On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my favourite web finds of the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.
Favourite Comments. Enjoy!
In this comment Katharine tells us how she has built up emotional strength for decluttering.
Christine share her progress with us in this comment
Jane understands how her mind works. Read about it in this comment
I loved Wendy B’s explanation of one a day decluttering in this comment. Wendy also had a few good tips on repurposing items as gift wrap in this comment.
Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!
Sanna sent in this link. You may wonder what it has to do with decluttering but you will figure out the connection to this weeks theme as you read through.
And here is a link brought to my notice by Loretta ~Â http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/i-dont-want-to-give-or-receive-any-christmas-gifts-20121128-2ade3.html
And this link was shared by Jenny Adamson on 365 Facebook page. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2241152/Girl-3-died-house-worse-piles-clutter-family-home
For those of you who have enjoyed Mohamed Tohami’s blog Midway Simplicity you will be pleased to know his new eBook is out read about it here.
Here is another reader pick sent to me by Clare ~Â www.nytimes.com/2011/11/22/health/the-hoarder-in-you-a-book-that-can-help-cut-through-the-clutter
And here are a couple from The Minimalists ~ Gift experiences Not stuff and Gift Love: Save 646 on Christmas shopping this year.
Today’s Mini Mission
Declutter an object that has a specific purpose that could easily be performed with another more versatile item. Kitchen gadgets are an easy target for this mission.
Today’s Declutter Item
Tools Barely Used
Eco Tip of the Day
Another workplace eco tip ~ Use the energy saving settings on computers to conserve power and if allowed shut them down at the end of the day.
Thanks Colleen for sharing the news about the eBook and thanks for your invaluable contribution to it.
Hi Tohami, it was my pleasure. I only wish I had more time to write a review right now. Hence why I haven’t written an ebook myself. I really must simplify something in my life so I have more time. I just wish I knew which aspect needed simplifying. Perhaps I had better reread all the time tips in your ebook.
Great comments and links. Mohamed’s book looks good. The link from Sanna was great. I found myself reading more than the one post. A good blog. I enjoyed Dom Knight’s post. It had some really good points. Jane Brody’s post was really good. I printed it out to give S and I may buy the book for her too. The Minimalists had some good points. The one about the 3-year old was so sad.
I had so many posts to choose from this week. My wonderful readers keep sending me links and leaving such great comments that Friday’s post very is so easy to put together these days.
This was hard. There were a lot of useful and interesting things, although, I’m confused with two things – first – why do a lot of people divide ‘gifts’ in like ‘material stuff’ and in ‘experiences’ and start their opinion by ‘I will not give any gifts’ and conclude with ‘I will give experiences’. Huh. I’ve always thought that tickets/gift cards etc. experinces are as good gifts as others.
And second – don’t people ask/tell others what would they like to receive? Ok, there is still possibility to get some clutter. But useful stuff/experiences/consumables too.
I think this comes from my feeling of being kind of endangered as I totally love to receive gifts (and to give too). 🙂
Yesterday I did some organizing in my wardrobe, jup, some stuff left it, but not much, as I found out that actually my current, um, winter wardrobe, there are less that 33 items (referring to project 333). I love the feeling after having decluttered/organized some small space and then looking at it so neat and not overstuffed. 🙂
I loved the first comment made in Clare’s link to the nytimes article ;
KELUpstate
Firmly ensconced in my family’s lore is my mother’s experience of finding an entire pantry closet full of clean margarine tubs when she was cleaning out her parents’ house after her mother’s death. This cupboard was, of course, one of many such finds. To this day my mother swears that my brother and I won’t be put through what she went through, and she puts her determination into action daily by reducing, giving away, recycling, and, when necessary, just plain throwing out. Thanks, Mom!
Love this story.
I enjoyed the Page 181 story and the why I don’t want to give or receive gifts article, loved the humour. Very sad about the little girl. I’d never considered the fire risk of hoarding plus the hazard that would present to fire crew.
I have had a week of gentle getting-back-into-it decluttering, an excellent set of mini-missions to do so this week, but after the concert closes tomorrow night, I am back full throttle! I was saying this to Adrian this morning, and he was “Great, I’ve got a list of areas we could look at” – please keep in mind that he doesn’t actually plan to physically partake in anything except supplying a bit of muscle now and then. Anyway, I appreciate his enthuisiasm and I ponder what areas he actually had in mind.
I loved the 181 page post. I think I need to start on page 01 and circle my 181 page…As for the 3 year old girl, I have, on occasion, diposed of some papers that had many confidential information in my barbecue grill and when the fire was low and a lot of smoke started coming out I could not stand close, because I could not breathe. I am getting back at my decluttering this week, one book here, another there and I have put more than 20 books to donate. And I can see some more that should be going…Slow and steady as Collen keeps telling us. 😀
Thanks for all the great links and comments.
I’m very sad about the little girl, too.
I’m happy to report that although I didn’t really meet up to my November tidy challenge, it has brought along some positive habit changes. Though not perfect, neither back in November nor now, I am really keeping up better with both dishes and laundry. 🙂
I will cherish that process and know that tidyness is just a page 181 for me and I will reach it eventually.