All posts tagged: Minimising

Stuff I’ve Stopped Buying

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Stage one of decluttering is complete! I was so tired of trying to organise and store things I was holding onto for daft reasons – the silliest being ‘I might use that one day’. If it’s been stored out of sight for more than six months, there is a good chance I’ve forgotten it, and if that’s the case, I certainly don’t need it. I do not want to get into this state again, so I thought about things I really don’t need to buy anymore. I have based this list on some of the things I’ve just removed from my precious space. Books. This is probably a shocker. I do enjoy reading, but I do not enjoy having to find a space for a book once I’ve read it, so I plan to only buy for my kindle in future. My collection of books is down to twelve and I’m almost happy with that. I can probably reduce to ten. Magazines. I actually quit buying these ages ago. I use an app called Zinio …

Easy Online Minimising

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The Brexit vote kicked me hard. I’ve been deeply depressed about it since it happened, not only because of the suffering it will cause me and my family, but the awfulness it has unleashed on so many people. It’s horrible in every way, and it threw me into a dark pit. At the beginning of the year, I decided I couldn’t continue being so sad, and I began to take steps to make myself feel better. Living with so much uncertainty is hard, so I had to find a way to deal with the fact that uncertainty is the new normal. I identified that my most immediate need was to reduce the ‘noise’ around me because there was a lot of it, especially online. The first thing I did was unsubscribe from email lists. I was getting a lot of newsletters, advertisements, and updates that I didn’t need or want. Most of the time the ‘unsubscribe’ link worked, but occasionally, I’ve had to contact companies directly to ask them to remove me from their mailing …

Clothing Reduction

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It was unpleasant realising my clothing consumption was out of control. My wardrobe was full of things I didn’t wear, and I stood many mornings in my dressing gown thinking that today would be the day I finally went to work naked. How did it come to this? Why did I have have garments with the tags still on hanging unloved and unworn in my closet? After a bit of reflection, I began to figure out where I was going wrong.  It was not a nice process. I was doing dumb things. Sales. Yes, that dress is ok, I guess, but knock 30% off and it becomes more attractive. But does it really? No, it does not. It goes into the wardrobe to hang for a year and it never gets worn because I don’t really like it. I just bought it because it was cheaper. That’s the definition of a false economy. Body Denial. Does this garment fit my shape? I am not slim and I’m quite short, and while the outfit looks fabulous …

The Minimiser

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Today I’m decluttering my office in a ruthless fashion. I’ve been on a bit of a journey since February. I wouldn’t say I’m becoming a minimalist, but I am minimising. Does that make me a minimiser? I’m not sure, but I’ll go with that for now. It’s a frustrating process, probably because I’ve begun with the unseen – my wardrobe, cupboards, and drawers. I’m unable to stand in the middle of the room and survey my progress, so the feeling of accomplishment is fleeting. It’s also an uncomfortable process as it’s forced me to face up to stupid choices I’ve made through the years: loads of nail varnishes I’ll never wear, clothes I bought on sale just because they were cheaper, and handbags. Oh lord, the handbags. How much money have I wasted? And how could that money have been better spent? Or even saved? Just the thought of it is enough to halt my progress. But I can’t let that happen. For years I have tried to fill up the inadequacies I’ve felt with …