It’s November and I am running a FREE 30-Day Minimizing Challenge over this month. You can still join here. Just start from the day we’re on, or start from day one and go into December. Up to you!
Years ago, I heard this bit of advice — “everything needs a home.” When items have a specific place of their own, it does two things:
- They are easy to put away.
- They are easy to find.
We have 14 measureing tapes, yes, 14! *sigh* Why? Because over several years when we couldn’t find one, we bought one. How ridiculous is that?
I have my own toolbox which is kept under padlock and I’m the only one that knows the code. One day, a couple years ago, I spent two hours looking for a hammer so I could hang a picture. I got so frustrated I drove to the hardware store, bought my own toolbox, tools, and a padlock. I wrote my name on the toolbox and it lives under my desk. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to keep peace in the relationship, LOL. If we had one measuring tape or hammer and they had a home we’d always be able to find it. Evidently, not everyone in my home is on board with this idea, so I resolved it for myself. My tools have a home and I can always find them.
Recently we went through a cubby of extra mitts, hats, scarves, etc. I don’t know how many times I said, “I didn’t know we had that” or “Oh, that’s where that is….” Ridiculous! That cubby is on my hit list for my challenge this month. Why do we have stuff we don’t even know we have? If everything has a place and like things are placed together, it’s so much easier to not only find them, but to know what you have.
What about those boxes shoved way to the back in the basement? Do you know what’s in those boxes? It’s time to go through them and ask yourself two questions:
- Does this item “spark joy” or do you love it? (Like really truly love it!)
- Does this item serve a purpose?
Do you have a storage locker? If so, why? I mean that sincerely. Why do you need a storage locker? What’s in there? Do you remember every item that you have stored? How much money every year do you spend on that storage? Is it worth it? Again, sincere questions, no judgements here. Only you know if you need that locker. Maybe it’s time to go through it. I don’t have a locker, but I do have a basement. I go through it whenever I do one of these 30-day challenges and I always remove more and more items. I ask myself why I’m keeping this or that?. What purpose does it serve? Does it spark joy? And if so, why is it in the basement?
Minimizing is a process. You won’t nail it the first time. It’s not even something that has a destination. Minimizing is a lifestyle, it’s a lifelong journey. It’s a habit that builds over time.
Start with one space:
This process only takes a few minutes. Once the work is completed, you’ll feel so much less stuff-stress. Finding things will not be frustrating. Clean up will be easier.
Remember to join my private Facebook group available througout November!
