Simplify

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

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

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

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...

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

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...