Meeting a Deadline

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No real time for blogging just now as I have a deadline to meet.

We are going to lunch at our friends’ place on Saturday and we have been requested to bring our photos from our USA trip.  I had nearly 1000 photos from our 4 week trip but the first cull brought that back to just under 600.  I have now got them in order and am looking at them critically  and culling them further.  I hope to have them in a presentable state to show as a slideshow by Saturday.  Wish me luck.

Christmas is presenting other deadlines and the next thing on the agenda will be finishing our Christmas letter – I have some general notes so it just needs to be padded out a bit.  Then I will write the cards that I still send and organise my Christmas email which is actually the majority of my Christmas correspondence these days.

What deadlines do you have looming as the year draws to a close?

Simple Decorating

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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.

Now……..The Fallout

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Did you get sucked into Click Frenzy?

Was it a success or total disaster?  I guess it depends on your point of view and whether or not you were involved.  Now for the ramifications.  Check this news report.

My day was much more sedate.  I did some paid work from home and then spent some time cleaning my living room.

When I decide to clean properly I remove cobwebs and dust from the cornices, clean windows, skirting boards and the floor as well as dusting and polishing the furniture.  It is a big task but definitely worthwhile when it is finished.  I also cast a critical eye over all of the ‘stuff’ and make sure it is still current and relevant.  I did toss a couple of things but generally everything I have here is useful and/or loved.

2012-11-21 01I have not completed the whole room yet but here is the shelving unit which is all done.

Welcome Back Summer!

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I have been away for a few days in Melbourne for a combination of work and pleasure and arrived back late this afternoon to the second consecutive day of wild summer thunderstorms.  Luckily, we have not had the worst of it – just some much needed rain.  The humidity is off the scale and everything is damp.

I have done one load of washing and the second load is in the machine.  There is no point in hanging it on the line in this weather – even though it is under the verandah.  The clothes will just hang limply in the damp air, so it is time to resurrect the indoor clothes airer and dehumidifier.

2012-11-18 01Here is the airer set up in my spare/sewing room.  It is a rotary one and the outside lines are high enough that I can hand jeans/trousers or even sheets on them.

2012-11-18 02The load of washing is hung and there is plenty of space for a second load.

2012-11-18 03I will have the dehumidifier running overnight in the closed room and the washing will be dry in the morning.

Slow and Simple – A Goal For Living

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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.

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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?

A Pile of Clothes & Something For Me

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I am gradually working my way through a pile of clothes that I brought home from Missy’s place nearly 2 weeks ago.  I was helping her to sort and declutter in preparation for her interstate relocation.

Some items were deemed not suitable, too old, worn out or simply no longer loved.  Most would suitable for someone else so they went to the local op shop.

I did score a scarf which Missy no longer wanted.  I am not usually a huge scarf fan but this was a small lightweight one in turquoise, black and beige/gold colours  which caught my eye.  I have worn it twice in less than a week.  The first time was out to dinner when I had a black skirt and 3/4 sleeve top of the same turquoise colour.  The top has a v-neck and no collar so the scarf really finished it off nicely.  Secondly, I wore white 3/4 trousers and a black camisole with a gold tie-up 3/4 sleeve mesh top.  I used the scarf as a belt for the trousers and it added a bit of colour and brought the whole outfit together.  I certainly had not gone out looking for a scarf like this but once I saw the opportunity it fits really well with my existing wardrobe.

Like most people she had some items lurking amongst her clothes which were not wearable for a variety of reasons.  We assessed the viability of each piece and I brought some home for some alteration/mending to return them to fully functional pieces.

The handiwork has included replacing buttons, letting down hems and a multitude of minor adjustments that enhance the wearability of a garment.

One dress gaped where the bodice crossed over but since it was a stretch fabric I just permanently sewed the crossover section.  Another top had fold back cuffs on the armholes which needed to be pressed into place each time before wearing so I stitched them so that it stays in place.  These adjustments are not usually evident at the time of purchase and it is not until you wear an item a few times that you realise that it is not as ‘easy’ to wear as you would like.  Sometimes there is a simple solution that can make all of the difference.

This is the pile that I have finished.  There were some other maintenance jobs like trimming off loose threads and pilled fabric.  All of this combined with washing has created a pile of items with a new lease of life.

I still have a bit left to do but it is not as bad as it looks spread over the ironing board.  Soon it will be a neat pile of wearable clothes.

One of the things that I have learned from my involvement in Project 333 is that nothing deserves a place in your wardrobe unless it is wearable and you love it.

Do you find yourself with a cupboard full of clothes and ‘nothing to wear’?  Perhaps it is time to check out what is lurking in the cupboard.

My Choices

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This afternoon I left work early (3pm) and did the shopping on the way home.  Simply Good where I buy most of my dry goods (flour, seeds, nuts and dried fruit) is only open until 5 pm on weekdays and 9am – 12md on Saturday.  I am happy to support these traditional opening hours that allow retail staff to spend time with their families, however, I do have to be organised as it is about 40km away from where we live.  Since it is on my way to work I decided to drive my car to the railway station nearest to the shop and then do my shopping on the return journey.

I stocked up on all of my usual supplies as well as a couple of extras for some Christmas cooking and I am hoping that I will not need to go again until the New Year.  Aldi supermarket was my next stop and I was particularly to find that the cat food (fish varieties) was back in stock.  Finally, a few things from the fruit and vegetable stall and I was home.  By this time it was almost 6pm but still daylight for another 40 minutes.

When I arrived home I checked for mail, collected the rubbish and recycling bins that had been emptied.  Next it was down to the backyard where I let the chickens out for a run, watered the vegetable gardens and weeded the small bed where the lettuce seedlings are becoming established.  I picked lettuces, collected eggs and organised fresh feed and water for the chickens.

Collect the washing from the line, turn the plastic bags which were drying on the airer, unpack the groceries and decant the loose nuts, seeds etc into their relevant jars.

Then it was time to cut up the chicken and vegetables for the stir-fry and make the sauce.

While I was doing all this it occurred to me that most of these chores exist because of choices I have made, but I would not have it any other way.

I could throw out the plastic bags, put the wet washing in a tumble drier, buy my eggs and all vegetables from the supermarket, buy ready-made prepared meals and convenience foods but I choose not and I am very happy with my choices.

Christmas Countdown

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It is exactly 7 weeks until Christmas Day.  We are planning a relatively simple Christmas .  Belle and her family will be arriving in time for lunch and staying for a night or 2.  We will have 4 children under 7 with us so I am looking forward to sharing the true spirit with them.  We will also spend some time with my mother, sister and brother on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Gifts – I have a couple of small items for the children and will be adding some handmade gifts as well.  None of us need more ‘stuff’.

Meals will be special but definitely not excessive.  It will also be a gluten-free menu and as much as possible,grain-free as well.

We generally do not get involved in the many Christmas parties as our focus is a small, family celebration.  The one exception is Christmas drinks with the neighbours.  We live on a long rural road and this is the only time during the year that we see some of the neighbours.  This year we are hosting the event which simply means that I will sweep the verandah and set out some extra chairs and glasses.  Everyone contributes a plate of finger food and brings their own drinks.

In the meantime, life goes on as usual.  Miss O has a birthday coming up, I have a conference to attend interstate, Missy is relocating to another city and I have deadlines to meet at work.  This is all aside from the day to day routines.

Do you have any special plans for the coming weeks?  Do you celebrate Christmas?

Back Again

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Blogging has taken a back seat this last week as my ‘real’ life has been rather busy.

We have been away for the weekend to catch up with friends and celebrate a ‘milestone’ birthday for my girlfriend.  We had a fabulous time and I have returned refreshed and with renewed enthusiasm after our short break.

I am working through a pile of mending/alterations of clothes for Missy which I have promised I will finish before she moves interstate in a couple of weeks.  I have spent some time helping her declutter and sort some things prior to her move as it is an ideal time to rationalise exactly what you have and what you need.  There is no point in paying to move things that you really do not want to keep.

2012-11-05 01Speaking of things you do not want to keep, this is a pile of fabric that a friend offered to me last week as she did not see the possibility of using it any time soon.  I have accepted it and have space to store it until I start creating.  I think that may be next year as the next 7 weeks are looking pretty busy in the lead-up to Christmas.  However, I already have some plans for some of the fabric and am looking forward to using it.  Thanks, Sandra.

I mentioned that it is 7 weeks until Christmas but my busyness is not really related to a crazy shopping frenzy or significant over-indulgence in food.  It is more about a self-imposed deadline for projects that I want to complete both at home and at work before the end of the year.  More about that in tomorrow’s post.