“I don’t buy my kid toys.” I remember hearing that sentence like it was yesterday. But it wasn’t. It was 12 years ago, and it was at my parents’ house. My cousins were visiting for the holidays with their 1-year-old baby, and that comment was part of their very grateful acceptance of the gift we … [Read more…]
It’s true. I decluttered exactly zero things in May. None. Zilch. Zero. Nada. After months of detailed recaps outlining everything I decluttered, I simply walked away from it all. And like most things in life, the reasons are complicated. In May, the school year was winding down. Except it wasn’t. Instead of the usual decrescendo … [Read more…]
A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. A minimalist by any other name would still have less stuff. Right? I try to not get caught up in labels on this blog. In fact, it’s probably one of the many fundamental flaws in my overall blogging strategy. It flies in the face … [Read more…]
In the name of science this blog, I attempted a thing: I recycled my shoes. More specifically, I tried recycling my shoes at DSW. I’ve learned a lot of lessons decluttering. One of the most important lessons is that sometimes things are just garbage. But sometimes things aren’t. That’s how I felt about these shoes. … [Read more…]
I didn’t start the year with a concrete number for how many items I wanted to declutter. I was invited to do a few different challenges. The most dramatic one promised to part ways with 1,000 items. I didn’t accept. Because honestly? It seemed too easy. For a house that generally abides by the clean … [Read more…]
In the past week, I decluttered 9 things from my house. Three items were sold and the rest were Freecycled. Here’s how things unfolded. I sold: One pair of Ugg boots (They’re cozy but oh-so-slippery!), One pair of Nikes (I only realized I actually should have sized up after wearing the wrong size for…weeks), and … [Read more…]
OK, OK. It’s not technically the end of the quarter. But I’m on winter break, so I don’t really know what day, what week, or what year it is. Plus, everyone and their uncle blogger buddy is posting 2018 recaps. Since I don’t set yearly goals (mostly because I’m probably the world’s worst goal setter … [Read more…]
What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given? A real gift. Something that came in a box with a bow. Or at least wrapped in the funnies. You know, a present. Of course, there’s health and happiness, family and friends. The gift of knowledge, which is something I have been giving my students all year. … [Read more…]
It’s almost turkey time in the States. While I understand the holiday’s roots are questionable, and holidays in general can be a difficult time for people, I always find myself awash with gratitude this time of year. Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I’m grateful for and … [Read more…]
How much clutter do you have in your house? Be honest. It’s hard to say, isn’t it? Unless you are one of those outstanding individuals who lives with 13, 37, or 42 things. Then, I’m going to do the math for you. Zero. The answer is zero. You have no clutter. But if you are … [Read more…]