Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Ask people to name someone they admire and want to emulate, and many will name a star actor, athlete, singer, or business titan.  Some will name a teacher, mentor, parent, or grandparent, but a large number of us idolize and model our lives on someone who has acquired fame and riches for their accomplishments. Achievement .  It's the one strong desire of our era.  The brightest and best want to achieve what no one else has managed, and I'm not just talking about Olympic record-setters.  We want to be richer than anyone has ever been.  We want to be internet sensations with millions of followers.  We want to colonize Mars, and then launch ourselves beyond the solar system with ships designed to travel for generations. In our production-driven, climb-the-corporate-ladder world, we're always reaching for something we don't yet have.  Yes, we're capable of imagining things that don't exist.  We can innovate.  But today we believe that there are n...

Have you struggled to declutter?  I have, and I know I'm not alone.  It's not just the physical effort and constant decisions that can make decluttering hard.  It's also the emotions attached to things that we've owned for a long time, or that have been passed to us from loved ones.  It's the guilt we feel about how much we've spent, or how we never used something as much as we "should" have.  And it's the second-guessing that makes us wonder if we'll regret removing something, or worry that we might need it in the future. That's a lot of issues conspiring to keep us stuck with our clutter.  No wonder decluttering is something that many people say they want to do , but so few actually accomplish it and live to tell the tale! Here's the good news:  You don't have to be naturally neat or a compulsive organizer in order to declutter effectively.  Decluttering is not about forcing yourself to let go.  It's about shifting the way you...

You've decided to declutter!  Spring is springing, and your house is feeling crowded, dark, and grubby.  Things are coming alive outside, so why not add some life and energy inside? I'm glad you're here.  Decluttering is one door to a life of freedom, purpose, and contentment.  It's totally worth the time and effort, which can be considerable.  But it's an investment in your happier future, with less stress, more time, and more focus.  Yay for all of that! But I think I should warn you about some of the not-so-great aspects that you're going to discover as you follow this path.  Believe me, the end is worth it, but along the way you're going to be faced with some awful truths. 5 truths you don't want to hear but need to know 1.  Decluttering alone won't automatically change your life. I promise a lot when I talk about decluttering.  And everything I say is true – but it's possible to do a gigantic purge and not get the life change you're loo...

Who says winter is the only time to hygge?  Hygge elements enhance life every day, no matter the time of year. Hygge (originally a Norwegian word pronounced "hoo-gah") can be loosely translated as "well-being."  The Danes adopted the word and turned it into a lifestyle.  They're always at or near the top of the list on international happiness surveys, and hygge is a big part of the reason for that. Why should you care about hygge? Maybe you're not Danish (I'm not either), and you're wondering what this fascination with hygge is all about.  You're already super-busy, and you don't need to add one more "must do" item to your schedule. Being too buy, fixating on achievement, and always looking for more and better are habits that add to our stress and dissatisfaction.  How can we possibly find contentment when we're always chasing the next big thing?  That's a foolproof recipe for unhappiness. Usually, it's not money, posses...

I recently replaced my 9-year-old refurbished iPhone (which I owned for almost 5 years) with a 3-year-old refurbished iPhone.  The only reason I did this is because my old iPhone was no longer supported by updates, which made it more vulnerable to the scammers and hackers out there.  Otherwise, it still worked just fine.  I do appreciate the greatly increased battery capacity of my new phone, and the camera quality is slightly better.  And I really appreciate my son, who located a suitable phone and helped set it up. I've never been an early tech adopter, but a 9-year-old device seems prehistoric to many.  Why do I resist the constant push to upgrade?  Because I'm an underconsumer, and proud of it. The latest trend? There are many "cores" out there.  Cottagecore, Grandmacore, Gothcore, you name it.  Fads have always come and gone, and I've participated in my share of them.  (Yes, I owned a few Gunne Sax dresses back in the 70s and early 80s!)...

Sometimes you know you're moving to a smaller space in several months, or even next year, and you can plan for that date and take more time on each of these steps. But life isn't always ideal, and we don't always have a choice.  So if you've only got a few weeks to decide what you want and need so you can move on (or even if you simply want a fresh start in your current home), here's your cheat sheet. The 7 steps 1.  Assess. Professional organizer Katherine Lawrence suggests you begin this process by analyzing your space and gathering your resources.  After a complete walk-through, including basements, attics, sheds, and the garage, ask yourself the following questions: Are there large collections or antiques that need special handling? Are there cabinets, drawers, or boxes filled with papers and photos that will be tedious to sort? What are the categories (such as kitchen items, linens, and clothing) that will be easy to donate? You will need trash bags, moving bo...