First of all, no, I'm not going crazy. I'm not talking about getting rid of everything you own except the clothes on your back and maybe a bed. Instead, I'm just talking about simplicity. Everyone's personal preferences on what this balance of simplicity is is different, and that's a wonderful thing (because the world would be alot less interesting if we were all the same)! But I think that we can all agree that at some point, there comes a point where the things we own make us feel a bit stressed out, maybe even a bit trapped. I like the way that Dawn over at The Minimal Mom YouTube channel puts it: it's just "too much to manage." Every single thing you own is something that you are responsible for. Because of this, I've found it important to choose wisely what I want to be responsible for and what I would rather give or throw away (depending on if it would be useful to or wanted by others). The bonus is, when you simplify the things you own, there tends to come a feeling of freedom of having less things to think about. This then frees up mental energy to focus on the things that are actually important (partly because, who feels motivated to get on to the work they need to do when they look at a room full of things that they wish weren't there?) So, with all that said, here are several tips of things that I've found it personally helpful to simplify! SocksDo you have socks that don't have matches? That might be a good place to start. Or how many socks do you actually wear before the laundry is done? Having extras in case of a trip or the laundry getting postponed by two or three days is a great idea, but having twenty-two pairs of them might not be. Pens/Pencils/Desk ItemsDid you know that most people can't practically write with more than one pen or pencil at a time (mind-blowing, huh? ;P). Because of this, it's probably not necessary to own ten pens in every color. ;P This idea applies to sticky notes or paper clips or other desk items. Do I actually use them? If so, do I actually use or want as many as I have? Shoes
Everyone is not the same, and some people really do enjoy having multiple choices of shoes for various activities, but I've found that I actually enjoy owning one pair of each type of shoe/for each type of activity (dressy, sandals, tennis shoes, etc.) better than keeping up with several. CollectiblesThese are the things that just get set on the shelf that we don't actually care much about. Seashells, rocks, figurines, and things of that sort can clutter up areas really easily. Keep the ones you actually want and care about if you can, but if you don't actually have attachment to it, maybe it's time to give it away. JewelrySometimes it's easy for jewelry to accumulate to an amount that you don't even wear it all. If it doesn't have special meaning, why not free up the space and responsibility of having it? Take pictures of things you don't want to forget.I had this kind of situation come up not that long ago. I had a coffee cup that I had gotten as a gift, but it had gotten broken. It was special to me, so I kept it awhile as a pencil holder. But when I got a pencil holder that I liked better and that was more practical, I was faced with what to do with the cup. My mom suggested I take a picture of it, and then go ahead and throw it away. Then I could tape the picture in my journal and still have the memory there to look back on, but it wouldn't be another item sitting around. BooksNo, I am not saying it is necessarily wise to get rid of every book you own! In fact, books are one of the most special things to me that I have. But books that sit on the shelf and aren't read or enjoyed in any way can be ideas of things to pass on to someone else who would use them. Also, if you're just trying out a book that you're not sure you'd love, why not buy the ebook or borrow a copy from a friend or the library (then it's not sitting on your shelf for more than the time that you are borrowing it). If you really end up loving it, then maybe you could order the paperback. ClothesClothes is probably the biggest thing that accumulates for me. But if I only wear the ten shirts that I actually like before the laundry comes back clean, then why do I have more than that hanging in the closet? If you don't wear them over several months' time (for a reason other than that the weather isn't right for it yet), it's probably a good time to consider passing them on. Miscellaneous papersPapers from schoolwork, a to-do list, the list of things that you need to get for a party coming up. All of these are examples of things that tend to pile up into piles that you don't know what to do with. You don't want to just throw them away, but you don't want them sitting there either. This is where I've found that a miscellaneous notebook or binder comes in handy. Anytime you have something random to write down, pull out the miscellaneous notebook and write it down! An extra binder could come in handy for miscellaneous papers that need a place, but don't belong to a certain category (this could even be divided into more specific sections like "school," "finances," or "to-do"). Stuffed animalsSome girls really like to collect these and feel happy to get to see them lining their headboard or closet or wherever. But if you're not one of these girls, they might just be clutter sitting in your room. For sure keep the ones that are special and mean something to you if you can, but if it's just something sitting there that you probably wouldn't even remember if you gave it away, it might be time to pass it on. PursesUse containers.Dedicating a certain container for a certain type of item can be a great way to organize it and remove it from being visual clutter. For instance, I've found having a letter box and a letter basket to be helpful in organizing my letter materials. The box is for envelopes, stamps, stickers, letters I need to respond to, etc.; the basket holds the letters I receive. I also put a box on the shelf in my closet to hold any thing that I don't know where else to put but don't want sitting out, like my headphone charging cord or my coloring book. If all of those things were sitting in my desk drawer, they would probably get on my nerves; but now I only see them when I go to look for them. Being purposeful about the things that you own, as well as not being afraid to purge the things that you don't actually want, can create more mental as well as physical space. Do you have any tips or things that have worked well for you as far as organizing or minimalizing areas goes?
2 Comments
Bethany Griggs
10/11/2023 11:37:30 am
That's so neat that you watch Dawn's channel too! We've been watching her for years, and she's been so helpful to us.
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10/11/2023 03:22:35 pm
My mom started watching her channel, and she has shown me some of the videos (or just told me things that she talked about :P). That's neat that y'all watch her channel too!
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