Changes of the Seasons

I have been spending a lot of my time just with my son and today we went to Morden. When we reach the winter we can often get the Holiday blues because it is the end of Christmas once again. I've begun to take the Christmas decorations down and its returning to "Normality once again" for some people and dread the new year or want Christmas to go on for longer and you can do that. In some cultures they celebrate on the 26th December and then there is the Chinese new year. I have come to understand that there are no rules of when you you celebrate a season for longer. 

Our living room over Christmas 

It is up to you. Easter Holidays are different now. We'd treat it as if it was another Christmas, spending time with family and for some it is still is a family celebration, so if you feel low, it can be about ourselves because of what you have eaten and your filled with regret and means having to cut down what we have consumed mentally and physically. 

Use the after season, to eat less and get back to meal planning and use up what we have got and todays dinner is is going to be what we have in our freezer and food cupboard. I was going to have fruit out of the tin with Carnation Milk, but we are using up our crackers and cheese, so if your money is tight, influencing the way you feel, use up your food cupboard and food in the freezer and make a stew. A great meal for when it is cold and good to use up what you have so when it comes to Spring you can restock the food cupboard, fridge and freezer. 

It is also good to sort out my clothes. So got out some of my jumpers and I am going to do a Low Spend year, not buy anymore clothes and focus on my writing, my home and my son. I have enough and almost completed my Reading Challenging. Reading twenty books and read more and have a better storage system for my books and Journals. 

This helps me to exercise my mind and helping me write books and develop stories and switch off and build my knowledge. There is still a lot I want to learn in terms of writing and growing as person and reduce what I owe. 

I like what I owe mostly, like my clothes so don't need to consume more. 

There will be less hauls. I may do grocery hauls, but that will be it because I want to travel and I can't have both and it is a good way to use up what I have got and don't need money coming out all the time. 

If you'd like to visit in my vlog channel here is the link: (64) Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes - YouTube

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Decluttering Isn't all about Physical items but decluttering your mind too

When we think of declutter we think of physical things. It is also the mind and physical decluttering can help but this can have a negative effect too. It can feel lonely and want to ask for help but we are afraid to.

So you need to decide what is going to make you mentally charged. Do we ignore our mental state or should we take action to feel good in how you feel about yourself. If things are too much where can you go that will help and if there anyone who you can chat to? 

Are you finding that you hate what is around you? Are you in a volatile relationships? Physical declutter won't help but jotting down your negative thoughts about yourself will and that something needs to change by getting out of bad relationships will and knowing where and who can you turn to. I remember someone saying "You know who your friends are when you are down and not having a good time".

Christmas can be hard because of the expense and the loss of others. It felt strange the first Christmas without my nan as Christmas was always so enjoyable and my dad not being around now.

I like the Christmas again as I still have traditions, but new ones as and I know they wouldn't, my nan and my dad to feel sad and I want my son to enjoy it and now I feel this release of "Its okay".

I have found that it is good to go for a walk, journal and all those things people advise but also a nice meal, a good book to read and switching off from my laptop and phone. Playing music. I love creating playlists and now I work on radio this has really been a real revelation and that dreams can come true and that has helped declutter my mind. It is good to have things take your mind away from your troubles and redressing your thoughts as clutter in the mind can knock us down. 

Its not being selfish to have time for yourself. It in fact more important because if we can't function mentally how are we going to help our kids and family and friends. You need to focus on you sometimes and have joy in your life and so clear mentally then physically.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X