When my son was young, a fellow mom asked how I organized his Legos? I paused and said, "I don't." Being clutter-free does not mean perfection. Toys were not neatly stowed every night, certainly not Legos. I learned pretty quickly that organizing Legos was unnecessary. In our house, we love Legos. The benefits far outweighed the clutter and our loose organization system worked well. The LEGO Group The LEGO Group makes a high quality, fair trade product. My son would request a special set for Christmas or his birthday from his grandparents. Legos are what I call a "work-horse" toy because they stand the test of time. They also encourage friends and siblings to play together. But I learned that the more toys my son had to clean up, the less he played. And the fewer toys he had, the more he would play. With Legos, he was creative and content. He played with mini-figures from Marvel and Harry Potter at the same time. Sometimes all in one body. We did not stress …
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5 Reasons Why I Am Not a Good Minimalist
Apparently I’m not a very good minimalist. I was told, on more than one occasion, that my lifestyle is not minimalist. And yet my bio includes "minimalist' as the first descriptor. Plus, I share minimalist practices on my website and with clients. The concern comes from the size of my house, two cars, and a vacation home. So it got me thinking.Good MinimalistsWho counts as a good minimalist? Maybe Colin Wright is a real minimalist. He carries all his belongings in a backpack. Or perhaps Joshua Fields Millburn? After all, he and Ryan Nicodemus started THE Minimalists. Joshua Becker must count since he documented his family's journey at Becoming Minimalist.But what I know from reading their work is that minimalism looks different for each and every one of us. Our families are different. So are our jobs, houses, and the areas where we live. We have individual passion projects and goals. These differences are unique to our minimalist journey and yet common ground remains.As minimalists, we …
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5 Effective Habits of Clutter-Free Families
Fighting clutter can feel like a losing battle. After all, there are 300,000 items in the average American home. But decluttering is more about habits than ones ability to get organized. My first piece of advice for clutter-free living is to stop shopping. Stop the inflow. Consider a Shopping Moratorium for 30 days. Experimenting with less reveals how little we really need. Living with less also creates a peaceful sanctuary in our homes. A calm environment at the end of a workday and a place where our eyes can rest, clutter-free from distractions. If you'd like to calm the chaos in your home, start with these 5 habits. Protect Flat Surfaces Flat surfaces attract clutter. And clutter attracts more clutter. The largest flat surface in your home is the floor. Don’t mistake it for storage. Adopt the habit that only furniture belongs on the floor. Pick up trash when it falls. If you have hardwood floors keep a dust mop handy for a quick sweep. Go through the mail outside by …
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After a Year of Bullying, Here’s What Matters Most
I can't sugar coat this. Several years ago, my son was bullied in school. To his credit, he tried to handle it himself. After all, he has two type-A parents who model self-sufficient behavior and rarely ask for help. Neither did he. Thankfully, he has picked up some of our good habits as well. Feeling Alone at School Eventually, he told me how there were times he sat alone at lunch. And that he had no close friends in class. Years of building close friendships met with an influx of new students, sent his good friends scattered to other homerooms. He felt lost. By early spring, he couldn't take it anymore. I think it bubbled up inside and exploded. We got a call about an incident at school. He finally defended himself against the bully. His emotions poured out as he cried over the phone. I was out of town. His tears filled with regret and remorse for his actions. I think the months of bullying coupled with my travel were the straw that broke the camel's back. He internalized the …
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How to Live Like a Minimalist Family
We are a minimalist family and yet we have some stuff. But minimalism is more about habits than stuff. I consider our family minimalist, but I've been told I'm not a real minimalist. I guess I missed the memo on who can join the club. And while the "average American home has over 300,000 items,” we do not. So that's a good place to start. Of course, there's no checklist that works for everyone. But as I studied our home, there are things we do intentionally that make a difference. You will find these habits helpful as you declutter and simplify. Trash Throw away trash immediately. I’m not talking about messy stuff. I mean annoying stuff that accumulates like receipts, wrappers, mail, and packaging. We pick stuff up off the floor, immediately. I recycle as much as possible including junk mail, toner cartridges, and plastic bags. Trash will clutter a flat surface quickly. Guard your flat surfaces because clutter attracts more clutter! Don't forget about the …
How to Romjul – Guide to the Week between Christmas and New Years
Every year, we look forward to winter break, especially the week after Christmas (a.k.a. Romjul). We often spend it at the beach with friends. After nearly 20 years, they are the kind of people who feel like family. And together, we have raised our kids.On one of those trips, we stumbled over the term, Romjul. Romjul accurately describes our experience between Christmas and New Year's Day. And now, we have a word for it.Romjul is a Norwegian holiday that refers to the week as a tranquil time to spend at home with friends and family undisturbed by the outside world. And a great time to rest, recharge and reset for the new year. The British equivalent is Boxing Week and I love the Danish term, "Yule Vacation."According to several articles, Romjul is more than a week on the calendar, it’s a mindset, a time to cozy up with loved ones, take long restorative walks, slow down and reflect on the past year. It gives us a reason to snuggle up on the couch and watch Hallmark. Awesome! I'm in!Our …
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