As I’ve been going through this process of reducing clutter, there are a few resources that have really resonated with me. Marie Kondo’s book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up and The Minimalists have both become popular lately. Some things become popular because they’re really awesome things and I think both of those fall into this category. They share many of the same basic principles and I know I’m not the only one that is becoming aware that all this stuff doesn’t make me happy.
If you ask somebody if stuff makes them happy, they’re sure to say ‘no’, but there are so many thoughts and beliefs below the surface that we have about things that don’t align with that. The desire to have the newest phone, or a better looking jacket.
I certainly don’t think that everybody needs to become a minimalist, but I think that most people can benefit from becoming more intentional in their purchases and clearing out at least a little unused clutter. Seeing my own stance echoed back from these sources has been re-affirming and inspiring. I’ve also used a lot of great tips and ideas about how to de-clutter from these sources.
Resources on minimalism and de-cluttering
The Minimalists
The Minimalists have great articles not only about getting rid of things, but also living a more intentional life in other ways. They talk a lot about what values are important to them and where they want to go with their lives now that they have cleared out the clutter.
Life-Changing Magic
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Zen Habits
Leo Babauta has some great articles on his site Zen Habits. Here’s his Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home. I highly recommend exploring around and checking out more of his stuff as well.
The ten-item wardrobe
This is a great TED talk on having fewer clothes. It’s been great inspiration for me while I’ve been in the process of cleaning out my closet.
2 Responses
I love this ten-item wardrobe TED talk! Thanks for sharing. I have recently donated the majority of my clothes to charity. I am really seriously minimizing at the moment and it feels AMAZING! I basically just have workout clothes and non-workout clothes, and I find it really useful to wear the same thing every day (within reason) as it creates less decision fatigue. I also love The Minimalists and I read their book “Everything That Remains” which was great. Sometimes I can hardly believe how much you and I have in common. When I look at your blog and the topics you present and discuss I see so much of myself and what I post and my own blogs and websites, of course with the added benefit of you sharing even more material that I have not yet discovered. Thanks again! B. x
Awww… I find great stuff on your blog that I haven’t discovered yet too!
My wardrobe is one area where I struggle a bit. I have reduced it so much from where it was a couple of years ago. But I still have some things that I hold on to even though I rarely (or never) wear them. Like dresses. I have a handful of them, yet I haven’t worn a dress in years. I’m more of a jeans sort of person. And yet, I have this idea that I’d like to be the sort of person who dressed up sometimes so I hold on to them. Only I’m just not really that sort of person!
I have moved all of that stuff out of my closet though so I don’t have to see it on a daily basis… maybe eventually I will find it in me to get rid of the next set of clothes. There really is a very limited set of clothes that I actually wear.