Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

We live in a time when, with the click of a button, we can order whatever catches our fancy and have it delivered to our door by the next day – without even leaving the couch. Unlike our ancient ancestors, gathering things requires almost no effort from us.  We don't have to track, hunt, walk, run, pick, carry, or laboriously prepare anything in order to eat.  We don't need skills of spinning, weaving, or sewing to acquire new clothes.  We don't need to tell our own stories or sing our own songs – we can ask Siri or Alexa to play or stream whatever we like. Here's our problem. Our problem comes with using many of the things we accumulate.  Let me ask you: Do you have any clothes in your closet with the tags still on? Do you have clothes in your closet you haven't worn for a year or more? Do you have china, glassware, or serving pieces you save only for a special occasion? Do you have small appliances or kitchen gadgets gathering dust at the back of a cupboard? Do ...

Some of us declutter our homes, our schedules, our e-devices, and more – but we don't stay that way.  We're alive, so we buy and consume.  Opportunities arise, and we say yes.  A new app, streaming service, or online resource beckons, and we subscribe. It's called clutter creep , and that's the perfect name for a reason.  It sneaks in, little by little, and we barely notice at first.  Then one day we wake up and pay attention, and see that we're overloaded again. It's not a sign of failure. And it's not a signal to give up on minimalism!  It's a cue to be more intentional about our actions, and more selective in our choices. I recently took stock of my home and realized I wasn't as minimalist as I want to be.  I've added too much, and my closets, calendar, and computer reflect that.  Like auto maintenance, you neglect it at your peril, and the eventual cost may be more than you want to pay. Here's how to handle clutter creep. 10 essential mai...

Want to make decluttering your home easier?  Imagine your house filled with only the things you use and love, things that bring you comfort and convenience, things that benefit your life instead of making it cluttered, messy, difficult, and stressful.  Choosing your ultimate classics can help you get there. What is an ultimate classic? It's the iconic representation of its class. the little black dress the white Egyptian cotton towel a beautiful copy of your favorite book What if we limited ourselves to ultimate classics?  We'd choose the best we could afford, the most useful and versatile, the Goldilocks just right items , and we'd leave the rest. Thinking about this concept could help you streamline and simplify your life. How it works – the example of the mug My goal is not to be elitist.  My goal is to help you identify for yourself what best meets your needs and to be satisfied with that. My daughter gave me a beautiful mug for Mother's Day several years ago (I...

Many times, a cluttered room or house is not a sign of laziness or messiness.  Sometimes it's a sign that: you're too busy you have too much stuff you struggle with executive function you're depressed The good news is that minimalist methods can help you cope.    Different situations call for different strategies. If you're using your home as a place to sleep and shower in preparation for your go-go-go lifestyle, it's no wonder that clutter (and dirt) accumulates.  Try reducing your to-do list by just one item this week, and an additional item next week.  Simplify meals to save time and reduce decision fatigue.  Set a goal to spend at least three evenings at home each week.  See if a bit of white space on your calendar lets you clear some space in your home. People with ADHD may struggle with executive function – the skills that allow us to get things done.  They may have trouble planning, focusing, paying attention, or finishing tasks.  I c...

Amazingly, I've written more than 500 posts for Maximum Gratitude Minimal Stuff , and I'm in the process of revising my older writing.  I'm happy to notice that some of those older posts are really interesting and useful. But many of you are newer readers and have never seen posts that were written in 2018, 2019, or even last summer or fall.  And if you've been a faithful reader for quite a while ( thank you ), you've probably forgotten.  I wrote the stuff, and I've forgotten parts of it! It's worth visiting what we've written, read, or thought before, as both a reminder and for new insights.  So on selected Thursdays, instead of posting new content, I'm going to direct you toward posts of the past that I think are worth a re-read. Related article: Think-Back-On-It Thursday #8 - Decluttering What's your inspiration? What inspires people to consider minimalism?  There are a lot of events and wakeup calls that can do it.  Something brought you he...

We all have wishes about who we want to be. Recently, I read an article in which a young woman told how she and a friend watched the YouTube video of another woman sharing "a day in the life" at 8 months pregnant.  The friend said, "I'm going to be one of those cute pregnant women who does yoga."  And the author of the piece remembers thinking, "If you don't do yoga now, why would you start when you're 20 pounds heavier and growing an entire human being?" Don't we all have ideas about what we're going to do someday? "When I'm pregnant I'm going to start doing yoga." "When I get my kitchen remodeled, I'm going to start cooking every night." "When the kids are older, I'm going to write a book." "When I retire, I'm going to take up painting." What are we waiting for? Stuck This way of thinking keeps us stuck.  If something has to happen before we take a step we say we want to take...

Minimalism is about more than decluttering.  It's much more than a sleek, modern aesthetic.  Minimalism will change your entire life. One of the most significant benefits of minimalism is financial.  A minimalist lifestyle can save much more than most people realize.  Let's look at some of those areas. 12 minimalist monetary differences 1.  Reduced spending on non-essentials As fun and relaxing as we imagine retail therapy to be, the reality isn't so glamorous.  A 2022 survey found that the average American spends over $300 on impulse purchases every month.  It adds up to a whopping $3,768 per year in unplanned spending.  What could you do with that money instead? 2.  Reduced spending on housing Minimalism often leads us to downsize our living spaces.  And the cost of housing, whether rent or mortgage, is a significant portion of most people's budget. Now some may move from a 2,500 square foot home to a 1,000 square foot condo or apartm...

Wait... what?  Love things more than people?  No way, Karen.  I love my family.  I love my friends.  My stuff is just stuff, and people are way more important. Most of us would agree that people are more valuable than things.  People have emotions, they learn and grow and create.  People can love and support us, and offer us the chance to become more mature and selfless when we love and support them. Our houses and cars are replaceable, but people aren't.  If everything burned up tomorrow, we'd just want to know our loved ones were safe. But... we don't always act like this.  We say it, but we don't always live it .  I hope you live as if you love people more than things.  That hasn't always been true for me. 5 ways your stuff is crowding out everything else 1.  You have a very long list of stuff you want to buy. You live in a perfectly comfortable house, but you really want a new couch.  And maybe some new lamps and end t...

If you've wanted to declutter, but feel overwhelmed by all of your stuff and just can't seem to find the time, this 10-minute decluttering method will transform your life. The best thing about it is its name, because it's exactly what it says it is.  You'll want to try this super-quick method, because decluttering is often easier when you don't overthink or second-guess everything.  All you need is 10 minutes of your time several days a week. You can do this!  Ten minutes is a couple of commercial breaks.  You can grab a shower or get dressed in ten minutes.  You likely spend way more than 10 minutes a day on social media. Experts recommend that you do this five days a week, but start with what you can manage.  Don't be surprised if the 10-minute deadline helps you work faster and smarter, and gets you excited about doing even more.  4 steps to a quick declutter 1.  Get a timer. Timers are great motivators.  You can use the timer on your phon...