Ahhh, procrastination how that can clutter up your mind and paralyze you into ineffectiveness. I can spend days on procrastinating about something that will probably physically only take ten minutes to deal with. How crazy is that. At this moment there are four little white dishes on my craft table with unfinished projects, repair jobs and samples that await my attention or for the artistic inspiration to create something with. I look at them quite regularly and they annoy me no end yet I leave them sitting there taunting me day in day out while I find "better" things to do with my … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2010
Day 99 Photo Deterrent
You are probably wondering what Photo Deterrent means. It is a idea that just popped into my head yesterday while commenting to Anna at www.whoopsadaisy-anna.blogspot.com/ about her lovely shoes. I am sure this probably isn't an original plan but I thought I was clever anyway. Here is the plan... Choose an item you have that torments you because you never use it even though you spent quite a bit of your hard earned cash in it. It would be best if the item is one you are having a difficult time parting with because it is addictively appealing to you on some level but you know you … [Read more...]
Day 98 Garden Downsize
I live in a townhouse so I don't have much to care for in the way of garden or lawn but for what I do have I am endevouring to minimalise the amout of equipment and time required to maintain it. I only purchase/aquire plants that can survive my neglect, requiring little watering or pampering in any way and hardy enough to cope with the varying climate we can get here at times. When we first moved into the property we owned a lawn mower and an edge trimmer which seemed a little overkill for a lawn 5m long by 1.5m wide so my husband bought a rotory hand mower and gave the other items to … [Read more...]
Day 97 Handbag Clutter
When out picking up a few groceries the other day, I noticed a woman getting her handbag checked as she exited the shop. Nothing unusual about that except the lady had to rest this bag on a nearby store display in order to open all three compartments that were so crammed with God knows what that she could barely get the zippers open. There was no chance she was about to steal anything because quite frankly she couldn't possibly have fit another thing in. Although she quite possibly had already stolen 3 paperbacks, half a dozen DVDs, a flat pack bookcase and 2 bags of potting mix the way … [Read more...]
Day 96 Sunscreen multiplies and expires
Although my toiletries are one of those things I have well and truly under control, sometimes certain items do seem to multiply and then reach their expiry date while I'm not looking. Sunscreen is one of those items that tends to do this due to a number of reasons like... An unplanned trip to the beach where a "pink pelt" like me has to lather on the sunscreen or that pink soon turns to blistered red so you duck to the nearest convenience store to buy a bottle. A planned trip to the beach where you forget the sunscreen and rather than go all the home you are forced to buy another … [Read more...]
Day 95 Going to Extremes
While cruising the Internet looking for inspiration on the topic of decluttering I found a few interesting articles that take downsizing and minimalism to greater extremes. I am not prepared to go to that extent, not at this point anyway, but they were inspiring and made me feel that what I am attempting seems like a walk in the park. When I say "a walk in the park" I don't mean it demeans my efforts in any way, it just helps me see the bigger picture and I now feel very comfortable that the small sacrifices I am making are not such a big deal. Some of the topics to google when looking … [Read more...]
Day 94 When a bargain isn’t a bargain
How many of you have things lingering in your home that were bargains too good to pass on. You know... that pair of shoes that really are a size to big but they were only $10 (you wore them once and they gave you such terrible blisters that you will never wear them again) the set of cutlery "they were just about giving away" that will come in handy when you have a dinner party for 12 even though your dining suite won't accommodate more than 8. the tent that was half price at the camp shop (when you actually went there to buy a travel jacket) that you had to have for when you … [Read more...]
Day 93 Your views on decluttering
Today I just wanted to point out that just below the photo for each days Post there is a tiny word "comments", if you click on that you have the opportunity to leave feedback, share your stories or even mention an area of decluttering you might like help with. I would love to hear from you and appreciate your tips and views. Yesterday I had a comment from Janetta who has been inspired to start decluttering again. She is even reducing by a bag of things some days because they are only small items. As I have said before "Every Little Thing Counts" whether alone or by the … [Read more...]
Day 92 Clutter – Physical or Psychological
Forgive me for being a little deep and meaningful with today's topic but there is plenty of truth in the message I am trying to convey. Clutter is often the physical manifestation of something Psychological. Three examples of the psychological motivation behind accumulating stuff Vanity : "Showing off" stuff because you think it makes you look somehow better to others. Insecurity : "Keeping" stuff to make you feel like you are prepared for any situation that may arise. Unhappiness : "Substituting" stuff, to make up for, something else missing in your life. I am sure we have all … [Read more...]
Day 91 Stocking up or obsessing
I once came across and article in a scrapbook magazine with a survey to determine whether the reader was a scrapbooker or a collector of scrapbook supplies. This may seem amusing to some but there is an fine edge that one can easily slip over when at the height of a crafting obsession. This applies to all crafts and hobbies, woodworking, quilting, knitting, beading, model making... the list goes on. So beware and try to put a limit on the amount of supplies you allow yourself to amass. It is very easy to get carried away. Tastes change, trends change and life changes and one day you may … [Read more...]