I Hate Minimalism

I know the Pinterest photos shared by professional organizers are eye-catching. Everything is white, there is no dust, and the windows are bare and awash in sunshine. But this isn’t my goal for you. The rooms feel sterile and lifeless. Soothing, perhaps, at a waterfront vacation condo, but not my cup of tea. I know you have lived a life that is full of memories. I want you to be purposeful about the space you call home. It should be yours. When you walk in the door at the end of the day, I want you to be at peace.

What about you?

What are the things you love about your home? Have you made good memories there? Are there too many negative feelings in the space? Long ago, I learned the term “clutter blindness”. It is the condition of becoming desensitized to the presence of clutter. We all have different tolerance levels for objects within our environment. Placing value and emotional attachment to an object affects how it is viewed by it’s owner. But then the day comes that we look around, and we realize that there is just too much stuff in a space to enjoy living there. It happens to all of us. It’s a powerful exercise to remove several items from a room and find that you are pleased to live without them. There is a lot that we can do to change the atmosphere in our home, without hiring a general contractor and renting a wrecking ball.

Make a Difference

Choose a space that impacts you the most. Or my favorite, an easy win. Today, spend 15 minutes in the space. Have a cup of coffee and think about what you like most. Is it where you relax? Do you spend time there with people you love? Is there a photo gallery, a soft blanket, or houseplants? When we want to make changes or commitments, it helps to think about the “why”. That’s going to give us the energy to follow through with a plan.

Now comes the flip side: what do you hate about the space? Is the paint color the latest trend from the 90s? Is it crowded? Has it morphed from its intended use to a catch-all of household objects? Maybe the carpet needs to be cleaned. Or burned!

Don’t do anything today except think. Think about your vision for the space. Consider what you can DIY, (that’s the most rewarding project). Would it make you feel better to throw something in the trash? It’s your stuff. You can do what you want with it. Would you like a quick win? A long Saturday can yield amazing results. Or would you like to take on a bigger task and plan to work longer for a bigger reward? You deserve it! When you send me a picture of your new space, I want to feel like I know something about you. I want to imagine us having a glass of wine together and thinking of the next project we should tackle.

“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.”

Joshua Becker.

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Clarity is only a few minutes away.

A fast way to see what needs attention first.

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