Downsizing - Surprises, Upsides and Downsides

Hello!

I hope you are going well wherever you are in this world. :) Germany overcame the heatwave but apparently it is going to be pretty hot again tomorrow. I am not doing too well with all these temperatures changes but oh well, there isn't anything I can do about it.

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about how we are trying to downsize; that is, to live more minimalistic. We are still on our way... several more boxes are packed to go to Oxfam and this Monday we finally bought new living room furniture. This furniture was the last part missing in the living room as we still had my old student's shelves from IKEA. I liked them back then but they were too dark for our living room plus it really didn't fit in. Oh and there was too much space in them. So, we went shopping. Both me and the boyfriend love solid wood beech furniture - it is so pretty but also the reason why we had to save up before we got the new stuff. So, the upside of downsizing: place for new stuff which is so pretty and makes the room complete.

However it also involved a huge mess. So much stuff which had to leave the old places, go into Oxfam boxes, in the bin or the new shelves. Plus the old furniture is still there and clogs the flat. I am hoping to sell it but really if no one picks it up by Friday I will probably just give it away. So the downside of downsizing is a temporary mess!

There were some surprises involved as well, as I found UFOs, that is unfinished crochet items. Like this granny square variation. I think I talked about it in the early blog days but forgot about it soon after. Hmm. I wonder if I should just toss these squares?! What do you think?

Also there were heaps of blankets in the living room, some unfinished as they want to go to their new home soon but need some tender loving care... That is sewing in the ends.

Phew. So not that much time for crochet this week... Well, except for some owls made on the train ride to Cologne last weekend.

How are you doing at the moment and do you have more time for crafty things? 

Take care

Anne

Why I declutter

Good Morning!

Thanks for all your kind words - we love reading your comments! It is wonderful to be connected by crochet to people all over the world!

Not too much crochet happened in this house here in Germany over the past few weeks. This has two reasons: 

 (1) I worked on a 90x90cm baby blanket with 4ply/sportsyarn. Took ages... I quite like how it looks like now though. The yarn itself is very soft but worked up with a 2,5 mm hook it turned out to be a bit stiff.I will soak and wash it and hopefully it will be softer afterwards. What is your favourite trick to soften yarn?

(2) As mentioned in my last post, a lot of decluttering is going on in our flat. We give to charity, we toss and so on. In many ways, we try to become more minimalistic. Because we want to focus what is important.

Of course there is some "clutter" which we won't give away or toss. Like the stone the boyfriend got from one of the examiners at his doctoral thesis defense. Or my Harry Potter books - they are dear to my heart! Living with less doesn't mean that we live without meaningful things. Quite the opposite: We only want to live with meaningful things; that is, things which we use or things which are very dear to us. I rather want to invest in memories and happiness than in things. I do love my yarn but not for the yarn itself but for the things I can make with it and the joy the crochet time gives me!

Many people associate minimalism with white, squeaky clean and empty flats. Our home will never be like that. Our flat shall be colorful and full of life. Just with less stuff...

 

That said: There is still a LOT of stuff in our house and I can tell you this: It will take several more months, perhaps even years before we reach the goal :P The decluttering feels pretty good though! :) 

I am dreaming of having a paperless office one day. 
Do any of you have experience with such a thing?

Take care

Anne