Basics

Clothes Shopping

2011-02-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

These people do not want to sell clothes at all. They are selling a dream. The dream of being slim enough to wear their clothes and being as sexy as the clothes themselves once we are able to wear them.

Why spending on clothes is fine

2010-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

1. Good clothes are an investment in one`s career.

2. Good clothes are an investment in one`s relationship.

3. Wearing good clothes raise self esteem. Ideally, noone should own any clothes who do not do this for their owner.

4. Good clothes last much longer. They keep their shape and colour and do not shrink after the first wash. They are investment and, in the end, less expensive and much less wasteful.

5. If clothes make us feel good we will wear them more often. If clothes make us feel frumpy, we will wear them less frequently. Better cost per wear and much more fun!

on Facials and Cosmetic Surgery

2010-11-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today, I had a Beau Visage facial analysis. This is offered free of charge at http://www.medicalternatives.co.uk/ and investigates damage done by lifestyle factors. Obviously, they`ll aim to sell, but this is up to you.

My skin is not as sun damaged as I thought. I used to visit sunbeds twice a week and did not always use a high enough sun screen.

The red spots on my cheek are burst vessels - that`s also good to know, as I can stop searching for creams which make them disappear.

It could be corrected by laster treatment, but this is very expensive. I would need several treatments at £120 a go. The beautician suggested that the NHS may fund this if it bothers me a lot.

This suggestion actually distressed me. A few spots on my chin. There are people who suffer from life threatening cancer and need to wait for chemotherapy and have life saving medication denied because of the cost. Other women go abroad for plastic surgery because it is cheaper, and then they come back and need the damage mended on the NHS. I don`t think it`s right. Women who have cosmetic surgery (or their surgeons) should be prepared to pay for any damage to be fixed.

Moisturiser

2010-10-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

Pure Coconut Oil is usually advertised for cooking, but it is also one of the most effective, natural and cheapest moisturisers you can get.

Available from most health food stores.

Reading

2010-09-08T10:53:00.000-07:00

Enjoy reading? Browse in your local libarary instead of the book shop! If you are looking for a particular title they may be able to order it for you. You can usually keep a book for three weeks, which will make you actually read it.

If you are anything like me, you`ll probably have collected loads of books over the years which you never actually read. Your library will also be happy to accept donations of your unwanted books, regardless of their state. Do you really need to own and keep every book you`ve read?

I sell some of my better and more valuable books on ebay or amazon, but for the cheaper ones, it`s often more hassle than it is worth. So I used to donate them to charity shops, but since I started using librarys I like the thought of giving something back to them. Libraries are usually underfunded, and it would be a shame for them to disappear! They need your support!

Bathroom shelves

2010-07-18T04:44:00.000-07:00

Apart from having one thing less to clean, I noticed another thing since we have ditched those two shelves: we are more able to resist special offers of certain toiletteries because there is no longer as much space to stock them. "Hoarding", as I call it, and buying things which were not really needed used to be an issue in this house, and I`m really pleased about this lovely side effect! :-)

Microwave oven

2010-07-17T04:44:00.001-07:00

not missing it yet. Just thought I`d share! :-)

Shelves

2010-06-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

Since we removed the shelves, I really notice how much quicker I am cleaning the bathroom.

we`ve ditched our microwave oven!

2010-06-06T10:53:00.000-07:00

The other day, hubby saw a microwave oven on offer, with integrated grill, and he suggested to me that ours (old, tatty, uneconomic and very large) could do with being replaced, drawing my attention to the fact that, given that it had an integrated grill, it was really a bargain (I must add, he`s a bit of a slave to the advertising industry...)

He later added that we would, of course, never use it as a grill.

This led me to ask whether we need a microwave oven at all. How often do we use it? Hardly ever. And what we use it for, we can easily reheat on our conventional oven.

So I suggested ditching our microwave oven (which, despite still being in working order, is indeed long past its best days) and just leave it for a couple of months to see whether we really miss it. (We can still replace it if we find we do, but my bet is we won`t...)

Watch less Television...

2010-05-26T10:40:00.000-07:00

An excellent post in a blog which I read regularly, which I just had to share...

Getting used to it...

2010-05-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

You know what`s one of the worst thing about putting off unfinished jobs?

You`ll get used to it.

I have noticed this phaenomenon a few times.

When I moved in with my now-husband I took an instant dislike to the old-fashioned furniture (and several other things). I however felt that I could not immediately start criticising the home he was about to share with me and decided to accept its state for the time being. And very quickly, it stopped bothering me. This was it, and I truely accepted it. Only once in a wee while (usually when we were about to have visitors!) I was able to see our home, furniture etc with new eyes and noticed its flaws again. It took a long time to get round to fix some of them, and some are still not done. (I am living here for 9 years this summer.)

Another example: 2 years ago, the fence which separates our garden from our neighbours` got damaged in a storm. It fell towards his garden and hubby husband managed to temporarily fix the problem by attaching it to our cherry tree with a piece of string. After a few weeks I got exasperated and asked him to do the job properly, adding that he would be joking about this string if it was on the other side. He promised time and time again and never fixed it yet. He asked his friend to help who cancelled twice (for good reasons). The fence remains attached to the tree. It`s a horrible sight, but generally, I don`t notice it any more. I still have to dodge it every time I walk to our compost bin but still, I no longer see the string.

The longer you leave a job (whatever that is - clutter, stained carpets, stained wallpaper, fixing something broken, cleaning your windows or car) the more likely you are to continue to put it off. If you fix it as soon as it happens (but certainly while it is still annoying you), you get the job out of the road and avoid this trap.

Now, take a pen and paper and note down what has been annoying you, for whatever long a time, room by room. Add to it as you see things. Walk around your home and try to see it as if you have never been here before. And then start to get things done! There are small things which can be done immediately (such as fixing or throwing out something broken) and there are some things which require more planning and time, like redecorating and anything else which involved parting with money. But try to get things done as of now! The job won`t go away!

productive weekend

2010-05-17T13:41:00.000-07:00

For my own records:

Bedroom: cleaned all surfaces and floor, removed everything which does not belong there, changed bed. Discussed with hubby removal of some items (incl furniture) and requirement of replacements for carpet and furniture. Chose furniture from Ikea and made plans to have the whole room done in July.

Bathroom: cleaned all surfaces and floor, replaced clock and carpet, cleared shelf (for removal, as rusty) and cleared a whole lot of things (first aid things, make up) which are expired or otherwise will never be needed again. Discussed with hubby removal of shelf and requirement for replacement of bath tub guard and wall paper. He was amenable to that, too. Even quicker job than bedroom.

Guest room: tidied one drawer, dealt with ironing, tidied books away.

Clothes: sorted out hubby`s shirts which are too big, took the long sleaved ones (5 in number) away, along side 2 old pullovers of mine. Ordered 5 new shirts for hubby (but some more will have to go).

Kitchen: tided and cleaned three drawers, many small junk things went. Binned most of the old papers bags we are keeping for bin bags - would do us for a year... Tidy corner with pots and equipment.

To be done in 4 weeks:

Bedroom: clean all surfaces and floor, remov everything which does not belong there, chang bed.

Bathroom: clean all surfaces and floor, wash carpet, make sure shelf removed. Start making enquiries re bath tub guard and wallpaper.
Guest room: tidy one drawer, deal with ironing, tidy books away. Clear surface of couch.

Clothes: ensure that all shirts which are too big for hubby have gone.

Kitchen: tidy and clean remaining drawer. Ensure that we don`t have too many paper bags. Tidy corner with equipment and pots. Tidy two kitchen trolleys and one shelf.

Big jobs, small jobs

2010-05-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

I know what all this is about, I know exactly.

Last year, I have weight, which was very much needed. And the big jobs usually de-prioritise the small ones. Like. "I know this needs done, but I need to concentrate on the big one first!" My "big one" has always been my body, and now that this is sorted I can turn to the next biggest one which is our home.

The same is however true with the cleaning itself. As you do the obvious things (de-cluttering) you discover more.

Yesterday, I cleaned the bedroom top to bottom, and once again, I noticed the stained carpet and the old, unmodern furniture, which I was aware of but never really bothered about much as the attention was usually on the clutter. Once you deal with that however, you uncover the hidden truths underneath.

Today, I did the bathroom. I replaced the carpet (pink for cream), clock on the wall (white for merchandise) and also discarded the cheap plastic accessories which I once thought funky. The shelf also needs taken down as it is rusty. I now note that the wallpaper, ceiling and guard for the bath tub are all stained. They have to be replaced, too.

Sad is, as you do the things which are for free (tidying up and cleaning) you uncover jobs which require parting with money...

Food for Free

2010-05-03T00:54:00.000-07:00

click here for wild garlic! :-)

De-Clutter your Wardrobe

2010-04-23T23:44:00.000-07:00

I don`t know about you, but I have made numerous attempts to de-clutter my wardrobe. I`ve taken every single piece out and had a long look at each garment - before putting it back in. Little or nothing was ever taken out, including things which I hardly wore, e.g. because they no longer fit, need mended or because I simply didn`t like them any more.

Most women wear "20% of their wardrobe 80% of the time", and some people recommend ditching everything which has not been worn for a year. I would not be this ruthless. I`ve developed my own method which I feel works, is fun and not at all time consuming:

First of all, you need a lot of clear space. Hanging space, shelving space, shoe space.
After you have cleared space you need to do absolutely nothing! :-)
The next morning, chose any outfit you want to wear. Over the day, be very aware how you feel wearing this outfit. Does it make you feel good? Does it make you feel the opposite, maybe because it does not really fit or you simply don`t like it any more?
If you liked wearing the garment, put it into the empty space. Anything that goes there is for keeps! :-)
If you did not like wearing the garment, determine why you don`t. If it needs mended and you feel you would want to wear it again, bring it to a tailor. If it does not fit or if you dislike it, get rid of it: either put it on ebay or to a charity shop *right now*. Don`t put it in a corner to deal with "later". If you are anything like me, these things will sneak back into your wardrobe.
Do not immediately replace the things you have just given away. I am often tempted to do this, but over the next few weeks, you may notice that you still have plenty and maybe really don`t need three pairs of black trousers after all. You can replace the items later, but before buying any new clothes, I`d recommend assessing what you have alrady got if you are serious about de-cluttering. The goal is to have a wardrobe which only contains things you really like and wear, and therfore, it is crucial to finish the de-cluttering job first. Depending on the current size of your wardrobe,this excercise may take you a while.
The next morning, chose another outfit from your wardrobe. Things you have already put away for keeps cannot be selected again. The goal is to, over the next few weeks, try absolutely everything in your wardrobe and assess whether you still like it. You can take a garment out of your wardrobe and have a long hard look at it, but this will not show you how it feels, whether it still fits, etc.
Common sense, of course, must prevail. Going out clothes are not needed as much, and you may be used to wearing the same three jeans all the time. Do however try to wear everything you`ve got over the next few weeks, as far as your lifestyle allows.

A chapter about replacing things will follow at a later stage - not there yet myself...

fantastic old fashioned kitchen gadget

2010-04-17T13:19:00.000-07:00

There was ony very little I was given when I moved into my own flat, but there is only one which I still use today:

"It`s an old thing," said my granny. "It won`t last you long..."

Yoghurt

2010-03-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

I make my own yoghurt.

I have bought a starter culture to make it with milk, and although instructions are readily available on the net, I have not got round to trying it yet.

I have however been making it since a few months with this

and this

(both available from Lakeland)

The receipe is fool proof: you mix a pouch of powder with a prescribed amount of water, fill it in the tubs and leave it in the yoghurt maker for some 8 hours or so.

The powder consists of powdered milk, yoghurt cultures and flavouring, although it is available in plain. (Tipp: I found the flavoured one to sweet and the plain one too sour. I now mix 1/2 bag of each which gets it just right!)

Why I love making my own yoghurt:

it tasts good - loads of different flavours
it is cheaper
small individual glasses = portion control!
re-usaeable glasses = no waste
purchasing/carrying/expiry date no problem

Accumulating Stuff: Cleaning Agents

2010-03-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

My husband is a typical hoarder.

When I moved into his home, he had 18 shower gels and shampoos around the bath, all almost empty. When I asked why he does not use one up before replacing it he came up with a valid explanation for every single one of them: "Janet has given me that for my birthday the year he died!", "This one, I had with me when I met you!" and "This one is now discontinued!"

We now have about 10 things between us, and although I still don`t think we need 5 half empty bottles at once, I`m satisfied with the progress and don`t ask for more. He`s however still hoarding: "It`s almost finished!", "Reduced!" or "Never goes wrong!"

The other day, I tidied up his cleaning agents underneath the sink. He denied that we have everything twice, and I wanted to see who was right. Plus, I wanted a less obvious space for our composting. What I found confirmed my worst expectations.

Carpet Cleaner

Okay, we`ve got cats. And okay, one of them was particularly prone to vomiting. But she died in 2007.

for whiter washing

White washing should remain white, I think we all agree on that one. Only that neither hubby nor myself wear much white. He`s got a shirt, I`ve got a blouse. I think that`s really it.

Cream Citrus Cleaner

There is about 5mm left in two of them and 1/3 in the other.

I feel if you find yourself buying the same things that often because you don`t know what you`ve got, its definitely a symptom of you having too much stuff.

I also found an impressing number of bottles which were empty. They were binned, otherwise, I put the almost full ones to the back and the almost empty ones to the front and asked hubby not to replace anything until those at the back are used up, too. I guess that`ll take us a few years...

Bra Size

2010-03-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

Approximately 80% of all women wear the wrong bra size, leading to back pain, ill fitting clothes and low body confidence. Make sure that you are not one of them!

Most department stores (Marks and Spencer, Debenhams) do now offer a free bra fitting service, with no obligation to buy. It`s quick and easy and should not take more than five minutes!

You`ll really feel the difference when you wear the right size of bra, and it does not even need to be an expensive one!

Also: Buy your bra so the hook fits the outer hole, not the inner one (even though this may feel better as it feels a size smaller...). As the bra stretches over time, you can still wear it by simply using a tighter hole at the back!

Simplify

2010-02-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

My interest in de-cluttering my life and minimising material possessions is fairly new, and therefore I was especially excited to be able to receive an advance copy of the e-book "simplify", for sale here as of today, and review it.

The 77-page e-book has been written for myself, the sceptical newbie who feels that she has too much "stuff" in her life but doesn`t yet know how and where to start reducing it.

Becker shows how and why, his tips are general enough to apply to anyone while "deep" enough to be of use to everyone. Not everybody has, like the author, two young children, but everyone has a kitchen (which is usually full of clutter).

After the tidying up and decluttering is sorted, our shopping habits are examined and the money saved through changing them (and time saved on organising and tidying "stuff) planned for more meaningful things: "Spend your money on things which you value more than material belongings."

Elsewhere, I have read that experiences (such as a foreign holiday) give much more pleasure than material belongings, and I believe that this is true. Belongings are a wonderful thing, but I think if we have too many, we no longer value them as much. I`ll definitely continue to reduce.

I would have loved to read more about how the Becker family has experienced the process of decluttering, but personal experiences and more hints and tipps are available plentifully in the author`s blog http://www.becomingminimalist.com/

Media Fast

2010-02-17T10:02:00.000-08:00

A fellow blogger is doing it for lent. And a book has recently recommended I do it, too: A media fast. A day, a week or a month without television, radio, newspaper, magazines and... internet and mobile phone.

Up until the "..." the thought appealed. I, too, feel overwhelmed by the flood of media available to me. I listen to the radio in the morning and in the car, but otherwise I have little time to read all the papers in the office and at home, browse the magazines in the staff room and read those which I subscribed to. Or watch a TV programme without being on the internet at the same time (as I`m actually doing right now).

I think it would do me good to do without television, radio, paper and magazines for a while. But no internet? I couldn`t imagine it for even one day*, which would probably make me the ideal person to follow a media fast.

* I can to it when on holiday. Always, and usually without thinking about it.

Competitions and Free Stuff

2010-02-14T04:30:00.000-08:00

My husband is wonderful at winning competitions. Last year, hubby made a limerick for a local radio station, recited it live on air and got two cards for a comedy club in Edinburgh. The other day, he emailed at around 11pm on the closing date and we are now one of only 10 couples to go to a "gin experience" in a swanky-looking bar in Edinburgh:

"Craig will teach you how to mix a cocktail at home and tell you a little more about the delights of gin, in what is a relaxed but 'gintelligent' evening. You will leave with a complimentary bottle of Martin Miller's and a hardback book." Sounds wonderful!!

I usually don`t bother entering at all unless the price is something I really want, but I wrote to here and was delighted to be one of the first 50! I`ve discovered the website only weeks ago, when I started to become interested in minimalism, and I find it ever so inspiring! I`m absolutely delighted to get the book and talk about it in my blog!

At Christmas, I entered another competition and won - a life coaching session! What an interesting price this was! Although there was an option to sign up for more, there was no pressure, and the lifecoach did ensure that the one session was a closed one and I had something to go home with.

I like winning experiences as it`s usually things you wouldn`t otherwise do.

If you don`t enter you don`t win!

Clutter

2010-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Independently from these latest developments, I had started to think about CLUTTER recently.

The clutter in my house, the clutter in my life. We have accumulated so much stuff. Sometimes, I don`t even know what we`ve got because we have so much. So much stuff that I no longer appreciate it and it distracts from what really matters.

I`ve made a few half-hearted attempts to tidy up and part with things, but every corner I had cleared appeared to inspire hubby to purchase more stuff and fill those corners once again. I was fighting a losing battle. I didn`t know where to start and how to maintain.

I then read here about dedicating just 15 minutes a day to decluttering. There is no need to do the whole house in a day. After all, it took years for it to become like this. Just a corner a day, a drawer, a top of one cupboard. Do just that, but do it properly.

I`ve half-heartedly begun at the beginning of the year and then wholeheartedly continued about a week ago. I`m now starting to reap the benefits.

Redundancy scares...

2010-02-10T00:45:00.000-08:00

As soon as these news were broken, I started to develop another perception of what I`ve got and what my life is like.

Clearly, with one of us (the one with the largest salary) not working, nothing could stay the same. The way our system works, there would be no benefits because I am in full time employment, and there was no question about the need to massively cut back.

I never considered myself materialistic or overly focused on money, but in the next few days, while we were waiting for further news, it just dawned on me how many of the activities we both enjoy involve parting with money.

My dance class which I have been enjoying for a few years. The new term started the day after these news came, so I contacted my instructor stating that I felt unable to come. A diet and nutrition class I was about to sign myself up for. I had attended the first class free of charge the previous week and was extremely enthusiastic. I contacted the teacher stating that I felt unable to commit at the present time. I quit gym the previous year, but hubby hadn`t. He enjoys the gym but could we afford to keep it going? He also enjoys going to sporting events very regularly during the warm season, and I could not help but hope that he would not insist.

But then again, all that is a large part of our social life.We derive pleasure and quality of life from it.

But wouldn`t we have to reconsider our priorities? Food, bills? We have two elderly cats. I couldn`t even start to imagine not being able to meet their health needs.

I started to think about what else we spend our money on. Clutter, that is not really needed. A daily paper which we don`t always get to read. Four magazine subscriptions between us. Worth considering...

Introduction

2010-02-08T10:22:00.001-08:00

I never considered myself a big spender. I was brought up to respect money and use it wisely.

I also got used to having and appreciating certain things, and although, growing up in a family where money was tight, I never took them for granted, I got accustomed to them enough for not wanting to ever not have them again. Things which are not a necessity as such but life enhancing and part of my routine.

* presents and parties for birthdays and Christmases

* a good, well maintained haircut and an occasional manicure or beauty treatment

* an annual holiday in the sun

* fashionable clothes

* meeting friends in swanky eateries and bars

* theatre

* a book habit and several maganzine subscriptions

* good, fresh food

The longer you think about it the longer the list gets. Only that I never thought about it much.

Then, we were faced with redundancy...