Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Rose Lounsbury, a professional organizer, former middle school teacher, and mother of teenage triplets, has a personal definition of simplicity that I really like: Simplicity is getting very clear about what you want, and then having the guts to let go of everything else. Back in 1994, when I decided that instead of sending my daughter to kindergarten, I wanted to homeschool her until she was a confident, independent reader, my desire was for our family to be able to live comfortably on my husband's salary while I took a few years away from my own career.  (At the time, I only planned to homeschool until my younger child was ready to start 4th grade.  Little did I know how much we would love and benefit from independent learning!  I wound up homeschooling my two kids until they went to college – a total of 14 years.) To do that, I (a long-time overachiever) had to have the guts to leave my job.  (I needed my husband's support too.  Thank you, Jon.)  I had t...

In a recent post , I happened to mention several benefits of quitting tobacco.  That's not something I've done, because I've never been a smoker.  But my mother's father and all of her brothers were chain smokers from their teens into their late 50s, when they decided to quit.  As I remember it, there were false starts and setbacks, but eventually all of them were non-smokers.  And my uncles all lived into their 80s. Quitting tobacco is a huge habit change, and not easy.  The habits I want to talk about today are nothing like that.  They won't require counseling or treatment.  They're easy to implement without a lot of preparation.  They take just a few minutes to perform.  (Some of them take almost no time and only a bit of effort.)  They're all beneficial. Why don't more of us do them?  I have no answer for that, but it doesn't make sense.  So here's the challenge:  Implement just one of these habits today and every day...

For those of you who buy my books , thank you.*  For those of you who read them, I appreciate it, and I hope they guide and inspire you. But I want to give a special shout out to those who go the extra mile and start to implement some of the ideas I've written about.  I hope they're changing your life like they've changed mine.  I hope my book has earned its place on your shelf. * Thank you for supporting my blog.  If you purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission. The illusion of self-help Do you know the best way to market a product?  Demonstrate how it will make the buyer's life better by saving them time or money, helping them deal with their problems, improving their relationships, or some other positive change. Do you know the best way to market a book?  Make the same promises. But if you've read self-improvement books, including mine, you may have realized that the quick fix doesn't exist.  What you read in a book or on a blog is ...

Are you longing for a perfectly decluttered, simple home that makes everything about your life easier and better?  There's only one problem with that dream... it's not going to come true overnight. But don't worry, and don't give up!  It really is worth the time and effort to declutter.  The best part of it is that you don't have to minimize everything to start seeing benefits.  You're going to enjoy some positive effects as soon as you begin. Why you shouldn't wait Decluttering even a little is like quitting smoking.  Did you know that within 20 minutes of smoking your last cigarette your heart rate and blood pressure start to normalize?  There's more:  Within 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal levels, improving your body's oxygenation.  You'll have more energy and clearer thinking. Within just one day, your risk of having a heart attack lowers significantly. Within a couple of weeks, your lung function has impro...

Are you thinking of downsizing?  Or maybe you're just tired of your home.  It may be in a lovely neighborhood, with lots of character and good bones, but if it's cluttered with your stuff, it might be really hard to see those assets.  And if you're hoping to sell, you may have to accept a lower price than you would like. Real estate agents almost always suggest hiring a professional stager to prepare a home for sale, but don't worry if you can't afford that.  I've successfully staged my own homes for sale.  I also talked to my friend Tracy, a long-time real estate agent and home stager.  She helped me compile a list of the top 9 things to remove and the top 4 things to add as you prepare your home to be listed. By the end of this process, your house may look better than it has for a long time.  Maybe you'll even decide to stay put! Start with the big stuff. 1.  Exterior The outside of your home is the first thing anyone sees, even if they're just ...

There was a time, more than 20 years ago, when I would go to the mall if I felt bored or stressed or a bit down.  Shopping provided "me time."  I'd wander in search of something to give me a little lift – nothing too expensive, nothing I'd feel too guilty about, just something small like a scented candle, a nice hand lotion, a new top, a pretty journal, or something for my kids.  Or I'd hang out in the bookstore, browse the magazines, and leave with books I could have checked out of the library. I didn't need what I bought, I didn't even feel a strong desire for any of it after I'd bought it.  What I wanted was a little shot of dopamine to make me feel good about myself. Many of these purchases wound up getting donated or regifted.  I'd gotten my high, which didn't last, and now I wanted to remove these sources of clutter ( and debt , but that's another story ).  Clearing out the excess meant I could go shopping again. Shopping and brain ch...