Category Archives: Organising

Back to Basics

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A new year is a good time to remind myself of my aim.  It is to live simply while adhering to the principles of organisation and sustainability.

Today I have done something that ticks both boxes.  It may seem like a small, or almost insignificant action, but I see it as worthwhile.

After doing a trial last year, our council have decided to offer the option of receiving rates notices by email.  When I saw this mentioned in a promotional booklet before Christmas, I sent an request for this option.  I have now registered our details, and while I am not exactly looking forward to our next rates notice, it is good to know that I can receive this notification electronically.  This means that there is no paper used (sustainable), the council saves money on postage and I do not have to handle and file the paperwork as it lands directly in my inbox (organised).

We receive as much correspondence as possible electronically.  This includes statements, phone and internet bills.  There are probably others that I cannot think of right at the moment.  Automatic payments and direct debits also help to streamline and simplify the business of running a household.  By automating as much as possible this leaves more time for doing productive and fun things.

Speaking of productive activities, yesterday The Duke and I planted out 23 rockmelon (cantaloupe) seedlings.  If they all thrive and produce fruit I will be able to run a market stall!  Some were planted in the rather desolate area nicknamed ‘the snakepit’.  It is a barren patch near the low part of the garden and seems to be filled with rubble.  Some months ago I managed to plant a couple of pumpkin seedlings which i had rescued from the compost heap and they are doing well.  I counted at least 10 tiny pumpkins growing on the vine yesterday.

Do you receive mail electronically or have automatic payments set up in order to streamline the business of running your household?  What other strategies do you use?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Goals & A Resolution

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I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions but I do have goals and I resolve to achieve them.

My goals so far for 2012 are:

  • Scan and digitise all of my photographs as described in my previous post – I am well underway with all of the items scanned.  Now I have to sort, file and save them which is a mammoth job.
  • Buy Christmas fabric and make reuseable Christmas gift bags in a variety of sizes to suit all gifts.  The fabric is bought.
  • Consolidate all of my addresses, telephone numbers (landline and mobiles) and email addresses into one comprehensive list which is complete and identical in all loactions – hard copy address book, contacts on the computer and the address book on my mobile phone.
  • Have the bathroom renovated.  Spend only on essentials in order to save enough for this project.  I need to start getting quotes and also look for fixtures and fittings.

There will be other things that come up along the way but these are the things I have identified and am determined to achieve.

I am going to read some more of ‘Simplify’.  I am making fairly slow progress as I am usually ready to sleep pretty much as soon as my head hits the pillow at night but I promise I will let you know what I think of it once I have read the whole book.

A Big Project

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I have been debating for some time about how best to arrange my photographs.  I have about 1500 prints in albums, a shoebox full of prints, hundreds in digital format on my computer and the prospect of this number continuing to increase.

As it stands, we rarely look at the albums, never sift through the shoebox and occasionally look at the ones on the computer.  We mostly look at the holiday ones which are actually sorted and categorised which makes it easy to select what we want to view.

2011-12-30 01So my project for 2012 is to have all of my photos sorted and filed.  I have started by scanning the photos in the albums.  The first 650 are done and I hope to have the 5 albums scanned by the time I go back to work after the long weekend.

I have had fun looking at some of them as I go along.  Here is one you might like.  Note the boxes stashed under the change table.  That was one of my storage solutions for my ‘stuff’.

I plan to keep a full set on the computer as well as a couple of USB sticks kept in different locations as well as uploaded to the web.  Hopefully this will minimise the chance of them all being wiped out by a disaster.

Our current television is networked with the computer so it is easy to view the photos directly on the screen in the lounge room.

I will also be able to put together a selection of relevant photos on DVD for Missy and Belle so that they have a record for themselves.

So, what am I hoping to achieve?

1  The photos in a sensible order and easy to access format so that we can view and enjoy them rather than having them stashed away gathering dust.

2  Not leave an uncatalogued jumble for someone else to sort out when I am gone.

3  Declutter the albums from the bookshelves.

This will all take time but I am pleased that I have made the decision to do it and I am clear in what I want to achieve and how I will do it.

Alongside working on my photos I will be continuing to streamline and simplify both my home and my life.

I have just downloaded a new book to my Kindle.  It is Simplify by Joshua Becker.  I found it on his blog, Becoming Minimalist.  I am off to read it shortly and will let you know what I think.  It is good to see as many perspectives as possible on a subject and minimalism is no exception.

Do you have any big goals for 2012?  I would love to hear what you have planned.

NOTE:  Friday Favourites is on holidays but will be back next week ready for 2012.

Decluttered At Last

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Tonight I want to share the result of some of my decluttering.  Here are the bookshelves in the study.

2011-12-21 01I have finally got them pretty much as I want.  It has taken ages to do and the study is still not finished.  There is still ‘stuff’ on the desk which will stay there until I deal with it and make a decision because if I put it away it will never get properly sorted out.

We have quite a lot of books and find it hard to part with them.  I have managed to be a bit ruthless this time and hopefully we will not accumulate too many more as we both have Kindle e-readers now.  I would recommend them to anyone who is trying to limit the physical books that they have on the shelf.

Do you have any technology that helps to reduce the clutter?

Be Prepared

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Here we are in the third week of December and everyone’s thoughts are firmly focused on Christmas celebrations.

There are other things we should be thinking about at this time of the year as well.  The weather bureau is expecting a low pressure system which is south-east of Papua New Guinea to develop into the first cyclone of the season, probably within the next 48 hours.  You can see the details here.  While it is unlikely to directly affect Queensland in the immediate future, it is worth remembering that cyclones can be extremely unpredictable.

Regardless of where you live or what natural disasters are a threat to your region, you should have both an evacuation plan and arrangements which ensure that you can survive  in your home or current location without supplies or resources for at least 3 days (minimum).

Part of being organised is that it is easy to decide what to take if you have to leave in a hurry, or conversely, being able to function with what you have for at least a few days.  I have no intention of being in the queue for toilet paper and other basic necessities in the last 12 hours as a cyclone or flood approach.

What plans do you have in place in the event of a natural disaster?

Making a List & Checking It Twice

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6 days until Christmas and I am beginning to feel like it is all coming together.  I have crossed a few more things off the list today and this is what the list looks like now.

Tonight:

Finish making food gifts for home-made hampers
Email Christmas letter to most of my friends/relatives
Finish writing the last few cards – I don’t send many (see above)
Write down menu plan (it is in my head) for the rest of the week and weekend
Make carry bag to go with gift for child at Royal Children’s Hospital

Tuesday:

Work
Print letter to go with cards and post
Look for last part of present for Belle
Volunteer morning at Royal Children’s Hospital – take gift (unwrapped)

Wednesday:

Work

Thursday:

Work

Friday:

Children’s Christmas party at work (Miss O and Izz attending)

Saturday:

Buy fruit and veg (fruit stall open from 6am)
Buy mayonnaise and yoghurt
Assemble hampers
Enjoy Christmas Eve with family

Aside from the list there is the usual washing and ironing.  The floors will get swept and washed at the end of the week but other than that I am happy that I am prepared.

I think all of my decluttering and streamlining this year has helped.  All is well.

How are your Christmas preparations going?

How Much is Enough?

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The essence of minimalism and the inherent decluttering is having enough.  So, the question is, “How much is enough?”

I know it is more than enough and there are still some items that are rarely or never used but this is my linen cupboard.

Linen cupboard
Here is a reasonably comprehensive list of what linen I have.  This includes the contents of the cupboard and what is currently in use.

Bath mats x 4
Bath towels (our use) x 10
Bath towels (guest use) x 4
Hand towels x 8
Face washers x 18
Beach towels x 3
Travel towel (microfibre) x 1
Chamois x 1
Kitchen hand towels x 5
Tea towels x 24
Tablecloths x 12
Placemats x 16
Serviettes x 28
Doilies etc x 15
QS sheet sets (our use) x 3
QS sheet sets (guest use) x 4
Single sheet sets (guest use) x 2
Single bed bedspread x 1
Extra pillowcases x2
Aprons x 2

I also have a summer and winter doona for our bed which we use according to the season.  Apart from that we use the same linen all year.  We keep an extra woollen blanket for cold nights and there are 3 sleeping bags which open out flat and double as extra bedding for guest beds if required.

The guest beds are always made up as we regularly have family staying with us for a night or two.

I have achieved this  pared down linen cupboard as a result of trying not to ‘collect’ linen and only buy what I actually need.  As time goes by this will become less because there are some items which I will not replace when they are worn out.

How much linen do you have?  Do you calculate it per person – eg: 2 towels etc?

Minimalism – Everyday Maintenance

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Minimalism and decluttering should not simply be an excuse for a massive clean-up followed by more of the same – buy, buy, buying of stuff.

Downsizing, voluntary simplicity, minimalism – whatever terminology you wish to use – is a complete change of mindset which requires constant vigilance to ensure that clutter does not creep back into your life.

I try to do something every day to streamline my life and enhance the way we live.  Yesterday I unsubscribed from 2 email mailing lists so that is several more emails that I do not have to delete every week.  It is much easier to eliminate things at the source rather than constantly trying remove unnecessary intrusions, regardless of their form.

There is so much we can do to simplify our lives but it is important to remember that we did not acquire all of this ‘stuff’ overnight, so it is a ridiculous goal to attempt to clear out the excess in our lives in a short space of time.    Slow down and appreciate the benefits of the space (mental and physical) you create with every small step.

By creating space you are able to embrace special opportunities that present themselves.  I am looking forward one such occasion tonight.  The Duke and I are going to a show with Belle and Missy.  It will be great to spend time together as a family doing something that means a lot to all of us.  This possible because we have plenty of space in our schedules which is often unusual this close to Christmas.  Over the past few years we have eliminated many of the Christmas functions which we attended due to a feeling of obligation rather than a real desire to celebrate.  Now we do exactly what is important and meaningful to us and a lot of the stress has been removed.

Have you simplified aspects of your life?

What do you organise?

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My organisational goal is based on the old adage, “A place for everything and everything in its place”.  I have not got there yet but am working on it.  My ‘thing’ is hooks to hang things on.  Suction hooks in the bathroom for my shower cap and exfoliating gloves, a hook on the side of a cupboard in the workshop for the key to the roller door, a hook in the kitchen to hang my plastic cutting mats on…….and so the list goes on.

There are lots of other things I try to do in order to make my life more streamlined.  Over the coming weeks I hope to post some photos of some of the ‘little things’ that I find really make a difference.

In the meantime here is a short video that has come to my attention.

Till next time…………..