Monday, October 15, 2012

Conquer Clutter: Finding the Right Balance

Image from Apartment Therapy

I am not a hard core minimalist.  These pictures show a more accurate view of what I like.  It really isn't about counting how many things you own, or sleeping on a mattress on the floor with no furniture in the room.  To me, minimalism is finding a balance.  I don't like a lot of clutter, but I also don't want to live in an empty home.  I do like having things clean and having a few decorations to add personality to the room.  I don't like having a lot of things around to dust.  I like to be able to clean in a minimal amount of time leaving more time to do other things.  Everyone has to find the right balance for themselves.  What is right for one, may not be right for another.  We are all in different stages of our lives and that balance changes as we change.   
As you declutter your home, you will get to the point where you like the way it is.  You won't feel like you need to keep getting rid of stuff.  At that point, your focus will change to just replacing things as they get old or worn or your tastes change.  It is nice to see what others have done to get ideas, but we need to find our own balance for ourselves. The things we own should be things we enjoy and not things that weigh us down.  We want to be happy and uplifted in our homes, not burdened by the stress that owning too much brings.  We want a clean environment that is safe, where we have things off the floor so we don't trip.  There is such a difference walking into a room that has surfaces with no piles of stuff and a peaceful feeling to it.  Our homes are a refuge for us.  We should know what we have and know exactly where we can find something if we need it.  Figure out what you really want and work towards that goal.  Be willing to let go of things that no longer serve a purpose or part of reaching the goal you want. 

Take a few minutes today and clean up a pile of stuff.  Once you start, you may want to keep going! 


4 comments:

  1. I am soooo close to reaching this stage - just waiting on a few more items to finish up on Ebay & for the husband to finish (start) digging thru his wardrobe so we can take those things to the consignment store & a few more boxes in the attic that are mine.
    Otherwise, I have specific rooms completely the way I want them with no excesses or annoyances or unintended items remaining.
    Having said that, much of the attic, the garage (which doubles as my husbands workshop) & his clothing are the only areas not to "my" liking...but then again, those aren't my items to decide on. But the common items that the husband could care about & my items have been culled extensively & what remains is what I want to remain. At least as long as we live in this house.
    Once we downsize/move to the FL Keys...there are items that simply won't be going with us & I already have a list prepared (along with photo's & pre-written eBay & Craigslist write-ups at the ready). Things like an exercise bike, guest inflatable bed (guests will have to stay in a hotel & not mooch off us anymore), items specific to this house & area that won't be necessary to southern FL, etc.

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  2. Jane,

    Thanks for sharing your example of this. I hope it will help to inspire others. It does feel great to have things the way you want and takes so much less time to clean. You also have more money in your pocket from not buying lots of things to clutter your home! Have a great day.

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  3. thank you for being a sane minimalist :o) humans are naturally artistic, and I've always felt that pure minimalism misses out on that important part of our nature. A few (few!) decorations can really add meaning to one's life. Great post!

    ps. what's the bed doing in the bathroom in the 2nd picture? lol

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  4. Thanks for your comment. I agree with you that some artistic beauty adds to and uplifts our lives. What really matters is that people are happy with the choices they have made and their home is a place of peace where they enjoy being and not a burden to them. Thanks for your comment.

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