Category Archives: Organising

The Final Step

6 Comments

I read somewhere that doing the washing should not be about putting a load of washing in the machine.  It should be about closing the loop, that is, washing should include the full process of getting worn and grubby clothes back to a state where they are ready to be worn again.  Therefore, hanging them on the line to dry, bringing the dry washing in, sorting, folding, ironing and putting away the clean clothes should all be included in the process.

From my observations, ironing and cleaning the oven seem to be in a class of their own when it comes to the universal dislike of jobs.  I actually do not mind ironing but sometimes find it difficult to find the time as I prefer to do the whole lot in one go.  Due to our streamlined wardrobes I cannot leave it for too long as then we would have nothing to wear so on the weekend I did a spot of procrastinating which masqueraded as organising.

Hanging rack
I have a hanging rack where I hang the clothes once they are ironed but I decided to hang them before ironing so that I could see exactly how much I had to do and could easily fetch the next item as I was ready.  I also sorted the things that do not go on hangers into a pile of mine and a pile of clothes belonging to The Duke as well as linens and handkerchiefs in a separate pile.

Piles of ironing
I did the ironing early this morning and found that my procrastination strategy actually paid dividends.  I find it easier and quicker to get into a rhythm of ironing the same type of item – I do all of the shirts or all t-shirts in one go.  By having things sorted I saved time.  I also decided that I would place all of the t-shirts together once they were ironed and then fold them up at the end of the session.  This saves time by not disturbing the rhythm as well as saving money.  I am not wasting time folding while the iron is sitting idle and using electricity to maintain the heat.

Ironed tees
This method does not work for items such as The Duke’s shorts which are folded as part of the process of ironing them.

Shorts

Sorting the ironing and hanging the items on hangers started as a bit of a joke but it is a process that I will continue in an effort to further streamline what I do.

Clothes hangers
I know that some people always hang shirts and dresses on hangers rather than pegging them on the line to dry.  I do not generally do this, although I have 3 plastic clips that peg onto the line and you can feed the hanger through the hole.  The hangers stay in place in even the windiest weather.  I inherited these from my mother-in-law and have considered looking for more.  I checked online but cannot see the same style, however, I found this website which has an equivalent product.  It is UK-based so guess what I will be bringing home in my suitcase in September!

Project 333 – A Gent’s Perspective

4 Comments

When I first met The Duke, he owned 6 shirts – one for each day of the week plus one for going out.  His weekend tasks included washing and ironing the shirts ready for the coming week.  Since then the shirt collection has grown substantially and I wash and iron the shirts.  In fact, I managed to score the task of ironing from quite early in our relationship.

Last weekend the ironing did not get done so by the end of the second week his business shirt collection was pretty well exhausted.  Seeing the shirts that The Duke chose not to wear, even when there was almost no choice, helped to confirm that they were shirts that he was not happy with.  In the end these 3 have been earmarked for the op shop.

005
These 2 that were in the wash are also going because, to quote The Duke, “they have seen better days”.

Shirts
We are now back to just 5 business shirts plus perhaps 2 others that could do double-duty as casual /business attire.  I think 2 or 3 more business shirts might be in order, if for no other reason than to take the pressure off me having to get the ironing done every weekend.

That is one aspect of retirement that is quite appealing – not ironing business shirts.

A minimalist wardrobe certainly helps to see exactly what you wear and what stays on the hanger from season to season without being worn.

Foodie Friday – A Shopping List

2 Comments

Shopping lists are an essential ingredient if you are to have an organised approach to planning and preparing nutritious meals for your family.  They were around long before the days of personal organisers, smartphones and endless ‘to do’ lists.  My mother has always written her list on the back of a used envelope and I tend to use some sort of scrap or excess paper.

I imagine that the process of writing a list goes back to when shopping day was a major expedition, perhaps by horse and buggy, and it was vital to buy everything that was required for a month or longer.  No popping into the supermarket after work to pick up something for dinner and ending up with $50 worth of impulse buys.

Each week I buy fresh fruit and vegetables for the week plus a few basic items that I need from the supermarket. Although I write a list every week, it really comes into its own when I shop for pantry staples at Simply Good.  I try to do this about every 3 – 5 months as it is a 90km round trip.  I am not using a horse and buggy but I do have a regard for both the environmental impact of driving that distance as well as my time and energy.

Last Saturday was a big shopping day so we set out early.  Our first stop was Simply Good, followed by Aldi, fruit and vegetable stall, the local butcher and finally the Co-op.  I checked the pantry and refrigerator before writing a comprehensive list to ensure that nothing was forgotten.  The list does vary from time to time but this will give you a broad idea of the sorts of ingredients I buy.

Shopping list
As you can see, most of what we eat is whole foods cooked from scratch so I am buying ingredients – not meals.   We eat a gluten-free diet and some of the items reflect this choice.

Next week I will show you my pantry and discuss the storage and organisation which works for me.

Must Watch

Leave a comment

There is a relatively small amount of information and resources for Australians and it gives me great pleasure to share a link to a video which is made by Australians, about the Australian situation, using Australian statistics and information.  The video is titled ‘Waste Deep’ and was produced by the group at Sustainable Table.  The headline is “Waste Deep, a documentary that will change the way we cook and eat”.

This is not an over-the-top production designed for its shock value.  It simply and eloquently states the case for all of us to dramatically reduce our acceptance of plastic packaged, perfect food and the culture of convenience.

Please watch the video, preferably more than once.  Listen to the message and commit to acting to make a difference.  We all can make a difference.

Sustainable eating
Some of the themes are menu planning, growing your own food, reducing the amount you buy at supermarkets, supporting bulk/loose food stores, taking you own containers to be refilled, buying direct from the farmer or Farmers’ Markets and reducing before recycling.

Although this is an Australian video, the message and actions are applicable wherever you live.

What are you already doing?  What are you going to do?  Please share your thoughts and ideas so that we can build an online network to follow these principles and make a difference.

Cable Chaos – An Update

1 Comment

Thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday’s post with their many suggestions.  As you can probably guess from the brevity of the post, I wrote it in a hurry and did not go into a great deal of detail.

I have already tried some of your suggestions and while they are reasonably successful, I am looking for a more permanent, long-term solution.

Elastic bands perish over time.
The twist ties are pretty good but things tend to get caught up when they are all in the one box.
Blending with the decor is not a huge issue as the box or other container is stored on top of the filing cabinet in the cupboard.
I made labels from sticky labels but the paper wore out and they fell off.

Shelstar sent me a link from Pinterest which showed this re-purposed bread box.  It is clever but not quite what I am looking for.

Phone chargers
However, in the same link there was one solution that did catch my eye.

Cable organiser
It is only cardboard but I really like the principle of this and I immediately thought of some pieces of plywood that we have and how I could make a similar box.

I am now busily designing a cable storage box and hopefully I will be able to share the successful results in the not too distant future.

Planning is the Key

6 Comments

As I sat down at my desk on Saturday morning to write a menu plan for the week, I started to think about how much planning goes into keeping our lives running smoothly.

Menu plan
I have always menu-planned to some degree but I have now developed a routine which works for us.  Every Saturday morning I write a plan for the next  7 – 10 days.  I keep in mind what food I have in the refrigerator as well as what is available in the garden.  From that I then write a shopping list.  This generally a few basic groceries such as milk and cheese as well as fruit and vegetables.  I buy meat every couple of months and pantry staples about every 3 months.

We have big plans, such as our overseas trip but also small, day-to-day plans that ensure things run smoothly and we work towards achieving our goals.  If this sounds like our lives are totally structured and regimented, think again as nothing could be further from the truth.

Over breakfast on a Saturday morning, either The Duke or I are often heard to say, “So, what are your plans for today?”  Then follows a discussion about what we have individually considered that we need to get done.  It usually centres around shopping, washing, lawn mowing and the like.  The next step is to plan.

On Saturday morning we had to take the dog to the vet at 8.30am so we decided to leave the shopping until Sunday morning and do some outdoor work.  We needed to finish by 4.30pm so we could be cleaned up and head off to dinner and the movies by 6pm.  We planned our outdoor work and achieved a real sense of satisfaction when the jobs were done.  All of the piles of mulch were collected from various spots around the yard, we weeded and mulched the garden bed beside the front steps.  The Duke lightly pruned the roses and we planted 5 more pineapple tops.  The remainder of the mulch was spread under the native shrubs on the front verge.

Since it was drizzling with rain most of the day we then adjourned under the house to start on one of the other jobs on the master list – covering the area which is bare dirt under the verandah with pebbles.  The original plan was to build 3 more low retaining walls to create stepped levels to hold the pebbles in place, however, we have decided to retain the sections using some timber sleepers.  We will also place some along the outside edge to separate the pebbled area from the garden bed outside.  We have calculated how many sleepers, how much weed mat and the volume of pebbles that we will need to complete the job.  The ground has been dug out and is almost at the levels we need so I hope we can get this finished over the next few weeks.

Wall and lattice - finished
Sunday was a different story.  I did the ironing early, before we went to do the shopping in a couple of different locations and came home with the intention of more outdoor work.  One simple message on the answering machine changed that.  A friend had left a message to ask us to come for drinks at 4pm, so I amended the menu plan as I knew we would have plenty of late afternoon/evening nibbles.  I then spent the rest of the day in the kitchen.  I made pizza bases, wraps for our lunches and a chocolate cake (all gluten-free).  I made 1 pizza and took that and the chocolate cake with us that afternoon.  The remainder of the pizza bases are partly pre-cooked and in the freezer.

So, to round off a fairly long-winded story, I think it is important to have a plan, otherwise things can turn into a disorganised jumble and you end up wasting a lot of time.  The organisation that results from these plans allows you the flexibility to change those plans to accommodate things that arise out of the blue.  What do you think?

Bare Necessities

6 Comments

I am constantly astounded by the size of the handbags which many women carry.  On one hand, I read about travelling overseas with only carry-on luggage, yet in real life I see handbags that look as though they could be used to travel  – at least for a weekend.

I often ponder about what they carry in those huge bags.  Have we been conned by yet another bizarre fashion trend which dictates that we carry these bags?  What is so important that it has to go everywhere with us?

My bag bucks the general trend entirely.  I bought it recently in an attempt to consciously downsize what I carry.  I even went so far as to buy a smaller purse/wallet that would take up less space in the bag.

My bag
The bag has a single strap which I have at its longest length so that I can wear it across my body.  Everything that is in the bag has a purpose and is used regularly and mostly every day.

Contents:

Main compartment – wallet, eco shopping bag, sunglasses in case, pen, handkerchief

Main compartment contents
Secondary compartment – small notebook, extra loyalty cards

Secondary compartment contents
Inside pocket 1 – car keys
Inside pocket 2 – mobile phone, railpass and access pass (work)
Inside compartment (zippered) – internet stick, USB drive, other essential keys, lipstick, migraine medication

Contents of inner pockets
Outside compartment (zippered) – iPod and USB charger, USB phone charger

Outside zippered compartment contents
That is it.  I have made a conscious decision to only carry exactly what I need.   Each item has a specific place so I easily know that I have everything that I need.

This is the bag I use every day.  The only exception is a small evening bag which I use a couple of times per year.

What is in your bag?  Do you have a large bag?

My Life Laid Bare

Leave a comment

On Sunday we cleaned and sorted the open concreted area under the house.  This is a large space and The Duke unwittingly took a leaf out of Francine Jay’s book, “The Joy of Less”.  You can read more about the principle of ‘Starting Over’ here.

Everything, and I mean every single thing, was moved and put out in the backyard.  Hence, the rather dramatic title to this post.

Stuff in the backyard

We set about sweeping up the leaves, dirt and other debris then The Duke used the high pressure cleaner.  This process managed to remove all of the paint drips and splatters from when we had painted the fenceposts.  Some people would be appalled at the waste of water but we knew that we had plenty of tank water so that was not a problem.

Under the house
In true decluttering fashion, we wanted to make sure that only things that had good reason to be under the house went back there so we critically assessed the various piles.  It was very easy to see those things that did not deserve to stay.  We actually both made our decisions independently and then when we compared notes it was no surprise that we agreed on what needed to go.

The final step was to rearrange the items that were to be put back.  Since we have finished painting fenceposts, we relocated the scaffold up the the back area and have stacked the posts, rolls of wire and the old kitchen sink on it.  Don’t laugh – we are planning to use the sink.  The plan is to have the sink set up close to the vegetable garden so that we can use it for washing fruit and vegetables.  We cleaned the hanging chairs and once they are rehung we will be able to relax in our refreshed space.

As well as cleaning the area and decluttering a few things, we have been able to identify the things for which we have a planned use.  This has led to new enthusiasm to get some projects done and the materials used rather than stored.

Too Hot to Declutter?

2 Comments

It is easy to make excuses as to why you should not do things.  After not achieving much last weekend, we were keen to make some inroads this weekend.  It was hot yesterday and we managed to fritter most of the day away until late in the afternoon when we did a few jobs in the garden.  I will show you that in another post.  Today was actually predicted to be hotter with a forecast maximum of 36C so we adjourned to the coolest part of the house.  We call this area a cellar although it is not in the true sense of the word.  It is the space underneath the internal staircase, is partially below ground level and 2 walls are concrete block.  All all these things work together to keep the space reasonably cool.

The Duke removed everything from this space so I don’t actually have a before photo.  We dismantled the low shelving which we had placed there when we first moved here.  It was 3 planks of wood and several concrete blocks.  It was the concrete blocks that were the catalyst for this flurry of activity.  We will need them for building more of the low retaining walls under the verandah.  You can see the first one we built here.  The others will not be as high, no will they have the screening on top of the bocks.  More about that another day.

Once everything was out of the cellar we swept it thoroughly and then decided what would actually go back in.  We replaced the dismantled shelving with the shelf unit we built from old explosives boxes.  Next, we repositioned the wine rack from one wall to the other.  This entailed removing all of the bottles so it was a good opportunity to reassess what we have and replace the bottles in a logical order.

Cellar
Finally, there are a few things stacked under the very low part of the stairs.  Card table, boogie board, folding chairs etc.  We did get rid of/move a few things that had been on the old shelving.  We still have plenty of space on the shelf unit to store other things that we find in the workshop that would be better located here.

In the meantime, we are very happy that the cellar is clean and tidy.  It was great to be able to finish this job on a day when it was really too hot to tackle much else.

Do you struggle with getting things done if it is too hot or too cold?  Is it a form of procrastination to blame the weather?