Saturday, July 5, 2014

The Changing....

There's been a shift around here. Things are starting to change. Slowly. When I first became involved in all things bloggy, my feed was full of blogs about organising. And while I still read these from time to time, these blogs are now out numbered by another kind.  Blogs about minimalist living have caught my eye.
"What the hell are you talking about woman. You've got 4 kids. You can't be a minimalist." I hear you. I'm not sure that I want to be. But I think we have too much stuff. We have a whole shed full of stuff. Or we did. Now we have half a shed full of stuff.


The garage sale we had a few weeks ago marked the start of a change. A definite and deliberate change. We have that much stuff that we will have to have another garage sale before we move.  I'm trying to pare down to things that we either really need, or that we really love.  I know that with a large family we are still going to have a lot of stuff.  My hope is that it will either be functional, or beautiful or even both.
The garage sale was a success. It feels so good to get rid of stuff. And for someone who loves people watching it was very interesting. I observed and met some really interesting people.
First came the hardcore garages sale groupies. All on first name basis with each other they were already waiting patiently at the gate, chatting happily when we opened. They pretty much cleaned us out. However we had a steady stream of interesting people for the next couple of hours.

I met Pete. Pete's mum had remarried a man called Errol. It was Errol's father who had built our house. Fancy that! Pete told me that Errol and his father had been French polishers. He told me as a child he used to make an arm and a leg during show week taking money in exchange for a short cut through his back yard. He described the garden, where the lemon tree had been, the fountain and the blossom tree. He told me that the house had been divided into 2 flats. The strange layout of our home now makes sense! It was lovely to meet him and  to witness him take a walk down memory lane.

At the end of the day the accountants tallied up our earnings. "We're rich!" Was the general consensus. Then I broke the news that rego and the water bill was due. We had exactly enough left over for fish and chips the next night.

By the end of the day I felt so bloody good for getting starting our 'downsizing journey'  I really did.
And to top things off we had a perfect end to the day sharing a beautiful meal with family. I made Pip's Really Very Best Cauliflower Salad, this roast pumpkin and quinoa salad and my first ever paleo (grain free) bread. I also made my first ever raw food desert. It was absolutely divine, if I do say so myself...

On another topic, I'm also changing websites. I've been working on it behind the scenes ( hence why I've posted so few blog posts). It's nearly ready! Ill tell you all about it soon. Promise!

So many exciting changes, so little time!  I love change.  Good as a holiday as they say!

Do you like change?
What is the best change you have ever made?
Got anything exciting in the pipeline?

6 comments:

  1. I've always hated change. But, slowly, with much patience and practice, I'm learning to embrace it and it's the best thing I could possibly do to foster a more relaxed attitude towards life. I do love living with less. My husband will tell you that I am a hoarder. Living in a caravan has totally changed me. I browse and don't buy nearly as much as I use to. And when I do have something excess to requirements, I put things in the rubbish, or pass them on to fellow travellers. It's a revelation! Well done of taking care of rego and water in one foul swoop and bonus fish and chips - awesome!

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    1. Oh Heike I am so envious!! I wish I had done that pre kids. Not that you couldn't do it with kids, but I think I would be a much more settled mother if I had got some of these things out of my system first! I haven't given up on the caravan dream just yet...even if it is just for the school holidays initially!!! Gosh, we will need a big rig though. I will certainly pick your brains when the time comes.

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  2. PS: did you have a glass to wine whilst you waited for your fish and chips? I hope you did :)

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  3. Popped over for a look and first post I read had me laughing and nodding my head in agreement!! We have just moved from Townsville QLD to Perth WA and in the process had a garage sale with all the professional garage sale people who wait out the front from 6am!! I thought 7am start was reasonable?? Also loved the freedom of getting rid of so much stuff, its liberating. I have four boys but am also trying to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle!! Can't wait to see the new blog!

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  4. Hey love, have you moved yet?? Are you composing a masterpiece of why you write?? hee hee....I am constructing mine now, I'm not sure why but the words started flowing out so I thought I would go for it and then I thought I'd check in on you to see how you were doing....I hope everything has gone well, or is about to go well with the move....speak soon xxx

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