How To Simplify : A Minimalist Survival Guide
Everyone knows that a clear space creates a clear mind. And if you didn’t know that, now you do - woo hoo!
When your space is clear, organized and free from chaos it has a major impact on your productivity, happiness and ease in life.
I’ve been dabbling in minimalism and the art of letting things GO. I should preface this by saying I am not a full blown minimalist, nor do I plan to be. BUT I am greatly decreasing the amount of things that I own and the random things that I convince myself I need while scrolling through Amazon or strolling through Target.
It feels really damn good to have everything that I own have a home - a space that holds each item and prevents it from ending up in a drunk drawer or random pile in the corner. Another good reason to have a clearer space is the fact that it lets the universe know you are open to receiving.
When your space is filled to the brim, it gives the universe a little tip that you are already overflowing with material items and don’t have room for expansion.
I’m going to share with you how I’m letting things go in order to bring myself some peace of mind.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the KonMari method to decluttering and organizing your home. This was a huge game changer for me many years ago when the actual book came out. I even wrote a book review about it well before the Netflix series was released. You can find that here.
One of the best pieces of advice I can give you when you’re trying to let things go is don’t overthink it. If you’re anything like me, you can get emotions way too involved in the process of releasing. I get emotionally attached to pretty much anything - coasters from fun restaurants, birthday cards from people I hardly talk to anymore, or even boxes to phones that I haven’t had for years. Why? Why do I keep these things?
I know I’m not alone in this, but you have to do your best to not let your emotions get the best of you and have some time of serious decision making. No, you do not need the drawing of Winnie The Pooh you made when you were 7. Let. It. Go.
Take it low & slow.
If you think you’re going to successfully declutter by going through every room at once..you’re wrong!
The best way to go about this entire process is by taking it slow. Cut it down from one room to one space at a time. If you’re doing the kitchen, narrow it down to just a drawer at a time. Do as much as you can in that one space before you move onto the next.
This will drastically decrease the amount of overwhelm you may experience. Although it may seem like it will take you longer, I promise it will only help you in the long run.
Do not get yourself in over your head or you will end up screwing yourself more than helping yourself.
Room by room - space by space.
When I first started experimenting with this concept, I started in areas that would bring me the most stress. For me this was under my bathroom sink, my pot/pan cabinet in my kitchen, my freezer and my dresser drawers.
So, starting low and slow - I tackled the bathroom first. It’s a small room with minimal area for crap to clutter. I worked my way around my home from this point. I’ll give you some pointers that I learned along the way for each room!
bathroom
You do not need to keep the 32 lipsticks that you’ve convinced yourself you are going to wear one day. You won’t wear them. Get rid of them. That goes for the eyeliners, eyeshadows and makeup brushes too.
The dried out nail polishes and colors your great grandma wouldn’t even wear have got to go.
Stop hoarding shampoo and conditioner bottles. Finish one and then move onto the next.
That 5 year old perfume smells like the great grandma I mentioned above now. Buh-bye!
kitchen
Start cutting down on the insane amount of mugs and cups you’ve accumulated over the years.
How many cans of beans does one girl really need? Keep them, use them and then buy what you actually need - yea?
If you’re like me and store your medications in your cupboards, quit buying Benadryl and DayQuil every time the seasons change. You’ve got about 5 half empty boxes and it’s starting to get weird.
Start combining your half empties to make a fully and throw the extra containers out.
If you’re not gonna eat it or use it, donate it toss it. Some food banks accept food items as donations and if that isn’t working for you then bring your uneaten food items to work. The girls at my work helped me clean out my whole pantry and fridge by taking everything I knew damn well I wasn’t gonna eat.
living room
You don’t actually live solely in this room, so you don’t need that many decorative pillows on your couch.
Same goes for blankets.
Find an organization system for the books you have on the table that you know you’re not gonna read.
Keep your remotes in one spot or drawer so you know where they are at all times.
bedroom
You don’t need that many decorative pillows on your bed either.
One or two bed spreads is a good amount - lets donate the rest.
Find a pretty way to hang your hats instead of throwing them everywhere basically just waiting for them to get ruined.
It’s okay to have empty wall space. Decorations are cute, but can definitely go overboard.
closet
If you don’t wear it, it doesn’t fit or it has a disgusting amount of holes - just donate it already. Geez Louise.
Shoes are nice, but they take up a lot of space and mostly go unworn.
California climate is pretty steady, so the parka you’re holding onto seems kinda silly.
Read this post here to find out the basics I keep on hand to have minimal clothing filling up my space.
misc.
If you have decorations everywhere you turn, you should start to get rid of some. It really is nice to have less stuff cluttering your home.
Books are bulky. Read and then donate!
If a gift card has no money left on it, why are we holding onto it? It’s literally just plastic now.
Getting rid of things can be a fun n fresh start. It gives you the opportunity to clear your space which will in turn clear your mind.
It’s a rewarding feeling, honestly.
BONUS : If you’re low on cash, sell some of the things you’re getting rid of. Yard sale - cha ching!
Ready to get your free checklist? This is my way of breaking things waaaay down and making it so easy to start clearing your space TODAY.