My whole journey through minimalism started when I decluttered the physical and then the mental stuff around me. Before I decluttered, I thought that a home needed to look like a museum or be perfect for a scavenger hunt. The mental stories were similar. The most stuff I had the better I was. But I … Continue reading Decluttering 101 – Deciding on an Approach
Tag: declutter
Libraries
For years I made excuses why borrowing library books would not work for me. In no particular order, here are the excuses. The books are all old and nothing new is available. I can't possible finish a book before it is due back. I can only get books from one library or I would have … Continue reading Libraries
Minimalism Got me Here: Did I Really Just Say No?
Been thinking a lot about stress lately, its impact on my body, and how often I say no in an effort to take care of myself. Sometimes no just rolls off my tongue like "oh fudge" rolled off Ralphie's tongue in The Christmas Story. It shocks me at times too! I grew up in a … Continue reading Minimalism Got me Here: Did I Really Just Say No?
Best Podcast of the Week (5/13/2019)
The Sustainable Minimalist Podcast wins the award this week! Ready to declutter your closet? When it comes to our wardrobes, the most sustainable practice is to wear what we already own. Donating clothes contributes to textile pollution; as such, it’s prudent to wear + re-wear our garments until they’re thoroughly worn out. But what if … Continue reading Best Podcast of the Week (5/13/2019)
Breaking up with my Phone: Part 1
Made some changes recently in an effort to break up with my phone. Analog clock in every room - no excuse that I needed my phone to check the time. No phone in the bedroom - found the perfect alarm clock that shows the current and alarm time on the same screen. No phone between … Continue reading Breaking up with my Phone: Part 1
Minimalism Got me Here: A Completely Voluntary Work Uniform
Inspired and in awe of the simplicity of a work uniform, I instituted my own uniform in corporate America. Must be a dress Must be black or gray Must go with my favorite pair of black shoes Must be machine washable Must be easy to iron Must look dressy and causal Must spark joy for … Continue reading Minimalism Got me Here: A Completely Voluntary Work Uniform
Book Review: How to Break up with Your Phone by Catherine Price
5 out of 5 stars to Catherine Price with a simple and straightforward 30 day plan on How to Break up with Your Phone without philosophical quotes from Aristotle (queue Cal Newport). Catherine got me to think deeply and also laugh. "Checking your phone is like picking your nose; there's nothing wrong with it, but … Continue reading Book Review: How to Break up with Your Phone by Catherine Price
Home: Vacation or Burden
When I first moved out, I moved into this small apartment above a garage behind my cousin's grandmother's lake house. It was fully furnished with all the glitz and glam of 1970s. If I walked down the driveway and across the road, I was sitting on the dock. Every day felt like a summer vacation. … Continue reading Home: Vacation or Burden
Where Minimalism Started for Me: Decluttering the Mental Stuff
I stopped drinking years ago. I stopped shopping this year. And now I am dealing with all of the mental clutter without a vice. Situations that happened when I was a small child are bubbling up. Traumatic events are bubbling up. Old pains, old loves, and old shit is bubbling up. Some nights I wake … Continue reading Where Minimalism Started for Me: Decluttering the Mental Stuff
Where Minimalism Started for Me: Decluttering the Physical Stuff
It was August 2011 and my hometown was close to flooding. These flood scares happened so often that I knew the drill. What to move up to second floor and what to move out to a moving truck. The following year I finally convinced my parents to downsize and move out of the flood zone. … Continue reading Where Minimalism Started for Me: Decluttering the Physical Stuff