I was chatting with my mum yesterday and we were discussing the imminent arrival of my niece’s baby who will be my mother’s second great granddaughter. We were both hoping that she would be born yesterday (12th of February here in Australia). Then my mother would have a daughter, a granddaughter and a great granddaughter all born on the 12th of February. (She also has a niece born on that date as well). She said “I must look up the family history book and see if there are any other relatives born on that date.”  To which I replied  “It would be better if you had the family tree on-line because then you could just do a document search for the date which would save you hours of scouring the book.” Which brings me to my decluttering point for today.
Before my decluttering mission began in earnest I used to own folders and folders full of scrapbook/papercraft magazines. I often used to pour through them for hours trying to find examples of certain occasions that I was planning to document. The thing is, it was much more effective to google for such examples on the internet. The search engine would take me immediately to numerous examples in the blink of an eye.
It is the same for just about any subject that one would be inclined to save magazines for. It is much easier to just do an internet search for what you want. So why keep all those shelves full of dusty paper versions of something that takes up no more space than a laptop and saves you time and possibly a dose of hay fever to boot.
So let those magazines go and cancel your subscriptions. It will save you space, time and money.
Today’s Mini Mission
Reposition or relocate something that has become unused due to inconvenient placement.
Eco Tip for the Day
Cancel those magazine subscriptions. The internet is a far more efficient tool for keep up with any subject matter.
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 says
I so agree with you on this Colleen. Not only can you find examples of what you want but you can even find examples of how to use a specific stamp or tool. I am amazed at how many examples you can find for something like a punch or cutting die. I think it is even much easier, if you have to have a magazine, to have your subscription be a digital version.
Colleen Madsen says
Absolutely Deb J, although I have never bothered with the digital copies either. There is inspiration enough for me on the web. I only ever looked at the pictures anyway and I can do plenty of that on Pinterest alone never mind googling or watching videos on Youtube.
Karin says
As a money saving exercise you may also be able to borrow either magazines or their digital versions online from your local library. Only works for popular magazines but has been a wonderful discovery for us.
I love using the internet but am finding it is getting bit voluminous when searching and I sometimes get lost down the rabbit hole following a string of inspiration 😉
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Karin, I must say borrowing is aways a good option because then you have to give them back so they don’t hang around forever.
Lena says
funny you mention this today. I have four different language dictionairies right here next to me that I will bring to the open book shelf later today. I am always using the internet for checking translations of all sorts of languages, and I havent used those books for years, but never considered them clutter. its just that. I dont use them, so I dont need them, so I can get rid of them.
Now they are on their way out, just like the other 30 or so books that I will not read again. ahhh, so much space. love it.
Colleen Madsen says
Great realisation Lena. I believe I have also decluttered dictionaries for the same reason.
Shoeaholicnomore says
I am no longer subsribing, but I am keeping some pages from them (for now at least). I plan to scan them in and organized on my computer. Just haven’t gotten to that project yet…
Colleen Madsen says
That sounds like a good option Shoeaholicnomore. It sounds like a project that shouldn’t take too long. Options like that is why when we needed a new printer a few years back we decided to by one with a document feeder so this sort of task could be performed in a jiffy.
Alicia says
I feel the same way about recipes. I have several cookbooks but I tend to find myself looking online (especially pintrest) when I want to find something new to make. I do use a few of my cookbooks, but most of them have gone unused for quite a while!
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Alicia, I am definitely with you on this. I decluttered all but my family recipe cookbook some time ago. I use taste.com mostly but not exclusively to find recipes.
Melissa says
I love the internet as much as the next person but I almost never use my computer for recipes and very rarely for craft ideas. I think this is because I sit infront of a computer all day at work and don’t really want to when I get home.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Melissa, perhaps you should give it a try nevertheless. It is quick and easy.
Melissa says
I’ve tried but I can’t stand looking at a screen when I cook. I end up printing the recipe if I do find one online. It probably doesn’t help that my laptop is super old and can’t be used without being plugged in so there’s a cord to contend with. I really just prefer to use cookbooks or handwritten recipe cards.
Lena says
Hey Melissa, I know what you are talking about. I dont like to have my laptop in my kitchen either. mostly because I am quite obsessed with keeping my computer clean. the kitchen is rather small and the probability I spill something on it is disproportionally increased, as I am a good but not so clean cook. creativity needs chaos, you know 😉
I try to get inspiration online and use recipes I read more like ideas. If I want to follow the recipe precisely however, I print as well. And there is a folder that keeps the best printed recipes, which I use regularly.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Lena, in my last kitchen I could put the laptop on one bench while doing the cooking on another which worked well. In this new place the bench is so long I can also keep them separated so luck me. Fortunately I usually stick to simple recipes so I don’t have to scroll down.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Melissa, I’ll have to buy a new battery if my laptop gets to that point because this house has less power outlets in the kitchen than the last one. Never mind it is working well for now. I love taste.com though and use it all the time for new recipes.
Connie says
Ditto for recipes. The only ones I have saved our family heirloom recipes.
Colleen Madsen says
Same here Connie.
Carin says
You can have your family tree on the internet….and it is free and there are many, many resources available to help you fill out the charts 🙂 Just click here: https://new.familysearch.org/ and then click the button that says “Go to Family Tree.” It is amazing 🙂
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Carin, most of my family tree is already on-line. I used to do this as a bit of a hobby some time back. I should give my mother access to it.
Moni says
Yes the internet is a powerful tool and certainly has changed the way we live our lives in many respects. I imagine that once upon a time the wheel was considered a new fangled thing.
I will have to give some thought to what our scrapbook magazine equivalent could be.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Moni, having to give some thought to it sounds like you aren’t a magazine girl in the first place. That is good.
Moni says
Colleen – no I don’t buy magazines, years ago I used to buy a home & garden type mag but I reached a point where I realised I was buying them out of habit rather than interest, and my daughters went thru a stage of buying teen mags but then she realised she was left with a big pile and what to do with them. Then we discovered the local library had them, I don’t think she’s ever actually got one out so far but she knows they’re there.
Marianne says
There is a website where you can search for family names and have your own family tree. It is at https://familysearch.org/. I used to have lots of papers for our family tree, but now it is all online and you can scan photos and put them on so others who have ancestors in the same line can see them and enjoy them. All our family members can work together and the information is all put online. It is a fantastic site if anyone is interested.
Felicity says
Has anyone seen the doco on the worlds biggest hoarder, Richard Wallace?? l saw it a few weeks back on tv , on the ABc. His house full of newspapers and other stuff, but with the newspapers his plan was to scan them and catalogue them into a compute. Of course it would take him decades to physically do that.
Obviously he is an extreme case, but if you gget a chance look up on utube or internet, it really makes you think, so glad lm not like him.
PS: His whole house and yard and other house on the property was all the same.
Vicki K says
I looked up the story – it was interesting that his particular focus was newspaper!
enna says
Just cancelled my last magazines and threw away/gave away all the old copies. Its done two things; made more space in my house and made more space in my brain! I have my hair done once a month and catch up with the same magazines while my hair colour kicks in.
Colleen Madsen says
Hi Enna, good for you. My decision to quit magazine subscriptions was largely due to the cost of them once I returned to Australia. You’d think they were gold plated over here. I am glad that was the case though because I didn’t miss them and I was also inspired to get rid of the ones I had. Like you my space and my head is clearer.
Welcome to 365 Less Things.
Melissa says
For this mini mission (Reposition or relocate something that has become unused due to inconvenient placement) I unpacked another box last night that was full of magnets and various other things that were on our fridge at our last place. I am happy to say I decluttered about half of the magnets, but tried different placement with the ones that I did choose to keep, particularly the ones that are magnetic clips. Perhaps we’ll use the clips more now that they are all together in one spot on the fridge.
Debra F says
I would just like to mention that my baby nephew was born on Wednesday, I had a giggle when I saw you wanted a baby born on the same day. He was 10 days over due mind you.
I also use the internet if I want to find anything.
Jez says
I think Deb J has already mentioned this but you really can find out how to do anything on the internet and watching someone do something is a thousand times more helpful than reading instructions .” You tube” has just about everything from putting in a zip to clipping your schnauzer to nursing procedures .Like anything though you need to check the source -its not all the same quality . Note to self – I still have a few sewing books that I could really live without if I take my own advice about watching instead of reading ……but those gorgeous glossy covers ,beautiful pictures, quality paper that even smells good……..maybe not just yet .Fortunately there is plenty of room on the bookshelf – although one day the book shelf itself might go …..