Simply money..

25/1/2015

Simply frustrating!

We banked for a long time with one bank, who then moved us without a by your leave, to another bank. Our bank statements had the first bank's name on them, the local branch had a different name above the door, and when we went in to deposit a cheque (admittedly a rare thing these days) they told us we had to go to a third bank along the street! I know they are all affilliated in some mysterious way but I do like to know who I am actually banking with....

Reader, we switched.

Next, the energy suppliers.

Have you switched lately?

Meanwhile in the study....

There are approximately 500 decisions to be made.

Gulp!

Deep breath. Gently does it. Think how many sparks of joy I am about to experience!

18 Comments

Alison

25/1/2015 07:00:37 am

Hi Freda,

I guess I escaped lightly today compared to the task you're taking on next -- I went through my tights and stockings. I managed to get rid of about 1/3 of them -- kept a lot that were in good shape in useful colours. Now need to figure out how best to store them so it's easier to see what I have.

Best of luck with the books. It's not easy, but worth it. One thing I helped me was to think about whether I'd be happy with the book in electronic form on an e-reader. In many cases, the answer was "yes" and some of them were really inexpensive to replace that way. In some cases, the physical book was what "made my heart sing", and so I kept those.

Freda

25/1/2015 07:27:13 am

From 15 - 18 April 2014 posts are about socks including Richard Roger's sock drawer....Thanks for the encouragement about the books!

Alison

25/1/2015 11:24:57 am

Thanks for pointing me to the sock drawer posts. That's the prettiest sock drawer I've ever seen, and something I'm aspiring to achieve by the end of 2015.

I think I need to get a chest of drawers with shallow drawers -- mine are too deep and so space gets lost.

Onwards!

elaine link

25/1/2015 03:36:02 pm

What I am trying to do with books this year is to try to finish all the half-read books on the shelves. Books that I put down when something else caught my eye. I am trying to keep only books that I would want to read again and re-read some old favourites. This means not buying so many new books and trying not to be too influenced by what other people are reading. I am not sure I will be successful in this quest. I have a friend that passes all the books she reads on to me so I will have a steady supply coming in that will be read and passed back but will not grace my shelves. You have a hard task ahead of you - good luck.

Freda

26/1/2015 06:11:18 am

You have a very clear idea of what you want to do - which is half way to success I'm sure!

Penny L

25/1/2015 04:26:36 pm

Gosh, you are brave Freda. I'm bracing myself to do this! I'm trying to make the task easier by pulling out a few books that I know I really don't want every time I pass a bookshelf. We have an awful lot of books in this house , so I know I do really need to do it in a Kondo-esque way. Just think how brilliant it will be when you are surrounded by joy when you look at your shelves(do I sound convincing?)

Freda

26/1/2015 06:12:08 am

I'm convinced!

Swissrose link

25/1/2015 04:39:18 pm

ooh, don't get me started on banks - even less on British v. Swiss banks!!! And the usually brilliant Swiss ones are getting worse, too… :O My sympathy, entirely!!

re books: It took me a period of years (again) to get rid of about half of the many books I had, and I was still buying them, too. Every time I went through them, it got easier, though. Since I got the Kindle app on my various gadgets, I will usually buy the Kindle version of something I want, if available, or unless it's something really "visual" I want to hold physically (like my recent purchase of the Great Tapestry of Scotland book!). Some books simply aren't available electronically or I prefer to buy secondhand (e.g. Kathleen Hale's autobiography A Slender Reputation…) so I do keep going back to the bookcases to see what else can go. I ask myself if a book is still of interest and pertinence and quite often find it no longer applies and can go; I've outgrown it. Some books and series that I have reread many times get to stay, though on the whole, I tell myself if I read and enjoyed a book I know the title/author and could get it again if I wanted to, while much fiction I won't go back to. However, I don't have access to a good library at all or I would get rid of more, I think, and look for things there (or give my books to it!).
I am not perfect and there are probably more that could go but I try to be gentle with myself. Recently I was proud to get rid of at least a third of my many home deco books because I am actually very happy with my home as it is!! And yes, I love the space it left...

Freda

26/1/2015 06:14:07 am

I might do the same with some home decor books which have served their purpose. Thanks for the sympathy re the banks!

Simple Happy M link

25/1/2015 05:46:33 pm

Oh, books! I always think of them as my heritage... silly, I Know, but I know that it will be very difficult to be apart with them. I resonate with the kondo view, but haven't yet decided to tackle everything like she says... books being the primary reason: My bookshelves bring me joy. I know I probably wont feel that way dealing with them one at a time, but the whole collection really sparks joy, hence my reluctance in tackling them...

Freda

26/1/2015 06:16:09 am

But remember she suggests you keep every single one which sparks joy! So you may not want to part with any at all - which is absolutely fine!

cath

25/1/2015 11:30:08 pm

We switched energy supplier two years ago. We switched back to the original supplier at the end of 2014. Enough said.
I know it can seem an enormous task, deceiding about books, but I so love it now that my idea about how to organise them is clear.

Freda

26/1/2015 06:17:15 am

I too am really enjoying this process Cath.

Gail

25/1/2015 11:40:31 pm

1 decision to make-----start. You've got that behind you.
When it comes to collections by author or subject, don't think of them as a all-or-nothing collection, just treat them same as other books. Will I ever read this again.....really?

Freda

26/1/2015 06:18:03 am

That's such a good point about collections Gail - thank you.

Elizabeth

26/1/2015 01:10:59 am

I have been following your blog since last spring (discovered through Francine Jay's Miss Minimalist), and I find it very inspirational. I live in a little community almost surrounded by water, in northern Michigan, USA, so I especially enjoy your archived garden photos, as we have long winters here.

I have been narrowing my book collection over the past several years as part of my retirement downsizing into a more minimalist life style. I used to have six large 5-shelf bookcases. Now I use just four shelves of one of the bookcases with absolutely no regrets. It has been freeing to realize a large personal book collection is no longer necessary to me, even though I have adored books and reading since childhood. I have also read Marie Kondo's book (on my Kindle!) and am finding the comments on your blog concerning that very interesting, too! Thank you!

Freda

26/1/2015 06:20:08 am

Welcome Elizabeth and thank you for your kind comments. I like that it might be 'freeing' to part with some books! And that you have no regrets..

Sarah link

27/1/2015 03:22:58 am

That must be difficult, books are the things I found to be the hardest to part with! Sarah x

Simply money..

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