Yes, Monday has arrived once again, the BOM is promising a rainy/showery week once again, so it looks as though I’ll be finding indoor ’jobs’ once again!
This past week those ’indoor jobs’ have included looking through clothing in my wardrobe in a slightly different way. Not so much – do I like this – does it fit – but do I think I will actually wear it again. Could someone else make use of it.
Same with crockery/cutlery, cooking utensils…..this time ruthless has been my name – sentimentality went out the door.
As things caught my eye so the reviewing and discarding began……sorry no photos because it’s all in the boot of the car (hopefully it won’t be too long before the op shops reopen) because if I take it out I know what will happen, I’ve been known (in the past) to look at plunder through ’donations in waiting’ and have second thoughts about giving things away.
Talking of catching my eye, look at this fabulous Photinia hedge that I saw the other day. Driving past, it looked as though it was glowing in sunlight so I made a point of stopping on the way home to get a better look but of course by then the sun had moved/clouds reappeared and that fiery look had disappeared. The owner must have trimmed it back during autumn to get that distinct red new growth. Looks stunning don’t you think!
I’ve been sitting here with my early cup of tea mulling a few things over in my mind, and you know what, I think that’s been one of the reasons over the years for my cupboards being full to overflowing with ’stuff’.
Whether its been necessary, needed, just in case, ‘ooh isn’t that pretty’, that would look good there……it all caught my eye…..and had to come home with me.
And no, as much as I admired it, a Photinia robusta won’t be coming home from the plant nursery with me. I’ve got enough there to keep me occupied.
What about you….do or did things catch your eye and whether needed or not come home with you?
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Linking to Life the Week hosted by Denyse at Denyse Whelan Blogs.
Do pop over and see what others have been up to this week
Still Waters 
I have almost total sales resistance – except where books or plants are concerned. It is rare (when I can get to them) that I can visit a seller of either and walk away empty handed. I have done some book culling during our lockdown, and hope that I can arrange a pick up soon.
The red glow on photinia has been very evident in my suburb recently. It is special isn’t it?
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It’s the first year for a long time the ‘red hedges’ have been so noticeable EC – I’m not sure if weather has an influence or not not….I’m just enjoying them for what they are😊
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Hi Cathy I decided to have an October Overhaul of my life in general and that included looking at my wardrobe. Like you it isn’t about whether the garment fits but whether I will wear it. I find I’m in casual clothes most of the time these days so my wardrobe structure has changed. The Photina hedge looks lovely and a bright spot against the green fence. Have a lovely week. #lifethisweek
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Yes Sue I have to admit that some of my donations were ‘smart’ rather than ‘casual’. I’m not intending to return to life in the city and they were timeless pieces so I’m confident once workers return to their offices they’ll be picked up at the op shop no worries at all.
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I seem to spend my life in a constant state of decluttering. It’s probably constant because I never can part with much so I have to find a few things to farewell quite often.
I hear your lockdown ends on Thursday? Even if you don’t immediately start doing heaps of things, it’s nice to have the option
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That’s one of the problems Kylie – I’m too sentimental. None of the children have shown interest in items I’ve waved under their noses so instead of putting them back in the cupboard they’ve gone into a black bag…..lol nick knacks that is, not the children
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When I packed up in August to move from three rooms to two, more than one car boot load left home.
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If I continue the way I intend Joanne there’s going to be several boot loads going down the road
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Photinia can be stunning when putting on new leaf growth. The one you featured is brilliant.
For clothes, but it would probably work for kitchen utensils too, I put them away in a separate place and if I don’t get them out and wear them for one year, they are goned.
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I’ve done the ‘turn the coat hangers round the other way trick before Andrew- those left facing that way at the end of the year obviously haven’t been worn.
I was just saying to EC that for some reason or another the red coloured Photinia seems to be more obvious this year.
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Leave that boot alone. Do not open before Xmas or the opening of those op shops. Don’t you fell lighter, skippety hop, after ‘downsizing’.
Brilliant colours . The hedge is gorgeous
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We might strike lucky with those shops reopening soon Linda – if not the bags will just stay there…..they are definitely not coming back indoors!
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Haha – living on a boat cured me of ‘stuff’. It also cured me of ‘decor’ (the fully colour co-ordinated kind with matching towels and curated ‘artworks’). I was long ago cured of sets of things when I saw a kitchen cupboard of charity shop plates all in blue on white, no 2 the same, and realized that everything in my cupboard COULD also be a story, AND have had a life before it joined mine.
I don’t subscribe to it but that Kondo thing about ‘does it give you joy?’ is a good way to reduce the burden of things owned that we find ourselves storing, maintaining and caring for.
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I’m beginning to wonder how I coped for those recent 12 weeks in the little cabin – only having/using a limited amount/number of items certainly made life easier. Maybe that’s the reason I’m feeling ‘overloaded’ and need to lighten the load.
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When I moved here 5 years ago – a much smaller home – a lot of stuff went! But not as much as I imagined – because over these last 5 years, I’ve culled quite a lot of objects (mostly art supplies) and more recently I’ve got on another sift/sort out. Like you I have a pile of things aside for collection – and that’s been in one corner of the living room – but of course we are in severe lockdown on the other side of the ditch in my region and “collection people” not allowed to get anything, let alone have their stores open…
A number of things were destined for the garbage bin and tonight I just put the last of it in tomorrows’ garbage bin for collection…well that’s for now, sure to be more soon, but more likely for the other collection which is in the shed…because they are larger items and will not fit in the garbage bin…
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No collection here either Cathy….we are now about to start the opening up process- slowly one step at a time. As usual the pubs and cafes are raring to go and as usual aren’t happy with the restrictions put in place. It’s been decided that this time we aren’t going to get to zero so hopefully vaccination will play it’s part and the numbers don’t soar again.
I rehomed a lot of craft supplies last year but intend to take another look sometime in the near future. I know one project that won’t get off the ground so there’s a metre of black felt looking for a new home!
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I am enjoying how many of us writers are clearing stuff out. I guess we have had the time being stuck at home to ponder “why do I own that anyway?” Usually we would just walk past those objects without a second thought.
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That’s certainly a way of looking at our possessions Elizabeth- why do I own it (or what on earth possessed me to buy it). It’ll be an ongoing ‘pastime’….going on for quite a while longer I think
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I am enjoying having some open spaces. Now to remember that they aren’t there just to be refilled.
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Those bushes are beautiful! I am always purging items from our house and I TRY to keep more from coming in but I don’t seem to be nearly as good as that.
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Oh it’s a constant battle isn’t it – one we know we shouldn’t take part in!
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I had to stop driving recently to take a detour to follow a higher road to photograph clouds!! They have been so interesting because of the storm season.
I have a love/hate with clutter and we did huge culls when we left Sydney and lots went to our families and some went to charities and a few things were sold.
Clothes are a different story and I admit I LOVED that I got to buy all new (from cheapish shops) as I had lost so much weight thanks to anxiety and then cancer…however, I still have “too many” probably but am keeping them for now. I have a different way of selecting what has to go, other than fit, and that is “how do I feel when I wear it.”
Went to an Op shop today to look for (and I found) two large zippered bags for me to add my large handbags and goods to donate to the charity Share The Dignity. I’ve been doing this for the past 5 years and I tend to give the organisation a handbag of mine which no longer suits the purpose and then mostly buy all else. This time round thought there are a couple of scarves and some costume jewellery added.
Thanks so much for linking up for #LifeThisWeek. Next week I will publish the second half of the Women of Courage Wrap but the optional prompt is “X Marks the Spot”. Great to have your blog as part of the community here this week. Denyse.
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Moving house is always an invitation to pass your unwanted but tolerated bits and pieces on to others. We’ve only regretted giving away a couple of items and they were sentimental in value – irreplaceable- but then what’s done is done and can’t be reversed.
Hopefully I’ll be knocking on your door early Monday morning with an entry for #LifeThisWeek…if not I’ll be there the week after.
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