been cleared and several of those items have been decluttered or listed on ebay.

We are loving it here!

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter something that requires assembly to use so you can never be bothered with it. Perhaps a complicated kitchen gadget.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Hi there. Just a quick post today to say welcome to any new readers scouring the internet for suggestions of New Years resolutions.

I have one for you ~ Resolve to declutter one thing a day for a whole year. It isn’t hard but it sure is effective if your house is currently cluttered.

For those of you who have been decluttering for a while set a decluttering resolution that suits where you are at with your mission to unclutter.

My resolution this year is to get rid of anything that doesn’t fit comfortably into my lovely new little two bedroom apartment. I am loving it here and the only thing that will make it better is to trim down my stuff a little further. Join me on my journey and be inspired to let go what you don’t use or love.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

This week we have been talking about making decisions about what is clutter and what isn’t. Recently I received an email from a reader named Lesley who shared with me a story of why she decided to declutter and downsized her handbag. Here is what Lesley wrote~

“Hi Coleen, I have recently come across your website and I am enjoying it very much and finding it very inspirational. I was reading some older posts from your archive and came across one regarding handbags, and I wanted to share my experience with you. Three years ago my large, very cluttered, handbag was stolen. It contained too much information about my life, too many things I really did not want to lose. As well as cancelling all my cards, I had to change the locks on my house and car, get a new camera, mobile phone, replace my favourite make-up, warn all my friends that their addresses and phone numbers were in the hands of thieves and possibly fraudsters (My address book was in there).

It was just awful, and it made me realise how much stuff I carried round that was not necessary. I switched at once to a hip bag/fanny pack. This has two benefits. It means that you are limited as to what you can carry and you realise very quickly what you really need with you, and it means you do not put your bag down or hang it on a chair etc. You have a wonderful company in Australia called Happy Cow, and they make some lovely and very stylish hip bags, which are an excellent more fashionable alternative to the standard canvas bum bag. I learnt the hard way, and I would never go back to a big cluttered bag now.”

This is just one example of where cluttering can become a real issue. However there are plenty of other examples ~ mould, dust, pests, fire danger, inconvenience, wasted money, relationship strain, stress… . All of which are as good a reason as any to decide to clear that clutter.

Today’s Mini Mission

Will I ever use this leftover craft supply or will it still be tucked away unused in five years? Be realistic about the likelihood of using up leftover craft supplies and let them go if the chance is unlikely. Perhaps a local school or craft group could find a more immediate use for them.

Eco Tip for the Day

Avoid using plastic straws. Even tiny little bits of plastic like that add up to lots of waste. The less demand we put on supply the less of these insidious little things add to the pollution of our planet.

For a full list of my eco tips so far click here

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Deb J

In the year 2000 I created my first scrapbook project ever. I had no supplies so I went to the store and bought a few sheets of paper and some embellishments in order to create a small, soft bound encouragement album for my boss who was going through chemo. I made the pages, decorated two as the intro and my page and then passed it among our co-workers so they could decorate a page according to their tastes. When it was done I had nothing left of the supplies. That was good.

Not long after that I was invited to a scrapbook supply selling party. It was fun. I enjoyed what we made. My boss showed me some of her scrapbook pages she had made and I was given the gift of a scrapbook magazine. Suddenly this became a new hobby. Looking back I realize that the shopping for and buying of supplies was more the hobby than making the pages. I was hooked. I took lots of classes online, subscribed to four magazines, and bought hundreds of dollars worth of supplies. They piled up and piled up. I bought things to organize them in and furniture to put the organizing containers in. Even when money was tight I was easily swayed by the sight of new products. It had become an obsession.

I did make a number of albums and many, many cards. I gave away scrapbooked style items to friends and enjoyed it all. Yet I still had this plethora of supplies. Stickers for every occasion. Brads, eyelets, buttons, punches, embossing plates, stamps and ink pads, special scissors, and on and on. Some things I never used. Some things that came in packages saw a few things used and then the rest stored for the duration. I didn’t want the things I did to become too much the same. I liked variety. But I didn’t have that much variety in my life, was single with no children, and came from a small family.

One day, thanks to 365 Less Things, I realized that I had way more than I needed. In fact, I realized that I was actually OVER scrapbooking. So began the decluttering of hundreds of scrapbooking supplies. I sold some but soon came to realize that I just wanted rid of them. I gave them away—to a new mother who didn’t have the money to buy a lot but wanted to scrapbook her baby son’s life. To a friend who scrapbooks what has happened in the life of her huge extended family. To the friend who makes greeting cards and sells them for spending money. Now the supplies are gone and so is much of the furniture needed to store them. Do you have a hobby/craft that is out of control and you need to re-examine?

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy

Last month, I helped my friends, The E family, move. In the last month, I also helped my daughters’ school pack for a move. The Es have lived in their house 13 years; the school has been in this location 10 years.

Let me tell you, I have seen a lot of junk, stuff, things, good stuff that’s no longer needed, beautiful useful items, heirlooms, and lost & found in the past month. A lot.

Moving really forces you to focus in on what’s essential. This is especially true for the school, which is being torn down and rebuilt. For the first half of the next school year, The Girls’ School of Austin will operate nine grades (K-8) in a church that used to rent its extra space to a preschool. A preschool. To say that the girls will be cramped and the teachers will need to be flexible is probably an understatement.

The Es were in the fortunate position of moving across town and into a a home that is both lovelier and larger than their previous home.

But whether it’s a school or a family, moving involves the same essential processes and the same opportunities to declutter and downsize your possessions.

Anticipation

You know the move is coming. Maybe next week, maybe next year, but it’s never too early to start. (For those of us who aren’t moving, just keep decluttering. Every now and then, you hear of someone who had to / got to move totally unexpectedly, and if this is you, you’ll be glad you already reigned in your stuff.)

I think it can be hard to get going in this stage; the move is still so far away. Well life is going to keep on happening, and moving day will arrive before you know it, so start small and keep going.

Staging

In the US, “staging” your house has become the new normal. That’s where you pretty the whole house up to look really nice, but it doesn’t necessarily look much like your house any more. Personal pictures are removed, new towels are hung, things that you’ve lived with happily mismatched for a decade suddenly need to be matched. This is staging. (And if you think staging – or at least cleaning – isn’t important, check out these photos. This site always makes me laugh and cringe.)

This is also another chance to declutter. Since you’re removing all these items, think about whether they still serve you. Whether you need / want / and enjoy them anymore. Now that you own the new matched towels, shouldn’t you use them and donate the old towels to the animal shelter?

Packing

It’s the main event folks! The time when you will touch every single thing you own. Every single thing. Let’s let that sink in for a moment. (And if you’re Colleen, you will not only touch every single thing you own, you will have to write it on a list – literally. That’s what the Australian Air Force requires when it moves its personnel.) Leave yourself enough time to actually think about what you’re packing, rather than just cramming it all in a box as fast as possible. Either you or your employer is paying for each and every item, each and every box. Even if you’re moving yourself you’re paying – in exhaustion, favors owed, beer, etc. Think about what you are packing and make sure you have enough time to dispose of the unwanted items in an appropriate manner.

Unpacking

The second half of the main event. Probably the last time you will touch every single thing you own, until the next move. (Dan swears that he’s not moving until he is in a box.) Not everything will fit or work in your new location. As you’re unpacking, this is the time to make the second pass of deciding if you really need four glass pitchers and 20 framed photos of your children ages 1 – 2.

Your first unpacking and arranging shouldn’t be your last. After you live in your new location for a time, you’ll realize that the silverware, towels, books, dish towels – something – really isn’t stored in its best location. Don’t be afraid to move and fine tune your home. A more efficient arrangement can also mean more decluttering and less chance of cluttering later when you can’t find what you want, even though you know it’s here, somewhere.

Good luck E family and good luck GSA. Good luck to any readers who are moving. My love to you all!

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter some money related items. Old money boxes, wallets, bill clips, change purses, coin sorters, coin wrappers or bags… . You could also drop foreign coins off to the bank for donation to charity or gather up all the coins that you have accumulated and cash it in at the bank by either depositing it into your account or getting bills in exchange.

Eco Tip For The Day

Here is an eco tip that is good for your waistline, your wallet and food waste. When going out for morning tea or lunch with a friend why not share that slice of cake, piece of pie or lunch dish. I do this all the time with my friends because usually the servings are large enough for two to share. We just ask for an extra plate and cutlery and split it between us before hoeing in.

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

Cindy

At the end of every school year, I volunteer to take home all the lost and found from my daughters’ school. I look through it, sort it, wash it, fold it, and give it to charity. The amount of lost and found (or as the Head of School calls it, “Lost and Sometimes Found”) is absolutely amazing.  At the end of this school year, I had 20 expensive metal water bottles (one still had a clear $25 price tag on it), a dozen lunch bags in good condition, probably 50 items of clothing worthy of the thrift store, and 5 or 6 coats, including one very nice Columbia brand coat.

Such waste!

Colleen once wrote a post, which I cannot locate, about “What if I had just one?” Just one pencil, just one coat, just one pair of scissors, just one water bottle and one lunch sack?

Overbuying has to be part of the explanation for this phenomena. In my house, the girls have two water bottles each – one large and one small, and they each have one lunch bag. If the bag doesn’t come home, they take their lunch in a plastic sack, which in itself is a reminder to check the lost and found. But if you overbuy, then each item has less value and less chance of staying with its owner.

When my daughters first starting attending school where they had to provide their own supplies, I was absolutely horrified by the list: 2 boxes of 8 markers, 6 glue sticks, 4 packs of post-it notes, and my winner for most ridiculous: 48 pencils. 48 pencils times 15 girls equals 720 pencils per school year per classroom! How many third-world classrooms could be outfitted with 720 pencils? I thought it was because the girls went to private school, but my public school friends told me that their lists were similarly excessive.

Why would you value a single pencil when there are 719 more in your classroom?

It’s so easy to overbuy when things are “2 for 1” or “Buy 1, get 1 at half price”? I know I used to do it too. But it’s just not necessary. It’s bad for the environment, bad for your check book, and devalues each and every item, making each one more likely to be lost, discarded, or shoved to the back of the cabinet.

Today’s Mini Mission

Declutter an aspirational item. Something you aspire to getting around to using or trying one day but you know one day is unlikely to come.

Today’s Declutter Item

I would like to say this is the last of the snow gear but there is still a snowboard out in the garage to list on ebay before that chapter of our lives is behind us. It is one step closer though and that is all that counts. I sold this jacket on ebay on the third attempt.

Ski/Snowboard Jacket

Eco Tip For The Day

Donate or sell under utilised items in your home in the hope that it will prevent someone else, who might have a use for them, from having to buy new.

* * * * * * *

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

It matters not how fast I go, I hurry faster when I’m slow