Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Do you ever feel like escaping? Maybe you have a trip planned.  My husband and I are going to the coast soon, and I know we'll breathe more deeply in the cool, moist air, take peace from the views of redwood forests, oak-sprinkled hills, and the uncluttered Pacific Ocean, and relax on a bluff overlooking a nearly-deserted north coast beach .  (The north coast is too cold, foggy, and hard to access to become crowded or over-developed.  Thank God.) Our need for relief But maybe you feel like escaping today .  The times oppress us.  The news brings shock, anxiety, and even despair to our days.  It's exhausting. There have been other bad times in our history, of course.  I can only imagine how upsetting the late 50's into the 60's must have been for my parents and parents-in-law as they raised their small children and wondered what the future held.  Along with the wonder (and sometimes tragedy) of the Space Race, there was the Cuban Missile Crisis and...

With the world in as much turmoil as it is today, we all need a place we can truly relax.  Yet for many of us, home isn't a very relaxing place.  Instead, it's a place that makes us feel stressed, overburdened, and inadequate.  Why is that? A peaceful home isn't cluttered.  It's not a place where it feels like our belongings are filling the spaces we need to sit and put our feet up, work at a creative project, entertain guests, or even lie down to sleep.  Visual clutter gets in our way, but so does stuff that's tucked out of sight, filling our closets, cupboards, and even under the bed. Now, you might think that getting organized is the answer to this problem.  Just figure out how to store and arrange stuff and everything will be fine!  However, if we don't reduce the clutter and remove the items we don't need or even like, organizing won't work.  We could spend a lot of time trying it, but our overloaded storage spaces will always return to a sta...

My husband Jon and I currently reside in an 800-square-foot apartment.  It has two bedrooms (one for our grandsons when they visit), one bathroom, an eat-in kitchen, and even a tiny laundry area.  Many people have asked us how we manage in such a small space, and they have a hard time believing that I actually think we have plenty of room!* * Yes, I'm aware that the idea that 800 square feet is "small" for two people is a very North American attitude. In a couple of years, we plan to move closer to our kids and grandkids, and while I hope to still have my own laundry space, no matter how small, we realize that we'll probably only be able to afford one bedroom, since Sacramento rents are higher than the small town where we live. So how will we adjust?  And how do my friends Cinda and Bruce manage to live in a motor home?  How do some of you manage in tiny houses?  Here are some of my best tips. * By the way, this blog is supported by readers, not ads.  If yo...

Chronic procrastination keeps you from achieving the best you're capable of.  That's enough reason to overcome it, in my opinion.  But if you need more, consider that chronic procrastination drains your energy.  It creates guilt, stress, and mental exhaustion that feels heavy – almost like depression. Procrastination isn't the same as laziness or even lack of willpower.  It's a symptom of low dopamine or of an addiction to frequent dopamine hits.  Your brain can get stuck in a cycle which causes you to struggle for long-term focus.  This cycle drains motivation and leaves you feeling aimless and powerless. What is procrastination? Procrastination is "the voluntary delay of a planned action," according to insightspsychology.org .  This can happen even when you know the results will be negative, such as missed deadlines, increased stress, feelings of inadequacy, and fewer accomplishments. At its core, procrastination is a coping mechanism – a way to avoi...

Do circumstances in your life make it clear you need to declutter?  Maybe you're planning a big move. Maybe you're part of a couple that's ready to merge households. Maybe you're going to have a child. Maybe you've developed a chronic condition that makes it harder to care for your home and all of your stuff. Maybe you're older and need to clear out a lifetime of belongings so you can downsize or move into assisted living. Maybe you've been left the job of decluttering after the death of a loved one. Or maybe you've simply looked around your home and decided you have too much and need to pare down. Whatever the reason, you may be feeling daunted by the task.  If you're like many of us, that apprehension and nervousness could keep you stuck.  Let me help you get past your anxiety so you can get started and persevere to reach your goal. Now, I'm not going to tell you that decluttering is easy.  I know you have pictures and papers, keepsakes and col...

You've seen the pictures.  The aspirational penthouse apartment.  An all-white or neutral-toned room with a couch, table, plant, and a piece of art.  Is it a museum or a home?  Hard to tell, and certainly hard to live in.  Cold and impersonal are the most accurate descriptors. Is this minimalism?  Well, it fits one definition.  Life pared down to the bone. That's not the minimalism I'm espousing on this site.  To me, minimalism is finding the just-right level of possessions that allows for comfort, without tipping over into either ascetism and scarcity on one side, or stress and overwhelm on the other.  What's minimal for me might not be exactly right for you, but here's the truth:  If you live in what's known as the "developed" world , you've probably gone way beyond a minimalist life.  You probably have extras, duplicates, and non-necessities clogging your living space and keeping you from being as free and fulfilled as you could ...