In-Between Sizes

I don't like being in-between sizes. I don't want to buy anything, but I can't wear anything I own, and the maternity stuff is now too big. Boo Hoo.

I did buy one pair of jeans. Super skinny black jeans. I didn't think I would ever buy this but it's actually quite slimming. The only problem is that I now have a serious muffin top. I should have bought the super skinny in High Rise. Dang!!

I've been lucky that I have been able to lose most of the weight gained during pregnancy (I can thank my genes not self-control for that one), but I've still got a few more kgs to go...so I can fully utilise my wardrobe.

In the mean time, I enjoy wearing the same outfit everyday and varying the look occasionally with a scarf and those loose bat-wing tops.

Everything loose, and long (covering the bottom definitely), and comfortable.

P.S. And ladies, puh-lease!! I know that I am size 12, not 10. I've just had a baby. There is no point (Jeans West) in trying to trick me into believing that I'm a 10, with your silly tag. And you can get rid of those silly skinny mirrors too! :p

Stripey Shirts: a small collection

I'm finding it hard to minimise these: striped black & white shirts.

I don't know why I like them so much, but I just do. A lot!

I now have six. Trying to get down to seven tops for summer and seven tops for winter...and owning six striped B&W tops...I need to do the Maths.

Everyone is allowed one foible, right? :)

Wardrobe Basics 101

You google "Basic Minimalist Wardrobe" and you get lists of 30 plus! That ain't Minimalist or basic! Here's my top 10.

Top 10:

1. A perfect pair of jeans
2. Black pants - stretchy, slimming
3. The LBD
4. Plain Cotton Tee (in a block colour: e.g. black, white, navy)
5. Dark cardigan
6. Cocktail dress
7. A well-fitted jacket (leather, bomber or denim)
8. A-line black skirt
9. Black & White striped top
10. Black leggings

These are the "building blocks" of my wardrobe. With a nice scarf, belt and shoes, this basic 10 set can go far!

Practising Minimalist Self-Control at the local op-shop

I was very proud of myself today as I found but did not buy the red Alice McCall dress at the local op-shop.

Well, only a little bit proud, as I spent $19 a couple of days ago buying bits and pieces. Some needed, some not so needed.

Items:
gumboots for M $4.00
Maternity top for me $5.00
camping tea pot $3.00
melamine tray $2.00
silk scarf 50c
newborn top, New (Made in France) $4.00
sunglasses for E 50c

My excuse is that, had I been alone, the total tally would have come down by three.

However, that is still quite a few items. I always try and do a net-zero or net-negative so that the number of items I donate is greater than the number of items I bring home after an op-shop visit. I'm not sure if this is actually working to minimise Stuff in my home.

Op-shops are my weakness. I detest shopping centres but I love op-shops.

Step Away from the Op-Shop!!!

Things You Can Borrow

I was going to put up on Facebook recently all the pictures of dresses I currently own and title it, "Things you can borrow". The idea of owning 27 dresses because we go to a wedding twice a year is ludicrous and wasteful to me.

We all own about 6 (or more!!) and if we pooled our resources, we don't have to keep buying! Just share.

Things you can borrow from me:

1. Dresses - I have a few nice black ones, and a bright blue chong-sam. I'm size 10.

2. Books - lots of parenting books. 19.

3. Toys - actually you can take some. Please.

4. Interior magazines - I think I will donate these soon to a dentist friend at church. For his reception.

5. Coats - dark green, leather, houndstooth, black, camel, and grey. For winter weddings, to go with the dresses. As you can see, I still have a lot of decluttering to do.

You* are more than welcome to BORROW. If I am helping someone to consume less, spend less, and store less stuff...and my stuff gets used instead, I will be a very happy person indeed!

*You: meaning we are friends, and I know you, and your phone no. and you will probably return my things!

Cleaning out your undies drawer

I cleaned out my Bedside table. Boy, it was good!!!!

I threw out all the socks with holes in them. And the too-stretched ones. I threw out all the undies that I no longer wear (uncomfortable, hole-y). Now I only own big, cotton, very attractive, granny undies. 8.

My bedside table is now very Neat and Tidy. It definitely appeals to my slight OCD streak... everything is folded and in their little corner. I love it.

I do however own about 88 hankies. But I think at this stage of my life (little kiddies), I need every single one of them. I tell myself, this is instead of buying boxes of tissues (wasteful and un-green).

So I will make room in my heart to store the 88 hankies for now.

What do I do with the Wedding dress?

Image from firstqueen.net

Do I sell?
Do I donate?
Do I give to a friend getting married?
Do I dye it black and wear it again?
Do I keep for my daughter?

Currently, it's in a box, taking up a huge amount of space in my wardrobe.

Travelling with Two Undies: is it possible?

Image from practialhacks.com

I love travel packing lists.

I am always reading them and dreaming about a 6 week train trip across the Darjeeling in India.

And this leads me to...travel underwear! I came across a few people recommending ExOfficio underwear on Travel Forums.

Their tagline is: 17 countries. 6 weeks. One Pair of Underwear. Ok, Maybe Two.

I've ordered one on ebay to give it a trial run. I'll keep you posted.

You may think this is crazy, but really, how many do you wear at any given time? One. And how many spares do you need? One. Wash one, wear one. One plus one is Two.

P.S Husband thinks I'm absolutely Mad for going to Korea with two undies. I never said that I was Normal when we got married ;)

Kids clothes: WWAMD (What Would A Minimalist Do?)

One thing you have TONS of when you have kids, besides a TON of plastic toys, is clothes. You do need more than the "normal adult range" obviously, with mess, play dough, paint, spillage etc. But you also don't need triple built-in wardrobes in their rooms to stock all their stuff!!

This is, what I think, is a good amount for my kids. If you have younger kids, you might need a few extra.

2 year old girl:

6 tops
6 bottoms
4 jackets
4 dresses
10 undies
6 singlets
6 socks & 3 stockings
2 pyjamas (plus warm suit for cold winter nights)
1 swimmers
3 hats
3 shoes

I have a very generous friend who has three daughters. She gives me all her stuff. And I have a few friends with daughters 6 months younger than Miss M. So the clothes keep getting passed on. Awesome! For my pocket and for the environment. Double win.

It IS nice to buy NEW quality clothing for kids, but at the end of the day, for me, mess is more important to make (in learning, in playing, in trying new things), than looking good and clean in new clothes. And I think I would fuss way more if they had expensive clothes :)

So my personal preference is good quality second hand clothes.

5 year old boy:

6 tops
6 bottoms
4 jackets
10 undies
10 socks
4 singlets
2 pyjamas
1 swimmers
2 hats
3 shoes

All of this fits into a small set of drawers I picked up at Vinnies for $20. If I had time, I would paint it and paint the insides of the drawers in bright colours. e.g. your socks go in the red drawer, your shirts in the yellow drawer.

But at the moment, I'm embracing the "shabby chic (eco)" look.

Wearing One Outfit

I wore one outfit for 9 days straight last winter. And no-one noticed or cared!!! (including Husband - hahaha). I was going through a brain-dead period without enough sleep. The kids were taking turns getting up at night. So one morning I thought, why not? I like this outfit. Eliminate one more decision I gotta make in the morning. So it became my Uniform.

The Outfit
Black dress
Black leggings
Cream knit cardigan
Ugg boots

Pretty bland and boring, but that's the beauty of it! It was my Uniform.

I washed it after Day 5.

Here is a link to Radical Minimalist, a 26 year old blogger from Chicago, who ditched everything, job, house, Stuff, and is now roaming the world with a Minimalist view on life. She writes about wearing the same outfit to work every day for seven weeks. She doesn't talk about laundry however...I do wonder if she washed it once or twice a week?? And how she dried it overnight. Maybe she just wore it for 5 days straight. Girls don't sweat/stink that much!
Here: Radical Minimalist

When I put it up on FB as my status back then, I got a few interesting responses. From "What, you are disgusting!? We can't be friends" to "I applaude you. You are obviously from the future, because in the future, everyone will be wearing uniforms"

Hilarious :)

Essence of Minimalism

I think my friends think my Minimalism "hobby" is a bit quirky and a bit strange, and they shake their heads and say, "I don't know how you can own just three pairs of jeans!" They do humour me though ;)

I think for me, Minimalism is essentially, owning what you LOVE and ditching the rest.

I am not going to own 8 pairs of half decent jeans, that cost me $30 each and last two years. I would rather own TWO, that are a perfect fit, a bit expensive but good quality, and hopefully, will last 10-15 years.

I would like to state for a fact that I would like to only own TWO pairs of jeans, but due to a slight mishap, I now own three. I had two to start with, and one went missing, and for the life of me I couldn't find it anywhere! I came to the conclusion that it must have gone out with the bags of clothing that leave the house regularly for Anglicare. But one day, Husband couldn't close his tallboy drawer. There at the back, behind the drawers, the jeans were stuck. And so, now I own TWO pairs of blue jeans, plus one black pair.

LOVE what you own. Own what you LOVE. Good-bye to the rest!!!!!

When One is Enough - LBD

I wish I had the perfect Audrey Hepburn Little Black Dress - One.

Instead, I have Four.

Black Witchery puffy dress
This was bought at a sale. I have been quite happy with this dress. Easy to maintain. Simple. Flattering. I have worn it to a few weddings. The only thing is, as my body shape is changing after kids (sigh), I don't feel so comfortable wearing sleeveless. So I sort of need a cardigan.

George assymetrical dress
Also bought at a sale. Worn once. It's beautiful. Slinky and very well made. But for some reason, it just doesn't look good. And I bought it mostly because it was reduced a lot. George is a great brand. It was reduced from $300 to $80. But if I have only worn it once, it's not really a bargain, is it! I've decided to never buy at a sale rack again, but that's another post.

Turtleneck sleeveless dress
I bought this after having two babies when I felt like I had nothing to wear except horrible breastfeeding tops. And out of sheer desperation and lack of time, I bought it at a cheap shop having fit in the shopping between breastfeeding. $50. I still wear it occasionally.

Myer lace dress
I bought it for my brother-in-law's wedding. I love this dress. It's very Simple, comes down to the knee, and the lace is glamourous. I think this will be my One Dress.

Now what do I do with the other three...??

Minimalist Wardrobe: clothing inventory

I'm doing an inventory of what I own. This is a good way for me to see what I actually use, and what I actually Need. I'm trying to re-train my brain. I have Enough. I don't need More. I don't need Variety. A few good quality items, in a few favourite colours will DO!!!

One way of re-training my brain is to stop looking at fashion magazines and to stop looking at advertising brochures. You don't really think you need anything until you see it! And it's only $30!! What a bargain! ;) It has also helped that I've stopped going to shopping centres.

Once I know how much I already have, and how Plenty that is...I will stop buying! Half the time, we don't know what we own...so we double up on things, e.g I have 5 black tops. And half the time, we just wear our favourites. The 80/20 rule applies here. We only use 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. So I'm thinking of ditching the 80%, and use the remaining 100% of the time.

I have:

20 tops
6 pants (incl. 1 leggings)
3 shorts (incl. 1 exercise shorts)
2 skirts
12 jackets
5 cardigans
10 dresses
3 pyjamas
14 shoes (donated 2 since last post!!! woo!)
3 bags

That's 78 items. And really, that is a LOT. I've got to stop thinking I need more, that I need to keep up with...whatever! I will enjoy what I have, use what I have, and not waste what I have (which means donating what I don't use). I'm slowly working towards a proper Minimalist wardrobe. Slowly... :)

Downsizing Your Wardrobe

Some ideas for downsizing your (unused) wardrobe:

1. Give to Family
2. Give to Friends
3. Donate to Vinnies or Anglicare
4. Sell on ebay or gumtree. You can also give away for free on gumtree.
5. Go to a clothes swap e.g. The Clothing Exchange in Sydney
Visit: The Clothing Exchange
6. Fitted for Work - helping disadvantaged women get back into the workforce
Visit: Fitted for Work
7. Offer it for free on FB. Or Freecycle.

The Zero Waste Home

I've stumbled across this blog a couple of years ago. She is an inspiration!
Bea lives with her husband and two boys...and produces NO RUBBISH.

Besides being Zero Waste, she is also quite Minimalist. Her house is vision of white with only the essentials and absolutely no clutter. Her wardrobe, of course, is also minimal and not wasteful.

Bea's wardrobe:

9 tops
5 sweaters (3)/cardigans (2)
5 bottoms
3 dresses
5 intimates types
6 shoes
3 bags
5 jackets
9 accessories

Visit zerowastehome.blogspot.com