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…]
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…]
“We don’t do Show and Tell here.” It was a bold proclamation. Especially because it was nowhere on the daycare orientation agenda. Show and Tell is a staple of early education curricular design. It is as familiar as Play-Doh and and the “Clean Up” song. How many times have you done Show and Tell in … [Read more…]
Free. It’s a powerful word. Magical, really. Out of all the four letter words, this one really stops people in their tracks. People clamor into stores en masse, wading through a sea of people only to endure time-halting lines. And free is good. In a world that often has complete disregard for their bottom line, … [Read more…]
I need to keep decluttering. How do I know? There are obvious signs. A “Future Linebacker” Bears football jersey ornament has been hanging on the handle of my desk since last Christmas. (Why?) My husband thinks it’s easier to park in the driveway than on his side of the garage. (He is officially now one … [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…]
I am a neat person. I am organized. I am meticulous with my things. These personality traits are no match for the sheer quantity of stuff lurking just out of sight in my house. Or at least, I thought it was a house. Six years ago, I bought our dream house. We loved it so … [Read more…]
I I owe my undergrad professor an apology. He was the ultimate minimalist. He railed against conspicuous consumption, thumping his dog-eared copy of Veblen’s The Theory of the Leisure Class on a desk. He cycled through the same handful of clothes in the same neutral color scheme. He wore shorts that showcased socks he haphazardly … [Read more…]
Get rid of your stuff without putting a burden on someone or something else? Sign me up! Britt at Tiny Ambitions created a mindful decluttering challenge called Minimize in May. It spoke to me for a lot of reasons. It’s important work. (I still have too much stuff). It’s more manageable. (You can only fail … [Read more…]
Every Thursday, I drive through my neighborhood absolutely mesmerized by the heaps of trash and recycle that line both sides of the street. Flat screen TV boxes. Old media stands. Towers of single-use water bottles. For nearly three years, I have worked furiously to minimize what sits in front of our house. In fact, I … [Read more…]