Poor LSB. I came in from a short run Sunday morning, bubbling over with enthusiasm. ‘I’m going to do a vlog!’ I proclaimed. He misheard me.
‘A blog? Is this two years ago?’ he asked.
‘No, a VLOG, not a blog,’ I said.
‘Ah.’ he said. I think he sensed this day was coming. ‘Are you going to film it yourself?’
‘No, you are.’
‘Of course I am,’ he sighed. ‘Let’s get on.’
So off we went. I don’t like to overthink these things. At least I put some make-up on, unlike the Shu morning where I looked a cut. It seems everyone’s doing vlogs these days, except me that is. I looked up a few on decluttering on Friday and though ‘mine can’t be any worse, these are desperate,’ and so I’ve leapt upon the bandwagon and will incorporate them from now on, when I can be arsed doing myself up.
The point of the vlog anyway, was to document my journey towards minimalism. Hence, I rocked up to Ormeau Park yesterday morning, with a lurid green laundry hamper, filled with bags. I’d like to say that my friends looked surprised as I approached thus burdened, but they rarely so much as raised an eyebrow.
I think they quite enjoyed plundering through my items. Martina gladly took my yoga leggings, which incidentally, looked much better on her than they did on me. Her little daughter was the pleased recipient of a pretty white frock which she can wear now while the sun shines, or if she’s an angel in the nativity at Christmas. Both mine were lovely wee angels in the self-same dress which proves that it must wash well. Claire was delighted with the Marian Keyes book, and even put together a whole new ensemble for her child: skirt, tee-shirt and a bolero cardigan. Swanky. I even managed to offload a full bottle of fabric softener onto Louise. Success all round.
Inevitably though, I met some opposition, and a few items look like they’re staying.
‘That’s my polar bear hat!’ yelled the small child. ‘That’s from Nana! From her holiday!’
‘Bollocks,’ I muttered. The bear hat got left in the mud and didn’t fare well in the washing machine. It looks quite deranged.
‘It doesn’t look a very happy polar bear,’ I said.
‘He’s mine,’ she replied tersely. She hasn’t looked at the frigging hat in months. However, it’s staying, as is a hideous skirt that I bought for one euro in Spain when we ran out of clean clothes last year.
A rookie mistake, having your children present when you try to give away their stuff. Read and learn. Ah well, at least some items found a happy home.
Next, some advice for you. If you’re trying desperately not to accumulate clothes, stay THE HELL out of Concern on the Ormeau Road. I popped in on Friday and met Aileen who is their retail manager. What a dote. We trotted round together and she showed me the range of fabulous things: linen jackets from Jaeger, jumpers from Reiss, dresses from Frank Usher and Comptoir des Cotonniers. Designers aplenty and at a most affordable price. I bought a few small items and legged it, since I can’t be trusted not to scupper my attempts to live more simply.
Aileen told me something interesting. She sometimes works in the store in Hollywood where some mums from the local primary buy their outfit for their Christmas ‘do’ in a charity shop and turn up and show off their purchases. I thought this was lovely, what with Hollywood being quite posh n’all.
Confession time thought: last week in Dublin I bought four BRAND NEW things from a boutique called Coco. I do love a boutique, especially if there’s a sale rail, as there was here. I snapped up a skirt, a dress and two scarves for €70, and hand on heart, I will get 30 wears out of them.
I think I may have some way to go on this journey, but I’ll keep you updated along the way.
