War On Waste - Series Two!

It's back on! The War on Waste is back on for everyone to take part in and you can see it on the ABC on Tuesday nights at 8:30pm.

I caught it by chance and loved every minute of it.

I remember the hype it got during the first series last year and totally went all out talking about it to everyone, so much so, I think all my friends and relatives got a little tired of hearing about it from me.

But I've been working on this blog and on my own personal war on waste around my house and life, making sure I recycle what I can and up-cycle as well. 

It's well worth a look into to see what you can do around your place to see what little things - which can turn out to be big things - to make your life easier and more likely change everything.

This year, I have stopped using plastic straws to see how many I used to use... and believe me I found out that in the past two months, I used to use 2 straws per day, every day! In the two months I'd normally use 2 straws a day there'd be 56 straws going to landfill! This plastic doesn't break down, and more often than not sticks around for decades. So, I have a pantry filled with straws which I have no use for - I might give them to my art school and see who grabs them first to recycle into an art installation. 

Now, the next thing which was boycotted from my home was single-use plastic bags. I collected them all together and put them into the big green recycle bin outside my local Coles Supermarket. 
I now only use the reusable shopping bags and my folding bags... they are now housed in my bag-holder in the kitchen, which is great! The best thing is that just as I boycotted those single-use bags from my Coles, they stopped using those very bags themselves! What a great place, right? 

Anyway, these are the two big - or little - plastics which are now vetoed from my house. I no longer use them and don't want them in my house. The straws are going to be dealt with next Monday - and I'll have more space in my pantry - and I'll be looking out for paper straws to stock so they break down.

So, do tell, what is your war on waste you're going into battle with? Have you boycotted something in your house and stuck with it? These aren't the only things which have been boycotted from my house - chemical cleaners, like bleach cleaners, is another - is another I'm working on getting rid of from my life and house. 

It's All In the Planning

Decluttering does work well when it's planned... and with my garden and its facelift, I had been planning that for around 2 months. 

So, when I walked inside the back door and realised my home needed another facelift, well, of course, this meant I'd be tossing out things in a big way... and also replacing some items with more sturdy items too. 

Even though my house is full of items which I've hand-picked from op-shops, I still go through it from year to year making sure I use those picked-out items. Sometimes if I find something I no longer use, I give it away; and you know? I don't miss it. 

This seems kinda cold, I know, but really it's a good thing to do around the house - in not particular order - to keep your place in good working order.

I mean, look at what I did with my books earlier this year. I cleaned them out in March and gave away 40 books! Yes, I gave them away without thinking about it... but I also gained just as many. This was something I had to do with the place to make it work out well. But, still I'm struggling to store the books where I need them. 

My art area is in great need of a make-over now. And by October, I'll have enough money set aside to work on it. Just like I planned ahead with the garden facelift, I have to plan ahead with any kind of facelift I do with the house. You see, I don't have a credit card, and don't wish to have one either; as I hate being in debt to anyone or any bank. It hasn't really worked out the way I thought it would... as I can't for the life of me get a home loan. Sad but true.

Anyway, not having a credit card means I don't have to be worrying about debt or paying off things all the time... or money. I plan head better for things that's all. And when you have the luxury of planning a few months in advance, you can sometimes come into your next part of your project with clearer eyes and a better idea of how it's going to work out. This is because you've given yourself the time to plan.

A Couple of Weeks

It's been a couple of weeks since my last post; and I must apologise for this. I have been cleaning out and looking at what needs to be done to fix up my place to make it better over this time.

However, I've also been working hard on my garden - and it's really coming along well. But I don't wish to bore you with the details of that until the time is right.... yeah it does get boring when one thing is talked about.

I have been working on the art area again, as I have been given two sets of plastic drawers from Oma's house and they're really coming in handy to store all the little things which need to be put away. In turn, that frees up the space on the bookcase in the hallway to the kitchen.

But I'm looking at replacing that with a larger one which will store everything which is leaning against the walls and blocking the way in a big way. This bigger one will be my birthday present to myself. Sure it will take up more wall space, but it'll also be a good thing for me too. I'll be able to get rid of that thin bookcase and spread out my books on art, shift any blank canvas' I will be using soon and store anything needed on top easily. Not a bad purchase really. 

I've got a few things to do in the next day or so in the way of donations. I have to get in and donate at my local Vinnies and then drop by to a Life Line Super Store and look around to see if they have any second-hand shelves (big metal ones are what I'm looking for). And if they don't, I'll drop off to Bunnings and see how much they are there... and see how much I have to save to get a set there. 

Yes, this will be a matter of me not spending up big on anything for a while; but it'll be worth it to save up on space. 

So, over the past couple of weeks, I've been cleaning up, cleaning out and planning. I know planning doesn't seem much; but it means I'm looking into working more on the house and how I store things. So, do tell, how is your decluttering journey going? Mine has slowed a little, but planning does that to the journey. 

It's Not Just The House

Over the past month, I've been redesigning the backyard. This means I've had to move all my potted plants, repot some of them, back-fill others and move another few still to new places around the garden to make room for something new to be added to the garden.

I bought myself a brand new greenhouse. Now, it's cheap one but it's going to serve its purpose until I save up for a nice bigger one where it's made from stainless steel and has bolts and is nailed to the ground properly. But until then, this little green walk-in one will have to do; as my delicate plants are being attacked by the possums and, well, I really want my garden to look and feel different after this year.

Also, it really needed a complete clean-out... I have plants in it which weren't doing my garden any favours.

Just like a house, there are things in a garden which need cleaning out once a year or so; and it's very healthy to get in, get your hands dirty and make your garden into something you want it to be - just like your house. 

Years ago, I had a white table in my garden and it really worked its mojo in the place. But it rotted very quickly and I got rid of it after around a year of having it and it was out in the weather. The day I tossed it over the fence, it opened up the shade area in a way I never thought was possible! Then, I bought a steel 2-chair bistro table setting and it looked gorgeous and gave the garden a totally different feel. 

Anyway, I built the shade garden around that freer feeling and made my garden look and feel just lovely after that... and that was 4 years ago. 

I've been sprucing up the garden every few years, in Winter when the garden is sleeping and dormant, and it's really paid off in the Summer months when I can sit back and know it's going to jump up and grow for me! 

So, have you stepped outside your home and looked into your garden area? Are you potted plants rootbound? Do they need bigger pots? Does your little courtyard or postage stamp backyard need a complete make-over? Well, now is the time (if you're in the Southern Hemisphere) to work on it.