Simple Living Mamas Tribe! - Page 6

[transformed]

I confess - I have about a gallon or 2 of sea shells from our vacation to Sarasota. (And sand-I had to have sand.)

And we live about 2 hours north of there...so its not like "We went to florida."

But I am seriously trying to find a way to bring them into my space. (Without putting them in a lamp.) I dont want to display them as much as I want to be able to touch them and play with them.

They may go in a sandbox for the kids.

[beansricerevolt]

Originally Posted by transformed

I confess - I have about a gallon or 2 of sea shells from our vacation to Sarasota. (And sand-I had to have sand.)

And we live about 2 hours north of there...so its not like "We went to florida."

But I am seriously trying to find a way to bring them into my space. (Without putting them in a lamp.) I dont want to display them as much as I want to be able to touch them and play with them.

They may go in a sandbox for the kids.

Sand box is a great idea!

We use to bring in DS's water table (during winter months) from outside and fill it with a bag of cheap rice. It made a huge mess in the kitchen but it was so worth it. Maybe you could do something similar?

[mommyrachael]

This is a really great thread!! When I joined, I thought it would just be about getting rid of things and not having a lot of stuff, but it's giving me ideas for simplifying in other ways.
So, fill me in...what's compacting??

One thing I find that slows me up with making changes in my life is actually doing something...I think, plan, study,etc, but sometimes it seems like all I do is plan and search the internet to decide what to do . Anybody else find that to be the case? So, maybe we could post each week or something, one or two things we will actually do, not just talk about, to simplify our lives.
Anyone up for it??

I'll start.
This week, Jan 7-13th, I'm going to
1.finish organizing my craft and sewing area so I can ACTUALLY sew something.
2. actually sew something, instead of just collecting more patterns.


Alright, what are you going to do? Maybe you could also let us know how it went.

Have a simple day
rachael

[Peppermint Leaf]

Greetings Rachel
I believe there is already a discussion thread for that - if you check its called:

Talk about the little things you did today (or recently)

[Aguazul]

I am so totally joining you!!! I've been staying off the Internet for the most part for the past few months, but I need more contact with others! LOL Its hard to find people "in real life" who share my concerns in this area so I'm glad to be back here!! :

[Serendipity]

hi all! i am kicking myself for not taking more before pictures but i've been working my rear off decluttering and i wanted to share my apartment now. there are 5 of us, me, dp, ds, dd, and my dad, living in a 900sf apartment. im posting my pics but first you have to agree to not make fun of my lack of decorating sense...promise? ok.

the first few are before shots, and the rest are current.
im so excited about my clothes, the pic in there of my wardrobe is everything. im talkin', jeans, shorts, skirts, dresses, tshirts, blouses, pj bottoms and pj tops, AND outerwear and a robe. i'm so proud.

oh and the blank shelf in the livingroom is coming down and ill hang a small pic there....ok, come on in:

http://s29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ments/?start=0

[chanibell]

Granola Punk thats an awesome job you did. I am constantly finding things around me house that I do not need. Sometimes I wonder if I have too much space just justifying the " Oh theres a spot I can put this". Right now I have three hobbies where I have compacteding,beading and scrapbooking. I cannot take on another!
Well done mama!

[transformed]

Anyone see the 20/20 special on Happiness lasy night? I caught the end half of it and it was FANTASTIC.

It's well worth finding on ABC;s website and watching online, if its there.

[unlegal]

:

[LucyRev]

Hi Nicole

I should post some after pics soon, because I have made so much progress decluttering, but still not totally there.

I want to check out that 20/20 special online.

Part of our simplifying has been canceling cable. Reception is so bad without it that we have to download, rent or borrow anything we want to watch. I love it, because everything we watch is now a conscious decision and we aren't subjected to any commercials. :

I'm not quite ready to ditch the tv entirely.

Rachel, i think that is great idea
Next week I am going to make cloth pads.
Take the bags of stuff in my car to Goodwill.
Vacuum out the car.
Make my dinner menu for the week.

[unlegal]

Hey Nadine Fancy meeting you here!

We canceled cable a long time ago, and after the transition, you get used to not having it.

Something nice to check out from the library to keep your mind busy are books on CD. I listened to a ton of Litte House books, and they were great Little women was another fun one to listen to. All those old classic stories.

[beansricerevolt]

I second No TV.
Its been years for us without cable but we do love a good movie now and then
We listen to a lot of radio shows like This American life and fun stories for families and we love love love music (listening,watching and playing). Lots of Art projects and reading and camping and outdoor exploring (this is easy for us living in a big city). Oh.. and I can't forget board/card games! We can even rent puzzles at our library

[Serendipity]

we go around in circles on the TV issue. The ONLY thing that gets watched on the tele is sports and it's very occasional but dp just can't give it up. i argue that it's SO occasional we should just take the plunge, he argues it's SO occasional that what's the harm?

[transformed]

We cut our cable for a few months during the summer. We actually had a really nice time. But I doubt my dh would see it that way. I may suggest we cut it out again, for financial reasons, now that football season is over.

The problem is-I let dh get one of those flat screens with HD.

I like living TV free though.

Although, I am using the TV ALOT since our baby was born 3 weeks ago.

It is what it is.

I think the benefit of going TV free in a quest for simplicity is basically a question of being brainwashed. I mean, if you are watching TV, you are being sold ideas about what your life is "supposed" to look like (visualize the mr clean commercials....ever feel like your house is supposed to look like a swiffer commercial?) And that can majorly screw with simplicity because you have to feel content to be simple. If you don't feel content, you hold on to possessions for comfort.

(Thats all about me...maybe it applys to someone else too. )

[zeldabee]

I like the idea of going tv-free, but I just can't really do it right now. Even getting rid of the cable. It's like a drug, and I need it. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be as bad as I think it would to give it up--I'm a reader, after all--but I don't wanna. Sprogly would miss it, but he would adapt.

Anyway, for now, I'm working on other areas.

[MommyErin]

Originally Posted by transformed

I mean, if you are watching TV, you are being sold ideas about what your life is "supposed" to look like (visualize the mr clean commercials....ever feel like your house is supposed to look like a swiffer commercial?) And that can majorly screw with simplicity because you have to feel content to be simple. If you don't feel content, you hold on to possessions for comfort.

(Thats all about me...maybe it applys to someone else too. )

:
You are so right on. That's why I go back and forth with HGTV. While I love watching those shows, it often leaves me with the feeling that my home isn't good enough and I'm not doing a good enough job. Add the adverts on top of that ... <SIGH>

[sweetcheeks]

Originally Posted by transformed

I think the benefit of going TV free in a quest for simplicity is basically a question of being brainwashed. I mean, if you are watching TV, you are being sold ideas about what your life is "supposed" to look like (visualize the mr clean commercials....ever feel like your house is supposed to look like a swiffer commercial?) And that can majorly screw with simplicity because you have to feel content to be simple. If you don't feel content, you hold on to possessions for comfort.

(Thats all about me...maybe it applys to someone else too. )

I think you hit the nail on the head. I feel the same way as MommyErin re: HGTV and I've had to stop watching it b/c I feel like my home isn't good enough and that I need "this" and "that" to have my home be the happy, beautiful home I'm striving for. I've also quit buying home decorating magazines for the same reason. We've been in a constant process of renovating our home since we bought it 2.5 yrs ago and I finally have a good enough sense of what works vs. what doesn't for us that I don't need someone else telling me what to do about it.

I'm trying to convince my hubby we should ditch the satellite. Our rates are going up and w/a 3rd baby on the way and trying to save $$ so DH doesn't have to use all his vacation time for his leave after the baby arrives, I think it makes perfect sense. I mean, we can get CBC and CTV (the 2 major Canadian networks) with the antennae. We usually just watch the local news at 6 on CTV and "The National" at night on CBC so, really, we don't need those 300+ other channels. I'm going to keep plugging away at him . . . I think he's starting to come around to the idea of just using good ol' rabbit ears. LOL!

[annettemarie]

I've been really trying to embrace simplicity in our homeschooling. I realized I was getting completely out of control trying to do it all.

[beansricerevolt]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I've been really trying to embrace simplicity in our homeschooling. I realized I was getting completely out of control trying to do it all.

I would love to hear your journey in this!

We are trying so hard to simplify our "schooling". We've been at this game for 3 1/2 years now and I still cannot get a grip.

[mommyrachael]

Hi, again, simple mamas....
Boy, I wish we could get rid of the tv, or at least the satellite! In the evening it's the constant noise. I never turn it on during the day, but dh watches it a lot. YUCK.
I totally agree w/ you ladies talking about hgtv, etc...there's so many things society tells us we HAVE to have and do. I'm thinking of getting rid of a bunch of scrapbooking things...not that you're bad if you scrapbook, but it was giving me this guilt complex, that I had to do these elaborate scrapbooks for my wedding, my children, my whole darn life!! And it seemed like there was always some gadget or thing I HAD to have. Yes, I think it needs to go.

So, my dd is 16 mos old. I'm going to pack up some of the "baby" toys, and I might get rid of some...so what simple toys do/did you like for a child that age? I'd like to get her some more age appropriate things, but not junk!!