Bedroom

I already once showed how my room looks like but at the moment my current bedroom looks like hell. One part is great and organized and the other part that is used by my siblings looks like a janitor closet. I find it important to separate my own stuff with the common used stuff. So how does it look, the day I came back into my bedroom, cartons and carpets are down on the floor.

Those things I need to get rid for them, laying around for years and forced out of sight. So I tried to cut the carpet up so I can dispose it in the trash. No box cutter or good scissor anywhere, in the end I took a brand new vegetable knife and cut the carpet in pieces and threw it away on my way to work in the trash collection bin.

I am very sad that a place that is supposed to be for living has been downgraded to a store room. I really cried when I came back home to my mom's place. I am not a neat freak but I like everything not needed out of sight out of mind. Old suppliance that should be recycled are collecting dust and left alone because they can. Papers bags, plastic bags and cartons are all over the place.

But I am already happy that at least my room is clean and organized. The part that is used as storage I won't and can't touch because it's common place. This means a new adventure for a minimalist to clean and organize the place.

Working

These past two weeks the updates on my blog are not as frequent as in the beginning of this year and that has a reason. I am working again full time, I wanted to work parttime but that's not available but hey at least I am getting paid for working. I am still getting inspired during my everyday life but the time to get writing got less.

I already shoot some inspirational picture to write about and that's is a way to remind me to write. I am also currently under training which means a lot of information is pumped into me in a very short amount of time.

But I see that my minimalistic lifestyle does improve my quality of life. I make better decisions and see the difference in how I used to be and am now. I don't settle for less than I want and also feel good about it.

It's also one of the ways why I get things done so easily and fast. The information that I get to process during the training period is huge, right after the training or session my head gets very stuffy and I want to get out for air. I also think that during that time I am processing the information my brain needs more air.

So what does it means, it means that for the next few weeks there will be less posted but right after I got settled in my new position (around mid April) I will be able to write more frequently as I used to.

Buying days

November is the month to do buy gifts in advance for Christmas and Thanksgiving. November has Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Singles Day. It's all happening this month because the last month of the year is the most busiest for all. Singles Day is on 11th of November, last year I bought quite a lot of stuff on AliExpress and all but one purchase didn't arrive.

In a few days at 28 or 29 March there is another sale from AliExpress and I already filled my shopping cart with products that I want to buy. The current price would be around €40,- but with the sale pricing it would be around €20,- and the items I choose are not easily to find in the Netherlands or the alternative would be to expensive.

A water filter, hooks for bags, hooks for kitchen/bathroom, bluetooth headphones and shower head. All items that can't be found in my local store or at Amazon.de for a reasonable price. Yes, I found some great stuff at Amazon.de but for free shipping my order has to be over €29,- and most of the items combined don't even match that amount.

Now I am anticipating the sales and even asked mom what she wanted. Let me warn you don't buy really expensive stuff that needs warranty from AliExpress cause it's way to difficult to get in touch with them after the sale, I had that with my Picun bluetooth headphones, didn't work for 2 months and it got broken. Never buying that brand for that price, period.

New monitor

Two weeks ago I shipped my laptop again to sell and last week I decided to buy a new monitor. I wanted to buy a second hand but the specification I had didn't match the budget.

Here is my list:

• internal speakers
• HDMI connection
• Full HD
• < 2 second response time
• 24 inch or more
• nice design
• budget €95,-

With all these requirement I opted for a Benq GL2580HM. Last week it was on promotion for €119,-. That's over my budget but with airmiles I used, it cost €87,92 so under my budget. I had two other option for less but considering the design I really don't want to regret not having to make the right decision just because it's a little bit more expensive. 

I did looked at the warranty policy, so if even one pixel is dead I can get a new one or let it be repaired. The one from Benq was better, it has pick up and return policy. I also looked at the resell value and the AOC is a new name, the specification looks good but I didn't date to take the risk so decided to take the Benq. 

The bucket

Two weeks ago I bought a bucket for the trash. Do you see the difference. The stunning old trash bin was a batter bowl and the bucket holds a 5 liter volume. The batter bowl is fantastic for doing the dishes but not for the trash, it's okay but nog great.

Once the trash hits the rim and the bag is still not full it becomes dangerous to just tosh rubbish in it. It's not stable and you're never sure if it will fall or not. The bucket cost only €0,89 and it wasn't a planned buy. I was in a shop and was thinking about it how to use and if I will use it. So thinking I could always bring it back with a receipts, I bought it.

Bring back the bucket in the kitchen and put a plastic bag in it, it fits perfectly. Even mom loves it, this way she could easily put trash in without letting trash fall out. I love it!

Inspirationless

When a week pass by without any real new discoveries on how to improve my own life standards it's bad for my mood because as a very curious person not discovering or getting inspired it impact my humor and my positive eyesight.

I like selling my stuff not only brings it cash but it also increase the space I live in. I had succes last month but that's in the past.

Going outside in this rain it's not very inviting. The sun doesn't shines much and that also add up to the mood.

The Ikea Thrones are ready to be installed on the wall. For Friday I requested to borrow a drill. I want those shoe shelves on the wall so it won't fall down anymore.

Currently I am falling in a hole without light, that's how I feel. Like the darkness is sucking my inspiration and that I won't come out of it. That's the reason why I am already making plans for Friday to put things up.

By doing so I make small mission and that in it self can get me better and motivated. Also it will get me thinking and inspiration can get streaming back in. This post is a bit messy with random paragraph with no real connection but by doing this it can help me get inspiration.

How Sundays should be

Every once in awhile I drink even on a Sunday. My snacks in a cleaned cashew butter glass container now only has healthy nuts to go along with my beer. The glass is not made for the beer but it works and I enjoy it very much. The small container is always in the living room so when someone needs a little bit to nibble on has it in hand. Do you see that even on the table there is only the beer bottle, glass, snack container and in the far end a phone charger?

Most of the time this long table is empty and now it only has these 4 items on it. By having it always empty we clean things up faster. Sundays should be relaxing without a list of to-do's.

Sudden burst

Today I was babysitting my nephews whom love to go out. Every Friday they don't go to kindergarten and are at home with my sister. My sister always have household chores to do so she always ask my mother to babysit. My nephews love eating and going outside, so on Friday she doesn't always take them out for a stroll or doing shoppings with them.

My nephews needs stimulation while walking to a store and going back home. When we go out they are full of energy and want to go as soon as possible to the store to eat and play. They know that I have put banana's in my bag to replenish their energy level. They are focused on that almost the whole time when they aren't playing. Today they didn't talk much but when I got the kneading eraser for them to play they were so talkative.

My mother promised them strawberries and apple after watching a 30 minutes video. But suddenly while they were sitting next to me playing under a blanket they fell asleep. For over an hour I was clamped in by my twins nephews.

The twins didn't wake up after an hour for their afternoon snack but by constant poking and calling they sat up and watched television. When I announced that I was leaving, my youngest nephew cried: 'Strawberries'. He burst out of tears and continuously recite strawberries. He is afraid that when I leave that they can't eat it.

As the strict aunt that I am, I didn't rush to him and just told him that I left the strawberries in a container for them. Still he didn't stop, I took my coat off and told all my nephews to sit at the dining table and eat a strawberry. The youngest was already in my sister lap, so to make him sit individually I made a deal with him. If he sits in his own chair he could pick the first strawberry. It works as a charm, every time when I say it.

I was honestly quite shocked when he reacted that way. But that's the fun with kids you don't know how they react like that.

Seeing things and my reaction

One day I came back and saw a plastic ice container that I used (reused) being deformed. In the past I would feel sh*t about it and ask who did it and why aren't you careful with other peoples stuff. That would be my reaction.

Now I come back and see it. It's deformed, it's a shame but it can be recycled and it's not the end of the world. Also I learned to appreciate glass and ceramic over plastic. If instead the plastic container it was my all-day usage le Creuset mug I would go a bit nuts, I think.

The difference is plastic container cost nothing, it came with the ice cream but my mug cost full price to replace it immediately €15,-. The value that I bestow on these items are different. My mug is used everyday and the plastic container only hold condiments or other liquids.

As I mentioned before on my blog, with minimalism you learn what really is important.