The Simple Life

This post is for a dear friend of mine, but I thought others might be a bit interested too :-)

You said, Sis, you didn't even know where to start. You feel SOOO overwhelmed with STUFF!

I know what you mean! BTDT!

Things are better around here, but I have a long way to go yet. I've decided we don't need a bigger house; we need less stuff!



Since you mentioned your dishes, I would advise you to start there. Now, I have decluttered in the past in a systematic method, starting in one room and working my way around the house and property in an orderly fashion.

I'm not doing that this time.

I might do something in the kitchen today, my bedroom tomorrow, and outside the next day. I'm kind of letting the ADD lead. Use it. Work it. :-D

Take all your plates out of your your dish cupboard. Wipe the cupboard clean. Then stop a minute and think;

How many plates do you really need?

As a single woman living alone, you could concevably need, maybe, two plates? Make it 4-5 in case you have company. I need at least 12, but I'm in a different place in life (Hubby, me and 9 kid-o's living at home takes a lot of plates!)

Now, look at your cupboard. What do you want your cupboard to look like? What "look" would make your soul sing everytime you opened the door?

Look at you stack of plates. Pick out the ones you know absolutly for certain you want to keep.

Bet it's more than 5 :-)

Put those back in the cupboard.

Take the rest to your car to donate to the charity thrift store.

THERE IS NO REASON TO BURDEN YOURSELF BY KEEPING THEM!

And  someone else does NEED them! They can't use them if they are hiding in your cupboard.


You DON'T need them and they are standing between you and the life you want to have.



Here's some articles that might help (bookmark this page and read one or two a day. No more):

http://zenhabits.net/pare/

http://theproject333.com/getting-started/  Because the closet is actually easy and gives a great kick start.

http://theproject333.com/live/

http://mashable.com/2014/11/17/mark-zuckerberg-and-other-insanely-successful-people-wear-the-same-thing-every-day-and-for-good-reason/  Think about what you want to look like, what you want people to remember/notice, the impression you want to make. Aim for that in your wardrobe.

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a10441/why-i-wear-the-same-thing-to-work-everday/

http://www.theminimalists.com/sentimental/  The Keepsakes that keep you bound.

http://www.theminimalists.com/in-case/  Just in case you need it....

I consider paying to re buy something I got ride of months or years ago as the rent for the store to hold it for me out of my way. WELL worth the few bucks.

http://bemorewithless.com/about/

I subscribe to these blogs and read an article or two every day or so to keep my motivation up.

One blog I read (don't remember where) the author made a New Year's Resolution to get rid of 1 item a day for the year. That's it!

3 years later, she is still going!

Simple is better.

Elegant even.

Less is more.

"Picture the life, (home, closet, schedule, etc,) you want and get rid of everything standing between you and it!"