Simplifying…
I am ready now for my next challenge this month. I thought long and hard about what it should be as there are a number of areas in my life that I want to address this year, but my word for the year is FOCUS and so I am only allowing myself to do one thing at once, one task at a time through the month.
Although I feel there are some pressing issues like my house needs a big Spring clean, my diet needs attention and I could do with an exercise regime I have decided that a big scale purge on the house must be the next on the list. There is no point in cleaning the house without first decluttering and simplifying the contents. Once the house is decluttered it should run smoother and make it simpler and quicker to get ready for work in a morning, plan the meals, cook the tea and deal with the finances or laundry.
Last year I began to simplify some of my belongings but somehow over the months ‘stuff’ begins to creep back in. I am keen to get started again and everything will be recycled in one way or another, nothing will be wasted, unless it is truly passed its’ sell by date. I will sell some items on ebay or equivalent as well as sending things to the charity shops.
For those of you who have been following my blog you will know that I am photographing everything other than food (which is on my blog Rerouted) that comes into the house in the hope that it will curb my impulse spending on things I don’t really want or need.
Whilst I am on the subject of recycling one of the things I have been doing behind the scenes is making a ‘mini’ recycling centre for the boot of my car and here it is – made in true Blue Peter style from old wine boxes that you get in Sainsbury’s.
Mini Recycling Centre
The reason for this is that I have a few recycling items that our local council cannot deal with and I can drop these off in the local supermarket and other shops that do. Having them ready in the boot of the car means that if I know I am going to be shopping near or in this store after work I can take them with me to work, transfer them into a carrier and then deliver them to the shop.
This fits snuggly into the boot of my car and the sections enable me to sort the items ready to deliver to the appropriate place when I have time.
Sainsbury’s take the batteries and carrier bags (though I have few of these)
Argos the used water filters
Rymans and WHSmiths the used printer cartridges
My local wholefood shop Half Moon Street will refund 25p on every empty Viridian Vitamin bottle.
I also return those plastic hanger bits that come with tights to the relevant shops
Well what am I waiting for I had better go and get started on the mammoth purge…
What a brilliant idea, keeps the boot of the car neat and tidy but you have everything with you that you might need to drop off. I might have to try a mini version of this as I drive a Fiat 500 and this would completely fill the boot 🙂
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Mine is only a little Citroen Saxo – hence the wine boxes as they are quite small – I use them for all sorts of things – they are free from Sainsbury’s and hold a multitude of things. They are just a nice size for magazines.
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What a great idea the boxes are!
I’m tracking everything that enters our house too (by choice or not), in an effort to see where all the ‘stuff’ comes from. I’m also doing a little de-cluttering as I go. It’ll be interesting to see the results.
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Where does all the stuff come from? I think little people sneak in at night and deposit it!
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A good project and a very sensible system for staying organized!
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What do the shops do when you return the plastic bits from packets of tights? Do they recycle them? Or are you giving them a message that they need to reconsider their packaging?
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Hopefully both! I buy Marks and Spencer tights and they should reuse them as far as I am aware – they do have collection bins behind their counters so I would think these go back to the factories. Next time I take one in I will definitely ask.
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I will be interested to hear the answer. In Australia we are far behind Europe in recycling by-products from consumer items. So very few shops accept their bits and bobs back. If they were made to dispose of them, they would probably work harder to minimise the unnecessary packaging.
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I love your mini recycling centre! Unfortunately I don’t have a car but could put the concept to use in the house for things such as used batteries and old newspapers and magazines. x
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Nothing to do with your challenge but I would be very happy if we had a health food shop that sold Little Valley Brewery beers! I tried the Withens Pale Ale when we went to Halifax for the RL World Cup *yum*.
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I haven’t a car, trying to do without (being green as much as possible) so can I drop my Un-local-recyclable extra’s around to you.. (only joking!!) I hope your purge is successful, I agreed with all your forthcoming events, I need to purge my soul methinks. xPenx
(On a wander around WordPress, and I saw your ‘Before you go I would love to hear from you..’ so I did. ) x.
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Hi Lady Pen – I had a quick peek at your blog and wow – how do you write so many poems – I’d still be on my first LOL – it must be a true gift. It is also commendable that you do not have a car – I really should follow your lead.
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erm, I hold my hand up and confess, I cannot drive, even under duress!! 😉 I have feet of clay… but I do try to recycle as much as possible, limited only by the local councils list of ‘no no’s ‘ Many thanks for dropping by my place. The welcome mat is always there, xx
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LOOKING AT A WINE HOLDER AS WE SPEAK!!! Off to beach so am putting it into my car boot. Citroen C1 by the way.
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Is that an empty wine holder you take to the beach LOL? Mine a Citroen Saxo – probably about the same!
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