So I return. I wonder have you missed me? I have been on a long journey since I was last here. I have started new ventures, tweaked them, published a planner and then taken several months out to consider where I want to go and how I want to get there.
In essence I have been decluttering me and my life rather than my house and it has been a very revealing process. I read recently in a book by Karen Maezen Miller, Hand Wash Cold, that sometimes it helps just to coast in life for a while; to take your foot off the accelerator or indeed the brake and just see where you go. That’s what I have been doing and it is quite an interesting mode of transport.
Along the way I have read books and magazines I would never have noticed or even considered before (on the magazine front I can recommend Stack Magazines who send you a different independent magazine each month, this month I am reading New Philosopher, last month was a beautiful avante garde fashion photography publication).
I have rediscovered my love of fabrics and yarn, learned to crochet
and have reupholstered a footstool and a chair.
We have put our house on the market, changed our minds. We have redecorated the entire house and put in plans to convert part of the house into separate living accomnodation to let. Our elderly greenhouse didn’t survive the storms so we built a new one with much more space for potting on and for sitting in. Consequently the garden is fuller than ever and we are even more glad we stayed.
And the decluttering continues. I have managed to keep my wardrobe reasonably small but the book collection has been building up again. Some are keepers but there were quite a lot ones more than ready to move on. If the building work goes ahead we are going to have to think very seriously about what we can keep for we will be downsizing our living accommodation by almost half in terms of floor space.
Meanwhile I have started writing two new books, one a novel and the other a culmination of my experience of decluttering together with suggestions, plans and ideas for others. I think it should be an e-book – so as not to clutter up a bookshelf!
Love Gillie
one pair of shoes at a time 
Nice to hear from you again! I quite enjoy that analogy about coasting, taking the foot off the gas. Best of wishes for you as you reconfigure your house and continue to grow and learn from your daily experiences. Nice crochet blocks. They are so bright and beautiful
Thank you. I love the colours too.
Welcome back
Thank you. Still have my trusty analogue paper diary 😉
Good to hear that!