declutter

Simple guide to downsizing to a smaller space

~ Megan

Downsizing to a smaller space can be both a daunting yet exhilarating experience. Whether you are a young family moving from a larger home to a tiny apartment. Or perhaps a retired couple moving from a family home to a condo. Maybe like me, you just prefer a smaller home. The fact is, it’s no easy task! (That is if you have a lot of stuff to let go of).

Considering I have moved a multitude of times during my lifetime, I can tell you it is not worth taking excess possessions only to have to figure out what to do with them later. It is far better to remove them now.

You may be wondering where to start? Here are some thoughts and ideas to get the ball rolling and help you to let go of the extra stuff that’s holding you back.
  • Plan ahead: Depending on how much you have to remove, a good rule of thumb is to start three months prior to the move. This way you can work through your stuff, selling, donating and throwing away. This leaves you with some room for any hiccups along the way and a much calmer experience. It’s very stressful trying to make decisions with not enough time.
  • Start with the ‘won’t need’s’: If you know that you won’t be having a guest room or office in your new home then it makes sense to start removing those items that won’t be needed such as spare beds, linens or office furniture etc. Having a plan of your new home can help you decide what you will put in your spaces and what you won’t.
  • Essentials: It may be counter-intuitive but by assessing what is essential to your every day life, it will help you to see clearly what is not needed. Try making a list of the things you use on a daily basis then start discarding things that you don’t use.
  • Home decor: Will your current decor work in your new home? Look at pictures of your new place and imagine or plan what will go in there. Does it match the new style? Is there room for your current wall art and pictures or does something need to go? Do you even want your items in your new space or would you prefer to add something new?
  • Storage: This is a big one. How much storage space is available in your new place? If the answer is ‘not much’, then you may be motivated to let go of any non-essentials.
  • Practice tiny living: This may seem drastic but if you want to know how much you can fit into your new home then practice living that way now. Use the same amount of space in your current home and cut off the extra room. See if you stuff fits well in this smaller space. Is it comfortable to live in? This will help you realise the amount you need to declutter.
  • Live in the present: Now I will finish with this. You are embarking on a new adventure! A fresh start! Don’t clutter it by holding on to old unwanted items of the past or worry about possible needs/wants of the future. Keep what adds value to your current life by focusing on the now. Ask what you need to live a contented life. Feel the freedom of living in the present and make room for your new passions and endeavors.

Clutter can hold you back. Don’t let it 😉

For more inspiration, take a look at this post:

https://thesimplehome.blog/?p=86

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:)

Declutter like you’re moving

declutter like you're moving
~ Megan

As I stood in my kitchen looking around at all the clutter littering my bench top, I felt fed up and frustrated. How did my house get so out of hand? After all, it was almost a decade ago that I had started on my minimalist journey. Yet here I was going from room to room cramming stuff in every drawer and cupboard, trying to keep my house in simple order.

It was clear, I needed a new strategy, a more drastic approach!

Declutter like you’re moving!

I decided I needed to declutter like I was moving. More like, our whole family was moving! We have lived in our current home for over 8 years now but we have definitely toyed with the idea of moving out of our city many a time. This was an opportunity to declutter as though we were moving.

Filled with a new found enthusiasm I began to assess my items in a new light, asking the questions;

  • When was the last time I used this?
  • Would I want to pack and unpack this if I were moving? -Or would I want to pay movers to pack this for me?
  • Does this item add value to my life now?
  • Could someone else find this item more useful than I do?
  • Do I want this item to take up space in my new home? (If not then why do i let it take up space now?).
  • If I had a limited number of boxes to fill per room, would this item make the cut?
  • Would I miss this if it were to get lost while moving?
  • Is it worth my time handling this item again?

I use this method one room at a time and imagine I am packing up that room as I handle each item. I decide then and there if I want to keep, donate or sell. To make this decluttering experience seem more real then you could actually pack up your stuff and only take out what you need. This is what ‘the minimalists’ call a packing party. You can read about it here:

https://www.theminimalists.com/packing/

Personally the packing party method is just too much time and effort for me, (plus my hubby may become a little concerned;) But it may be something for you to consider if you need that extra push.

Find inspiration for your new space

Visualising my new uncluttered home and imagining going through the tortuous moving process really helps me to remove all of the unnecessary stuff cluttering up my home. It helps put things into perspective of what I really need and love. There are no more maybes with this approach.

For added inspiration and motivation I save some pinterest pics of minimalist interiors of what I prefer my home to be.

This is a great opportunity to remove all of those pesky little items like excess jars, paper napkins, shampoo samples, broken pens as well as duplicates.

Once I have decluttered all of the small stuff, I then evaluate the large items, particularly furniture and storage. In our last move I had decluttered a very large timber bookshelf and found that I actually did not need this shelf any more so I sold it. It was great not having to haul this large item to the next house. Downsizing furniture you no longer need instantly creates a more open space.

The great outcome of all of this is that once you have gone through your home decluttering like youre moving, you will be left with a new home!

Let me know if you have tried this approach and how it went for you. Until next time.:)

Housekeeping, the Old fashioned way

Old fashioned housekeeping
~ Megan

Today, I am taking out a leaf of an old-fashioned book that I have, titled ‘A Book for Every Woman’ from 1926! It has numerous ideas and tips for home-making that I feel like sharing with you all! In my blog, I have revised some paragraphs from the book’s chapter titled ‘Do you make work for yourself?’ I hope you enjoy reading the blog!

If you feel that you are overworked, look around your house and see how you can make things easier for yourself. Easier – without sacrificing the essentials of a wholesome living, namely, cleanliness and nutritious food.

Too much clutter

Maybe you do a lot of unnecessary work every day as your house is over-furnished. Is the mantel of your house loaded with ornaments? Is the top of the bureau filled with fripperies? Are the walls overloaded with pictures? Putting away some of these things can help! Now, notice how much more restful and neat your home looks and how much work this saves.

One morning, I suddenly woke up to the fact that I was doing a lot of unnecessary work. I can never forget the length of time it used to take me to dust and clean my bedroom. I always used to go to my writing desk first of all. It looked like a fancy table at some fair, I would rub my eyes in astonishment and would feel pity about the things that my little duster always passed over, but they were never used.

Order restored!

My room offered a great deal of elegance and cleanliness without those things. What mattered for me was that the things I want or use regularly are right in front of my eyes.  They could not show up when they were closely elbowed by the things I did not care about. I sorted out my stuff and it helped me in creating an atmosphere of accessibility and cleanliness in my room that I never had. I was proud of myself when I calculated the lesser time it would take me to set it to rights in the mornings.

Kitchen and Dining de-clutter

Then I diverted my attention to the sitting-room and the dining room and even the kitchen came in for its share of this weeding out process. I found out that one cupboard was full of utensils, both household and kitchen, that we never used. They were either too big or too small, which made them unserviceable. For example, there was an ice-chest that was too big for our family and then a preserving kettle that was not satisfactory in the functioning and many other utensils. The things were all good in themselves so I had kept them. I decided to sell the contents of this cupboard. This greatly helped me in managing the mess!

In short, this cleaning process ensured that I pay attention to everything, regardless of its size. The things I was saving with a view of being possible for use someday, weren’t used till date. I asked myself what will be useful in the near future. It turned out that no matter if you will be using these utensils in the future or not, this cleaning process will help you in managing your mess and time.

So you see, the woman of the past were decluttering their homes long before we were!

Simplify your home in the New Year

simplify your home
~ Megan

As the new year approaches, I have been pondering some of the changes that we as a family have gone through in 2019 and what my personal plans and goals will be for 2020. One of those goals will be to create a new home in the new year. A much more organized, paired down home. A simple home.

My minimalist journey began 9yrs ago however life changes and things accumulate, then before you know it your home is not so simple anymore. Maybe you feel the same way? If so, it’s time to hit the reset button and simplify your home in the New Year.

Re-evaluate where you are at and where you want to be

Wherever you are at in your simplifying journey, whether contemplating living more simply or an experienced declutterer?! It is always good to re-evaluate where you are at and where you want to be. For me, as a stay at home mum, home is the center of my world. It’s the hub for most other things in my life, where I homeschool, work on my buisness, eat my meals and of course sleep!

I know that when my home is in order I am less stressed, more energized, more productive.

Simplifying the home is life-changing

Whether you work outside of the home or work from home, home will affect how you function on a day to day basis. That is why it is life-changing when we simplify, organize and prioritize our home and schedule. It will have a ripple effect in whatever else we are doing. I know that when my home is in order I am less stressed, more energized, more productive. A better wife and mother! Just happier overall.

So if you have been feeling the desire to simplify the home, the New Year is the perfect time to start or to re-set. Start off small, one drawer, one bag, one shelf. Let’s get started!

3 ways to help you simplify your home in the New Year

  • 1.Choose a word, verse or phrase to help keep you motivated

It’s a good idea to have a simple word, verse or phrase to remind you of your goals in regards to simplifying. This could be a family motto or a personal one. Something that reflects what you would like your home to feel like such as ‘clean & minimal’ or ‘serene’. Or “I want my home to be ordered with everything having a place.” A relative of mine wanted her home to be “guest ready”. As per my blog, I’ve chosen the words calm and orderly for the year and I am aiming for more organized and less effort maintaining.

What is it that you wish your home would be but isn’t due to clutter?

What is it that you wish your home would be but isn’t due to clutter? Adding a picture of how you would like it to look is also helpful if you are more visual. The point is not to have a show home but a home that serves you and your family. It helps when you get stuck on an item to ask “does this item fit with my ideal home”? You can then refer back to your picutre or motto.

  • 2. Decide where to start and focus only on that first

Deciding to get your whole house in order can be overwhelming, even if you have been decluttering for some time. The best way is to chose one spot to focus on only and stick with that until it’s done. As above, just start off with one drawer, one bag or one shelf. If you are feeling braver or have less stuff to purge then you could start off with a room. The Kon mari method works on categories, books, clothing etc. Do what appeals to you.

Sell, donate, trash

 Once that is done you will likely have momentum to go to the next spot. The 3 box method seems to work well. Sell, donate, trash or something similar. Putting items in these marked boxes as you go means you will clearly know where everything is going. Some people find selling stuff and making some extra money is a great motivator and others love to give away items. Do what works best for you and don’t keep that stuff hanging around! Remember your goal.

  • 3. Celebrate your new home as you go

You won’t have a new home overnight but you can celebrate and enjoy your progress as you go along. So if you have simplified your living or dining room and your goal has been to entertain more this year, then start inviting people over now. Don’t wait until your whole house is done. If you have worked with your children to downsize the toys then reward them and yourself with a fun outing or family activity. This will reinforce the value of living with less stuff.

Once you start you will gain momentum and your New home will begin to shine through from all that clutter.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Need more help to get started? Check out this great post from ‘Apartment Therapy’

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/11-things-you-should-declutter-and-donate-after-christmas-238807