A Personal Challenge Update

3 months ago I set myself a personal challenge to see if I could halve my current wardrobe. Well I did it! I learnt along the way a few tricks that helped me reach my goal.

Just do it
It sounds simple enough but I had to just bite the bullet and start. So many times before I have procrastinated and ended up doing the laundry/vacuuming/music playlists instead. I built up a lot of stress and pressure that this was going to be a hard process. It honestly was a lot easier and took a lot less time than I thought it would.

Small bites
I found if the inspiration had hit me hard like a hammer then not to try to do it all at once. I focused instead on working through it in 10 minute bursts or even just a particular small section - like my sock drawer - and if still inspired to go from there. Having simple quick wins along the way made me feel positive about letting go of my things.

Understanding its worth
Probably my hardest hurdle was coming to terms with the very expensive jacket that sat in my cupboard. Because it lived all day in my wardrobe it wasn't actually worth the expense because I had never used it. It was a waste. I realised that I'm not gaining any value to my life with it living in the wardrobe gathering dust. Keeping it was just keeping the guilt associated with the expense. An unexpected bonus of letting it go has meant I've been able to let go of that guilt.

Just in case
I knew I would freak out if I piled all of my donations into a car and took it to charity straight away. So I gave myself a mental buffer. I placed all of the items in a basket and put it in another room and agreed that I would donate them in 3 months time. If I didn't use the item over the last 3 months then it didn't deserve to be in my home.

Focus on the end goal
Whenever I found myself really struggling I would remember to focus on the end goal. My personal goal was being able to open my wardrobe and see only cherished, well used and loved items. I've heard of others focussing on a particular style like 'effortlessly chic' to help them with their clean-out. My taste is too eclectic for that so instead I chose to keep everything that looked great on me and that I loved to wear.

This has been a really big deal for me and I'm so happy that I stuck to my guns and finished this challenge. I am celebrating by looking at upgrading to a super organised wardrobe to pimp my Boudoir. A pretty and clearly labelled wardrobe for my well loved treasures.

Adelaide Festival Picks

Last week I informed you of my favourite picks from the Adelaide Fringe Festival. This week however, its all about the Adelaide Festival.

The Adelaide Festival in my mind is one of those risk taker events that thrusts art passionately in your face. I go a little mad during Mad March because of  it's lustfully exciting line-ups tempting me to consecutive sleepless weeks. I come out the other end of the Festival feeling a little bit like Alice having come back from Wonderland. Tired, swooning and a little heart broken that its all over.

Very much at the top of my list are the theatre performance group, Ontroerend Goed. They love to create intimate, individual performance pieces which turns normal theatre on its head. For the Adelaide Festival they have created 3 different shows one of which I am lucky to have the tickets for, The Smile Off Your Face. I will be blind folded, strapped into a wheelchair and whizzed off into the night. Lets hope I come back in one piece.

I love the German Club so I cannot wait for it to be converted into a late night smoky cabaret venue. Being able to see a show here excites me almost as much as the show I want to see The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. Whenever the word word rambunctious appears in any type of review you know that you at least are going to enjoy some hearty loudness, the ability to drink beer whilst sitting in your seat, maybe a sing-a-long and some cheek. I for one am looking forward this show as it should be a fun night out.

Heading into a different direction completely the Festival is heading online to capture our hearts and imaginations this year. How can you be alone in a city full of noise? Being quiet, letting thoughts sit and process can sometimes be a perfect methodology for a healthy state of mind. Quite amazingly this year the Festival has sponsored Stereopublic a TEDXPrize City 2.0 Winner to do just that. I for one cannot wait to see what this is all about.














And finally, Barrio. The hottest ticket on the Mad March calendar last year is set to come back again in 2013. Every night is different from the last. Get their early. Bring a shrine offering. Be tempted by the greatest night out of your life. If anyone asks you a random question say yes.

Here is a link to one of my highlight shows from Barrio last year, Abbie Cardwell & The Chicano Rockers. I only expect Barrio to become even more of a simmering melting pot this summer.



Well thats just my opinion, what are you most excited about this Festival season?

Everything In Its Right Place

Over the weekend I witnessed my all time favourite band play in Melbourne, Radiohead.

The night was truly brilliant. The stage production was phenomenal, the band were magic & most of all Thom was in a fabulous mood.

I'm not a religious person but I had a spiritual moment at the show of pure unadulterated joy. Maybe it was my 15 year old self who obsessively wrote OK Computer inspired poetry or all of the broken hearted moments that they have helped me through. But I felt peace and that everything will be alright now that I had seen them at their best.

Thank you Melbourne for being so lovely, respectful yet rambunctious a crowd.

My love affair with this band has been rekindled burning bright.

LVS

image sourced from

Dont Hold Back

Donny Benet: The man is a genius. An art god. A man who transcends genre character generalisations.

The man has been touring like a storm trooper and I cant wait to see him on Friday night @ Format.

I saw him perform at the Adelaide Festival earlier this year and it was love at first synch chord progression. And then again during the sax solo. Grrr like a tiger.

Unfortunately if you are elsewhere in the country you've just missed the dates for his Australian Tour but no doubt he'll be back making a meal of your heart again soon. Grab a slice of Donny Benet here.