How did you do with Buy Nothing New October?

Colleen ~ I was hoping to say that I bought nothing new this October and personally I feel that I have done that. I have bought nothing that I wanted to buy that’s for sure. Unfortunately though the air conditioner in my car failed on me, and I had to have the compressor and the condenser replaced. I feel rather bitter and twisted about this for a number of reasons that I won’t bore you with. Technically the compressor was replace under warranty but who’s quibbling: it’s new, and it’s now mine.

Although it doesn’t count because it isn’t new, I did buy one secondhand item, a denim skirt that I paid $1 for, which will be donated back to the thrift shop because it did not suit my needs well enough to keep.

I did discover that it is easy enough to postpone a purchase until the next month to fulfil such a pledge. Now that I have proved my shower repair from last month was a success I need a new bathmat which I have put off buying until November. I suppose though that the resistance to instant gratification is a good lesson if nothing else. I think that pledging to buy nothing new for a whole year would be a far more dedicated venture.

In total I bought acquired two new items and one secondhand one. The air-con repair isn’t added clutter because the old parts were instantly decluttered, and the secondhand item and 21 other items will have been decluttered by month’s end. So I have made good strides in decluttering, that’s for sure.

Cindy ~ I’d say I did so so. Besides, food, medicine, and household disposables, I believe I probably bought about as much as usual. I purchased eight new items:

• 5 books (3 novels, all of which have been read, and 2 writing reference books, mostly for the use of the girls)
• 1 set of “bowl bonnets,” elasticized plastic covers for putting over bowls and plates. They’re an alternative to plastic wrap. (I purchased these at this time in order to get free shipping from Amazon.)
• collar and tag for the cat, who lost his other set

Also during the month, I purchased 17 used items, more than I normally would have, because our church had a gigantic garage sale. In addition, I decluttered 36 items. 36 items out, but 25 in. That’s not as good of a ratio as I would like. Definitely something to think about.

For those of you who participated in But Nothing New October, how did you do? And remember, a bunch of you dedicated yourself to Buy Nothing November. We look forward to hearing about your successes.

And one last acticle to leave you with on the Buy Nothing New initiative.From the Sydney Morning Herald

I have just started reading a book called ~ A complaint Free World by Will Bowen ~ How to stop complaining and start enjoying the life you always wanted. I haven’t got far in to the book but the story goes something like this. Will Bowen is a church minister who has started a movement to get people to stop complaining, criticising and gossiping. The idea is to use the 21 days to a better habit principal to stop yourself from participating in these futile negative behaviours.  He offers free purple bracelets to people who want to participate and whenever you find yourself complaining… you must move the bracelet from one wrist to the other and start the twenty-one day period all over again.

Of course this has got me thinking about other negative habits not the least of all being ~ Forever desiring things you don’t have and clinging to physical possessions that in the end is really just stuff. After reading the comments that came on last Saturday from people sharing their stories about letting go of these habits I think we have proof that this is possible. The only thing holding you back is your own mindset. Over time and with a little practice mindsets can be changed.

In the first few months of my declutter mission I very quickly figured out the the mistake I had made in the past was to declutter then reclutter with new items whose novelty or tenuous usefulness would eventually wear off. Then of course it is back to square one, a house full of clutter and the arduous task ahead for me to unclutter it again. Although blissfully ignorant for some time I am however not stupid. So once my mind was focused on permanently decluttering or minimising it didn’t take rocket science to figure out the solution to ending this cycle.

I was amazed how quickly I changed my mindset from shopping for what I wanted to mostly only shopping for what I needed. The thought of not adding any more clutter to my house was enough to convince me to change my ways. The fact that I was decluttering slowly this time had the unintended side effect of making me continuously aware of staying uncluttered. Had I decluttered quickly like I had in the past I dare say that old vicious cycle would still be in place.

If I can do it you can do it too.  If any of my readers out there are having trouble getting their head around this idea here is your chance to give it a go. Why no pledge to Buy Nothing New in October.

Buy Nothing New…

…is not about going without, nor is it Buy Nothing New Never. It’s about taking October to reassess what we really need, think about where the stuff we buy comes from (finite resources), where it goes (landfill), and what our alternatives are. It is about conscientious consumption and by not spending on stuff we don’t need, increasing our savings for the things we do need. Pledge to Buy Nothing New during October and challenge over consumption. You’ll have more time on your hands and money in your pockets.

There is also a competition to win $5k see details at this link www.buynothingnew.com.au/competition/

It is only 31 days and as they say it only takes 21 days to form a new habit. So give it a go and you might find you will break the cycle of recreational shopping for good. How much easier will it be to keep your home decluttered then?

Today’s Declutter Item

I have a set of boring brown glass mugs that were given to me as an engagement present form an appreciative customer 25 years ago. My mother-in-law hates these ugly cups (sorry Barb) but I like them. She has bought me “nicer cups” over the years that have come and gone but the ugly brown ones still remain. My declutter item today is one of the mugs she bought me that now is a loaner because it’s partner got broken. It only ever gets used when all the others are either dirty or in the dishwasher waiting to be put away. My dominant tidy side thinks that it just makes the cupboard look untidy so off to the thrift shop it goes. I will continue to use my trusty brown cups of which I still have five of the six I began my marriage with over 24 years ago now. Thank you Margaret Muller if you are still out there I am still using your cups.

One cup too many

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I love that I can find silly ways to amuse myself. I was walking home from a friends house yesterday and saw a magpie in the grass with a big juicy law grub in its mouth. Meanwhile this bird is still singing away and I couldn’t help but thinking, “Stop talking with your mouth full you naughty bird!” and went off chuckling to myself up the street.

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

I received a comment form Amy last week that just begged asking the question ~ Why is that we buy clothes and then decide later that we don’t like them any more.

Here is Amy’s comment:

Your post reminded me of a time when I was clearing out dresses that I no longer wore. Either they didn’t fit quite right anymore or they were, as you say, “second favorites”. I got everything together for hubby to take to the local charity here and he started going through them saying things like “Why are you getting rid of these, they are perfectly good dresses?” (Hubby is a “saver”) So I said, “We’re going out this weekend, which of these would you like me to wear?” He then told me he really didn’t want me to wear any of them, he liked another one that I had saved-said I looked better in it than any of these. So I said, “So why should I keep these?”. He shut up and took my stuff to the charity.

*******

There are several obvious reasons I can see why we fall out of love with our clothes.

1. They don’t fit as well as they used to.
2. It became obvious after wearing them for a while that they just aren’t comfortable or don’t fit correctly.
3. We bought them in a hurry because we needed them for a certain occasion and chose badly.
4. We bought them for a one off special event but never had the occasion to wear them again and now they are unfashionable.
5. Last years fashions are so passé.
6. I thought it looked good on me when I bought it but now I feel awful in it.
7. I bought it because it was the fashion but later reality set in and I realised this fashion does not suit my peculiar kind of beauty. (I think that is an expression that my mother coined).
8. I loved the way the outfit looked and overlooked the practicality. That is I really had no where to wear it.
9. The fabric is too much bother to care for and so I stopped wearing it.
10. Change of lifestyle. Moving to a new climate, quitting work, starting a new job, having children and I am sure many more big life altering choices can change your clothing requirements.
11. They were on sale and I thought that less than perfect was OK at that price. As it turned out they were a lot less perfect than the price.

This list could go on and on but most of the reasons above really narrow down to making poor choices in the first place. These bad choices are not good for our bank account, our self-esteem, our closet space or, worst of all, the environment. Sure we can donate the clothes to charity but it really is better to take your time to make better choices in the first place. So I have put together some tips to help with making responsible choices when it comes to clothes shopping.

Put need ahead of want ~ Don’t clothes shop on a whim. If you need an item of clothing to round out your selection shop with that intention. Don’t be duped into buying that outfit on the mannequin just because it looks good. Too much of one thing and not enough of another makes for a dysfunctional wardrobe.

Know what you look best in ~ Colour, style, fabric pattern,cut etc. Just because an outfit looks good on the rack, mannequin or your friend doesn’t mean it will look good on you. I am 165cm (5′ 5″) and weigh only 57kg (126lb) but that doesn’t mean everything looks good on me. Weight and height isn’t all that matters, your shape plays a bigger role in clothes looking good on you than your size. I am flat chested and there is no way I am leaving the house without a padded bra and since I don’t like bra straps showing I don’t buy clothes with shoe string straps. I also don’t buy clothes with plunging neck lines because I have nothing to plunge to.

Use your favourites as a guide ~ Check out the items in your closet that you wear and like the most. These are the ones to use as a guide to what you will get the best use out of.

Provide for your usual activities not for the odd occasion ~ Try to limit your wardrobe to items that you will get good use out of. For special occasions stick to a classic piece that doesn’t go out of style. The little black dress was and still is a winner in my book. You can dress it up or down depending on the occasion.

Know your comfort level ~ I put comfort very high on the list of importance when choosing clothes. Anything that is tight across the shoulders or on the arms drives me crazy so I steer clear of them. I suggest stretching in all directions with both upper and lower body when trying on clothes. Squat in pants and cross your arms over in front of your body when trying on tops, any extreme movement will give you some idea as to how comfortable the item will be. Also be mindful of how the fabric feels against your skin. I can’t wear wool or even cashmere because it makes me itch.

Fabric choice is important ~ If you don’t have the time, money or inclination to care for delicate fabrics don’t buy them. This might include items that require dry-cleaning, or just items that should be hand washed or ironed. Stick to easy care fabrics if that is what fits with your lifestyle. My husband has a linen shirt that we send to the dry-cleaners on the rare occasion that he wears it. It isn’t that he doesn’t like this shirt or that it is too good for everyday it is just that it is a bother and an expense to have it cleaned. I found it in the dirty clothes basket the other day and asked him why it was there. He said “I don’t wear it because it is a bother to clean so I have decided that it can go in with the rest of the wash load and if it survives well and good if it doesn’t then too bad. I washed it and ironed it and it looks just fine.

Choose items that coordinate ~ Pick pieces that go well together – Colour, style and cut – then you will be able to mix and match to achieve different looks with the same few pieces. Also take into consideration existing shoes, jackets and accessories when planning these ensembles to achieve a truly clever but stylish minimalist wardrobe.

To round of this post I have a mission for you all.

Choose two or three items from your closet that you think you should declutter. Then share with us, through a comment, why these items no longer suit your needs – if they ever did. We may be able to learn a few things from each other and about ourselves in the process. I will add the information you provide to round of the post above and turn it into a page for us to go to when we need good advice on how to choose wisely in the future.

Here are a few web articles I found with helpful tips on clothes shopping & minimising your clothing

The Time Manager ~ 5 tips to better clothes shopping

Street Articles.com ~ Buying new clothes practical fashion advice for women

Becoming Minimalist ~ A practical guide to owning fewer clothes

Today’s Declutter Item

After keeping a close eye on my sock choices over the winter months I have discovered these socks aren’t being used. They are remnants of my old life in the USA. In Seattle I wore socks all year round because even it if wasn’t cold I had a job that required me to wear closed shoes hence I needn’t lots of socks. Now, not so much. So these have gone to the thrift shop today.

Excess Socks

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I think I have finally found the solution to my disfunctional shower door. I won’t bore you with the details but it has been an annoyance since we moved into the house four years ago. For the last few months I have made an effort to find a solution and I think I have finally done it. Wish me luck, it all hinges on the ability of a local shower screen maker to provide the item I need when I can finally get to their workshop next week during factory hours. I am nothing if not persistent (sporadically).

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

Hi folks, I am back at the helm of the good ship 365lessthings and ready to set sail again on my declutter journey. In the two weeks while I was away visiting my loved ones afar my conviction to minimise my possessions was reinforced by situations I encountered. Although none of what I am about to write was a revelation to me, as I have already learned these lessons at different points in my life, I feel it is my duty to put into words the wisdom that is to be gained by what I experienced.

• As you get older it gets harder to maintain your home when there is too much clutter. Too much to clean and too much to move in order to get at what else needs cleaning is not a good position to be in as your body becomes less agile and more frail.
• Being too emotionally attached to objects makes it very hard to be rational about paring down when you reach the stage mentioned above.
• It always pays to invest a little time and money preparing for the future. If you waste all your money on unessential items now you won’t have the money to spend on adapting your environment to suit your changing needs when the time comes that this is required. That is, a house full of trinkets and excesses will be no good to you when what you really need and can’t afford is bathroom renovations to better suit your mobility needs.
• The rule above applies even when you are young, the option to change direction in your life is much easier if you have a little cash set aside to fall back on during the transition period. I am not saying hoard your money and don’t have any fun, I am suggesting you strike a balance between future needs and immediate wants and budget for both.
• Don’t complain about your circumstances if you chose instant gratification possessions over planning for your future. You have no one else to blame but yourself for the life choices you make.
• Wisdom doesn’t always come with age unless you pay attention to what is going on around you and learn from not only your mistakes but the mistakes of others. The good news is that it is never too late to turn things around.
• Status symbols, that is things that you possess in order to convey a certain image of yourself to others, can be a hinderance even if you can afford the indulgence. Maintaining that image can become more important to you than altering your lifestyle to better suit your needs. You can fool your ego into believing what is best for you but you can’t fool your heart or your body.

Some of the statements above my sound a little judgemental, they aren’t meant to be. They are just observations I have made over the last couple of weeks that I will keep tucked away amongst the collective wisdom in my mind. Hopefully I will be able to recall them when I need their help the most and maybe today they will help you too.

Today’s Declutter Item

The item for today is probably an example of why not to declutter rather than what I usually preach but nevertheless I hope common sense will prevail rather than this be a bad example to you all. This iPod belonged to my daughter but some time many years back it stopped working properly. I suppose, because it didn’t take up much space, it has been overlooked during previous decluttering sessions. However it made its way to the surface but my son decided he would fiddle with it one more time before giving up on it and lo and behold it has not missed a beat since. During our recent trip up north we returned it to my daughter adding a little more clutter to her life but relieving our house of one more small item.

The case of the fickle iPod

Something I Am Grateful For Today

Although I am not what you would call an avid reader I am grateful to all the writers and publishers out there that produce works whether for our entertainment or to share knowledge and wisdom.

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

As promised on Tuesday I have another wonderful interview to share with you today. Once again Ideealistin has put together a great interview, this time with Dave Bruno of The 100 Thing Challenge.

You might remember back on January 13th my post consisted of a review of Dave’s book The 100 Thing Challenge and how my skepticism changed to enlightenment once I had read the book. Before this I had only seen snippets from other bloggers about this concept and I thought it was just a fad that would be expensive to retract when the novelty wore of for some of the over eager participants who plunged into the deep end at the drop of a hat. I dare say this was the case for some but as it turned out Dave’s Challenge went a little deeper than that and was only applied to his share of personal items in the household to which he was a merely one member.

Although I do not aspire to ever attempt the 100 Thing Challenge I found that what Dave aspired to and achieved was not all that different and carries much the same lessons as my own challenge has done for me.

The Interview

Dave, you decided to cut back on consuming after realising it’s not moving you closer to contentment but rather is a rat race. Was the cutting back an idea that formed slowly or did you have some kind of epiphany?

Dave Bruno: It definitely formed over time. For many years, I had wanted to live more simply than I actually did. So the idea of simplifying was there. But the decision to do the 100 Thing Challenge was a bit of an epiphany. It was a plan I thought up in one night and jumped right into.

Why did you have to do it in a challenge? Did you need a big bang? A starting point? A definite goal? A guideline? A name for it?

Dave Bruno: I cannot answer this question well. The idea just came to me. You have to understand, at the time I decided to do this, I only had maybe 50 people reading my website. This 100 Thing Challenge idea was personal. My way of resisting consumerism. I had no thoughts whatsoever that anyone would think it was interesting. It never ceases to amaze me that hundreds of thousands, even millions, of people around the world have heard of the 100 Thing Challenge and are fascinated by it. While I cannot quite comprehend that, perhaps the response to the 100 Thing Challenge is the most interesting thing about it. Consumerism, it seems, is very much on the minds of many people around the world.

Minimalism, abstinence, vegetarianism – do you have an explanation why we love to label our lifestyle choices so much (just as we like to have labels on things apparently …) and  whether this is a good or a bad thing?

Dave Bruno: This is an important question. Humans are purposeful. We long to do actions that are meaningful. We are unique among the creation in this manner. There are no other creatures that even come close to humans with regards to our longing for purpose. Why does a person practice abstinence? Simply so that she does not have sex? No. She has a reason behind it. Perhaps a health reason or a moral reason. She’s intentional. But I am troubled by some people who practice minimalism. For some minimalists, there is no purpose. Having few possessions is the end. Usually people who feel this way then use their minimalism for self-indulgence. They are unattached to possessions and so feel free to do whatever they want. Their purpose is themselves. I think that is a damaging philosophy.

My own view is that consumerism has replaced the human desire to accomplish meaningful things with an impulse to buy things. Thus, I am advocating simple living as a way to remember who we are. It’s not that we are meant to only have 100 things. It’s that we are meant to do meaningful actions. When we fill our lives up with possessions, we forget who we are. So minimalism is a way to see ourselves for who we are. But it is not an end. It is a path to living a more purposeful, less selfish, life.

100 was just a number you picked randomly (probably because it sounded good?) – where you aware that so many people would follow you, try to beat you or discuss, whether 100 was a good or a bad number?

Dave Bruno: Again, I didn’t think about what others would say. I didn’t want to be a hermit, so I didn’t pick 50. And 150 would have been too easy. So 100 seemed like the right number. I suppose, looking back, it is a good number to have picked. People like a nice round number.

The experiment wasn’t necessarily about balance but about exploring what’s possible in terms of doing without. What is harder,to reach and endure the extreme or to live and define the ever changing balance?

Dave Bruno: Here in America we live in a consumer culture. It is very easy to get stuff. It is hard to get rid of stuff. So it was difficult to purge my possessions. Once they were gone, though, it was relatively easy to live with less. That’s the big secret of the 100 Thing Challenge: It wasn’t that hard.

What was the best you got out of the experiment? What was bad? and what was probably totally unexpected?

Dave Bruno: There are two bests. First, living with less does produce freedom. It has allowed me more time and energy to pursue meaningful activities. That’s wonderful!

Perhaps the bad and the unexpected are the same. I’ve become more aware than ever how much consumerism has damaged many lives and the world. In our times, the relentless pursuit of stuff has destroyed families, who divorce and fight because of stuff! It has squandered tallent, as young professionals use their skills to make and sell stuff. And of course it has damaged the earth. When we’re busy buying our next toy, we don’t see these tragedies. When we slow down and become aware, there is some grief we must grieve.

Is there anything you thought you could do without and found out you couldn’t? And if yes, was it a problem for you to go one step back because it was hard to replace something or  hard to admit defeat?

Dave Bruno: I don’t have a hard time admitting defeat. Who hasn’t been wrong? And will I not be wrong again some day? Best to admit it and move on.

Anyway, I did replace my guitar after the challenge was over. I simply missed it. I’m not a musician, so it wasn’t horrible to live without a guitar for a year. But after the year was over, I decided I wanted music back in my life.

Also, I would like a new pair of shoes.

* * * * * * *

Once again I have to say what a great interview. Ideealistin asked some questions of Dave that, since reading the book, I really wanted answers to. I was particularly taken with this response from Dave ~ For some minimalists, there is no purpose. Having few possessions is the end. Usually people who feel this way then use their minimalism for self-indulgence. They are unattached to possessions and so feel free to do whatever they want. Their purpose is themselves. I think that is a damaging philosophy. ~ It is something I have suspected from the moment that I discovered this movement called minimalism. I dare say that although the majority genuinely care for the environment and quality of life for themselves and others there will alway be the few who see it as a way to be lazy, uncommitted and totally carefree. Although those traits my sound tempting to a degree there is usually a point where they can be taken too far and the participant just becomes a burden on society.

My deepest thanks go out to Ideealistin for the opportunity to post this interview on my blog and many thanks to Dave Bruno for allowing her to share his words with me.

Today’s Declutter Item

In an attempt to declutter his pocket of bulk my husband has worked his way through a few brands of wallet/bill folds over some years. This is one of the rejects that will be handed on to the thrift store. Hopefully the one he is using now is perfect.

Hubby's Old Bill Fold

Something I Am Grateful For Today

I am extremely grateful that I have had the opportunity to travel in my life. Whether overseas of within my own country it is a pleasure and a privilege to be able to see new places, meet new people and learn a little more about this wonderful planet on which we live.

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

When we get to a point where we are shopping to fill a void in our lives then it is time to stop and think ~

• What is happening here? ~ Instead of facing reality and doing something to improve whatever unsatisfactory situation you find yourself in, you turn to your drug of choice, shopping, to give you that little pick-me-up that you are craving for.
• Why do I do this? ~ In this day and age we behave this way because we are conditioned to it. In the modern consumer society we have become accustomed to the idea that shopping is a feel good activity and if we want to feel good what simpler thing is there to do.
• Is that what I am doing? ~ Quite often we don’t realise that we are shopping to fill a void we just think we like shopping but even if you aren’t aware of it doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist.
• How did it come to this? Self preservation  is a natural instinct whether that be physical or emotional nobody wants to feel pain, so we do what we can to drown it out. Emotional pain manifests itself in many ways, loneliness, boredom, helplessness, frustration, weariness, sadness… and who wouldn’t want to avoid those things even just for a little while.

Then there are the counterarguments…

• What harm is it doing? ~ Environmentally alone, it is doing more harm than you could possibly even think of. If you have children it is setting a bad example for them, not just because of the lack of concern for the environment but it teaches them the same bad habits.
• It’s my money why can’t I spend it how I like? Sure it is your money although in some cases it is the banks money and people rack up credit card debt that only makes their situation worse. Lets say it is your money and you are shopping within your budget. Do you find yourself surrounded by clutter that you are reluctant to get rid of because you wasted good money on it. Could the money go to better use like your children future education, paying down the home load, eating healthier food…

Lets face it, if we have come to the point where we are shopping as an activity for fulfillment then there has to be something lacking in our lives. If we don’t know what the thing is then we haven’t got anything to lose by taking the opportunity to try new things. Sometimes we dismiss activities without even giving them a go because we don’t think we will enjoy them. This can be a big mistake because when we do this we can be closing ourselves off to great possibilities. Below I have listed some activities to try to give yourself something fullfilling in your life…

• Try a new sport ~ Not only enjoyable but healthy as well.
• Volunteer in your community ~ this can be amazingly rewarding for both you and the recipient of your time and skills.
• Increase activities with friends and family ~ go walking, cycling, hiking, dining out, fishing, visit the art gallery…
• Do something educational ~ cooking or art classes, learn a language, take a computer class…
• Explore your community ~ visit your local information centre and get to know the area around where you live. This knowledge comes in handy when you get visitors from out of town or maybe you could become so proficient you could become a local tour guide. Who knows!!
• Take up a new hobby ~ just don’t get carried away buying supplies.
• Gardening ~ grow your own herbs and vegetables, this can very rewarding, therapeutically and monetarily.

This are just a few ways to fill in your time , give you a boost and keep away from the shops. I am sure you can think of many more. Like anything sometimes the hardest part is getting started but can be so rewarding once you find that one thing that floats your boat.

Just remember that if all else fails don’t dismiss the idea of seeking counselling. If we live in denial that there is a problem these situations can escalate out of control. Not admitting there is a problem doesn’t make it go away so please be kind to yourself and seek help when needed.

Today’s Declutter Item

This drawer divider used to hold all sorts of stationary goodies but now they are all decluttered and what is left doesn’t require such a large storage container. So it’s off to the thrift store with this item.

Drawer Oganiser

My Gratitude List

• Something that makes me laugh ~ Tickling babies and making them laugh.
• Something Awesome ~ Checking your lottery ticket and finding you won something.
• Something to be grateful for ~ That fact that no matter where I have lived I have had no shortage of friends.
• Something that makes me happy ~ Going to breakfast every Saturday with my husband ~ sometimes Liam comes along too.
• Something I find fascinating ~ That if you try hard enough you can find a good side to almost anything.

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

Among the answers to the ten questions post last week was a response from Cindy to question 2 (For Me)…

Question 2. ~ My style of decluttering is “Slow & Steady” do you think that is a style that works for you and makes my blog unique?

Cindy’s Answer ~  Yes, I think slow and steady for decluttering, like weight loss and love, is better than “fast and furious” which often doesn’t last. In terms of your blog being unique. It must be, because I’ve read every single post, and I don’t read any other blogs except for a very occasional peak.

In response to that answer from Cindy I received this email message from Delores…

I think she is on to something.  When you declutter in a hurry you are not changing habits so are more likely to continue bringing things into your life.  When you go slowly you realize why you are doing it and the weight stays off, your spending patterns change, you can develop new habits.

I have repeated this same information over and over again in my blog because the same thing can be said many ways and people comprehend in different ways also. Clearly, the analogy Cindy used to explain the principles of the slow and steady approach spoke to Delores. So if you even notice that I repeat the same information here in different ways don’t think it’s because I am forgetful or have run out of things to say it is because comprehension is unique to us all and the more ways I say something the better the message will get through to everyone willing to hear it.

When I first started to declutter one thing a day the idea was to just take it easy and not overwhelm myself. Everything was tidy including the clutter that was tucked away in its neat hiding places. Yes I also intended doing a more thorough job of the task this time around  but was unaware of what I was about to discover. Once I got started and began reading minimalist blogs etc I started to realise that the clutter wasn’t the problem but the habits that got it there in the first place and the mindset that stopped me form releasing it were.

It wasn’t that I was oblivious of lifestyle choices causing the clutter I think I just chose to ignore them and follow the same habits most people exhibit. That is…

• Buy stuff not because you need it but because it makes you feel good. Of course the novelty wears off and then it’s back the shop for the next fix.
• Keeping stuff because you can and because it is the “done thing”. After all you shouldn’t give away memories right? 😕 Mementoes from your children and passed loved ones, gifts people give you, cute nicknacks from vacations, things you have deliberately collected over the years. And it would be crazy to get rid of things that you “might need some day” even though you haven’t used them in months or years even though you need the space they are wasting.

Sensible shopping habits, analysing each item, working out why I kept certain things became my new way to approach the declutter process. I think one needs to understand these elements of the task to make lasting change. Purging quickly without thinking about the cause just creates temporary space not wisdom.

When my husband suggested I start blogging about my decluttering experience I was at a stage where I had become far wiser about my situation and felt compelled to share that wisdom with others. I wanted other people to understand that tackling declutteing slowly and steadily could teach them the lessons to make lasting change. When I say slowly it doesn’t have to be as slow as one item a day but slowly enough that you can see the error of your ways because if you don’t see this you are doomed to repeat yourself. And if I have to repeat myself again and again to get that message across, so be it.

As Eve wrote in a later comment ~ As for whether this blog will continue to be useful to me, I have to say YES! Even when we think all has been said and done on any topic, it’s just a fact that frequent reinforcement is the best way to stick with any goal, so I’m counting on you to be here and reinforce my decluttering habits and help me to keep on the right path! Thanks.

Yes Eve, I will be here with the same information different translation with some new stuff thrown in so long as people keep dropping by to read it.

Today’s Declutter Item

Did I mention I finally admitted defeat at trying to use up my vast collection of stationery clutter. These plastic folders are part of the box full of it  that I donated to the school up the street today. They were more than happy to take them off my hands.

More stationery clutter

My Gratitude List

• Something that made me laugh ~ I made myself laugh today making silly ki-ai sounds to increase the thrust while trying to get the doona (duvet) on my bed. I had just changed out the summer for the winter one and it is heavy to try to throw and spread at the same time. I hope the neighbours weren’t listening. 😆
• Something Awesome ~ A great pair of jeans that fit well are confortable and last for years. Like the Calvin Klein ones I bought in 2003 and am still wearing.
• Something to be grateful for ~ Liam starting to get more work shifts. He will be happy finally making real money again. He will be saving to go to America of course.
• Something that made me happy ~ Having the car today so I could drop off a load of clutter to the thrift shop.
• Something I found fascinating ~ and confusing. Why do they have both a one dollar coin and a one dollar bill in circulation at the same time in America. When they brought out the dollar coin in Australia they stopped making the dollar bill. Has it got anything to do with the attachment to the fact that it has George Washingtons face on it. If someone knows the answer to this I would love you to share it with me.

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

Photo Credit Product Spotlight.com.au

Quite a few of my readers have mentioned on different occasions that they have friends and relatives that give their children far too many “clutter” gifts. No matter how much they insist that this stops the gifts just keep on coming. There are many alternative gift ideas that you could suggest they choose. Unfortunately life sometimes gets away from us and when the time is nigh we can’t think of any suggestions to make to these very generous gift givers, that are a great alternative to clutter.

In the past I put together a list of alternative gifts with mostly adults in mind. This list is always available to view by clicking on Guides from the menu bar located above the photo at the top of my blog. When you get into Guides just click on Uncluttered Gift Ideas. Being as our theme for the week has centered around children I think now would be a great time to put together an uncluttered gift guide for children.

In order to do this I will get a list started on this post today and I would love for you to all contribute ideas via comments so we can come up with a great list that we can all refer back to when gift giving time comes around be that birthdays, bar mitzvahs, Christmas, Hanukkah etc. I am sure you all have some great ideas so please share them with us.

Please feel free to make comments also on the items I have begun the list with and the age groups I have split them up into. My children are now almost 21 and 19 and I may have lost my edge when it comes to this topic so I could really do with your help. This may be the case for the wonderful gift givers in your life also so if you are able to make alternate ideas they may be more likely to conform to your way of thinking.

Uncluttered Gift Guide For Children

Ages 0 to 5

• Clothing items
• Education fund deposits (They may not thank you now but they will later)
• Deposit it money into a bank account in the child’s name.
• Memberships to your local Zoo or Children’s museums, abortetum’s etc…
• A special outing (This could include anything from a food treat, a trip to the zoo etc)
• Paying for lessons (music, sports, arts, craft)
• Ingredients and special decoration for cookies to a four or five year old kid so that the kid could bake cookies with the parents. You could actually make an outing of this and take them to the grocery store.

Ages 6 to 12

• Money (To make this gift more special I used to make a clue based treasure hunt for my children and they loved it. I used those plastic snap together Easter eggs to hide the money in.)
• Passes to theme parks
• Education fund deposits (They may not thank you now but they will later)
• Deposit it money into a bank account in the child’s name
• Movie passes
• Educational software (Even though this is an item if looked after it can be easily sold on when grown out of)
• iTune credit
• Sporting equipement
• A special clothing item
• A special outing (This could include anything from a food treat to a ball game, ten pin bowling etc)
• Tickets to a Sporting event, concert…
• Paying for lessons (music, sports, arts, craft)

Ages 13 to 18

• Plane tickets to visit friends or family
• Education fund deposits (They may not thank you now but they will later)
• Deposit it money into a bank account in the child’s name
• Cell phone recharge
• Money
• Passes to theme parks
• Movie passes
• iTune credit
• Take-out gift cards (My daughter loved Starbucks cards at this age group)
• Sporting equipement
• Toiletries (You need to know the child well to get this right though)
• A special clothing item (My son is a skateboarder they wear through skate shoes far too often and they make a great gift)
• A special outing (This could include anything from a food treat to a ball game, ten pin bowling etc)
• Tickets to a Sporting event, concert…
• Paying for lessons (music, sports, arts, craft)

Ages 18 to 25

This age group may be a little older but in my experience they need useful gift more now than ever before. They are often still in college/University, moving out for the first time or just started in their first real career job and aren’t being paid much at this point.

• Money
• Movie passes
• Gas Cards
• Gift Cards
• iTune credit
• Cell phone recharge
• Travel credit (Bus/train passes)
• Sporting equipement
• Plane tickets to visit friends or family
• Education fund deposits
• Educational supplies (Book store credit, nice stationary, leather satchel etc)
• Take-out gift cards (My daughter loved Starbucks cards at this age group)
• Household items (Whether they have move out yet or not because it will happen eventually) (No uni-taskers please)
• Toiletries (You need to know the child well to get this right though)
• Tickets to a Sporting event, concert…
• A special clothing item
• Paying for lessons (music, sports, arts, craft)

Donation Gift Ideas

• Zoo Animals
• Pet shelters
• Kids Sport team equipment
• Food bank (You could actually go grocery shopping together to choose the food)

Cindy has also written some great blogs and left some great comments in the past regarding Children’s birthdays and birthday parties…

Day 252 Kids Birthday Parties

Day 257 Decluttering Kids Birthdays Part 2

Cindy in response to Day 338 ~ I have a large bin of gifts for the children to give for birthday presents… Read more

Today’s Declutter Item

I relinquished my iPod to my son some time ago when his died but surprisingly he didn’t want the pink case. By now I have come to the realisation I am never going to get the iPod back so I have sent the case to the thrift store.

Things that made me happy, made me laugh, made me feel grateful, fascinated me or I thought were just plain awesome.

• Winning $160 at bingo ~ I don’t normally play bingo but my Mum does and it is always fun to go with her when she visits and even more fun when we win.
• Managing to still churn out blog posts while I am busy with my visitors ~ I really hope that they have still been useful and interesting for you my faithful readers.
• I am just happy with life at the moment even if I have been really busy.
• My dad promises to take some great native Australian bird photos for me to share with you on my blog.
• Having lots of plans to look forward to over the coming weeks ~ Including my daughter visiting, going to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, attending the ANZAC day parade on the 25th of April, a weekend in Canberra and a trip to NZ. My oh my, I had better get ahead with my blogging.

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

Cindy’s Weekly Wisdom

My husband and I were in Sunday School (religous education) recently, and the speaker touched on the topic of the Christian calendar (the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, etc.) that mark the Liturgical (Church)Year. He pointed out that we used to have two main classes of holidays: Holy Days and Patriotic Days. Thus, in the United States, our seasons would be marked by celebrations such as Independence Day and Presidents’ Day, as well as by religious holidays.

Over time, days such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day got added into this mix.  More recently, days exclusively for shopping have become holiday-like and deserving of their own names such as “Cyber Monday” (the best deals on-line), “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving and the beginning of the American “Christmas shopping season” and similar to Boxing Day in the UK and Australia.) (You can read more about Black Friday and decluttering here.)

So, is holiday shopping a new phenomena, exclusive to our hyper consumer-oriented culture? It turns out that the answer is: Not so much.

According to Wikipedia, the purpose of the first U.S. Mother’s Days, held in the early 1900s, was to reunited families that had been divided by the American Civil War and were celebrated in church – a combination of patriotic and religious holidays – and mothers wore a white carnation.  However “in part due to the shortage of white carnations, and in part due to the efforts to expand the sales of more types of flowers in Mother’s Day, the florists promoted wearing a red carnation if your mother was living, or a white one if she was dead; this was tirelessly promoted until it made its way into the popular observations at churches.”

Father’s Day was initiated just two years after Mother’s Day, originally in observance of a mining disaster in which many men were killed. It did take longer for it to be officially recognized by Congress – according to Wikipedia because Congress was afraid of it becoming too commercialized!  However, merchandise sales were an important part of the holiday from the beginning. “The Associated Men’s Wear Retailers formed a National Father’s Day Committee in New York City in the 1930s, which was renamed in 1938 to National Council for the Promotion of Father’s Day and incorporated several other trade groups. This council had the goals of legitimizing the holiday in the mind of the people and managing the holiday as a commercial event in a more systematic way, in order to boost the sales during the holiday.”

What did I learn from my research? That the promotion of holidays and shopping is as old as the holidays itself. Yes, I am sure that the intensity of the advertising and promotion has increased. Yes, a diamond necklace for Mother’s Day is a far site different than a white or red carnation, but the association of holidays, religious and secular, with shopping is as old as the holidays itself.

Today’s Declutter Item

Just one more stationary item that has been sitting around unused and needs to be out of here. Another thing for the thrift shop box.

Things that made me happy, made me laugh, made me feel grateful, fascinated me or I thought were just plain awesome.

• Tissues with aloe vera ~ I have had a bad case of hay-fever today but my aloe vera tissues are kinder to my nose that others I have tried.
• A hot cup of tea ~ This is a must when hay-fever is wearing you down.
• That there are no wars in my country ~ I wish there were none anywhere but unfortunately that is not the case.
• Some days it is enough to be just grateful that the day is done and I can sit back and relax for a while. Today is one of those days.
• People who go out of their way to be helpful.

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

I have been struggling to find time to wrote my blog posts over the last few days because my parents are visiting so today I will keep my post short.

Being that the mini mission for the day is to declutter the outgrown, worn or unloved clothing that is hanging in your child’s wardrobe I though it appropriate to make a few comments on that subject. There are several reasons why is does not pay to overindulge when it comes to children’s clothing…

1. Wasted money ~ why buy a whole lot of clothes that are going to get rarely worn before your child grows out of them. You really only need enough outfits to keep them clothed from day to day and no more. A few good outfits and a two weeks worth of everyday clothes ought to be enough to get by without running out even if you don’t have a clothes dryer for wet weather periods. Beyond that is sheer indulgence.
2. Creating a monster ~ Children aren’t born as fashionistas they are transformed into them over time by making a big fuss about the way we dress them. If we constantly make a fuss about how beautiful they are in new outfits we buy them they with start to associate that with their self worth. This is not a path I would advise any parent to go down.
3. Wasted resources ~ Yes you can hand clothing on to someone else when your child is done with it but wouldn’t it be better for the environment if you placed as little strain as possible on the supply of natural resources. The more items you buy the more demand you place on the materials and energy it takes to provide these items. Please do your best to shop sustainably.

So work out what it is the your child needs ~ everyone has different circumstances so their needs will be different ~ than shop only for what is necessary. Replace items only when needed and adjust to suit future needs. It is possible to raise your child to present themselves neatly and appropriately without making them vain about their appearance. These guidelines can just and easily apply to adults so if you have no children considered taking a look at your own wardrobe.

Today’s Declutter Item

More baseball stuff gone to a new home via Freecycle.

Things that made me happy, made me laugh, made me feel grateful, fascinated me or I thought were just plain awesome.

• Having a lovely day in Sydney yesterday.
• Spending time with family and friends.
• Talking with perfect strangers and learning about their lives ~ Sometimes hearing about other peoples struggles make you far more grateful for your own good fortune.
• Inexpensive public transport.
• Rain on the roof at bedtime.

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