Minimalism

My minimalist story

~ Megan

Where it started

My journey to living with less began 10 years ago, right before our first child was born. It was a busy time. We had been married over a year, were selling and moving to a new home as well as preparing for our first baby. I remember as I was packing during those weeks before moving feeling really overwhelmed by stuff. Not that we were hoarders or owned any more than the average home. In fact we probably owned less than most just because we were not long married and no children yet.

However there was still too much unnecessary stuff that had accumulated together as well as what we each owned prior. Unused wedding gifts, ALOT of health & study books on my part, un-necessary furniture, kitchen items, paperwork, excess clothing and just stuff! Oh and not forgetting the room full of baby gifts from my recent baby shower!

Packing & decluttering

Anyone who has had to pack and move knows that when you are handling each and every item you own, you soon realise that there is much more than you expected. I began to question why we owned what we owned. At the same time I had ordered a book on decluttering from a catalogue. (I know that is such an outdated way to buy books!) I also started doing google searches on decluttering. At the time I was not aware of the term minimalism or living simply but when I came across the idea of living with less. It really resonated with me. I do believe I’ve always been a minimalist at heart. Just because I now had my own home, did not mean I had to accumulate excess stuff.

A defining moment

A defining moment for me was when my sister in-law came to help us move and gave me a small plastic disposable vase with hand-picked flowers. Something about it made me wish that I could have packed a lot lighter. I had already begun shedding some items before moving but now I had moved into our freshly renovated new home, I decided I was going to live as simply as I could. I do believe that having a baby also gave me a desire to keep things as simple as possible.

The journey continues…

Over the next 10 years I have grown in many ways and also came to understand how living with less impacted my Faith. Or rather how my Faith defined living simply. The bible has a lot to say about not storing up treasures and going after riches as well as giving to others in need. These scriptures help shape my journey of simplicity.

On a daily basis, living simply helps keep my home calm and orderly as well as my mind. I want to be able to focus on what matters. Of course I am not perfect and sometimes stuff just seems to grow! Sharing my journey and pictures of my home also helps keep me accountable. My hope is that this blog and my experience with living simply can also inspire you to live simply also.

Blessings,

Megan Raj

Give your stuff a new life, bless someone in the process

~ Megan

Motivation to let go

Sometimes it’s difficult to find motivation to let go of the items that we know we don’t need or use any more. We may pull an item out from a drawer or closet and think, ‘maybe one day I’l need this’. Or this was a really special gift I received from so and so. Perhaps you can see the beauty in something although you don’t exactly know what to do with it or where to display it. I’ve been there! In fact I go through this on a regular basis. Even after being minimalist for around 8 years, I still question certain things and then put them back. Only to revisit the item again asking the same questions!

A new season

Different seasons in life mean that we sometimes accumulate things that are necessary for only a certain period of time. Having a baby, a new hobby, a business, (fill in the blank).  The problem comes when we don’t recognise that that season is over and we no longer need to hang on to those related items, unless of course you know that you will re-use them again soon, ie: passing down kids clothing to the next child or re-using maternity wear etc. Most of the time though, we WON’T need those items. The season has passed and it’s time to move on to the next season. If we fail to recognise this and store away those ‘extras’ or ‘maybe items’, we can end up feeling burdened. For out of site, is not always out of mind! In fact every time you happen to come across those un-used items, (think, un-finished projects, unwanted ornaments or unworn clothing with tags still on). Guilty:( . You don’t feel good. It is that nagging reminder that you haven’t completed what you started or that you haven’t used that item as you intended. You know it’s a waste and yet somehow you feel stuck.

Renew your thinking

Although I am not 100% with the Kon mari method, I do see the value in recognising that our items may not be doing us good any more. It has become that weight that you don’t need to carry around any longer, both physically and metaphorically speaking.

There are a number of methods that can be used to let go of our stuff and for items that we are no longer using I suggest these verses:

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:4

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  Luke 12:33-34

So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Luke 3:10-11

Do not withhold good from a]those to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of your hand to do so. Proverbs 3:27

He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,
And He will pay back what he has given. Proverbs 19:17

distributing to the needs of the saints, givena] to hospitality. Romans 12:13

Give your stuff a new life, bless someone in the process

These verses are GREAT motivators for me when I find myself hanging on to things that are not getting used. Letting them go means that I can give them a new life, a fresh start. However the best part of this is that I get to bless someone else!

These things can bring another joy and smiles or even make their life more livable. While I am storing an item away, someone else could be using it on a regular basis. We have no idea how much difference releasing our stuff and giving to others can make.  But we know that Jesus asks up to be generous and give our extra things to others. We don’t need to hold on to items ‘just in case’. We can trust God to supply for our needs in the future.

Trust God

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Mathew 6:31-32

Generosity

So as we go come into contact with those un-used items, yet again! We can ask ourselves if it would be better to give this item a new life and bless someone else in the process. Imagine the item/s being used regularly and making a real difference in someone’s life. Instead of thanking the item for it’s service (or lack of), we can thank the Lord for His provisions and generosity toward us, asking that He now bless someone else with the items that we are about to share.

And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Boost your decluttering efforts with these 7 tips

~ Megan

Sometimes it feels like no matter how much I try to get rid of the clutter there seems to be more coming in than I can handle and I wonder why I’m not where I want to be. If you have been trying to simplify your home and life but still feel things are going too slow then maybe you need to boost your decluttering efforts with these 7 tips:

Get to the root of the problem

When you think about it, clutter doesn’t just magically appear, (although it may feel like it does). Every item comes from somewhere and so it goes to figure that we need to get to the root to stop the growth of clutter and stuff. So here are some tips and thoughts to help get back on track with simplifying.

1. Consider going on a shopping fast or no spend month.

Sometimes our shopping habits can sabotage our simplifying efforts. Doing a challenge like this will give you the opportunity to focus on getting clutter within the home under control without incoming inventory coming in. This can mean still buying all essentials of course. The rules are up to you. Focusing on the stuff you have may also help you to realise that you already have more than enough.

2. Put a stop all unnecessary subscriptions and junk-mail

Cancel any subscriptions that you really don’t need and put a stop to all junk-mail. We rarely get time to read or look through too many magazines and junk mail so just keep the ones that you really do need. This will mean less junk lying around on counter-tops and a bonus is that you will not be tempted to buy more advertised items.

3. Eat through your Pantry and fridge/freezer

The amount of food that we used to throw out on a weekly basis was not only a waste of food but also money. Now we try to only buy what we will actually eat that week. But what about the excess food we have at the back of our pantry and freezer? Try only buying necessary food items and making meals by using up those items that are still fresh. Throw out expired items. Again this will save money and give you a chance to declutter the pantry and freezer. I like to give it a good clean out when the food is cleared out somewhat.

4. The one in five out rule

Every time you make a purchase get rid of up to five items of the same. New bag, try to remove 1-5 bags you no longer use. Before you buy a new book decide which books you can pass on. This helps in two ways. You may decide you don’t need the new item altogether or you mininize your stuff the times that you do buy something new.

5. Use up what you already own

In the same way of no.3,use up what you already have before bringing anything else into the home

Before making a purchase ask yourself if there is something you already own that you could use instead? Making do is a lost art that I believe can really move us forward with simplifying our homes, helping the environment and saving our hard-earned cash. For example last year I needed a long petticoat but the vintage cotton ones I saw were pricey plus I knew I had a couple of white dresses I no longer wore. So all I did was cut, put elastic and sew. It was very simple and rewarding.

If ever I need to give a gift I always check if I could re-gift something new that the person would enjoy. There are endless ways we can use up what we already posses and that will boost our simplifying efforts.

6. Have a donations box handy

We keep a donations box in the laundry where we drop items jo longer wanted or needed. You could keep one next to the door. Once full put in the car ready to donate. Its a quick and easy way to declutter your home.

7. Simplify gift giving this Season

Keep it simple this Holiday season by decorating minimally yet thoughtfully. Try halving what you usually decorate the house with and better yet, don’t but any new decor. Give simple consumable gifts and ask for simple gifts or no gifts from loved ones if they ask. This will help keep things calm and orderly during this busy time ready to welcome the new year.

Make organising a thing of the past

~ Megan

From someone who advocates simplicity and a minimalist lifestyle, it may sound strange that I would write a post encouraging others to stop organising! Here me out!:)

There has been a lot of hype and money spent surrounding organisation of the home. From storage bins to complicated organisation systems, another new product that promises to put an end to the chaos. And yet here we are, still frustrated and shuffling around the never ending clutter.

What if the solution does not lie in more systems, more products and empty promises? What if the answer is as simple as to get rid of the excess and stop the organising once and for all?

It is that Simple.

Forget trying to figure out where to put this or that item and ask yourself if you could live without it? Chances are the item has no home because it doesn’t have a specific purpose or place and just ends up floating around the house looking for a resting place. Let it go…

Organising-a thing of the past

Lets make organising a thing of the past.

I’m not saying that you should never organise your stuff again and the truth is I actually enjoy organising. Just not when things are out of control and overwhelming. Organising should be as simple as putting like with like and in a place that makes sense for you.

For example; I have a number of coats and jackets that tend to get spread out throughout the house. One draped over a chair at the table, another on my clothing rack in my room others in my closet and a few more in our shared closet. I had also considered storing some in vacuum bags for storage.

Because they were spread out I had forgotten how many coats I actually owned. Since I had accumulated more than I actually need/wear, they didn’t all have a home. When I finally decided to put them all away, they didn’t fit in my closet without pushing out my essential clothing. Finally by cutting down my coats and jackets to the few favourites that I wore regularly I no longer needed to try and organise them and try to make it work. The organising and struggle was over. Those 3 coats go straight back in the closet with no fuss.

This can be said for all other categories of items around our home. Think of how much time and thought we put into trying to make our stuff fit and work in our spaces. There is no need to keep going through the cycle of organising. Instead, reduce, reduce, reduce.

Once you have whittled your items down to few, it is pure joy to organise.

Join me in my goal of the new year to make organising a thing of the past.

Until next time…

Define what matters-declutter what doesn’t

~ Megan

There’s nothing like a major life change or crisis situation to really put things into perspective. At this time of lock-down and a world full of uncertainty, it may be the perfect time to take stock of our home and lifestyle and ask ourselves what is really important, essential and supportive of what truly matters to us.

For each person the answer will be varied. However once we have established what truly matters to us personally, we can then look at what ‘stuff’ we actually need to support those things. E.g, if eating healthy is a top priority then what do I need in order to make that happen? If spending quality time with family is my goal, then what items or activities support that?

Write a list

Some years ago as a sort of New Years Resolution I made a list of what I wanted to focus on for that year. I wrote down about 7 things. On that list were things like, read my bible and pray more, make more healthy meals, write. When I looked at my list, I realised that in order to have the time to invest on my priorities, I needed to cut out those things that were time-wasters and distractions. The first thing to go was T.V. and pointless surfing of the net. That not only freed up time but also mental clutter. I felt more focused.

Define what matters-declutter what doesn’t

During this time of lock-down I am really working on organising and refining our home. Especially as we have a baby on the way! My goal is to remove those things that don’t support my goals and priorities and to make my home more manageable when baby arrives.

The positive thing about this time is that we are most likely much more aware of what’s essential to our daily lives. Here are some tips to evaluate and declutter while on lockdown.

1. As you go through your day take note of what you are using. E.g as you make meals from scratch think about the utensils and appliances you regularly use and those you don’t. Same with other daily routines, which beauty products do you use while getting ready, which clothes do you reach for when looking in your closet? Get rid of all those you don’t need.

2. Make money from un-used items. As you look around your home, are there items of value that you don’t need or use that others would happily buy right now? Recently we sold some ‘stagnant’ items such as a wii fit game, musical keyboard, kids sewing machine. They were like new but not being used so this was a great time to put them into the hands of someone who would use and enjoy them right now.

3. Get rid of duplicates. You may use towels on a daily basis but do you need a multitude sitting in your linen cupboard taking up space? Same with mugs/cups and the like. How many do we realistically need of each item? This may be hard if you like to know that you have backup and don’t like to waste, but think of items being used now instead of later. I also like to remind myself that it is kind of greedy to hoard items when someone else may actually need them NOW.

4. Use up items you have naturally. You may not be able to drop off items at donation centers or you may have items that aren’t ideal to donate that you could be using up naturally. Eating through items that have been sitting at the back of the pantry for awhile and finding recipes to use up the ingredients you have is a good way to declutter and save money! Maybe you have a stash of fabric that you could turn into projects or old clothes that could be cut up to make into cleaning rags. I’m going to put some of my writing paper to good use during this more quiet time. This waste not strategy will help declutter your home in a natural way.

5. Spring clean-even if it isn’t Spring where you are:) There is something about completely cleaning out a cupboard or sweeping out the cobwebs that makes us want to clear out clutter. Once you have washed and cleaned an area or room you could take the opportunity to only put back the items you truly need or love. Give away or sell the remaining. Remember that simplifying the home also means less to clean in the long run!