Category Archives: Minimalism

A Green Christmas – Gift Bags

5 Comments

We celebrate Christmas and exchange gifts while still trying to remain true to a reasonably simple, low-consumption lifestyle.  It can be be so easy to get swept up in the hype.

This year I am doing my bit for the environment by shunning the wrapping paper and choosing to make reuseable cloth bags from Christmas fabric which I bought in the sales last year.

Here are a couple of gifts already packaged.

2012-12-17 01I have made a range of sizes in a few different fabrics.

It will be good not to be collecting up armfuls of ripped wrapping paper to go in the recycle bin on Christmas morning.

Is Simplicity the New Black?

6 Comments

“Cherishing what you have, not want, is the key to contentment”  So runs the headline to an article on page 4 of today’s Courier Mail, Brisbane’s daily newspaper. What a revelation!!

2012-12-14 01So the mainstream media are beginning to pick up on what many of us already know, you cannot buy happiness.

Will we begin to see people trying to outdo each other in the simplicity stakes – sort of a reverse ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ or will they really understand that simplicity takes a range of guises and it is definitely not a competition?

Is voluntary simplicity the realm of those who can afford to make the choice?

Let me know what you think of this article.

I would also like to say a huge welcome to those of you who have visited today because of the link Rhonda posted at Down to Earth.  I hope you will find something here that is of interest and that you consider coming back and perhaps joining as a follower.

Have a great weekend, whatever you are doing.

Simple Decorating

1 Comment

Yesterday we hosted a Christmas gathering for our neighbours.  We live in a semi-rural area and often the annual Christmas function is the only opportunity we have to get together.

We were mostly on the verandah, however, I had cleaned and set up the living area in case of inclement weather.  Although it is still November I did want to have a simple, Christmas-themed decoration.

2012-11-25 01 I put this centrepiece together using a crystal salad bowl and some silver balls which are normally used on the Christmas tree.  It looked really pretty and effective.

2012-11-25 02Here you can get a good view of one the tablecloths that I have converted from a rectangle to an oval to suit the table.  You can read more about the project here and here.

Slow and Simple – A Goal For Living

4 Comments

I was sitting and vaguely wondering what I might write today when I found the following words from Courtney Carver at “Project 333“.

Life is noisy. Inboxes are overflowing. To-Do Lists are three pages long. Time flies. We run late. We catch up. We fall behind. We never finish.

All of those things leave us exhausted and uninspired. How can we keep up and slow down at the same time? How can build in more time, space, and resources for health and happiness?

The answer is simple … use less, do less, need less, spend less. Sure, the answer is simple, but where do you start?

Simplicity can start anywhere, but it can’t start everywhere. Beginning a journey into a new way of life in the same you we ran our old way of life doesn’t make sense. Complicating simplicity by trying to do it all at once defeats the purpose. Instead, start small and start in one place.

These words really sang to me and I instantly felt my breathing slow and a sense of calm and order descend.

Courtney is correct, there are so many aspects of our lives that can be simplified that it is easy to get caught up in a whirl.

I participated in Project 333 quite successfully earlier this year.  Since then, I have not actually counted items but I am continually aiming to streamline my entire wardrobe even further.  I now know what styles and colours I really like to wear and make sure that everything I own truly deserves its place in my wardrobe.

2012-05-28 01A wardrobe is a very good place to begin your journey to a simpler life. We all have more clothes than we actually need and it is a confined space and you can easily quantify the contents.

After you have expended considerable time and energy clearing out clothes that you do not wear or even like, you will think twice about buying more.

I can assure you that once you begin, the principles of simplicity will naturally flow to many other facets of your life.  You will find yourself seeking out simpler meals, decorating ideas and simple ideas for recreation and leisure time.

2012-11-21 01Every little bit helps.  Over time you will find that you can apply the underlying principles of Project 333 to areas as diverse as your linen cupboard, utensil drawer and DVD collection.

002

If you have less stuff in your life you will need less time, money and energy to acquire, store, clean and organise it.  Release the stuff and reclaim the time and space in your life.

And the final word must come from one of my favourite quotes.  This is from Francine Jay at “Miss Minimalist“.

Life is the space between our things.

So, do we want a fulfilling life or a life full of things?

In The Dark

3 Comments

Here is a test to see how organised your bedroom and wardrobe are.

Try getting ready for bed – remove clothes/jewellery, put away shoes, put on night attire and get into bed without turning on the light.

Can you confidently move around the room and place things in their right position because there is no clutter and everything has a home?

Think about how visually impaired people manage.

I regularly do this and realised that it is because there is the bare minimum in our bedroom and it is always in the same place.

Dressing tableThis is my dressing table and I can easily locate the box for my earrings when I remove them.  For years I had heaps of clutter on my dressing table and I yearned to have it clear and tidy and once I achieved that goal I have never let it go.

If you are overwhelmed by your stuff, try setting small goals and then achieve and maintain one thing before moving onto something bigger.

Project 333 – Plains & Prints

1 Comment

Today I had a blinding flash regarding the items in my wardrobe.

2012-05-14 02I have plain shorts (black, white and khaki) and plain trousers (black, white and jeans).  I can wear patterned tops with these (striped, floral prints etc).

2012-07-02 09My skirts are patterned (striped, floral, spotted) and I have plain coloured tops to wear with them.

2012-06-11 05But………..never the twain shall meet, so I am limited in the selection of mix and match outfits that I can create.

2012-07-02 03I can, and do wear a plain coloured top with plain shorts or trousers but there is no way I would ever mix 2 different patterns.  So I have come to the conclusion, that although at least some of the patterned tops will remain to be worn with the trousers or shorts, I will work towards having more plain coloured tops that can be used in a greater number of ways.

How have you identified ways to streamline the clothes in your wardrobe?

A Fresh Look

6 Comments

One of the benefits of holidays and being away from our home is that sometimes you can take a step back and review things from a distance.

A few months ago I considered buying a new doona cover for our bed since the one we have had for over 10 years definitely does not match the current colour scheme.  It has been like that for about 4 years but it had taken me that long to consider it.  One of the things that was holding me back was why get rid of the existing cover which is still in excellent condition.

While we were away I suddenly realised that the doona cover on our bed would look perfect on the bed in the guest room and then I could justify buying a new one for our bed.

2012-09-21 01Here is the revamped guest room.

On Wednesday we looked for a new cover which proved to be quite a challenge as it is obvious that the colours in our room (Wedgewood blue with cream trim) are  definitely not the latest trend.  Most of the bed linen was either neutrals in cream/grey/coffee palettes or bright geometric designs.  However, I eventually found something suitable.

2012-09-21 02I also bought another cover in a grape colour with a muted floral design.  I will use that during the winter months for a change.  This is the first time that I have ever had bed linen to change with the seasons.  Thanks to the sale prices, I was able to buy the 2 covers for the full price of just one of them.

I am very happy with the results of my rearrangement of the bed linen.  Now I have  the bedspread which was on the guest bed to put away in the linen cupboard while I consider its fate.

Most of our furnishings/colours are relatively classic and are chosen because they are what we like rather than what is this year’s “must have”.  This can make things difficult at times, especially when you are looking for a colour or design that is not ‘in’.

Do you follow the latest trends in interior design or are you happy with what you have?  Any tips for updating on a budget?

Project 333 – Packing

2 Comments

It is now 8 days until we leave home on our overseas adventure.  The last 5 months of planning and preparation are now coming to fruition.  In that time I have streamlined my wardrobe, looked critically at the pieces I own and considered how they fit with my lifestyle and activities.  I have kept in mind what I expected to take on this trip and now it is all laid out on the spare bed and ready to go.

Trousers – 2 pairs of travel pants which have zip-off legs so I essentially have 2 pairs of shorts as well.  They are lightweight, easy to wash and dry quickly.

2012-08-11 01Singlet tops – These can be worn as a layer of underwear or as a tank top on hot days.

2012-08-11 02Summer tops – 2 basic coloured tops for warm days.  These will be useful for layering as well.

2012-08-11 03Short-sleeved tops – a couple of faithful items that have seen many years (and holidays) wear.

2012-08-11 043/4 sleeve tops – Red  striped top shown here and I will also take an identical black striped one.  Great for slightly cooler days and fitted so they can easily be worn under another layer.

2012-08-11 05Rugby tops – These are both in excess of 12 years old but in good condition and perfect for at home and travelling.

2012-08-11 06Polar fleece jacket – I bought this especially for this trip.  It will go over other layers and will be good if we encounter colder weather towards the end of the trip when we head further north.

2012-08-11 07Spray jacket – this will keep me dry in case of inclement weather but is also windproof and will be useful if worn over other layers.

2012-08-11 08Thermal tops – 2 synthetic thermal tops do not take up much space but will add warmth if needed.

Socks -2 pairs for my shoes and 1 for the boots.

2012-08-11 10Shoes – I am taking 3 pairs of footwear – walking sandals, hiking boots and general purpose shoes.

2012-08-11 11Hat – for hot, sunny days.

2012-08-11 12Winter accessories – scarf, beanie and gloves in case we encounter cold weather which is definitely possible, especially if we go into the mountain areas of New Hampshire.

2012-08-11 13I still need to add my underwear.  I have kept everything to a minimum, made sure everything mixes and matches and chosen items which are easy to wash and dry.

We will be taking a pegless clothesline with us and will wash out things every day or two as required.  My holiday mantra is, “No-one is every going to see us again so it simply does not matter whether I wear the same clothes every second day”.  In fact my holiday photos for the last 10 years feature many of the same clothes as I am packing for this trip!