Hello March

Yes it’s March already and if you are in my part of the world, it has been getting warmer since last week. Actually there were days, rather nights when I actually broke into a sweat and resisted the temptation of putting on the airconditioning.

This resistance to air conditioning was largely because we grew up without them.

This was well before there was anything like global warming and a ceiling fan was good enough. On exceptionally hot days, we actually poured a bucket of water near our beds so that through the afternoon, the water would evaporate and keep the room cool.

This ingenious way of cooling was inspired by the traditional way of keeping the room cool in summer . In fact , in many parts of India summer breezes pass through moist curtains of Vetiver grass ( Vala in Marathi) which actually impart a fresh scent while keeping out the harsh light out as well.

But that kind of heat is still a long way away and currently I can do with simpler things like keeping away the blankets.

My blankets are so light that I can wash them in the washing machine and sun dry them before storing them away.

It’s time too to keep away the sweaters and cardigans that were hardly worn this winter .

Similarly, I keep away my shawls, stoles and scarves that are more ornamental than warm.

This year I’ve got lots of tips on storing away stuff thanks to The Home Edit and Marie Kondo shows that I watched on Netflix during the lockdown.

Actually, I’ve been so inspired by these shows that I plan to have a thorough Spring Clean this March .

I have already ordered some storage racks to tidy up my balcony garden, get some more counter space in my kitchen and extra shelves in my cupboard.

Less is More

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during this pandemic is that less is actually more .

Thanks to my lack of home help I learned to manage with less . After all if I had to do the washing and ironing and also have nowhere to go to in my fancy clothes, I could manage with half my wardrobe.

With lockdown restrictions, limited food supplies and the general fear of meeting others , entertainment came to a halt. So my fine china, tableware and other such stuff became superficial and redundant.

So this month, I’m going to do a complete audit of what I need and what I don’t and pare my life down to the bare necessities.

It’s been a year since the virus made its appearance and I’ve had time to adjust to a slower pace of life .

After a year of learning to adjust to daily uncertainties, I’m going to use March to set up new systems, re-organise my home and learn to march to a different drummer .

What are you planning to do this March ?

I’d love to know .

Ciao,