Visual Clutter

I love the new Newborn nappies from Aldi. No cutesy design in pastel colours.

They're just Plain White.

I didn't realise I didn't like the other nappies with the baby designs until I saw this one. Clean & Nice. I like it.

I find Visual Clutter just as bad as real clutter. I don't even like photos on my fridge. But for my kids' sake, I stick photos up (colourful and messy) because friends are important. Family is important. And relationships are important!!

When I was a kid, my mum used to say to me, "How can you study in there? Look at the mess in your room/on your desk?" I used to always dismiss that as Parental Nagging, but now I know better :) Visual Clutter does make a difference. Can't concentrate, can't find stuff, can't find space.

I think visual clutter affects me more than I think. The instant I tidy up and put everything away, I feel a lot less scattered and is more productive.

As for my desk, I need HELP!

Minimising Buying Stuff

As they say, "It's easier to stop it from Coming In, than trying to sort it out once it's in the house" or something like that. I think there's a more succinct way of saying it, but I can't think what it is...

One of the best tips I have been given is this.

Write down what you need to buy. So on your fridge, you've got your normal Shopping List. And another List. Purchase List/Buy List/Want List.

Shopping List:
Obviously you write down stuff you need next week. Milk, eggs, bread, chicken thigh, grapes, soy sauce, seaweed etc

Buy List:
Write down stuff that you THINK you need. Now, the trick here is to wait 30 days. And see if you still need it after that period of time. You still need it? Go right ahead! Buy it.

But you will be surprised after 30 days at what you've just Made-Do. Or decide you don't need anymore. Or just use what you already own.

Currently, on my Buy List is Cloth Nappies.

I will wait it out. I will probably get some as presents. Or I will find that I can't do cloth nappies for the first three months. Or that I can just use what I already own (16).

We are trained from a young age to Just Buy Things. And I want to break away from this habit. It shouldn't be the default mode. I want to learn to Make-Do, to be creative, to be frugal.

Be Minimalist.