Friday, 24 February 2017

Decluttering

Today I have had another bit of a clear out, I was looking for a particular top this morning and thought I needed a little sort through.  Many things have just been moved along and put together.  For example summer dresses that I want but don't need yet.  I know many people take all of their seasonal stuff out altogether and rotate but I am not going through that every season.  There is also the fact that some items can span seasons with a top under and thick tights.

There  was also a few items that needed a bit of care.  A dress with a belt loop hanging off, a nice next t-shirt that has always been too baggy, jeans that can turn into shorts and a levi jacket that has always bothered me because the shoulders hang over.  So this little pile has been brought down for action, first up was the levi jacket, I marked where the shoulder should sit by laying another little jacket on top that fits me well.  There was quite a lot of unpicking involved due to all the top stitching.

I have had it years but it is such a lovely soft cord, maybe it will get more wear in the summer now the shoulders are better fitting.

I removed thirteen items of clothing that have not been worn over the past year and that I can't see me wearing again. In truth some of them should have gone with the last lot that went to the charity shop but I don't find this easy as I am not quick to buy new.  There is a little bit of me thinking I might need that so I have to be ruthless with myself.

There were also two books on the pile, a shirt of my husbands (I had permission!) and a fleece one of the boys had outgrown. I have not been far in way of walking due to mad weather yesterday and todays business, just the usual places.   I have begun to do the reupholster job on some seating and curtains for a colleague of my husband, it is for a small caravan. The curtains are finished but she needs more fabric as by the look of it she just guessed and there was no where near enough for all the seating.  So more on that next week.

Quite a few people have gone on their travels, we have done this at February half term in the past but after cold weekends in Amsterdam, Paris, Lego land and Loch Lomond we decided to give this one a miss.  Unless you are following the year round sun it can be a bit chilly and with three dogs now our holidays involve a lot of being outside.

Whatever you have been up to this week I hope you have had a good time, I know a lot of you not working in education will have had a regular week but maybe you managed a day off with the children.


Monday, 20 February 2017

So Much Space

I have been thinking recently about how we view and use our space or more to the point about how I do.  After talking to my husband about putting in another bathroom downstairs we decided against it, the reason being that we manage with the one and we have done so for all this time so is there really a need?  I know there are probably a few wondering how they would do without their second or third bathrooms but it really is just a matter of what you are used to and how you use things.

My sons are now teenagers, the oldest is working and three of us like to shower in the morning and the youngest likes to do so in the evening.  I am first up and out, oldest son goes in straight after me closely followed by the youngest to wash and do his teeth and my husband goes in after that.  It works, we have the occasional shout of hurry up but mostly it is a good system.

But it is not just bathrooms though is it, we seem to be conditioned to believe we need more space when actually we probably spend most of our time in the same areas.  Of course if you have a larger family then you will need more space than a childless couple but sometimes it is about storing stuff.

While out walking yesterday we saw this property for sale and it is also yesterdays picture of the day.
Yes a church that you can live in.

Now I'm not sure if I like the idea, when we got home I looked at the pictures of the interior and as you could see from the outside the building is vast.  Inside while nicely done there is no sense of cosiness, it is just so big.  I would also imagine the upkeep on the exterior would be a money pit but someone will no doubt buy it because they are attracted to the amount of space it offers, which also needs to be heated, cleaned and lit.

We have talked about the possibility that we may move one day when we retire but if we do it would be more about the outlook and the location than the size of the property.  I watched a Ted talk by Graham Hill here where he show off his apartment designs, every item is multifunctional and you make the most of the space you have.  While I wouldn't want such a minimalist look the ideas are super and certainly give us something to think about in our ever expanding population.

So I think I will embrace my one bathroom and be grateful that my sons accept our little rota without complaint and also that I only have the one bathroom to clean.



Saturday, 18 February 2017

Sunny days

We have finally had a bit of sunshine this week so I managed to get  a couple of pictures without a grey sky, yesterday and today.  I went out early for dinner with friends last night so  I'm posting that picture now.


This was from a distance so hazy due to zooming in on a non powerful camera,  nice to see the horses in the fields.  There is a field nearby with alpacas so I may have to wander over and take a photo of them one day next week.

This one is from my walk today I was under the cover of trees so it appears darker than it was.

 Other than getting out with the dogs and doing the food shopping I've not been up to much today but I have decided that from this week I will be saving my receipts from my food shop.  Just to get a clearer idea over the course of a year and also because I am fed up of hearing how our food prices are going to go up so I thought I would monitor it myself.

I don't really buy anything in bulk, I wonder how much could be saved this way so I am going to look into that. I keep the food shop pretty reasonable but there is bound to be somewhere I can improve, I don't have a big freezer so it can't be too much frozen stuff but otherwise I'm curious.

Wintering

 Hello everyone, how are you all doing? Just yesterday I read a post about a book called Wintering, I have seen this book about before and t...