I live in Maddie's Village

They say it takes a village to raise a child.  Well I'm sure glad that I live in the same village as the family and friends that surround Madison Heeps.  Yesterday saw the second last fundraising push towards the target of $25,000 for Maddie's assistance dog Hank.   In the city of Melbourne, we held a fete with BBQ lunch, a bar, stalls selling cakes and crafts, raffle & silent auction, lucky dips & face painting plus beautiful live music to entertain. So many people came and freely gave of their talents and time for a cause beyond worthy.

We were given access to a Bar/Restaurant, La Di Da, through one of Daniels friends, at no charge.  

If you are wondering why i am involved its because i work with Maddie's Dad, Daniel, and I'm so lucky to be included in their circle of friends.  It was a privilege to be included in the organisation of the event.

I've spoken of Maddie before.  She was born with a chromosomal abnormality resulting in a condition known  as Cri Du Chat.  Its not common and therefore the community of Cri Du Chat families in Australia is small but very supportive of one another.  Late last year Maddie was given the opportunity to have an assistance dog.  They are very highly trained and expensive dogs, very similar to guide dogs and therefore given public access wherever needed. Fortunately its not a case of pay upfront before you can have a dog.  Maddie's need was great and after carefully planned introduced to Hank, their bond was immediate.

Dogs for Kids with Disabilities  (DKD) is a not for profit organisation in Victoria that provides assistance and companion dogs for children and young adults with a range of challenges.  They have been so supportive of the Heeps family and the difference that Hank has made to Maddie's life has been , well, life changing for all of them.

Hank Our Hero - Don't you just want to give him a big hug.  Well don't - he's working.  

If you want to know more about Hank, visit his Facebook page Hank Our Hero.  If you have a few spare dollars then enter the DKD via Hanks page and make a tax deductible donation towards the provision of these beautiful four legged angels for children in need.

How skilled was Jonathon.  He designed and painted about 10 faces on boards the night before for children to choose from.  He started at 10.30am and was still going after i left at 3.30pm.  Each face costs $5 and he had a queue all day. His contribution to the total must have been huge. The lady in the bottom right was fulfilling a $100 dare that she wouldn't have her face painted and wear it on the train, all the way to Bendigo in the country.  I like her spunk!  Top right is my little darling, Chelsea, with her missing front teeth she almost looked the part with her fangs.

Inside the ceiling was decorated with balloons with thank you cards attached.   There was a table with donated prizes for the raffle and the silent auction.  I really wanted the Blitz Pro but my boss beat me by $20.  Drat!

These were some of the gifts hand crafted by family and friends for sale or donated to the auction or raffle.

This table was my responsibility but i cannot lay claim to the mouth watering goodies.  Bell's fella (Mark) and I paid for the groceries and then I delegated the baking to my very clever niece, who actually has some talent. Thank you so much Bell and my sister Glenda (for the clean up).  Daniel's Mum, Carol, also made some lovely bags of beautiful biscuits to sell.

Harry Healy donated his music free of charge for the event.  This guy is so talented and had us all singing along and tapping our feet.  He sang and played for almost 4 hours non stop, covering tunes from several decades.  Harry gained some celebrity status from being a contestant on The Voice.  Check out the new CD on his website here.  I'd love to see him live again.

DKD sent along one of the younger dogs in training.  At 11 months you could still see the puppy playfulness but again, so well controlled by his trainer.   Maddie was having fun with her constant companion.

It important to note that Daniel and Kym have another child, Austin.  They are careful to always make special time for him so that he doesn't feel left out.  Above, Granddad supervising Austin's lunch and Daniel and Kym having a 3 way dance with him.  He is such a beautiful boy and smart. When he was at the office last time I upended the big box of matchbox cars I'd brought in and when he was packing up he counted up to 87, one by one, without missing a single one.  He is 3 years old people!!!!!

OK, there are a few businesses that i need to personally thank.  I'm kinda like that guy played by James Garner in The Great Escape, Hendley.  If you want something, i can get it.  My motto for life is that "If you don't ask, you don't get" and so my thanks go to the following for their generosity.

Sam from Pacific Meat Sales - for 360 sausages
Margaret from Supagas -  a bottle of helium   - we had some fun with that!
Werribee Party Hire - Balloon, Strings and Table Cloths
Annette from BBQ's Galore, Hoppers Crossing - Roasters, Recipe book, Marinades etc for the raffle
Fab & Staff from The Good Guys, Hoppers Crossing  - The Kambrook Pro Blitz for Auction
Lou from Anaconda, Hoppers Crossing -  The Chimnea for Auction

I'm sure I could have made the list longer if i had started earlier than a week ago.  Many companies referred me to their HQ and that's where it all gets lost in red tape.

These events take a lot of organising by a lot of people but in this case it was all done with such joy.  I bet I'm not the only person whose glad that its over though.

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land Of Oz

Introduction to Indian Cooking - Workshop

She's gorgeous, isn't she?  Surya looks like an Indian Princess who went slightly off track and found her way to the Eco Living Centre in Wyndham Vale for a workshop presented by Shoestring Gardening.  How lucky were we and how lucky was I that at last a workshop was being held on a weekend and not mid-week.  I grabbed 3 of my buddies (including my sister) and we made our way to a morning of heavenly spices, yummy food and a good ole natter.  Shoestring are hoping to make this a monthly workshop with local people demonstrating their cultural foods to others.  What better way to bring a community together - sharing food.  I don't dine out at restaurants and my circle of friends is decidedly "Anglo" (why is that?) so I'm hoping that there are some brave souls willing to share some Thai, African, Turkish, Italian, Asian, ........... cooking skills .  I'm open to it all.  Bring it on.....

Our morning started with Spinach Onion Pakoda.  It is a spicy fritter batter dropped into hot oil until cooked.  The mixture was made up already on arrival so i arrived just in time for the cooking and eating.

What started out as a flavoursome opening snack certainly had a bit of a kick in the tail.  Not too much though.  I didn't see anyone diving for drinks and there were plenty going for seconds and thirds.... Oh, was that me?  I noted when we were finishing that the bowl had a rather large quantity of batter remaining so i nabbed it to bring home and make up for my hubby.  Waste not, want not.  I dry fried it in a non-stick pan making them flatter and they turned out equally as good as the deep fried.  I think they would be lovely with a mango chutney.

I do have the recipe and ingredient lists for all these recipes but if i included them here, the post would be very long.  Give me your email address in comment section and I'll send them to you.

The main course for the workshop was Sambar (Indian Lentil Vegetable Stew or Chowder) 

This is one healthy meal with lots of vegetables and certainly different and more interesting than the usual steamed veggies i serve up my crew.  I'm not sure, no I'm pretty sure, that Tom wouldn't eat it but Rob is open to anything.  I tried Okra for the first time and found it a bit ho hum, squash kinda taste but it did pick up some of the spice flavours.   This particular dish included Tamarind Water (made from paste), Coriander Powder, Sambal Powder, Curry Leaves, Fenugreek Seeds (the list of health benefits associated with these seeds is long - check it out), & garlic.

During the making of this meal there was an open general discussion between all the ladies about some of the products we were using.  Simple ones like, what is Dal?  What exactly is Ghee and when do you use it? Unless you are a vegetarian you, like I, may have an idea but you are not quite sure.  Shoestring workshops are the perfect opportunity to ask seemingly stupid questions. They are always friendly and relaxed.   Surya was happy to go through each of the questions and give us simple explanations that were informative and cost saving.  If you don't cook Indian food everyday you run the risk of going out and buying an enormous collections of unusual spices that you may not ever use again (though you should). Surya gave us hints on buying dried powders rather than pastes. Checking for use by dates and storage and where to buy locally. We all loved her stackable spice cans with the smaller tins of spices displayed inside.

Our accompaniment for the main dish was Indian Spicy Potato Roast.  

This dish should come with a warning for all vampires.  Phewy, does it have a garlic hit.  The recipe says 2 pods.  We all naturally thought this meant cloves.  Nope, that's 2-3 bulbs.  Apart from the garlic there was fennel seeds, Sambar powder, coriander powder, Asafoetida and Turmeric.  These were all folded into the diced potatoes before roasting.

You might have noticed that i keep mentioning some ingredients that are a bit different.  What the hell is Asafoetida?  Well if you are Indian you would use it in almost every dish.  If you are an Australian then you probably should.  There is a hole in our ozone guys!  This is such an important topic that i did an entire post on it What is it with men and Farting?

Asafoetida is made from the dried gum of a middle eastern herb.  Its main use in cooking is to reduce "gas" in dishes with lentils and pulses.  Since these are a staple in most Indian dishes you will find that it will also include a few shakes of Asafoetida.  It can be used in any dish as although it stinks close up, it cooks out and enhances the flavours of a dish.  I'm thinking of buying it by the tonne and handing it our to all my friends to use so that their husband might be relieved of their gas issues.  There are also many health benefits and you can check them out here.

So what is Sambar Powder.  I guess its a bit of a curry mix.  Instead of buying a stack of little sachets of spice you can buy one powder with it all mixed.  It includes Lentil, Coriander, Chili Pepper, Cumin, Turmeric, Mustard, Fenugreek, Compounded Asafoetida, Ginger, Curry Leaves & Salt.

What's the difference between Dried Peas and Lentils.  Check this out here but I'm still a little confused.  I know Dal is the Yellow Lentil (flatter) used in Indian Cooking.  Lentils come in a variety of colours and peas are either green or yellow.  Lentils are the seeds from the  pod of a legume.  Isn't a pea pod a legume too! So confusing.  Either way they are all, along with beans, pulses and they are very healthy for you.  Just use the Asafoetida people.

SO until next time....

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land of Oz

Here I Am, Not Far Away, Just Hibernating

Gosh, it has been awhile since i wrote a post.  Is this what they call writers block? Have i committed the cardinal sin of blogging and been absent for so long that I've lost my readers? Truth is that nothing much has happened that was worthy of writing about.  "Hasn't stopped you before", i hear you say from afar.  Perhaps the autumn chill that has finally descended upon us here in Melbourne has sent me into hibernation. Now wouldn't that be nice?.  I think i could crawl into a nice warm cave and sleep for the winter.  Even better, when i finally came out I'd be much much slimmer.  Well rested and looking good.  Bonus!

Disclaimer:  Any similarity between the bear above and myself is purely co-incidental.  

You may have noticed me popping up in your comments here and there but in general I've been pretty offline. I've read some books and watched a shocking amount of recorded home renovating and cooking programs in the evenings. Today, however, the autumn sunshine appeared and woke me up.  I've been playing outside in the garden. Gosh it feels good.  I truly haven't been out there for weeks and look what i found.

Can you believe it?  Tomatoes in May.   I've broken my own record and have now been picking my own tomatoes from early December to mid May.  6 Months - Crazy!.  As Gavin from Greening of Gavin pointed out, i have my own little micro-climate going on out there.   I ate some sliced on toast with salt flakes and pepper and it was an explosion of flavour.   The remaining plant on the back wall of the house is full of green ripening tomatoes and even flowers reaching to the eaves.  The solar system tells me I'm generating 3kW of power so I'm washing my dishes and clothes for nothing.

These flowers are self seeded and certainly were not there a few weeks ago.  I'm definitely a lazy gardener. It looks after itself.  I am great at growing grass though and my low maintenance bunnies seem to enjoy it.  

Two weekends ago i had the pleasure of two munchkins for the weekend.  Maison and Chelsea live on the other side of the city now and our visits are too infrequent.  I pinched them for a weekend of cuddles and kisses.  Nope, i haven't started pinching their cheeks yet like some ole spinster but close enough.  Maison and the boys (sorry, my men) went off to see the Avengers on Saturday while i took Chelsea to KMart for some winter clothes for her birthday.  Can you believe that she is turning 6 and just going into size 4.  Tiny little miss but one with attitude and the confidence of an 18 year old.  The boys usually hang together while Chelsea and I get some girl time.

Chelsea, who doesn't eat eggs, decided she loves my "puffy cakes" otherwise known as quiche.  On Sunday Tom drove us down to Werribee South foreshore and while the sausages were cooking i made French Toast (bread soaked in egg).  She ate so many that she didn't want any sausages.  Hmmmm  i guess Chelsea does eat eggs, just don't tell her.

We had a lovely time watching the kids roll down the grassy slope with the other children.  I think the little Muslim girls, covered from head to toe, were better protected from grass rash than the others but i was worried about grass stains on their white hijabs.  Maison was scratching for hours.  We tore up the remaining bread and fed the seagulls creating a huge flock of noisy and competitive birds.  Such fun for all.  

Last weekend my Bestie and I joined the throng and attended the AFL's annual Pink Lady Match in support Breast Cancer.  It was a lovely outing on our own and I enjoyed our train adventure.  She travels to the city every morning and night on crowded trains and so I'm not sure she was so enthused. I'm not a footy supporter (she is a Collingwood supporter - need i say more) but i do love attending a game at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground). So much atmosphere.

There was a minutes silence where i remembered my late sister-in-law Bellie and also a banner through which 300 Mums, chosen from 1000's nominated, ran through all dressed in pink poncho's.  We were given small LED torches that had a pink filter and when they turned the lights off it was amazing.  I think i equally enjoyed the company and just moving around the city late at night.  It felt strangely youthful, like we should be checking into one of the nightclubs for a boogie and a few cocktails.   Ummm  the fact that i said the word "Boogie" should be a hint that i am anything but youthful!.

This weekend we've been busy de-cluttering for a hard garbage pickup.  I don't know why we bother as it usually disappears before the appointed day (Wednesday).   Tom's old mattress, an unused sun lounge and a broken office chair have gone one way and an old bookshelf with 50 coats of paint that i was planning on stripping went the other.  I wonder if someone wants my green waste because that's about all that's left along with the old oven.

Rob and I went to see the movie Mad Max - Fury Road on Saturday night.

I know, you are surprised aren't you.  Surely that couldn't be my taste in movies.  Well normally I'd have to agree with you but Mad Max is kind of an Aussie thing.  I saw the first movie back in 1979 and i can tell you that George Miller has lost none of his touch.  Its my opinion that this one was the best.  My eyes were like saucers and i don't think i blinked once throughout the movie.  I was leaking tears without crying.  Such an avalanche of non stop action.  Thank you Bell for a the Village Card Christmas gift, the whole night cost us nothing.

I'm loving these flowers i was given at work last week.  No reason, they just thought i needed them.  I did.

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land of Oz

Soy Candle Workshop

This weekend saw me participating in a soy candle workshop.  A generous Christmas gift from Jessie from Rabidlittlehippy.  Can i tell you upfront that i didn't think that there would be much in this. Do you really need to do a workshop? Melt a little wax, couple of drop of oil  and pour it into a mould with a wick.  Easy Peasy!  How arrogant and ignorant was I?   I felt a little foolish but also very grateful for the detailed information that Kim from Little Green Workshops provided.  She covered all the safety and creative information with such a relaxed friendly manner.

Each workstation was provided with all the tools that we would need throughout the workshop.  It must take forever to set this all up.  We had detailed notes giving us quantities and measurements of wax and fragrances for easy reference as well as being provided with a detailed instruction booklet to take home.  We didn't even have to clean up in between our different candles.  No sooner had we finished with a jug we had melted the wax in than it was whisked away to the kitchen by Gavin to clean-up for the next round. EcoSoya wax is water soluble and easy to clean up.  They are certainly a well oiled machine when it comes to customer service these two.

Apart from our workstations, there were other tables with fragrances and colour chips that we could select to personalise each of our candles.  Here is a nifty trick used - in between smelling the essential blends of oil we were given a tea bag to sniff to clear our nasal passages.  It really worked. Another table was loaded with all the utensils and supplies you would need to start creating your own candles at home.  I bought a full kit with my birthday money so all my friends had better expect candles for Christmas this year.  I picked up a lovely Christmas fragrance of Blackcurrant and Plum, a fresh Wild Mint and Lime and a sumptuous Ralph Lauren Blue.

Each of us made a large fragranced coloured square candle and four tea lights.  We also made a plain candle inside a lovely mosaic mould which looks stunning when lit and a packet of fragranced melts that go into burners.  All of these supplies were included in the $72 cost and we got to take what we had made home at the end of the workshop.  Its amazing what you can learn and create in just a few hours.  I found the workshop very good value for money (even though i didn't pay for it).

I don't want to go into my usually huge post on the workshop.  I want all of you to book in and experience a few hours of creative fun yourself.  I did learn heaps.   If you are in another state then you can go on line to gather information and buy your supplies.   Gav accepts PayPal, EFT and Credit Card payments.

Little Green Workshops - Soy Candles

So here is just a few facts to wet your appetite:

Gav & Kim use EcoSoya Wax which after much research they have had to import from the US.  All soy wax in Australia comes from GMO crops.  Parafin from oil is cheap (and toxic) and is often added to some soy candle products to make it cheaper.  Many "Soy" candles found in $2 shops are more paraffin than soy. So either spend a lot of time researching where something comes from (don't trust the labels) or buy direct from Gav and Kim.

Wicks come in different thicknesses to allow for a wider spread of burning.  If a wick is too small you will end up with a small radius of burning and unburnt wax on the outside.  If you have a large mould, use a thick wick or several smaller wicks to cover the entire radius.  Wicks should be trimmed to no shorter than 6mm to avoid the wick being drowned in wax when it expands as it melts. Trims wicks when hard and cool.

Another reasons this happens is Candle Memory.  Ever noticed how you end up with a big whole in the middle?  I guess its because we are so rushed that we light a candle for a few hours and then blow it out.  In order for a candle to burn across the whole width (and if your wick is the right size) then you must allow it to burn long enough to melt the wax all the way across.  A candle will remember where it burnt to last time (this wax will be softer) and do it again.  See How to burn a candle properly

Did i just say above, "blow a candle out"? Not only can this be dangerous but it also can dry the wick out and it can snap.  I've had this problem myself.   You should always use a "Wick Dipper" to lower the wick into the melted wax (which will extinguish it immediately) but then lift it out straight with a nice coating of wax ready for lighting next time.

I bought one similar from Gav for just a few dollars.  Or, you could make a simple one yourself from wire.  

Essential oils have a low flashpoint and as such are usually blended with a carrier oil for candle making eg. grape-seed oil.   Still this blend must never be added when the melted wax is above 57 degrees.   It may (depending on the essential oil) ignite.   A candy thermometer in the melted wax will tell you when you can safely add the oil.  Stir for at least 2 minutes to thoroughly mix the oil through the wax.

There you have it.  An invitation to book into a few hours of fun with some friends or just go yourself.  Kim is such a darling you want to take her home with you.  Now if she would just supply her famous Cornish Pasties for lunch i would be over there every Sunday.  Gav could add some home-made ginger beer into the mix.

On leaving the Melton South Community Centre i noted across the cricket oval a pathway up a small hill. Wearing my FitBit i took a photo and phoned a friend to ask if she thought i could do it (remember my crazy feet).  She told me to go for it and since i was wearing a brace on my worst ankle I took off at a pace.  It was easy and wasn't i surprised when on reaching the top (great 360 view) to receive a few little buzzes on my wrist letting me know that i had reached my first 5,000 steps for the day.  Being elevated i also recorded 5 flights of stairs and all before lunch time.  I think I'm going to have to reassess my daily targets to 10,000. Slowly, Slowly.......

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land of Oz

Happy Birthday to Me

I wasn't going to do a post today.  It seemed a bit self congratulatory to be posting on your birthday but i think i might have too.  I have been inundated with blessing and good wishes from so many people in all kinds of ways from everywhere.  Can i let you all know that i feel very special today thanks to all your messages on Facebook, through comments on this blog, by SMS on my mobile, in handwritten beautiful cards, phone calls and in person.  I feeling very well loved today.

This still give me a thrill!

My birthday celebrations started yesterday when not one, not two but three people called a day early.  Mum actually got all the way through singing Happy Birthday before i um gently let her know she was a little early. No matter, she called again this morning just after 6am and did it all again.  Lucky Me.

Oh, can i point you to the opening picture - how beautiful is this 3D card.  It is so well made.  The pink is a cutout to the inside and the little plate of cakes is raised and its all textured.  Such a lovely card Veronica.  It came with the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a gift card and the birthday wishes of my work family. They always spoil me.

Today is also my anniversary of working with them as i started on my birthday in 2007. Makes it easy to remember.  I've reached 8 years continuity of service today which means i am now entitled to 7 weeks Long Service Leave.   Yeah!!!   I cant actually take it (unless agreed) for another two years but its there, fuelling my dreams of a future holiday, somewhere.  I don't know who i am kidding, i get itchy if I'm away for over a week and start calling in.  I miss the action and the people.

Later in the day i was given another arrangement from Janusz (Prod Man) and his wife, Karolina.  I'm leaving this one at work today, so i can enjoy it all tomorrow before bringing it home for the weekend.  The fragrance from both arrangements is beautiful.

This evening after work the three of us went to the Plaza and Tom shouted me dinner with his left over birthday money.  My tummies not up for solids today so (as its my birthday) i had ice cream (lemon cheesecake and mango) and coffee.  It doesn't get better than that.

Its a special treat night.  Mum's a cheap date.  Argh..... Carbs!

He also took me to the book section of Big W and told me to choose.

I believe this is a great movie and a highly recommended book.  

I'm looking forward to Tom having a job as i think he might be quite generous when he has his own money.

After my shameful dinner confession above, can I tell you that my husband bought me a FitBit Charge for my birthday.  Several of my friends have one and they are all linked and keeping track together and so i can now join the club.  With the help of a generous gift from Mum, today Amart Sports allowed me to swap it for the recently released Charge HR that also measures heart rate and improved features over the Charge.

Features of FITBIT Charge HR

STEPS, DISTANCE
CALORIES BURNED

CALLER ID

STAIRS CLIMBED

CONTINUOUS
HEART RATE

ACTIVE MINUTES

SLEEP TRACKING
& ALARMS

• Continuous, automatic, wrist-based heart rate
• Displays daily stats, time of day and Caller ID
• Records run stats, routes, splits and workouts
• Monitors sleep and wakes you with a silent alarm
• Rechargeable battery lasts 5+ days
• Includes tracker, charging cable and wireless sync dongle

With my wonky ankles and feet  I am never going to be in Ella's league, who last weekend did 30,000 steps in one day, but i can certainly work on keeping my heart rate up during exercise periods.   One of the desired features is sleep monitoring.  I don't sleep well and i imagine that many nights i am getting well under 5 hrs and mostly broken.  The Fitbit will actually chart (via my phone or tablet) my sleep patterns - how long it takes to get to sleep, and the duration of sleep between awakenings. This is an area i really need to improve and knowing what's actually going on might help.  I'd love to be one of these people who sleep through the night and wake up slowly but after only a couple of hours I'm bouncing and ready to go like an Energiser Bunny. I'm on watch all the time! Do all mothers feel this way?  I thought I'd grow out of this. He's 18 for goodness sake.  I do crash though.  Usually about 3pm.

Tomorrow night, after dinner, my Fitbit girlfriends are coming over to check out Tom's new treadmill and to help set mine up so we are "on the same page".   I'm mindful of this possibly being another expensive "gizmo" that sits in the drawer but I'm hopeful that it will, with the help of my friends, motivate me to keep up with the exercise.  I struggled to think of something that i needed and then came up with something that i wanted.  

Anyway, its been a lovely day and i just wanted to say thank you to everyone.

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land Of Oz

De-Cluttering Workshop

My shameful secret is that i am a hoarder of paper.  Bills, statements, receipts, policies, assessments, you name it, they are all in about 3 large plastic tubs and all over the house in little piles.  I'm not even sure how far back some of it goes back and it scares me to think about it. Several years, at least.

Well,  i am whiter than white and large (but don't forget adorable).

I'm accountant and at work when a piece of paper hits my desk, its dealt with and filed immediately.  Since i work on several companies, any inter-company transactions are processed in their respective systems first before being filed, probably in both. I never do one side without the other (saves reconciliation).  Folders are colour coded. I'm surrounded by book cases full of blue, red and lime folders.  Previous years are archived and boxed.  If you asked me to find the hard copy of an invoice 5 years ago, i could within moments.  Its not hard, its habit and I've worked this way for (Oh Lordy) 34 years.  I de-clutter my mobile phone, deleting messages and recent calls everyday.  Before i started this post, i cleaned my email inbox.  Sorting all the emails into their respective folders or deleting them.  I defrag my computer regularly to reshuffle the files on my hard drive and open up space.  Someone hand me the halo polish, quick!

So WHAT THE ! happens when it comes to this paper pile?  It grows every week.  We (and by that i mean me, in our household) have never filed anything by the looks of it.  Oh, Ive tried. I have little filing cabinets with hanging files and labels.   I've sorted through my mountain of paper several times and then run out of time to complete and so had to store it and, well you know the story.  I'm a busy girl.

Do you think my Bestie is trying to send me a message by inviting me to a de-cluttering workshop?  I think she must because she has the tidiest house and very little to de-clutter at all.  I'm thinking that my accompanying her was a ruse to get me to address my issues.  Clever girl and I'm sure one day when my clutter is gone i may forgive her and be just be a little bit grateful.

So, did i learn anything?

Yes, i guess i did but first a bit of info on the workshop.  It was run, for free, by our wonderful Wyndham City Council as part of their Green Living Series.  They are going to have to start paying me soon.

You'll remember that i recently did a post on a visit to an Off Grid House in Little River.  If not, check it out here. It was only one of many workshops on offer.  They are very popular and book out quickly. Its great that so many local residents are interested in living more sustainably and supporting the councils green initiatives.

Tanya Lewis, the creator of EcoOrganiser was our presenter.

Do you know that you can hire Tanya or one of her team to come and help with the de-clutter?   Tempting.  

I highly recommend visiting her website and looking under her resources tab for her blog which includes Home Organising Tips & Tricks.  I like her style.  She calls a spade a spade.   No one is going to do anything about a problem if they are patted on the head and given a "there there dear".

The presentation was based around the 10R's.

The 10R’s© Eco Organising Solution

“Because life is too short to be looking for STUFF”

1. Rethink
    Do I need it, do I want it?
    How will it make me feel if its not here?
    Is there an equivalent with less packaging?
    How can I reuse the packaging?
    Do I have similar already?  Once you have de-cluttered you will know what you have.

So simple - bull dog clips on side of desk.  Dont forget to use bread labels (you know those little plastic doobies) for labelling the cords.  

2. Responsible

    Is it in good condition, is it saleable?
   Where will it go if no one buys it?

3. Refuse
    Say no thank you to free things.  Use a "No Junk Mail" sign on your mail box. Say no to samples.  

Say NO NO NO to a bathroom cupboard full of products and packaging that you will not use.  Don't be a victim of marketing!

4. Re purpose

    Rethink clutter, re-purpose before buying new

These shoe organisers are great for all sorts of things and take up no space on the inside of a door.
  Children's toys,  underwear sets, that dreaded "i don't know where to put it" stuff.   Also great on inside of pantry for packets of spices, soups, gravies etc.  

5. Re organise
    Fit within our current footprint.  Can an old set of drawers be used inside cupboard or turned into shelves.

Tanya brought in a fitted sheet and showed us how to fold it flat and pop the set into the matching pillowcase.  This keeps the linen cupboard organised and neat.

6. Repair
    Can it be repaired?  Buy quality that can be repaired rather than cheap throw away items.

7. Reduce
    Clutter and waste.  Buy less packaging and refillable items so nothing extra comes in.  

Cut up plumbing pipe - genius!

8. Reuse

    Before landfill.  Glass jars are fab storage solutions both in the home and the garage.

    Share magazines with friends or drop off at medical centre or aged care facility.

Reused packaging

9. Recycle
    At home.  Tanya provided us with some great links to find how and where to recycle.  See Below

10. Reward
     Yourself, your home and your planet

Its important to note that Tanya's business is based around Eco Organising.  This means creating more time and space within the home in an environmentally friendly way.  Landfill should be your last option. We could all spend a fortune, and have, on plastic tubs and cute storage containers in matching patterns and colours. Tanya teaches us to focus on storing items inside things we already have. Eg. pots within pots.  We shouldn't have to spend more or bring more stuff into our homes when what we are trying to so is de-clutter.

There was a sample of an Ewaste collection box on the table and guess who got to take it home.  OH, i just broke a rule.  I brought home a sample!!!  Lets just hope that a lot more things leave in side this box.  Its sitting here in the office beside me, empty - so i guess its become more clutter!

What is Clutter?

Anything that is no longer relevant or useful TO YOU!

Anything that brings you down - like my paper piles.

The term "clutter" means different things to different people.  

If something is important to you and your life would be less without it then it is NOT clutter to you. Sentimental things that enrich our lives are NOT clutter.   If you want to keep them then don't hide them away in boxes, bring them out so you can see them.  Perhaps rotate items, keeping them all in the one box marked as such.

Emotional factor - questions to ask yourself when deciding what is clutter.

What practical value does it provide?

If I got rid of it what would I miss about it?

If it was taken away from me, would I try to recreate it?

Does it invigorate my life now or deplete me?

What’s worth more-this object or the opportunity to achieve my vision?

How to maintain the harmony

How to get past “I’d love to but I don’t have the time”

• Focus on three priorities a day

• Put a cap on the favours you do each week

• Put a limit on the time you spend on everyday things

• Get the important tasks done

• Remove something from your to do list

• Know when good is good enough

• Focus on the important stuff

 

These are Tanya's suggestions for successful de-cluttering:

Ask yourself

 

1. What area/space do I want to transform?
2. What will my space or life look like without clutter?
3. What will I use this new space for?
4. What will I do in my de cluttered life?
5. What was my OMG!!!! moment that made the decision to change easy?
6. How will I spend a de-cluttered day?
7. How will I maintain this beautiful new space?
8. When will I start?
9. When will I finish?
10. How will I reward myself?

Top Tips

• Only organise one space at a time!!!
• Take before and after photos
• Acknowledge and reward your efforts
• Learn how to say "no thank you"
• Use the D word- Delegate.
• Believe in yourself.

So where do I start?  Obviously for me the thing that bothers me the most is this paperwork.  Its a big job and before i start I'll need to set myself some rules.  Am i keeping hard copies of bank statements?  Can i scan anything and create electronic copies?  I have a shredder so at the very least the paper can become garden mulch.  Which pile am i going to tackle first as i cant do it all in one go?  

Do you have more suggestions.  

Tanya's Resources

EcoOrganiser

Recycling Near You

EcoActiv - Batteries

EcoActiv/Mobile Muster/Kings Storage - Ewastebox

Wyndham City Kerbside Collections

Wyndham Waste Directory 

Wyndham Recycling Stations - Location Map

There was a recycling station in the foyer of the community centre in Point Cook where the workshop was located.

Clothes         Wear for Success

Furniture       Habitat for Humanity

Fridges and Whitegoods for Refurbishment  Phoenix  (best of all, free pickup)

Ozrecycle

Freecycle

Gumtree  I had a glut of cliveas in my fernery so i gave them away by putting a FREE ad on Gumtree  - they got free plants and i had them removed with no effort on my part within a week.  

Clothes Swap  SwapStyle

Old Computers  Computerbank   Must tell Rob about this one.

Ziilch

GIVIT

If you have a favourite charity you donate too then pop a link in the comments section.

Thanks For Visiting Living In The Land Of Oz.