I feel it

 

As I build yet another pile of stuff to be vacated from our tiny apartment, I realise I am starting to feel it.

Don't worry I'm not going all philosophical on you. So let's just say it = better.

When I first did my massive purge, I felt nothing. I didn't feel less stressed or less anxiety. But now I THINK I'm starting to feel it. I can't be sure, it could have been the elastic snapping on my knickers, but I'm definitely starting to feel better.

I'm currently working through jewellery and assessories. This was harder than the shoes. I have got round this by getting lots of my old sentimental jewellery melted into bracelets. Two to be precise, one for me and one for my sister. 

 

Minimalist yet keeping all my jewellery, I'm a fucking genius.

Xoxo

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.

Win Tomorrow - The Tale of The Forgotten Lunch Box

I’m following the Win Tomorrow program.

It’s not actually a program, just a thing where you prepare and get ready for the next day in order to have a successful day. I.e. pack lunches, exercise clothes etc. etc. It’s meant for weight loss but I also use it to try and built some organisation into my life. Less clutter and more organisation are my 2015 goals.

PDF: http://www.noexcusesworkout.com/oldsite/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Win-Tommorrow-Check-List-PDF-Version.pdf

So last night, having been to the shops and I had already went my run at lunch time meant I had the ENTIRE evening to “win tomorrow”. After dinner with Mr Mars,  I cook some buckwheat and cajun mixed beans, add it to a nice spinach salad. Get my running clothes ready, get my evening clothes for a dinner with the girls ready (my mate is moving away) and get my work clothes ready. 8.30pm is the target to have it all ready so I can sit down and watch the super cheesy teenage movie called Pitch Perfect (think Glee, but a movie).

My bag won’t close but I meet my target. So feet up and I watch my movie with a cuppa and a bit of raspberry sponge cake and all is right in the world. Tomorrow, I have won.

As I drive to work today all seems to have went seamlessly to plan, until I think of my beautiful lunch. Still sitting in the fridge. My Cajun bean concoction. WHAT A WASTE. Waste of my time AND my money. 

Here is what it looked like:

Tomorrow - 1 

Veronica Mars - 0

Christmas shopping continues...

Next up - My Mother in Law!

 

My mother in law and I share a mutual love of bedtime rituals. Have I mentioned I'm mildly obsessed with sleep? Pretty sure I have. I'm going to do a post on it.

 

The ritual includes; hot water bottles, tea, candles and books. I recently got a electric blanket with Tesco vouchers and it is AMAZING, upon discussing this (whilst filling our hot water bottles at their house on night) she mentioned she really really wants one and knows she would love it. Hint taken!

 

She might go buy one, but I am going to hold off until August and see how many Tesco vouchers we have and get one for her! I think I will only have like £2 but better than me spending that £2! Once I get I'll tell Father in law and hopefully he can hold her off! Electric blanket I have HERE:

 

 

Christmas list, people left:

 

My Dad (saw a jacket for him)

My Mum

Father in Law

2 x older nephews (likely cash, usually £20, although I'm thinking of putting it down to £10? Too cheap? There are nieces and nephews popping out everywhere now, it is starting to get too much, so I'm going to suggest a £10 for everyone rule)

3 x toddler niece and nephews (above £10 rule)

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

Bounce Back Tiger

Okay. Mr Mars and I are emigrating! Looking to be end of August, we have a country, but we have no idea where we are going go live. The visas will hopefully be sorted soon. I'm trying not to talk about this too much until it is certain but it was always on the cards (see here).

 

Instead of thinking about packing up my life, I'm thinking about Christmas...

Mr Mars and I stopped doing presents for anyone unless you are a parent or under 21.  We had to draw the line somewhere - it was getting ridiculous! And I might have mentioned; I do not handle stress well. There was also the small matter of DEBT and having no money. Stress free and helped the debt. Best decision ever to stop presents!

Anyway, since we will be away and since I have some ideas I have decided to start looking into Christmas presents. I don't want to be shipping stuff from abroad as soon as we have arrived.

Last night, I was too cool and stayed at my parents. After I drank all their red wine I made a midnight purchase of the following from the Early Learning Centre for my unborn niece/nephew.  I don't like spending a lot on babies as they don't know any different!!! I do like interactive toys, like things they can touch or listen to, or things that involve water or ball pits etc. Or presents where they can skelp themselves in the face...

Early Learning Centre: Bounce Back Tiger

How organised am I? Get it on Monday and will wrap it and leave it with my sister.

1 down, 8 to go...

xoxo

Cancelled lunch, a Lush purchase and a BAD surprise

I'm still oh so tired. I'll try and be up beat.

I was going to bring in lunch today. But a friend said they were going to treat me to lunch (I paid last time). I pondered over taking something in case they cancelled but then thought "it would be a waste".

Obviously I subconsciously knew my friend better than I think, as he cancelled on me this morning. Completely understandable, I ain't perfect, but this left me without lunch. And having to buy lunch. Grrrr when I could have flipping brought it in for free. I've been buying a lot of food recently (one breakfast, lunch and a dinner = a lot for a debt free wannabe). So am keen to avoid this when I can.

So I decided to take this opportunity of a free lunch hour and having to go out AGAIN to buy lunch AND to change my name on some of my accounts and get myself organised. Something I have been keen to address in my continuing attempt at being organised. I already had my marriage licence on me so decided to nip round the banks and get my details updated. I have about 5 different names AND addresses. Things like this do not help someone who already resides in the land of chaos.

Cashier: Can you confirm you address please?
Me: Can you give me a clue - what county have you got...?
Cashier: This is not who wants to be a Millionaire.

I also nipped into Lush (oops). I have ran out of Dry Shampoo so purchased this Lush one that I had heard wonders about. Does not help that I am already a lush addict, any excuse really. £3.25. Smells of lemon and grapefruit. Lush.

I rarely buy toiletries (partly because I am trying to clear out approximately 1,127,584 that live in my house and also because I got so many for free recently). But I use dry shampoo a lot. I love it. I have a mane that resembles a baby horse - I need all the help I can get keeping it under control.

All in all a productive lunch hour. Good purchase made. And some organisation sorted out. I feel clean and not just from the dry shampoo...

THEN, when you are skipping along feeling clean and organised. BAM.

You get back to work to be hauled into a meeting and told of 7 redudancies that have been made. Imagine, me, colour draining from my face, as I look down at my STUPID lunch time purchase. When I could have been skipping back to the office without a job.

I feel sick. I don't really feel this week is going to plan so I intend to get through it in a blur of red wine and lattes.

xoxo