On Fridays at 365 Less Things I share with you my favourite comments from my wonderful readers and my favourite web finds of the week. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.
Favourite Comments. Enjoy!
Last Saturday I asked my readers to suggest blog posts they would like us to tackle here on 365 Less Things  and this one from SHIRLEY DO was the most unique yet sensitive of them all. For the full benefit of this comment please also read the responses from Shirley’s fellow 365’ers. Sadly it may be you one day who is faced with this decision and it pays to be prepared. If there is anyone out there who has had experience with this situation and is keen to share there experience and advice please let me know as I would be more than happy for you to write a guest post about it.
Lynn had a great bag purge read about it here.
Lena gets it and she is so young. Check out the revelation she recently had here.
This is the attitude I want from anyone who insists on buying me gifts. Thank any Spendwisemom.
This comment from Katharine is a good example of how hard it is to let go of certain things and how important it is that you do.
And this comment also from Katharine outlines a very good point to all you crafters out there. I know we have had this discussion before and many of you are also this wise but that isn’t always the case the topic is worth revisiting.
Favourite Web Finds. Happy reading!
A new give away site for my Australian readers. Hopefully it will catch on a become popular as sometimes I find Freecycle to be a little difficult to access at times. www.freetreasure.com.au
Here is a link to Project 333 for anyone interested in giving it a try.
Here is a blog I don’t think I have linked to before ~Â www.extraorganized.com. Check it out.
Here is a documentary about planned obsolescence that you might ~ I was going to say enjoy but I really think be appalled would be more to the point. The link was sent to me by Chrissie in Germany. There are a lot of subtitles but you (my English only speaking readers) will get the full picture even if there are sections where English of any kind is missing. I will also warn you it is long. www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5DCwN28y8o
Today’s Mini Mission
If you have excess tools that are unnecessary double ups or just never used why not declutter those today.
Today’s Declutter Item
This was the closest thing to a tool I had to declutter today. It is a stationery tool I suppose so it counts, right? I discovered on closer inspection that not only did we not need this but it also does not work properly so it was a complete waste of space in our home.
Two Hole Punch
Something I Am Grateful For Today
Autumn / Fall ~ I love the mild months when the days are cooler and sunny at the same time. I would like to live in a place where they have two seasons Autumn and Spring. But I am grateful for the fairly good weather we get nearly all year round right here where I live now.
Regarding Katherines comment about admiring things. I agree. I’ve admired certain things at my moms house and next thing you know, that’s my next birthday or Christmas present! Which I definitely didn’t want. So be really careful because you never know!
I think the best thing to say when you admire something like that is ~ It is not to my taste but I can see the beauty in it. or That’s a handy little gadget but I would have no use for it. ~ That way the person knows you think it is clever or lovely but you don’t want one.
No kidding! I admire someone’s earrings and I get a pair myself…I don’t have pierced ears. =P
(Well, I suppose I do, but they are closed up.)
Wow, not one but two comments in this week’s favourites. *Does happy dance* 🙂
Today I took 10 items of my husbands spare clothing to the charity shop 🙂 :). Yes, with his permission!
I reckon another 20 and I’ll declare peace and good will to all mankind.
Good on you Katharine and good on hubby as well. What a champion he is because it can’t be easy for him.
The good thing is Colleen, once the decision is taken, it doesn’t bother him anymore.
But I always thing about how it felt for me to get rid of my flute, when he is struggling to get rid of stuff. To me it might seem ridiculus to refuse to get rid of a pair of trousers that he hasn’t worn in 10 yrs, but to him, I am always mindful this is as hard as that flute (which I hadn’t played in 25 years).
Good way to think about it Katharine. At least if you keep that in mind you will remember to go easy on him. I wonder what he thinks about your struggle with letting go of what was probably to him “that useless flute”. Ask him if you don’t already know. I would be interested in know the answer to that, whether he sees other peoples “precious” stuff as clutter or wonders why they are willing to let go, in some cases, so easily).
Interesting question and I know the answer: he doesn’t see any of my stuff as clutter Colleen – and if I had let on about my struggles with the flute, he would have immediately tried to cheer me up by persuading me to keep it as ‘you might play it again one day’. Bless his cotton socks 🙂
I do however let on afterwards when I have found something difficult and always explain why I am getting rid of my stuff: that I find it uplifting to own only what I use or truely love. Too much stuff leaves me overwhelmed and mentally cluttered.
Hi Katharine, I am glad you explain to him why you let go of your things. Maybe sharing those feelings with him are what is making it possible for him to also let go. He sees his unused stuff one way but you are helping him to see it another.
Extra Organized has been added to my daily reading list just the other day, seems we discovered it together! She’s going great guns!
Today I accompanied a friend on her first trip to the thrift store.
I bet that was an eye opener for her. Was she impressed or vowed never to return?
I enjoyed Extra Organised tips on shopping especially with the trolley ie compartmentalising it.
Over the last six months I have on and off used online grocery shopping as the delivery costs are very reasonable. There is an option to collect in person too. Very popular amongst working women.
What I found straight away was that I struggled to make it to the min limit to get the discounted delivery fee, whereas when I shop in person, I would easily spend an extra $100 over that amount. I discovered when I grocery shopped online from home, if I wasn’t sure if I had fabric softener, I would get up and go and look, whereas in the supermarket I would decide to grab one just to be on the safe side.
And when I shop in person, yes I do have a shopping list, but as I go thru the aisles I see products I also might need.
I also find that when I shop online I give a lot more thought to what meals I have planned for the following week, rather than just ‘winging’ it. I am what could be called “catering-ly challenged”. I may not be able to pick up the ‘sell today’ bargains using online or bulk buy, but there is a better chance of me putting 7 homecooked meals on the table using online, than there is by me shopping in person.
When we grocery shop in person, the chances of repeat trips to the supermarket or buying takeaways during the week goes up.
The only downside is that I need to pick for Friday evening or Saturday morning delivery to include the kids lunch foods, and I have a 17 year old son and seeing food in the pantry and fridge is just open slaughter. We have been known to resort to hiding food around the house to outsmart him.
That is very interesting Moni. I have only ever casually looked at one of those grocery shop on line options when I lived in the US. I believe the first time is very laborious because you need to go through everything but after that you can save you usual shopping list and it is much easier.
I must check it out. Perhaps it makes sense. I hate doing the shopping list and usually just wing it when I get there and end up coming home short a few things I needed. There is a Woolworths app for iphone where you can scan your items into a list as well that I haven’t tried yet. It is location specific so once you scan in the items it arranges your shopping list in the order of the layout of your local store. How cool is that.
I have saved lists on my woolworths account but I prefer to do a stocktake of my pantry and freezer first, but it is handy if I can’t remember the exact name of a product I have bought previously – the iphone app is cool – I don’t have an iPhone yet but once my current cellphone dies that will be what I get.
It is sooooo easy having it turn up at the front door step.
After writing that last comment i downloaded the iphone app but it doesn’t work on my old iphone. Poo!
Hi again Colleen – I also thought it was interesting what ExtraOrganised said about value’s versus goals. That is new food for thought for me.
I’ve used vision, goal and reward as my motivation working thru the house room by room. ie I can’t have the extra wardrobe shelving system stuff to replace the scotch dresser in our wardrobe until after I complete the 333 and learn wardrobe management skills.
I figure it was instant gratification that got me into a cluttered situation, so by dangling carrots in front of myself, I get the results I want and have to wait to get whatever it is.
But this is a different way of thinking, what is your take on it? Have you read the books she talks about?
I’m thinking yes I value a minimalist household, but I value recration and relaxation more, and I’d much rather chill out on a Saturday afternoon than clear out the garage.
(Yes Dizzy, I’m working on the garage AGAIN this weekend)
Am open to any new ways of thinking.
If you want my opinion I think you hit all the right nails on the head. Once you have your home the way you want it your lifestyle will change. Once organisation is part of your life you have time to ‘chill out’ and ‘hang with the kids and hubby’ you will no longer walk through your door and groan at what greets you. That doesn’t mean you have to slave away at getting the ‘perfect’ home. If life is happening let it be and embrace it, let’s face it your clutter and chores will always be there until you streamline them, they’ll just get less and easier as time goes on. Whether you’re a Ninja or a Nervous Nellie with your clutter, it doesn’t matter, what does matter is that you are taking steps to rectify what you find irritating and time consuming so that you are less irritated and consuming your time in more pleasant pursuits.
As for the Garage, Woo Hoo for you girl, I’ll be back in mine again, another home open and I have already eyedballed another box that will get blasted, after I have had facetime with my boys! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi Dizzy – how many more weekends do you think we’ll need on these garages?
Hubby has promised to build the tool shed this weekend, so all the tools, lawn mower, weed-eater, chemical stuff will be out. Yippee!!!!
Tonight I’m going thru a box of video cassettes sorting out which are family stuff and which are recordings of Lost and ER.
I think I am more goal and reward driven, I don’t think this project should depend on me being altruistic. I know it makes me sound like a kid with a star chart, but it works for me.
Whatever floats your boat chicky go for it, here’s a few stars to get you excited ************ (sorry closest thing I have to stars on the keyboard) 🙂
As for the Garage who knows!!! It’s been a dumping ground for so long I think and fear I may come across something uuhhhggg!!!!!
Lesson #1 Don’t go in without haz-mat suit hahaha (just joking) actually mine is looking so much better but I hate myself as well for allowing it to get that way when there really was no reason to do so!! My rewards will be having more room to fling an unsuspecting cat around in!!! Only joking really, I wouldn’t swing a cat, our postman maybe, not a cat!!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I am a bit of a day to day person. Goals are all very well and good but I would prefer to break them down into easy steps, hence decluttering one thing a day. When my focus was on getting my house fully decluttered it all seemed too hard. When I decided to declutter just one thing a day with the value of reducing my belongings so my life is more transportable the whole task became easier. Here I am still at it 2 years and three months later with less stuff than I probably thought I ever wood have and I am still not done. It has become a value of mine to live life with less which I do every day with a little less every day after. And who cares when I will reach my goal, I certainly don’t know because the goal post keep shifting.
Luckily for us your goal post keeps shifting, I just love the fact that I am spurred on to keep looking at everything in a whole different way thanks to you and all the 365’ers. 🙂 🙂 🙂
By the way what’s happened to Sharron, has she de-cluttered herself into oblivion 🙁
I may not have anything left to talk about if my goal post didn’t keep shifting so it is just as well they do.
Yes Dizzy, what did happen to Sharron. Last time she dropped in she was having a giggle at my Panty typo. I haven’t heard from her since. Hello Sharron if you are out there.
Hi Everyone,
It’s my Birthday and I’ll de-clutter if I want too!!! Hahaha, I decided to celebrate with another clean out of the WIR. I have managed to get together 28 items for Project 333. Either that is really sad or really good. Obviously my wardrobe is as boring as bat guano but I daresay it has been functional. I added in my jackets and boots and two scarves to make up some of the shortfall cos I only had 18 bits to start with, Winter is around the corner so I thought it would save having to swap later.
On the de-clutter side I opened up the seasonal storage and got rid of all the bits that just haven’t been switched at all. Today I celebrate 48yrs with letting go of 48 assorted items from mine and the hubbies WIR, wow it feels good. Have a great day everyone:) 🙂 🙂
Google calendar let me down it didn’t remind me it was your birthday. Happy birthday Dizzy I hope you had a wonderful day with no cluttering gift.
Thanks Colleen,
I was gifted lovely phone calls and a beautiful spray of roses, a bottle of perfume and lovely things to eat. At the end of the bottle it can be completely re-cycled and the roses can be composted when they fade, just a lovely day and I managed to clear 48 things.
P.S today I will buy some P.K for trip down memory lane!!
Us March babies unite against the world of clutter!!!!!
Yes I had a big sort out of clothes the other night – two bags going to Goodwill and the reminder of most of my Summer clothes have been packed away.
I don’t know if you caught my comment yesterday but my daughter told her friends at ballet that I was doing the 333, and some of them are coming over to “help” pick the final 33. This will give me a youthful and brutal opinion on my wardrobe.
yee haaa, my niece did my wardrobe makeover a while ago and she picked almost the same as me ‘What The’ either I’m really young or she’s old in a young body hahaha.
Go girls and have fun. I really struggled trying to come up with 33.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Happy Birthday, Dizzy! And good for you on the decluttering too!
Thanks Becky
Just so you know I love your site too, keep up the great work 🙂 🙂 🙂
Here’s a little sideways flick, after reading Extra Organised, there’s a little snippet in there that the average woman has 54 cosmetics/items. After my last purge I now have 12 including 3 brushes. By way of reading it only mentions actual make-up not day/night cream, if I count them I have 15 items! Come on girls what have you got lurking in your make-up bag? 🙂 🙂 🙂
Clearly I am not average either. I have 13 pieces include three brushes but no creams I tend to use sorbolene for everything including shaving my legs.
Dizzy I am still bummed about having the least number of shoes in the world! Five. Grand total of makeup. Twelve.
Sigh……..
While I was in my bathroom I took the opportunity to sift out a dozen things from under the sink that made it thru the last cull, but I was in the mood to hiff something out, so out they’re going!
Moni don’t worry about being below average in the shoe and make-up department it just makes you way above average in everything else like LIFE!! Imagine trying to maintain 168 prs of shoes, 90 handbags and 457 pieces of make-up!
My girlfriend got back to me with a sheepish message, she has 457 pcs of make-up and that doesn’t include creams or toners etc.!!!! Even I was so speechless I couldn’t msg her back properly 457 bits of stuff that goes off anyway!! hahahaha can anyone top that number! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thanks to you (and to Chrissie) for sharing the link to the video The Lightbulb Conspiracy. It was absolutely fascinating and really eye opening. I hope more will watch it. They mention in the video that when nylon stockings first came out that they lasted too long. It reminded me of a pair of pantyhose I owned about 25 years ago. They never got a run in them. I wore them so much that the elastic finally gave out. I then bought another pair of the same brand, but they didn’t last. I guess the company had figured out it was better to make ones that didn’t.
On a cheerier note, I decluttered two purses and two fanny packs today. Took a carload of donations to the charity shop. Yay!
That video was a real eyeopener wasn’t it and well done with the decluttering.