Wait, wait, wait… I thought you said you were going to talk about buying habits!
Yes, I am.
But first, let me share the importance of dwindling down what you currently own, first.
If you try to build healthy buying habits first, you will miss the significance of minimizing. And, your shopping habits might not change that much because you will have skipped over honing the skills of discrimination.
Once you hone your skills of discrimination, your buying habits will drastically change! You will have a much better sense of what you need and what you don’t, what fulfills the “shiny new object” craving for a few days versus what you will keep and cherish for decades to come.
So, how do I learn to discriminate what to keep?
Start discerning what you really need of what you currently own. What do you actually use? What “sparks joy”? What are your “favorites”? What fits with your values and priorities? Let go of the rest… To key into what you fits your needs and tastes, you can: read a decluttering book like “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo, or search decluttering/minimalism websites, receive guidance from a trusted friend or family member, or hire a decluttering/minimalism coach.
Like with the Konmari method, I recommend tackling this project in categories: clothing, accessories, shoes, books, bed linens, towels, bathroom supplies, kitchen appliances, kitchen utensils, serving ware, vases, games, stationary, office supplies, tools, sports equipment, decor, artwork, old letters, photographs… etc., etc.
Get those empty cardboard boxes!
Load them with anything you don’t absolutely love. Then, donate, donate, donate. (Remember to “chuck” things in an environmentally responsible way.) Dwindle that s*$t down! When you think you can’t let go of anything else, check again. And again.
Some say you will only have to do this once. Personally, I did the big haul-out once and now I do a light touch-up every six months.
Aaaahhh, how good it feels! Liberating, light, fresh, clean – you will love it!
Decluttering – the therapy you didn’t know you needed
Yes, we all know that decluttering takes time.
But – do you ever feel that being surrounded by clutter affects how well you can think, focus, and perform?
Taking the time to declutter can save you time in the end, because the mental benefits we reap by decluttering make us more effective in all our other tasks and pursuits!
LET’S TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL BENEFITS OF DECLUTTERING.
Delcuttering can…
- Reduce stress and anxiety. A clutter-free space can bring a sense of calm and clarity. Wouldn’t we all love some more of that?
- Improve focus and productivity by reducing distractions. Yes, please!
- Increase creativity and motivation. After decluttering, you will have cleared mental space enabling you to start new creative pursuits, not to mention more physical space for new projects!
- Connect you more deeply to your values and priorities. Ahhh yes, the internal compass. Decluttering allows you to reflect on what matters most to you and make decisions that align with your values and priorities.
- Boost confidence and self-esteem! By taking control of your physical space, you can know that you have what it takes to create order and structure in your life.
- Give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as you make progress getting things done and simplifying your life.