How much is too much nail varnish? The minimalism quest continues...

Part of my purge was donating some brand spanking new nail varnishes. You would think this would have left me with an average number of nail varnishes. You would be wrong.

Here is what the charity got. 21 brand new nail varnishes. This broke my heart. I was so tempted just to open one or two colours but the charity couldn't them sell them if i did, and as you will see below I have plenty opened nail varnishes!!!

So I then started going through my opened nail varnishes.

Here was what I was left with, still a ridiculous amount but that was all I was ready to get rid of at the minute! Remember I'm an ex hoarder folks. Getting rid of a paper clip is difficult for me.

Some are going to a lady Ruth in the charity shop who said she would take them as she works with the disabled and they do nails. Some are being donated to my friends daughter, along with some eyeshadow dusts:

I put it into a little bag I was going to bin for my friend:

And after my purge I sat and did my nails, I need some hand cream though..

Outing a layer of the pink, blue and purple glitter onto my wedding ring finger. Just because.

The slouchy boots that sneaked through

Well my wardrobe clear out has had the desired effect. I’ve been dressed much smarter for work this week. When you now only own 4 skirts it makes you start to wear other items!!

This morning I was in that mood where I wanted comfortable clothes, but I had donated all the scabby baggy clothes so I threw on a little black work dress and my slouchy boots and a blazer, the boots are one of the few things left that I own that SHOULD have got donated/recylced, BUT they managed to sneak through the cull. I think this is because:

1) They also help dress down my outfits at the minute!
2) I got them resoled, so there still is some life in them, even though it might not look it. 
3) They are comfortable.

Slouchy winter boots in action:

The shadow/shine makes them look like they are different colours or severely faded at one end, but they are not, I promise!!

Lastly I thought I would post a picture of some of the cull underway, this is about a quarter of what got culled. ONE QUARTER.

When minimalism meets a hoarder

I've been reassessing things recently.

Keeping up with everything often seems like a struggle. I get stresses/anxious about this. Some people don't, but I do. I feel like I am the only one but the world of YouTube has confirmed I am not.

I will admit that I'm a mild hoarder. My debt did not help this, I then became obsessed with not spending money, therefore, would never throw anything out and anything that was free/cheap would get adopted aka hoarded.

My focus for so long was just clearing the debt. Even when I was up to my eyeballs in debt it never occurred to me that having so much "stuff" could be causing emotions such as stress and anxiety. I've looked into tumble dryers, cleaners, dish washers and whilst these things have helped me cope, when you have so much stuff it will always be a vicious cycle of getting by.

This week I had my *Oh sh*t* moment when I stumbled across an article about Matilda Kahl who wears a uniform to work (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3034250/I-wanted-simplify-morning-struggle-Meet-woman-worn-exact-outfit-work-day-THREE-years.html). That lead me to finding Project333 and then onto minimalism. Then onto a girl called Melissa Alexandria on YouTube. I love her. She is just so nice! I know there are many more Icons such as Kondo etc on this subject but these are my people.

I then spent about 3 days reading blogs and watching YouTube videos. Some focused on only having 200 items in your house. Some no limits, just less. Some on cleansing your life to the bare minimal. I just wanted to remove the anxiety my stuff seems to be giving me, live more freely and spend my time, effort and emotions where it matters and not on stuff.

I was out late the 3 nights from reading the article. I literally could not wait to get home on Friday night to start de-cluttering.

I'm currently working through clothes (the largest amount of clutter in our house) and I've previously mentioned that some of my friends colleagues that I stalk/admire are the ones who have (or seem to have) a smaller wardrobe and wear the same clothes and accessorise them to make them look different. They switch them up with accessories or they just wear the outfit I have one friend who i kind-of-want-to-be and she wears the same dresses, shorts, tops etc. I went back facebook pictures that she has been tagged in (I kind of became obsessed this week) and she's been wearing the same clothes for the like the last 5 years.  She's had the same Marc Jacob sunglasses for about 5 years. The same striped vest worn on its own or under a white t-shirt. She is so well kept and a keen athlete and works and she is just all over things. Why do I need 8 pairs of sunglasses? 20 dresses. Even then I only wear about 5 of them. I can't find anything. Ever. I might find the dress, but where is that belt that goes with it? Or that cool bag? Or earrings? 

Anyway, I've did my first clear out in about 10 years, HUGE. I found dresses that I forgot I even had. I emptied 6 Cath Kidston sweater storage bags that were rammed full. I cleared drawers.

I had so much brand new clothes (with labels) it was heartbreaking. I have a problem. I had brand new french connection dresses once i remember costing me £110. Tag. Still. On.

I was adamant I was selling it. Think of how much money I can get back for all this stuff? But what I couldn't shake was the thought of how much money I could get a charity, or someone using it that actually needs/wants it. So I donated it all. Tags and All. 17 brand new nail varnishes unopened. New lip glosses, unopened. Brand new clutch bag. Brand new, never been worn, nine west wedding shoes. Worn once Kurt Geiger wedges, All Saints dress, French Connection dress, Autograph dress, Ted Baker toiletry bag, Dune bag, Carvella shoes, Leather Jacket, Leather skirt. You get the jist. A lot of brand spanking new clothes or items that had been worn once. I think I'm more annoyed at the items that are worn once, as the charity will likely get less money for them.

The charity shop thanked me greatly. They were so kind. They also told me I was not allowed to shop for the next year. Noted love, noted. She also told me she will take my opened, barely used makeup as she has a little charity group she goes to that uses that stuff. So that is my project for this week.

I've came home and I'm not finished. The throw on my bed, gone. The throw on my couch, gone. I don't like them - why do I have them?!

I feel awesome about the thought I may help my charity and I feel lighter, but I don't feel better about my anxiety/stress? Does that make sense? I think my house is still lightly in disarray which may be why I've not got better feelings about my purge.

I'll start putting up pictures of some of my purge! Just wanted to get the words down today!

xoxo

Lazy

I’ve been getting Lazy.

That might be hard to believe for some of you, as I have mentioned (somewhere?) that I am training for a marathon. But I’m not referring to my training, more around the house. The marathon seems to have given me an excuse to get lazy around the house. I run therefore I do not need to hover. Makes sense thought, right? RIGHT?!?! No. It does not make sense.

I’ve noticed that the mess that is accumulating in our bedroom – the supposed sanctuary. Clean bed clean head - is that the phrase? The mess normally gets moved to the spare room, but an impromptu visitor last week meant I cleaned the spare bedroom. BUT in doing so moved the mess to our bedroom. Does moving the mess to another room count as cleaning? No, it does not.

Anyway, I plant to do the following:

1) The no excuses Win Today and Win Tomorrow checklist, this is more fitness focused (where you complete a checklist the night before, i.e. make lunch, layout gym gear etc. or complete a checklist during the day, i.e. drink water, ate a healthy snack etc.) but I feel this will help me get organised with the house AND running. They break things down into small steps.

They also do very inspiring podcasts, too. If you need pumped up or are feeling sorry for yourself listen to these guys, seriously, they really are great at not making you feel bad, but at the same time inspiring you. I listen just because I like feeling awesome about myself.

http://noexcusesworkouts.com/

 

Snippet of the Win Tomorrow sheet:

2) Fly Lady: Your house did not get dirty/cluttered in a day - it won’t get clean in a day. So she suggests every day, pick a zone and do 15 minutes in that zone. But every night, you do your dishes and shine your sink. Every. Night. I have did this before and it works (for me anyway). After the wedding when my house descended into absolute CHAOS (I ain’t lying), I set my alarm for 15 minutes and would stop once the alarm goes…within a week one room was sorted. Too about a month but I got my house into order.

http://www.flylady.net/

xoxo

It is the weekend! Time for some dark chocolate and raspberry muffins!

Morning All!

What a crazy week I have had. Anyway, I love a Saturday morning. You feel like you have the whole weekend ahead of you (all two days of it).

My weekend can be summarised like this:

Last night my work put free drinks on for everyone, you know, and then pretended they had not made 10, yes TEN (I thought it was 6 or 7), people redundant during the week. Fortunately I did not know the area (or anyone) that was impacted, but still, it is a horrible thing. I had some free drinks and a good catch up with some people. Believe it or not, it was nice.

I came home to Mr Mars who had made a sausage casserole (vegetarian sausage) and dark chocolate and raspberry muffins - picture below. They were delicious. A tad overdone but the moist raspberries in the inside made up for this. In doing so he used up some raspberries that were about to go off and some dark chocolate that has sat in our fridge for quite some time. High five for lack of wastage Mr Mars!

This morning I have put a wash out, just made some fresh coffee (I ground the beans and everything), have I mentioned Mr Mars and I are coffee and tea snobs? Comes from us both having worked in coffee shops during our uni days. I'll put a picture up another time, but if you want a good coffee in Glasgow you need to go to this place called Papercup. YUM. 

I'm just about to top up my GiffGaff mobile phone account. Then once my coffee fix kicks in and I am suitably wired, I'm planning on heading out for a run! :o)

Then it is off to Mr Mars' parents to celebrate his Dad's birthday and a belated Father's day. I need to buy cards. Going to possibly use the card below as a Father's day card. Because it is random and cool and I want to. Then off out for some dinner tonight!

Tomorrow we are off to Knockhill race circuit to watch some motorbikes...vvvvvrooooom! Don't know what Knockhill is? Link HERE. I'll hopefully get some pictures.

In amongst this I have been de-cluttering and offloading any item of clothing I remotely do not like/wear to the homeless shelter. I can hear the clothes quivering in the drawers with fear. It is time to get ruthless, people. If I do not have it, I cannot be lazy and just chuck it on. People have noticed a change in me already. You look well, they have said. All because I have been making the effort to put on my better clothes that suit and fit me and were not hand me downs, freebies or 20 years old. This and putting on some cheap Beauty UK eyeshadow. Do you know how many people commented on my eyeshadow? That I got for free, but even to buy only costs like £2.99?!? I was wearing earth child if anyone is interested. Pretend to be interested, please.

And that is this weekend's round up! Links, photos and all! I'm a good blogger aren't I?

xoxo

First Post Fear

I have first post fear.

 

I want it to be a good one, but unfortunately I am not good at the dramatic posts. I'm more a general, mind dump, here is what I did/did not do today kind of gal.

 

So here is what I did today :)

 

Today - In order to get more organised (see here) - I have vowed to use up ALL of my toiletries (there is A LOT of them). GOSH it has been a slow process...

 

And yet, crazily, I was still purchasing toiletries until last year - WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

 

Thankfully, after a near death experience where I nearly killed myself with a tub of toiletries, I have came to my senses and have been slowly, but surely, working my way through them. Saving a fortune in the process.

This morning - I got through another 3. Travel sized shower gel, conditioner and a shampoo. RESULT.

 

That is another 3 things making my house tidier (de-cluttering) and another 3 things that I did not waste and effectively have saved some money on. Win Win.