Five More Reasons Why Decluttering Is The Way Forward
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 |
| My shelves, one day soon. Livet Hemma via Pinterest |
Every day I get more and more excited about the idea of The Great Decluttering. (Note the use of the word "idea" - obviously, I am yet to put any of my plans into action. The excitement may be short-lived.) There are just so many amazing benefits that hadn't even occurred to me!
Key benefits include:
1. Dramatic reduction in number of emotional meltdowns triggered by opening the hall cupboard. (*shudder*)
2. Excuse to spend more quality time with the Hubster. Sorting piles of my stuff into new, different piles counts as quality time, right?
3. Real possibility that I might find in obscure and improbable places things that I had long written off as lost. Like my cookbook. Or my ability to remain fresh-faced after ten drinks and four hours' sleep.
4. Let's be honest, a rich and varied source of blog material. It's already been two posts in two days, and there's plenty more where that came from. It even has a tag of its very own. Be warned.
5. Lastly, and most excitingly, MORE SPACE. And do you know what more space means?
MORE STUFF.
MORE STUFF.
Oh yes, I am already mentally filling those soon-to-be-empty shelves and cupboards with lots of lovely goodies. But fear not, I have learned my lesson: no more useless cheap crap for me! (Except those, erm, £10 Asda shoes I bought the other day. But that was before I started The Great Decluttering, so they totally don't count.) From now on, I am channelling William Morris and choosing only that which I know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. And because I am now an adult, and have therefore developed the ability to exercise restraint and self-discipline and all that sort of adulty stuff, I have made a list (did I mention I love lists?) of said lovely goodies so I can weigh up the pros and cons, maybe even save up a little money first, instead of just rushing out and buying them. Go me.
So! Key lovely goodies include:
1. A wedding album from Lillian and Leonard
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| Image by Lillian and Leonard |
I knew revisiting all of our wedding photos last week would be a bad idea. Now I am lusting after these beautiful albums and wishing I could have one of my own in my hands so I could smell it. Yes, that's right, smell it. Soft leather and pristine pages all wrapped up in one pretty parcel - yum.
2. A fancypants camera
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| Limited edition camera print, $20, Michele Maule |
For our wedding anniversary, Fin and I gave each other gift vouchers (not the most imaginative interpretation of "paper anniversary", especially when they actually turned out to be gift cards, but never mind). His present to me was a voucher for a camera shop. The budget we set ourselves was small, and the little card is a long way short of being enough for a proper camera of my own, but it is a start, a first step towards bringing a little bit more creativity into my life.
Besides, I'm going to need to take some decent pictures of my soon-to-be empty shelves to show you. Lucky you!
3. A Catbird ring
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| Alphabet and heart rings, from $88, Catbird |
The story of my engagement ring is a whole saga in itself. Maybe one day I'll find a way to tell it to you that won't end up in me offending anyone. Suffice to say, I love it because it is my engagement ring, and no other ring could replace it, but occasionally I like to dabble in a wee game I call fantasy ring shopping. Some days I lust after huge diamond whoppers; other days, dainty vintage pieces. But the ring that always makes my heart the happiest is this little heart ring from the uber-cool Catbird NYC. One day it will be mine. Oh yes. It will be mine.
4. A book about writing
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| Probably not this one though, although I do like that cover. |
Some of you have been kind enough to say that you like my writing. A couple of you have even urged me to write a book (most memorably Fin, who cannot be accused of underestimating my writing skillz). Well, there isn't much prospect of that happening any time soon, but I do love writing. Working to get better at something you love can never be a waste of time, so if anyone has any book recommendations for a language-loving grammar geek, please let me know.
5. A puppy!!
This, too, is a whooooole other post. And we haven't made any decisions yet. Fin and I have spent the evening vaccilating between cooing over pedigree puppies and welling up at tales of lop-eared rescue dogs who just want to be loved. We may not even get one at all (if you are my landlord, don't worry, we are definitely not getting ANY type of pet. Honest) but, secretly, I really hope we do. I will, of course, keep you posted.
What's on your lust list?
5. A puppy!!
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| Via Coton de Tuléar facebook group |
This, too, is a whooooole other post. And we haven't made any decisions yet. Fin and I have spent the evening vaccilating between cooing over pedigree puppies and welling up at tales of lop-eared rescue dogs who just want to be loved. We may not even get one at all (if you are my landlord, don't worry, we are definitely not getting ANY type of pet. Honest) but, secretly, I really hope we do. I will, of course, keep you posted.
What's on your lust list?
20 boats moored
Oooohh I really hope you find your cookbook, read the story and I was like... should be somewhere.
ReplyDeleteLustlist:
-Also a fancy camera
-A huge world map for our wall
-I always want dresses. And then the weather does not permit that I wear them. But I still want some. Start again.
-Mmm... airplane tickets, can I get some ?
I read that as a book about wiring, which seemed like an interesting choice.
ReplyDeleteWe've been de-cluttering for two years, we still live in chaos.
lust list
ReplyDelete* two kittens (one called atlas and one called asta)
* new glasses that are the right prescription so i can actually see
*pair of shoes with no holes in
*jeans that are still in shape
aware much of this is fairly basic, but i am so far beyond student skint its not really funny any more. never mind, one day! i am a fan of decluttering if it is to make room for more stuff. who wants to live in a minimalist, empty, cold house? i want my shit all around me in all its warm, lived-in glory.
Cara, obviously a book about wiring is on the list as well. Every girl needs one of those. And as for the chaos, well, if you will insist on cluttering up your house with TWO BABIES, what do you expect?
ReplyDeleteWe are desperate for a puppy! Rather than decluttering our home I'm aiming to declutter my life and am aiming to have changed jobs, moved, got a puppy, and generally got better at organising myself by Christmas. Hmm...
ReplyDeleteWe've on a great declutter since coming back from mini-moon... call it living with 'wedding stuff' for 6 months and never having a tidy flat (ever!) so we're now on a major tidyathon. The amount of stuff we have chucked/charitied/freecycled is unreal – and still my shelves will never look like that first pic. Ever.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Yes get a puppy. That won't help with the clutter though! ;)
We have one of those hall cupboards filled with crap *shudder* and decluttering has been on my to do list for months.
ReplyDeleteSo far all we have implemented is a one chair in - one chair out policy to stop our house ending up like a chair graveyard
my problem is i still go to thrift stores.
ReplyDeletenote: do not make a hobby of wading through other peoples' discarded items if you plan to "declutter."
If you want a book about writing I do not recommend the Chicago 15th. I have it (indeed, I wrote about about it because I love it so) but it isn't really about writing per-se, it's more about rules for Academic writing. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to own it but it's really expensive so you might want to think about a different one.
ReplyDeleteAlso, what's this? Are you thinking about Becoming A Writer (In Caps Because That Makes It Serious)? I feel a video chat session coming on...
Ha, Becoming A Writer, no, not really, not properly anyway. Just for my own pleasure. And no, I wasn't really thinking of getting that particular book - not least because I'd have to go through it with a pen changing all the "z"s to "s"s - I just like the cover (shallow). But yes to videochats, always!
ReplyDeleteHa, I read this as I sit in the mess of the last few years of my life (metaphorical although mostly actual).
ReplyDeleteI'm onto my 5th bin bag of rubbish. Umpteenth for charity and still there is so much more.
Oh stuff, I wish I didn't love you so very much.
I have a stack of books culled from our erupting bookshelves. It's been "decluttered" as far as the floor. Now it needs to be decluttered all the way to the library... It's a Sisyphean effort to keep up with the flow... Good luck hanging on to your motivation!
ReplyDeleteWe moved flats twice over the last 12 months, which was exhausting but helped with the de-cluttering project, and still, recently, I managed to fill three bags with clothes I didn't wear anymore and donated them to charity shops. so my advice is - definitely de-clutter before you move flats!
ReplyDeleteI love decluttering. Maybe a little too much, as in often I don't have the right pair of shoes or the perfect scarf because, yep, I've already decluttered it.
ReplyDeleteMy motivation is living in a tiny tiny cottage. We are thinking of making an understairs cupboard but as Kiara says, this will just end up full of crap so maybe it's a bad idea. Who needs suitcases anyway? Or 10 bags for life? Or two tops that are the same colour? That's right, not me.
I should defo hire myself out as a declutterer...any takers? Or recommend even smaller houses for you lot to live in. It really worked for me.
x
I too need to confess that I need to declutter... my 1 bedroom flat seems to hoard the contents of a 5 bedroom house! Despite my OCD, I just don't think it's in my nature to get rid of stuff... I think I'm either too sentimental or just like making excuses for having 70 pairs of shoes.
ReplyDeleteP.S. first time I have read your blog, pretty impressed!
I think you should write a book. You're a great writer.
ReplyDeletealso you might check out this camera: http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_Camera/PowerShot/PowerShot_S95/
ReplyDeleteIt's a great camera to learn on, and I know a lot of pro photographers who carry it around for fun. It has all manual functions, it shoots in RAW, and also video. It has an incredably intuitive design, it has tools to help you learn composition skills, and the picture quality is very good. I've recommended to all of my friends who are interested in photography, and I've given many tutorials on how to use it, so if you do consider get it hit me up. Then when you do get a DSLR you'll have a really good idea of how to use it.
had to geek out there for a sec, now I'm done.
A puppy? You're gonna need a HUGE shelf. As a teacher myself, August is all about the decilitre. This year Ive started early and already made headway on the "cupboard of doom", giving 4 bin bags to Oxfam. Will I miss the lime green belt? I highly doubt it.
ReplyDeleteFirst time ive read your blog and I love it! :-)
Declutter. Damn smartphones.
ReplyDeleteHi Luci, I'm glad you like it :) I was actually wondering if decilitre was some kind of fancy French term for decluttering - erm, clearly not!
ReplyDeleteOh and why do we need a shelf?? Am a bit worried now, we are clueless about puppies...
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