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You’ve heard about minimalism being this “thing” that you need to achieve in order to have some sort of blissful Nirvana-like state of being. I’m not here to tell you that you have to be a minimalist, but there are some aspects of it I have found helpful for a less stressful life.
My “Expertise”
As fate would have it, our family has moved about seven times since my husband and I got married. Not only in-country moves, but an international move and another move within that foreign country. Some with kids. And their stuff. Do you know how much extra stuff you haul around when you have kids?
Because of these moves (some with kids/babies, if you forgot), I consider myself a self-proclaimed expert in the field of minimalism. I may not have my PhD in it, but I have an associates at minimum. Each move has caused me to carefully curate all our things, and I will share with you what thought processes I go through during each move.
Why Minimalism?
Minimalism has been a buzzword in the last decade or so, and has many definitions. For me, it means living such a way that everything we own has usefulness, isn’t stress-inducing, has a home, and looks fairly organized. The caveat of owning things is having responsibility for those things. My personal belief about my stuff is this: if I own a thing, I need to take care of it in a way that will treat it well and will be of optimal use to me. Otherwise, a thing will not be useful to me and I may forget about it, and then it will fall out of its spot that’s stuffed with other items and break (hypothetically speaking…of course).
“That all sounds wonderful and lovely”, you may be telling me, “but here I am with all this stuff and clutter, what’s something simple I can do to start?”
Keep reading to find out some of the questions I ask myself while going through our things.
First, designate a time to declutter and sort
I have found it most helpful before a big move to set aside a morning or afternoon (a week in advance, usually) solely for the purpose of packing and organizing. Making sure I am the only one in the house is also essential. All distractions are gone or turned off, and I am only focused on pairing down.
Translate this into a simple workspace cleanup: Before beginning work for the day, take five or ten minutes to go through one drawer or one section of your desk. Then, continue with the following prompts.
Is it useful for me?
Does this thing fulfill an important purpose for me? How often do I really use this thing? Can something else also serve its purpose? Consolidate! This also means that all trash has got to go in the trash can.
One example I can think of is the little SIM card slot-opening tool that comes with a new phone. I really want to keep it around, but I know that I always end up finding a small paper clip or pin anyway. So, in the trash (or recycling) it goes.
“Spark joy” or add stress?
If you’ve heard of famed minimalist Marie Kondo, you know her coin phrase when it comes to organizing things is “spark joy”. The question to ask here is “Does this thing make me happy or does it cause me stress?” Go with your first gut reaction.
When I am going through my things or my kids things, I usually make piles. If an item is dear to me (or my kids) and super useful, it goes back wherever it belongs or its new home. If I’m not sure about it, it goes into an “I’m-not-sure” pile. If it makes me angry or stresses me out (noisy toy, that foundation powder that never matched my skin right), it goes in the trash or donation pile.
Will everything in ____ category fit into this box/bag?
A rule of thumb, especially for small-space living, that must be followed is having specific “homes” for your items. My kids toys must all fit into their own small suitcases in the front of our motorhome (our current home). All my cosmetics must fit into one cosmetic bag. If I find the bag is unzippable, the box lid will not close shut, or clothes are falling out of my clothes cupboard, that means its time to get rid of some things.
Organized look
“I need to find a receipt from the 8th of August, but its buried in a sea of other receipts!” Am I the only one who has ever said this? If you can’t access the thing you need in its specific home, then its time to rethink the organization of said home.
The before photo: a plastic document folder with receipts stuffed in. The after photo: receipts inside their own labeled envelopes (by week) within a document organizer. It was a simple and quick solution using things that I already had on hand. This way, I could at least narrow down which week I needed a receipt from and find it much more quickly.
Will I miss it a year from now?
Imagine yourself and your life one year from now. Will I have used or wanted this item within the coming 12 months? Or will I forget that it existed? This is one last question to ask yourself if you just can’t decide one way or another about a certain item.
Revisit it later
I’m the best at packing at organizing when I’ve done the task until near-completion and then take a break from it. For packing, I throw things into a bag at least a week before the big trip or move. Then it’s at the back of my mind for the coming days. Suddenly, I’m looking at the weather forecast, and remember that I need to throw in rain jackets. Or I’m feeding the one-year-old and remember that I need to throw in the portable cloth baby chair.
You have your piles of stuff, and now you’re (understandably) tired in your mind. Take a quick walk or a water break. If time and the space in your home allows, leave the piles for a day. When you come back refreshed, you will have a renewed perspective of your life and what you actually need. You will look at that “I’m-not-sure” pile and have some answers. And then you will rock at organizing your things and being minimalist (in your own way!).
Share!
I’ve shared with you a little about my minimalism tactics and only a small part of my life. I would LOVE to hear from you!
What things do you do to create a more streamlined workplace or home?
Do you have any questions?
I can’t wait to hear from you!