I'm still dawdling over Day #13, but for you speedies out there --- I give you Day #14!
Today, go around your house with a shopping bag and fill it with outdated magazines, catalogues, newsletters, newspapers, brochures, and books. Put the magazines and books in the trunk of your car to be taken to the library or your health club. Put the rest in your recycle bin. Finally, make a pile of newsletters and clipped magazine articles that you intend to read immediately.
(30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 86)
OR for serious simplifiers only...
Go on a "Low-Information Diet." Say "No!" to extraneous information for one week. Just read what you must for your profession. Don't read irrevelant articles in magazines, newspapers, and newsletters. Avoid catalogues and self-improvement books. Shun the television. In your car, don't listen to radio shows or mind-bending tapes. Instead, play soothing music from tapes or CDs. Finally, dodge advertising where possible. Consume fewer info calories. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 92)
Ta dah! I'm done with Day #14! I only subscribe to one magazine (I adore In Style) which I give to our babysitter when I'm done, we don't get the newspaper (to my parents chagrin), and unless it's around Christmas time all catalogs are recycled immediately. I probably could get a few more books together to take to the library with my Day #11 stack, but I'm baby stepping that.
I've already had my first challenge to my promise from yesterday not to buy anymore fabric with this loveliness. I'm obsessed with that vintage lady print. I saw it on a bag on one of my favorite quilting blogs today. I must have, I MUST HAVE...okay, I must control myself. One project at a time!
Back to editing projects, I am having such a hard time with this challenge. It has seriously paralyzed me. I have quite a few half finished projects that I don't know what to do with. I know the author said toss them or recycle them, but seriously---throw them out? And I can't see someone wanting a purse that's half way made. Here's one of the thorns in my side.
My mother started making this nightgown for my younger sister sometime during the mid 1980s (my sister was born in 1981 and the pattern is a size 6x). When she was cleaning out her sewing area a couple of months ago, she convinced Red that she would look darling in it and told her that she must have mommy finish it for her. Yes, Red needs some new pajamas. Yes, by the time fall rolls around this year this will probably be her size. Would I have chosen to make an orange polyester nightgown for my daughter? Probably not.
So what do I do now? Sigh... There are some things I do want to recycle (things that I never started, not things that are part done) so I'll get that stuff together. I think what I want to do instead of tossing the half done stuff is commit to work on it for 15 minutes a day. Beginning work on it will tell me right away whether or not I want to finish and it may even convince me to put it (gulp) in the trash can.
What would you do?
2 comments:
Would your daughter really LOVE and WEAR the nightgown over time? If yes, then save it. If not, pass it on, donate it, etc. Could grandma finish for her for a gift? That would get it out of your house and still get your daughter the nightgown.
You might be surprised what some people like to find at thrift stores. Sometimes I find craft kits that remind me of my childhood and I snatch them up. Types of crafts go in and out of fashion and I can't find some of the crafts my mom and I use to make except in thrift store. Your right that people are less likely to buy a craft thats started (I certainly am). But for the right craft I'm willing to take the chance just as long as the instructions are with it.
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