Saturday 18 February 2012

confessions

Confession no. 1...I live in mess
I borrowed a book from a friend the other day called Organized Simplicity which has spurred me into a clearing out frenzy. I have been avoiding dealing with my ever growing stash of stuff for a long time but suddenly its time to get rid! It must be a Spring thing. The down side is that as I delve into the crud and try to sort I'm feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff I've accumulated over the years. Kids stuff, craft stuff, kitchen stuff...agggghhhh stuff. Anyway, todays mission was the "craft" room whih has become a catch -all for stuff that doesn't have a home in our home.

To cut a long story short, this is what I would like.....





This is what I have....

Bit of a way to go yet (an understatement indeed!) Unfortunately, you cannot put anything against the outside walls or it goes damp and we also have to squash in our wardrobes and drawers as our bedroom is only just big enough for a bed and nothing much else.My friend summed it up perfectly for me really when she said that she can't even begin to start simplifying because the reality is so far from the ideal catalouge style image you have in your head of how you want things.  Like I've said before, it really feels overwhelming, which seems quite ridiculous and such a spoilt western world problem but a feeling nonetheless! 


Confessions no.2... I spend way too much of the precious little of the child-free time I have staring googley eyed at the computer. Looking for inspiration, looking at other peoples lives, procrastinating and faffing about (like I'm doing now...)
duuuuuh
I know I'm incedibly lucky to have a home and food and time to create but I feel ashamed at the amount of "stuff" that I'm consuming.  I will pay greater respect and attention to where products come from, how they are made and who they are made by. I have been doing this for a while but this past week has bought everything into focus. We need more room to breathe, play and create in and less stuff!

This years mantra   "Simplify, simplify, and simplify"

 and some inspiring quotes I'm loving at the moment...

... "Whatever we treasure for ourselves seperates us from others; our possesions are our limitations" Rabindranath Tagore

... "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful"
William Morris

and I love this one ..."It is through creating not possessing that life is revealedVida D. Scudder

Peace x

(there are so many more confessions but I'll save the interesting ones for later ;) ha! )

25 comments:

  1. you're right. However I take a lot of hand me downs and sometimes its too much. The kids always play longer and better (I guess that's the word) when there is less and its organized...

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    1. Too right, mine definately seem to play longer with things when there is less around..and the less there is around the less my little terror James can tip out and throw around the room! and hand me downs are the cause of a lot of my stuff too!

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  2. That picture of you is awesome!! I think I have the exact same facial expression for a good portion of the day... ;)

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    1. My "guitar face" is even better..its googley eyed and tounge sticking out the side!...actually I probably look like it when I'm concentrating on anything!

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  3. This has happened to me so many times! After I uproot everything I always realize just how much stuff I really have...
    I love the spaces you picked for inspiration!

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    1. It's most shocking when I've moved house and had to pack all the stuff. I'd love to keep whittling down until just the useful and beautiful was left..but it may take me a lifetime!

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  4. That book sounds great, just what I need as I also live in a house that resembles yours in almost every way including the damp walls.
    Hope you are enjoying the spring sunshine. Hope to see you soon. x

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    1. oh the joys of old cottages! Would love to catch up soon!

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  5. My home is the same with the amount of stuff i have hoarded over the 5 years we have been here - now having a declutter as want to put the house up for sale. Our spare room has also become a dumping ground for everything lol Scarlett x

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    1. I think most folks spare rooms are the same! Good luck with your house! x

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  6. Oh dear I so need that book!!

    I find it very difficult to throw things out and when I start rummaging through stuff it takes me hours as I remember bits and bobs about it!

    Well done you on doing a great job.

    Yes, like you I spend too much time on the computer!

    Love the photo.

    Happy Sunday


    x Fiona


    ps 4th time trying to pass word verification
    it is such a nuisance, maybe you will disable it and make it easier for oldies like me!!!

    5th time coming up......

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    1. oops I thought I had turned the word verification off..I'll try and sort it now! and you are so right about reminiscing as you sort out stuff. i spent about half an hour just reading through old letters and looking at photos in the midst of chaos yesterday. x

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  7. OK: get Mr Dotty to take the kids out for the day.

    Clear out the room completely.

    Put furniture (for your crafting) in: including shelves & everything you want for organisation. Get it all exactly as you need to it to be.

    Bring back in ONLY the stuff you want to use in that room - have 2 binbags for recycling to charity/friends.

    Anything that doesn't find a home or you can't decide about YOU DON'T NEED!!!!!

    Happy to come and help if you want, tho I warn you I can be pretty ruthless ;-) (It doesn't show I know, I live in a shit-tip! HA! So much easier to give advice than follow it yourself!!)

    lots of love xxxxx

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    1. so true..but i need about a month of child free time!! Thanks for the offer of help, may take you up on it when I don't feel so ashamed by the sheer volume of crud! See ya soon bird xx

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  8. Have you been sneaking into my house and taking photos of my spare room? I call it the spare room but really it's the junk room that dreams of being a study/ craft room.

    I always find closing the door on the junk always helps my conscience. ;0)

    Madison xxx

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    1. I would close the door but theres too much stuff in the way...aggghhhhh help! x

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  10. dear dear, it seems we have a lot in common!

    ... but our small possessions are a proof of our vulnerability.. isnt'it?
    even if we keep them not in an order ; )

    love to you

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    1. so true (and beautifully put!). I always feel very exposed and vulnerable when I sell my belongings at carboots or craft fairs, sometimes its quite shocking to see all the things layed out that I no longer want or need....there are so many things! x

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  11. Oh, your post makes me squirm a bit. I'm right there with you. I am currently so disorganized, I can't find much of what I need. Just trying to work up the strength to jump in on a clean up. Love your picture!

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  12. I'm still trying to summon up the energy to sort it out...am still very much living in a state of disorganized chaos! It is so annoying when you can't find what you need, I'm hoping I can turn the frustration into motivation...but I'm still waiting! :)

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  13. good on you for making a start!

    it really is just a matter of 'one box at a time'. it always feels overwhelming because we look at the whole picture and the final dream ideal. when all we really need to do is throw something out, even just one thing today.

    good luck!!!! you can do it!!!!

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  14. Thanks, definately taking it one small step at a time but I'm slowly there!! very slowly!!

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  15. Hey!! I just wanted to say hi :) I feel like a big dork because two weeks ago I was replying to this comment you wrote me, and then I lost what I was writing because of my crappy internet. Anyhow I finally wrote you back on the post, two weeks late! In case you don't feel like scrolling through to find the thing, thanks for writing me that day. :) Hugs from me

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  16. Hello, ive just landed on your page from someone elses blog and saw your dilema with the damp wall. I put pieces of insulation board against mine and it solved the problem. Not mega attractive but it worked and at least its white and by the time I had covered it with all my stuff you couldnt see it anyway.
    Best wishes
    Lynn
    One I Made Earlier Today

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