Declutter

Declutter your fantasy self to let go of more things

~ Megan

In this post I want to share my recent experience with decluttering my fantasy self in hopes that you also will declutter your fantasy self to let go of more things…

Lately I have felt disappointed about the amount of stuff I’ve been selling and donating. I had accumulated a lot over these past months and I needed to look at why?

Over a year ago we moved from Sydney to Tasmania with very little. Our previous home wasn’t very big and I had kept it very minimal for a family of 4. Prior to moving I let go of even more. We all did.

What changed?

Not long after our arrival in Tasmania I caught a vision for homesteading and self-sufficiency. (Not the first time). Something about being in a Country cottage in a small town with new found homesteading friends had ignited a past desire for this lifestyle. Suddenly I needed sewing supplies and fabric to make our own skirts and dresses. Canning equipment to preserve all of our leftover harvest. Chickens and all that go with them! Craft paper for homemade cards, candle making kit and more! Oh and pretty vintage items to decorate the home. Much of this was found at thrift stores or marketplace. (Not the chickens)!

Just typing this out makes me sigh…

Much of what I was trying to do was stressing me out and the stuff around me was sending unwanted messages such as ‘you need to finish me!’

You see, I’m a homeschooling Mother of an 11yr old and have a 3yr old. This is not the right season for me to be learning new skills and seeking to be self-sufficient on my own. In my free time I want to do things such as read and write. Make some simple home-made recipes that support my low-waste life-style. Spend time outside in nature with my family. Sit and mend some worn-out items. Pursue living with less.

A minimalist can still have hobbies & interests

It’s not that being a minimalist, or even an extreme minimalist means that we cannot have hobbies or items that go with them. That is not the problem. The problem is when what we are pursuing is not really who we are. Not what our true desire is. We have an image in our mind of what we think we ‘ought to be’. It may be a good image or desire but for whatever reason it is not right for us. At least not at this time. We need to declutter our fantasy self.

The problem is when what we are pursuing is not really who we are.

My experience with trying to do all of these new things and learning new skills and buying more stuff was that it was making me very stressed and unhappy. It was also taking away from the important things I needed to be focusing on. As I mentioned, the stuff was sending me unwanted messages which left me feeling disappointed and overwhelmed. I wondered how others were able to do these things but I wasn’t? Was I not capable? I felt guilty that I wasn’t living up to my homemaker ‘image’

Slowly I began to see that I was being totally unreasonable with myself and that in reality I did not need to do these things. It wasn’t the real me. It was my fantasy self!

Letting go of some of these items felt like I was giving up on a dream, a possibility. Like somehow I had failed because I should have persevered and tried to make the time to do these things. But when I slowed down and thought about my priorities, I realised that these things were not. I also really missed my organised minimalist home. Something I truly value.

So how do we know who the true self is opposed to the fantasy self?

This is really what we need to figure out so that we can let go of the burden of the fantasy self. I mentioned about thinking about my priorities. This was key for me. We cannot do it all and we shouldn’t try to. We can ask ourselves a few things to find out who we are and what we want.

-What are your 5-7 top priorities in life right now?

-Which hobbies, interests or activities do you really enjoy? (Not feel obligated to do).

-Is the image or idea you are imagining realistic in this season of life?

-Going back to priorities, is this activity or object important enough to keep in your life? Is it what I value most?

I want to share my current list in the hope that it will help you with yours.

My top values and priorities right now in no particular order:

-Raising my children well (focusing on homeschool, time & attention).

-Having a clean, tidy and orderly home

-Spending time reading the bible & prayer time

-Eating healthy

-Spending some time writing

These are the main things at the moment.

Declutter your fantasy self

If I hold on to my fantasy self I will not have time for who I really am and what is important to me right now. My fantasy self is growing all of our food and has transformed our entire backyard to feed our family. The real me does not want to have a full-time job growing and tending to a huge garden. I wouldn’t be able to do anything else and I wouldn’t even enjoy it. So instead I am going to keep growing a few herbs, veggies and flowers in my contained veggie patches that I can easily maintain and enjoy.

My fantasy self has a beautifully decorated farmhouse filled with home-made or vintage treasures. The real me does not like visual clutter or want to dust around the decor items or spend time changing things around. Whenever I buy things for the home I immediately regret it. I can still have a beautiful minimalist home that is easy to maintain and has a few special items hand-made by my daughters.

Finding freedom

As I release the items attached to my fantasy self, I feel relief. A burden has been lifted to be someone I’m not. I feel free again to pursue the things I truly enjoy and value. My home is again free from most of the clutter. My almost extreme minimalist goals are within reach which helps me to have clarity again. Clutter affects our mind and emotions and clutter can be anything that you don’t truly need or want.

If you declutter your fantasy self you will be free to embrace the real you!

I have let go of my fantasy self and it feels wonderfully freeing to just be me.

minimalist megan.x

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

A key to help you on your simplifying journey

~ Megan

When I began my journey of intentional minimalism, I had one thought it mind. “Get rid of junk before moving!” 

I was expecting our first baby and sorting through the home, trying to get rid of as much as I could before moving to our new home. We weren’t hoarders by any means but the excess stuff we had accumulated between my husband and myself was just too much to deal with. As anyone who has moved house knows, you always have more stuff than you realised.

I have always been a minimalist at heart and preferred to live more lightly. I just didn’t know that there was a name for it! As I prepared for the move, I began to read books on decluttering and look for sites that could help. That’s when I came across the term ‘minimalism.’ It was exciting to me! Finally others understood my overwhelm and need to live with less. As I donated, recycled and trashed items, I felt a sense of relief. I was determined to make our move easier and continue to live simply afterward. That was my goal and purpose. 

Do you have a clear purpose in mind?

As you can see, my purpose for decluttering was to get ready for our move and also be less stressed when our new baby arrived. Yet as my journey continued, my purpose and vision for simplifying changed. But that’s okay. The point is that I always had a reason for decluttering and simplifying my life. Without one, I would have given up at some point and not been able to experience the clear benefits of minimalist lifestyle.

Whenever I help someone at the beginning of their minimalist or decluttering journey, I ask them to write some things down beforehand. To make some sort of plan. Without a plan, it is too easy to give up along the way because you aren’t sure of why you are even doing this hard work and what the end result will be. Having a clear goal of vision lets you know when you have met your own sweet spot with decluttering. Not that minimalism has a clear end because I believe it is fluid. Your wants and needs will change with the seasons of life and so will your decluttering needs. But you will know what feels right for you. Just enough.

Here are some questions to ask and ways you can make a plan or define your purpose for decluttering.

  1. What is my vision for my home and life? (You may want to save pictures that reflect your desired outcome.) Is it clean, clutter-free, stress-free, inviting?

2. You may come up with a slogan or mantra that describes the feeling or goal for your home. E.g: One year mine was ‘a calm and orderly home’. Now it is ‘to live more lightly in my heart and home’. One of my readers has the word ‘serene.’

3. What are the benefits you expect to happen after you have cleared your home? Make a list. E.g. I will have less housework to do. More time to spend with the kids. Less stress in the family with less stuff to manage.

4. Reward yourself when you have reached certain goals. I.e, when the kid’s rooms are decluttered I will take them out for ice-cream. Or once the bathroom is decluttered I will treat myself to a relaxing aromatherapy bath. This will help you stay motivated and train yourself that decluttering is a good thing!

5. Stay flexible. As there are new seasons in life, I try to stay flexible with the changes and allow my purposes to adapt. Right now we are in lockdown and the house is kind of full with different work and projects going on. My home isn’t very orderly and that’s okay for now. 

My purpose keeps me grounded when things change. When I remember what my purpose for living simply is, then I can get back on track without the feeling of overwhelm that I used to have. 

I hope you have found this post useful and look forward to hearing your purpose for decluttering. Until next time!

How to simplify your housework

~ Megan

Life can be busy and stressful. Often the last thing you want to do is more housework. It may sound like a dream come true, but it is possible to simplify your house cleaning routine with a few easy changes. Just imagine, a quick clean and tidy and your house is visitor ready. Even if you have young children it is still possible to keep your house in tip top shape without burning yourself out. Lets look at how…

Firstly I want to make this clear. I love cleaning! I am actually one of those weird people who enjoys the process of cleaning. It’s like therapy for me. I feel the stress melt away while scrubbing the shower and I feel satisfied at the end result of a meticulously clean home.

There is one exception here and that is not having time to clean and yet knowing you need to. That is where cleaning can be stressful. Rushing around the house trying to get it all done is what makes cleaning an unpleasant experience. It becomes a major chore that we all want to avoid. (Even an avid cleaner like me.)

This is where simplifying your home comes in. The difference between a cluttered home and uncluttered home, is the difference between spending hours upon hours trying to keep up with housekeeping compared to a couple of short sessions a day. Yes simplifying your home will reduce your housework but where to start?

1. Turn off the tap at the source, (so to speak)

Stop the flow of stuff coming into the home to give yourself a chance to get on top of what you already have. This could mean only buying the absolute essentials for awhile. Really evaluate if you need to buy anything and don’t just accept freebies if they are not needed. Ask family or those living with you to take care of their own belongings and have set spaces for eachother’s things.

2. Start a donations box

If you haven’t got a decluttering plan you could start with a donations box. Every time you have a spare 10 minutes, do a quick declutter of a drawer or cupboard and put unwanted items in a box ready to donate. When the box is full put it in the car ready for drop-off. I have one in the laundry at all times. I pop items in there as soon as I come across something I no longer use.

5. Be ruthless with your stuff

Whatever method you choose to declutter, be ruthless! If you keep your end goal in mind of what you want your home to be, then you will be much more willing to get rid of un-needed stuff now. Don’t keep items ‘just in case’. They will only prevent you reaching your goals and make your housework complicated.

6. Keep all surfaces clear

Remove as much as possible from all surfaces. Only keep what you really need or want on them. This makes cleaning much more efficient.

7. Declutter nic-nacs

Having too many small items makes dusting and cleaning hard. Only keep the bare minimum on display.

8. Consider removing your shoes before entering

Not a simplifying tip as such but not wearing shoes indoors means a lot less dirt is tracked in and so floors stay alot cleaner.

9. Make your bed in the morning

Make your bed as soon as you get up and keep bedding to a minimum. Remove excess pillows, throws and blankets to simplify the process. It will set the mood for the day.

10. Re-wear clothing

It’s okay to repeat outfits that are still clean and don’t smell. Teach your children to do the same. Often we create more washing unnecessarily.

11. Keep a small wardrobe

Keep simplified wardrobes so that putting away clothing is quick and easy.

12. Fold clothing immediately

If you fold clothing immediately after hanging it to dry then you will have less ironing to do.

13. Remove excess furniture

Remove unnecessary furniture from the home. Less furniture means less to dust. Your home will also appear bigger.

14. Don’t keep any clutter in the bathrooms or toilet

Keep the essentials only. Makes cleaning in these highly used areas easier.

15. A team effort

This may be one of the most important tips for a tidier home and that is that everyone is responsible for their own stuff. It has become a habit in our home that once you are finished with something you put it away.

Simplifying and making these small changes has made a huge difference to my housekeeping routine. I hope it will make a difference to yours:)

For more housekeeping ideas check out this post on Housekeeping the old fashioned way

https://thesimplehome.blog/?p=54
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/732468326896244165/

Simple Linen Closet

~ Megan

It’s the beginning of Autumn here in Australia and I decided to do a linen closet declutter and organise. I usually go through clothing as the Seasons change but this time I decided to go through bedding and blankets to see what we may need and get rid of the rest.

To be honest this space has been bugging me for quite awhile and I have avoided it as I tend to find it hard to decide which linens to keep as they are all in good condition and I keep extra bedding and blankets as a ‘just in case’. Alot of throw blankets and quilt covers! This time I was ruthless!

Kon mari method

I decluttered the closet Kon mari style. I took everything out and only put back in what I really loved. Usually I would rummage around trying to decide what to get rid of, which obviously wasn’t working. Before I began, I had saved some gorgeous Pinterest pics for inspiration. I wanted my linen closet to be VERY minimal, functional and lovely to look at.

I wanted my linen closet to be VERY minimal, functional and lovely to look at.

A tip I had found was to place my linens front ways rather than across. (If that makes sense?) You can see how I have placed them in the pics below. My goal was to keep what we have on our beds with only a couple of extras stored. We really don’t use what has been sitting n there and I found that things weren’t smelling very fresh, which is a sure way to know that you are using things regularly. I washed everything, ready to sell, donate or keep. I even soaked some towels to bring them back to pure white. Yes I went all out!

The Essentials

There was also a lot of ‘extras’ such as seasonal decor, toiletries, fabric, cushions, even a photo album! It was really an added storage space which I was just tried of. I decided that this was going to be purely for linens only.

Note: Each be in the house has sheets, a quilt and blanket. Towels which are in use plus what’s stored here. There is a throw blanket on the sofa. I will continue to evaluate what’s no longer needed at the end of the season.

The Kon mari method was really helpful to me in this case as I really didn’t want to put any clutter and excess back in, once I had completely cleared out and cleaned the cupboard. I believe every space should be beautiful.

I feel relieved after finally simplifying my linen closet and getting rid of the excess. The final finishing touch is to add some pretty labels to the shelving. Let me know how you declutter and organise your linen closet:)