Day 31: Fashion Catalogues

New spring time fashion catalogues 

have come into this house this week.

Yes, I have room now after decluttering all these pieces of clothing 

at the beginning of the year, but I don't feel like buying spring clothes yet.

(looking at the snow outside)

Before they go to the paper recycling I still use them 

for cutting out whatever appeals to me.

And make a collage.

Thank you for your inspiration 

and Goodbye!

Day 30: Digital Decluttering

Today: Easy and quick.

Deleting text messages that have served their purpose.

112 sent, 143 received.

Thank you modern communication world 

and Goodbye!

Incredible how good something that simple can feel.

Day 29: Shoes

I took this photo of the shoe cabinet in the hall on 4 January 2014. Decluttering our shoes was quite high on my priority list, but it took a while nevertheless. Hubby warned me a couple of times to get rid of the shoe cabinet, because it stood rather shakily and could fall down when the little one tried to get something out of it. Yesterday, while I was busy in my room, I heard a very loud bang and a painful cry from Carolina and when I rushed to the scene, Hubby's warning had come true. Carolina must have had a thousand strong guardian angels, because she looked only shocked but unharmed. The shoe cabinet had fallen down and had been stopped by the opposite wall. Not a second longer would this shoe thing stay in our house, it went to the garage and awaits the next bulk-waste pick-up (we never really liked it anyway, it was a remnant from a previous tenant in our former apartment).

The shoe cabinet was full of clutter.

These 14 pairs of shoes have danced their last dance.
(and two shoes without a partner)

Mostly outgrown shoes from the girls 

and the pair of running shoes 

I trained in and run my first (and only) half-marathon

(2004 in Berlin).

Thank you for walking a part of our lives with us

and Goodbye!
 

Hello new space!

Day 28: More Paint

Dried out.

Bye-bye!

Day 27: More Dishes

Just 20 days ago I decluttered chipped dishes (here)

and we got a couple of new white bowls.

Two of them had a very short life span in our household.

Together with an older plate they move out today.

Thank you and Goodbye!

Day 26: A Single Glove

When it got colder in fall I bought a pair of micro-fleece gloves.

They warmed me allright 

and then I lost one on my bike.

Goodbye single glove and

 Thank you for warming my hand.

Day 25: Stuff you don't need, or your children

We still have the same highchair for Carolina, that was formerly used by Clara. 

Very good quality. It came with this padding:

 

It was used only once, when the chair was bought. Very unpractical. When it gets dirty 

(and it does, you know how babies and toddlers like to eat), you have to fiddle it off the chair, wash it, fiddle it on again. I don't know anybody who has a padding on their highchair. 

No, thank you and Goodbye!

Day 24: Puzzle

The first snow of this winter 

fell last night 

in Northern Germany.

All I declutter today

is this little piece of puzzle.

(found it on a shelf in the living room,

the rest of the puzzle has already gone, I guess)

 

Probably showing a snowy scene.

Day 23: Paint

Decluttering creates space. 

Not only in the house, 

but also in the head and heart. 

Who would have thought that after decluttering for a few days, 

I would start painting. 

Something I haven't done in years.

This paint tube from I-don't-when-and-where-from has dried out.

It can go.

I have new paint now.

Thank you for waiting.

Day 22: Hand Luggage

This bags stands in a corner beside my desk. It is mostly used as the bag for hand luggage on flights, you wouldn't imagine how much stuff fits into it (extra clothes for Carolina and me, books, snacks, tissues, pens, more books, bottles, a potty and much more travelling paraphernalia). After coming home after a trip I usually feel a bit reluctant to unpack my cases, just for the lingering vacation feeling... But the last flight was in October, coming back from Mallorca and over the last months I had forgotten the last remnants in the bag.

The stuff on the right side can stay.

What can go: free silly magazine from the flight, the rest of the children's surprise bag from the plane, a mini hello kitty christmas book, plastic ice cream spoons, luggage tags, used wipe package.

 Thanks for entertaining and
Have a good flight!

Day 21: Packaging

... from my new laptop lying around since October.

I only keep the receipt, the user manual and the recovery disc.

The rest will be recycled.

Day 20: Crayons

This week I will be taking a closer look at the living room.

Carolina's shelf:

 

... gets a a quick ten-minute-clean-up-declutter.

These can go:

Some keep-worthy pictures I will put in her portfolio.

The cherry-pit-pillow-pig will go forever.

And the 100 crayons for 5 Euros only spent a couple of days in the house. 

Bad drawing quality. 

What did I expect?

Thank you and Goodbye!

Day 19: Still Apples

Made applesauce (twice), juice and apple-cinnamon muffins.

Still apples left.

Sewed apple skirt.

Day 18: Apples

My weekend project:

These apples stored in the garage, the leftovers from apple picking in fall (see here). We have not eaten them for weeks (just Carolina grabs one once in a while). Some have to go to the compost, but most of them are still good and will become applesauce and fresh juice. I'll show you the results tomorrow.

Day 17: Rubber Bands

These are the remnants of a bouncy rubber band ball my mother gave us and Carolina took lively interest in. Who needs so many rubber bands in the cutlery box? I will keep one of each colour.

Thanks for being a short-lived kids' game...

 ... and to the trash.

Goodbye.

Day 16: Sweets

Leftovers I found in the kitchen. Some from last Christmas, but most of them come from the fun fair in October, "Kramermarktsumzug" in Oldenburg, when during a parade, children get thrown a hell of a lot of cheap sweets. The fun is in the catching, not in the eating. Usually I recycle the sweets at Halloween. These I only found now. No, thank you and Goodbye. Trash. The dentist will thank me.

Day 15: Wool

Time for a little middle-of-the-week-decluttering-fun.

Wool leftovers from the last two years.

They come from three pairs of socks (here, here and here), Hubby's sweater (here), Carolina's dress (here), Christmas decoration (here), three hats (here, here and here) and two Dickeys (here and here) - just in case you were interested.

I will not throw them away, of course.

But have a project I started about 3,5 years ago, a blanket, 

where all the leftovers can go, 

like a knitting diary.

For nearly two years I haven't made a stitch. 

But tonight will be the night, a special night also, 

because I will do it at Oldenburg Knit Night.

After two years of not going there, everything falls into place tonight.

The children, the jobs, all give permission.

Great knitting decluttering ahead.

Day 14: Spices

Right next to the now decluttered tea (here) stand some spices. Not all of them, but some.
I took them off the shelf and went through them.

 These have expired, along with more advent calendar tea I found:

Goodbye!

The rest of spices was okay.

Now also Hubby can find his way through cooking with spices.

Day 13: Tea

Monday, back to work, back to the kitchen - but I actually decluttered Sunday morning, something I was really yearning for:

the tea board

Lots of tea and very little (decaf) coffee.

starting time: 8.41 am

First everything went off the shelf.

Christmas is over, the tea on the left was a gift from a yoga student last recent Christmas

(can stay, expires 2015)

On the right side tea from the advent calendar the year before. Can go, after I have made myself a cup of Japanese Genmaicha tea (green tea and roasted rice, which I instantly fell in love with in London in 1996, offered by my Korean room mate).

A wooden box from a trip to Kenia in 2004, when I was working for TV. This box went with me through three moves in three cities (Berlin, Cologne, Oldenburg) and has to stay. But the black tea in there is coming from a discounter, not very aromatic (not like the creamy tea in Kenya at 5am before a safari) and can go:

Room for the advent calendar teas:

These expired 2013 and were hardly ever drunk.

Lemongras and decaf Earl Grey I liked in my pregancy 2011:

Also in my pregnancy I liked these tea tins more than the tea itself

(blogged here):

For the coffee:

Bought at Whole Foods in Los Angeles, nearly missed plane for.

Expires February 2014, rarely drunk, can go.

Also goes the coffee whitener:

Bought at Oldenburgs vegan supermarket (blogged here), 

don't like the sweet taste.

... and has hardened.

Thank you for warming body, mind and soul

and Goodbye!

Finished: 9.22 am.

Day 12: Wellingtons

Yesterday was a rainy day, around here in Northern Germany. One of the first things I learned when we moved here four years ago, is that you need appropriate rainwear, especially when you ride your bike day in, day out, like half of the Oldenburg folk do.

This week I had a strange feeling around my feet, looked down and saw that my Wellingtons had cracked.

not very appropriate rainwear

I have had some for 1,5 years, bought for a family tent camp in rainy July 2012 (see here). And I have come to like those Wellingtons for their practical and quick use in fall, winter and spring. Before bothering with zippers and shoelaces, I just slip into them, jump on my bike and go! Now they have to go. Thank you so much for keeping my feet dry and Goodbye!

Some people have the rule, that for every new thing that comes into the house, an old thing has to go. I'll do it the other way round. Because I really like and need Wellingtons.

Hello and Welcome!