Ways To Tidy Up When You’Re A Minimalist?

The minimalist lifestyle is a way to create a peaceful and tranquil living room. To start decluttering, it is essential to have a plan and work on your mindset first. By evaluating what needs to be in your life and what doesn’t, you can make conscious choices that help build a better environment.

To begin decluttering, start small by setting clear intentions and asking the most important question: “How might my life be better with less?” This will help identify the benefits of letting go.

To get started with decluttering, pick a counter, expand from a clutter-free zone, take a picture, defend items to a friend, channel your inner Marie Kondo, empty a drawer, and toss expired medicine. Break down your decluttering goals into 12 parts and target one each month. Start small and keep the commitment on any one day as small as possible.

Reflect on why you want to declutter and make the most of 15 minutes. Avoid keeping items to use in the house and focus on making the most of your time. Postpone areas like garages, storage areas, and kitchens to avoid overwhelming spaces.

Try a Decluttering Burst by setting a timer for 60 minutes and getting rid of 100 things from various areas of your home. Sort everything out using piles: Keep, Sell/Donate, and Trash. After sorting, trash or recycle the items in the Trash pile immediately. Go through linens and donate old sheets and pillowcases that you no longer need or use.

Give yourself a set amount of time for the initial declutter and stick to it. Break down the time into categories and break down tasks into manageable tasks. By following these steps, you can create a more organized and peaceful living space.


📹 How To Declutter When You Move

When we move, we are required to really consider each of our possessions. It is one of the best times in life to declutter. If you’re …


What is the 30 day rule for minimalism?

Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, creators of the podcast The Minimalists, have developed a 30-day minimalist game that encourages individuals to eliminate one item per day. The challenge becomes more challenging in the second week, as individuals are forced to eliminate more than a dozen items per day. Fields Millburn initially started by donating, giving away, or recycling items, but over the course of eight months, he has eliminated over 90% of his possessions.

The documentary highlights the stress caused by excessive possessions, as an American house accumulates an average of 300, 000 objects, with more money spent on shoes, jewelry, and clothes than on higher education. To test this theory, Nicodemus stored his possessions in boxes, observing that 80% of the items were never unpacked because they were not needed.

Psychologist José Elias validates the benefits of minimalist living, stating that it allows individuals to enjoy the few things they have because they are necessary, rather than worrying about having and storing them. The key is to enjoy as much time as possible for oneself, rather than worrying about having and storing them.

What is the 1 1 1 rule?

The 1-1-1 Rule is a common rule in English spelling that states that words ending in a single consonant immediately preceded by a vowel double the consonant before a suffixal vowel (-ing, -ed) but not before a suffixal consonant (-tion). Words with more than one consonant after the vowel don’t double. Words with a tense ‘e’ vowel drop the ‘e’ before adding ‘-ing’ or ‘-ed’ without doubling the consonant.

What is the hardest thing about being a minimalist?

The author highlights the importance of clearing out emotional clutter, which is a common issue in our lives. By removing physical and mental clutter, we can push back on negative thoughts and find relief. This process allows us to become the watcher of our own mind and choose thoughts that build us up. The author also notes that removing excess, throwing out stuff, and minimizing lifestyle was relatively easy due to their high-powered job, big house, and good income, which did not bring happiness. Therefore, the most significant work on the minimalism journey is clearing out emotional clutter.

What is the 90 90 rule for minimalism?

The 90/90 rule, as devised by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus of The Minimalists, represents a systematic approach to decluttering. It entails posing two questions about each object: first, whether it has been utilized within the past 90 days; and second, whether it is likely to be utilized within the next 90 days. This rule is particularly useful in instances where JavaScript is disabled or blocked by an extension.

What is the 1 in 1 out rule minimalism?

To maintain a balanced household, it is essential to follow a rule where every new item comes into the home, a similar item must leave. This ensures that the household doesn’t flood and doesn’t threaten progress. To achieve this, pair like-with-like items, such as new clothes with old ones, or mix up the order to balance items. It’s important to commit to “one out” immediately, as it may take discipline to do so. Some people have even kept new items in the trunk of their car until they could be disposed of. This system helps maintain a consistent and organized living space.

What is the 30 30 rule for decluttering?
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What is the 30 30 rule for decluttering?

The 30/30 Rule is a personal strategy that involves a 30-day period of reflection before making a purchase of more than $30. This period allows individuals to assess the value of the item in question in their personal context. This additional period of time allows for a more informed decision regarding the potential benefits of the new item in question and its ability to enhance the individual’s circumstances.

If the purchase is made, the consumer will experience a sense of satisfaction, as they will have made the decision deliberately, rather than in haste. This method enables the individual to evaluate the value of a new item.

Why is minimalism luxury?

Minimalist luxury is the conscious practice of decluttering one’s surroundings, focusing on the removal of superfluous items and concentrating on the essentials. This approach engenders a tranquil ambience, thereby fostering clarity and composure in both corporeal and mental realms.

Are minimalists actually happier?

A survey by the Simplicity Institute found that 87% of 2, 500 people living with fewer possessions reported being happier now than when they owned more. This may seem contradictory, but considering the benefits of living with less, such as less debt, stress, and cleaning, it makes sense. Happiness is not about owning as many possessions as possible; it’s about living life consistent with one’s greatest passions.

What is the 20 rule minimalist?
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What is the 20 rule minimalist?

Over the past few years, the couple has been reducing their just-in-case possessions, ensuring they don’t pack anything just in case. They believe that any items we need can be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from their current location. This theory has been proven to be true 100 times, with no replacements needed and no longer requiring more than $20 or going more than 20 minutes. This theory is likely applicable to all items and people, including the couple.

The couple hasn’t missed the hundreds of just-in-case items they’ve gotten rid of, and most didn’t need to be replaced. Getting rid of these items clears their minds, frees up space, and takes the weight off their shoulders.

What is the 9090 rule?

The 90-90 rule is a method used in software development to estimate the remaining effort of a work package, process, or project. It suggests that the first 90% of code accounts for 90% of the development time, while the remaining 10% accounts for the remaining 90%. This rule is a supplement to the 90-Percent-Done Syndrome, which often leads to an overly positive estimation of the remaining effort. The rule suggests that when the remaining 10% of the code becomes 90, the remaining 90% of the planned effort is actually produced. This rule is often used in software development to ensure that the first 90% of the code is used and the remaining 10% is used.

What is the minimalist 333 rule?
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What is the minimalist 333 rule?

The 333 styling method is a minimalist fashion challenge that encourages individuals to wear only 33 items for three months, including clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes. Created by Courtney Carver, it aims to simplify wardrobe choices and promote sustainable fashion habits. The method encourages mindful consumption and can lead to significant savings by reducing decision fatigue, decluttering space, and discovering what clothing items you truly love and use. It also encourages people to find contentment with less and promotes sustainable fashion habits.


📹 8 Minimalist Rules For A Clutter Free Home

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Ways To Tidy Up When You'Re A Minimalist
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Rae Fairbanks Mosher

I’m a mother, teacher, and writer who has found immense joy in the journey of motherhood. Through my blog, I share my experiences, lessons, and reflections on balancing life as a parent and a professional. My passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom as I write about the challenges and blessings of raising children. Join me as I explore the beautiful chaos of motherhood and share insights that inspire and uplift.

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39 comments

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  • I’m sitting here laughing my head off over this very timely article. I have lived in this 3000sf house for 36 years now. It has tons of closets. In about 3 years I want to move into a nice one bedroom apartment and cut down to only the stuff I need – “Walden style”. PERIOD. I started recently buying boxes every week, filling them and taking them to charity shops and Goodwill. I have hardly made a dent – but I’ll get there. The furniture and bigger stuff I’ll send to a local consignment shop or sell online. How bad has my junk collecting been over the decades? Just this afternoon I was poking around in a downstairs storage closet and spotted a very large unopened cardboard box containing “something”. I don’t have a clue what is in that box. It was something I ordered from somewhere, shoved the box in the closet after it arrived and forgot I had it. THAT is why I’m starting NOW. 3 years from now when I sell the house, I should be ready for moving.

  • Since starting to watch your articles in May 2023, I’ve cut my household monthly spending by $2800-3,000! I haven’t even been trying as hard as I could be. I listen to your articles almost every morning as I’m getting ready for the day. They keep me motivated and on my minimalist path. Thank you! Please keep making articles!

  • I’d like to add a tip: Declutter again while you unpack. Personal anecdote: We moved this summer, and while the house is bigger, there’s far less storage space. Between houses, we lived out of our 17-foot camper for 5 weeks and came to a new appreciation for what matters to us. As I’ve unpacked, I’ve realized I have too many books and cool trinkets and items for hobbies that are phasing out of my life. Even if you’re not moving, you could pack up a category of items for a month or two to discover what you miss from the boxes and let go of the rest. Hope someone finds this helpful!❤

  • My husband and I are snowbirds with 2 homes in different states. We made the decision to downsize to just one home. We are lucky to have a few months to sort and pack before our 1400 sf northern home goes up for sell. Thankfully, I’ve been minimizing stuff since 2020, and my declutter muscles are strong. It’s actually fun to walk around and pick the best of the best items with happy memories that serve as well – only these will come with us to our southern 1600 sf home. I will be able to gift things to neighbors and friends too. An older neighbor who always takes care of the neighborhood trash can and street leaves will get the leaf blower. Another neighbor couple will get their pick of all our gardening paraphernalia. It is so liberating!

  • When I was preparing to move overseas, rather than making a decision about each and every item based in its individual value, I set parameters around what to pack. The only items I packed were the ones that were a part of defining our family culture – board games and thriftiness, or were handmade family heirlooms – handmade quilts and pillow cases. I gathered everything that met the criteria in one room of the house for the packers to pack. I packed everything we needed to set up a basic kitchen in one checked suitcase. Everything else was donated or sold. What a weight came off my shoulder.

  • The timing of your article is perfect. We are retiring and selling our home. We were planning on 2024, but we decided to go for it now. We have had an intense two weeks to purge, organize clean and get it ready. I have realized over the years how little we really need and have been focused on mindful living. Asking myself why I want something, do I need it and is there something else I may have that will do the job. Life is about living, our experiences and the people and all the joy they bring. Keeping perspective about where our values are placed will surely steer us toward these intangible joys of life. Thank you for your wisdom, support and sharing your knowledge.

  • My water heater burst last month, and I had to clear out everything in my bedroom side of the house so they can remove & replace all the wood floors. This has been a blessing in disguise because it’s allowed me to only bring back what I want to keep, and nothing else. Books, cd’s, clothing and nicknacks have been all donated to charity. Feels so good!

  • Great tips! My hubby and I are moving and we went through each room, top to bottom, to clean and either donate, recycle or discard items we don’t need. It’s been a lot of work but we feel unburdened by having less stuff! Your tips through out the years has helped me immensely. I no longer buy stuff because I am bored!🤣

  • We’re not moving but having moved 3 times in the last 10 years, I have learned to just stay open to the possibility that life could throw us an unexpected opportunity and we would need to be ready. That keeps me in declutter mode along with keeping our home fresh and updated. This year we’ve been painting room by room. I love a freshly painted room and the process helps me evaluate everything in the room and declutter what we no longer need.

  • I like what you said about dust. If I find that too much dust has accumulated on anything I evaluate if it’s worth keeping because it obviously isn’t getting enough use. Once when I was shopping for a coffee table I saw one that was beautiful but had many ornate cutouts and immediately thought to myself, ” I’m going to have to use a pipe cleaner to keep it dust free. This is a definite no”.

  • The timing of this article couldn’t be more perfect. I’m actually in the process of decluttering for a move! So I was shocked to see the title of your article! You read my mind! 😅 I’ve moved multiple times in my life too, and it’s definitely an eye opener to see just how much we accumulate. Moving is such a great way to let go of baggage we forgot we even had!

  • I had so much stuff in my garage from a move 9 years ago. I had 40+ boxes & have been through at least 35. I unpacked all & have kept 1 box of stuff (but will go through again in 6 mos) but I have zero patience to try & sell anything so I have donated to charity – there were some really good items & probably worth some good money but to me I just bring to charity or I have also just put at the curb of my home for anyone to take – an d most have gone & the items that did not went again to charity. I had 2 desk & 2 coffee tables & all were taken by someone. It feels really good to clear it out & my goal it to park my vehicle this winter in the garage.

  • It was my last move that finally made me realize I had far more stuff than I needed. I wasn’t really downsizing, but I was moving to a house with a smaller kitchen – less storage space – so I knew I needed to be selective about what I took. I hadn’t actually intended to start my minimalism journey at this point, but it is where I ended up. Still on the journey.

  • It’s not a move precisely but I’m in the middle of getting a painter to do the whole condo; ceilings,walls, closets, doors and trim. Dh & I had to move most of the furniture out onto our decks or down in our storage closet to live for a week while the mostly empty space inside gets painted. We are minimalistic thankfully but this has been another good time to handle each thing and decide if it’s worth keeping in order to put back. A lot was donated and more yet will be as we move back inside.

  • Our very good friends moved continent’s 11 months ago, they packed up some of their belongings and had them shipped to their new home. It still has not arrived 😱😱😱😱😱😱. They have bought the bare minimum to be able live, they miss a few things, but also admitted that they no longer remember everything they packed, we really don’t need as much as we think we do in order to survive and thrive. My father in law has just sold his house and moved. He had been in this home for just under 50 years. It has taken him over a year to get rid of all of the junk in it. When I say junk I am being honest, he is the type of person that keeps old mugs that the handle has broken off to some day glue it together, text books from 40 years ago that are completely outdated now, and a huge vinyl collection but no record player 🙄. My parents are on a similar path 🤦 they have zero intention of downsizing or letting go of all of the useless old junk that just sits under a thick layer of dust in the garage. I sincerely hope that i do not burden my child or my husband with a ton of my possessions, so I do a regular purge of things that no longer suit my life or needs.

  • We have already bought our retirement home which is smaller than our current home but a little bigger than we had anticipated. We love the area and the home is beautiful. As I have a health condition and suffer with anxiety I have been slowly decluttering for the past few years when I’m able. Our son just got married so eventually he and his wife will have their own place and we will move into our new home. I CANNOT take all this clutter with us. First off it won’t fit but more importantly I don’t want anything in my new home that I don’t love or doesn’t serve a purpose. Joshua your articles have been truly inspirational.❤️🙏

  • I have been perusal your articles for the last two years or so. They have been of immense help. I shifted to my new home a couple of months back. Though it is a bigger one I decided to downsize before shifting. I started systematic decluttering about 5 weeks before I let movers and packers start their work. I feel great after at least 30% less belongings in my spacious present accommodation. Cleaning has become easier with almost no surface clutter. Finding what I need is easier as every item now has a “home”.

  • I moved earlier this week, and I I’m currently in temporary housing until I can get into something even short term, so most of my stuff is still packed up in boxes. I definitely decluttered as I packed – used the “is this important enough to pack up and move to a new place and have to find a home for it in the new place?”, which helped a lot. I’m sharing the dust tip with my mom – my parents are trying to declutter their house, and the dust one applies to almost everything that doesn’t have a real home in their house, including a lot of the clothes in their closets.

  • I had to move from the house I rented a month before I was supposed to leave (long story). It was crazy. While I was decluttering so many things kept appearing. Everything takes up space!!! A friend came to the rescue, but her garage was full of my stuff. I saw the terror in her eyes. I’ve been working nonstop, decluttering my stuff. I have sold some, gave away a ton but there is still more. It’s so hard and I’m so tired. In my next house, I will definitely have less.

  • We’re in the middle of a radical transition: moving from one continent to another after retirement. In 2 days time, the shipping company will be collecting our stuff from this house we’ve lived in for the past 25 years (in Asia) to our new home in Ontario. We started decluttering early but not enough… You bet we evaluated everything: is it worth shipping or should we discard? Donating to recycling and selectively to friends has helped, but the hardest was to agree on our approach to moving. Hubby is a maximalist (let’s take everything along that can be useful in future, including all his DIY tools) whereas I wanted to go light and start from scratch… we had to reconcile our diametrically opposed approach daily… It was exhausting and fraught with angst. What with cataloging the content of boxes… I’m so glad we’re reaching the shipping point, the point where we get the place to a state of minimal furnishing for giving it a fresh coat of paint. Ahem, we’re not selling but renting the apt out. I intend to ENJOY moving in at the other end!

  • This article came into my life at the perfect moment! I’m in the midst of packing for an international (transatlantic) move, and I’m a percussionist so I’ve got LOTS of valuable instruments that require custom-made boxes and lots of protection. No way would I have been able to do this alone and my close friends have provided valuable support because my family is in the U.S. and can’t be here to help. Thanks for the great articles!🙏🏽

  • I have learned many tools from you to use in my own home. My dad died recently and I am having to go through 75 yrs of his stuff at the farm. As I go through his things I ask myself is this functional, will my daughter want it some day, is there some sentimental value to me or is there a family member who would enjoy having it more. Yes I am bringing a desk and bookcase home but I can honestly say yes to the 3 questions about these items. There will be a household full of stuff for someone else to enjoy. I am at peace with this.

  • We are in the throes of selling and moving and I am desperately trying to declutter, this vlog could not have come at a better time. But my goodness – 24 years worth of possessions are weighing heavy. Your thoughts and perspectives are a breath of fresh air. Giving me “permission” to remove items that I no longer want for our new life but have been saving as they were gifts, or for frear that we would need them for an emergency! Now I realise that the emergency is real – it is that we are buried under an earthquake of our own possessions! Every box I donate or part with helps. Thank you so much for your website and loving “things that matter” as my bedtime reading. Believe it or not, reading your books quotes my panic about the sheer volume of our possessions and allows me to part with things that I thought were essential but now I see are just stuff. Thank you and God bless Becker family. I really couldn’t do it without you!

  • Yes moving put me right in front of all our belongings, we had to tackle closets and a basement full of things, seasonal & the “just in case we need later” and sentimental and photos. Still downsizing post move as it takes/took much longer time than expected to go through stuff after 36 years of raising our family in our house. Grateful to have been forced to downsize rather than leave for others to do.

  • We moved 6 times the first 10 years of our marriage. We have lived in our current home for 13 years now, and I find myself wishing we were moving so I could REALLY declutter the way I want to. I have done well in the house, but not in the garage or shed. I think I need to try The Minimalist’s packing party out there. 😂

  • This article comes at great timing! I am about to move, maybe in about 6 months. This will be the first time with my family and also the first time for my son. I adopted minimalism 3-4 years ago. Unfortunately I had a relapse these two years. I bought things (with intention though) and declutter less. Deep down in my heart, I know we need to declutter once or twice before we move. I just don’t have the motivation to start early. It’s time for me to kick start.

  • We’ve been following you for a while now. Always learning something new. We are still in the process of minimizing and it is hard, when we get stuck, we return to your articles and get back on track and motivated. We have read your books and everything you say about owning less and getting rid of things you don’t need or use is true. We have missed very very few things we have gotten rid of and when we do miss them I really think it is more sentimentality than any kind of need. If you are thinking about going for it and finally getting rid of things and more things I encourage you to read Joshua’s books and follow his you tube articles.

  • I am an example of your “worse-case scenario”, right on the brink of hiring one of those hoarder fixer-uppers. When I contacted one, the gal asked that I take pictures to send to her. I was so shocked and depressed to see the ‘whole picture’, that I froze up. Understand that I am a novice collector from the early 1980’s. I still have a dress I wore as a flower girl in my cousin’s wedding in 1961. Yeah, really. Now, I am in my last home, and am caretaker for my non-ambulatory hubby and 10 (yes) cats we took in that were either feral or from a shelter. So forget about the ‘dust factor’; we’re covered with cat fur and dander. Lost cause there. But I will listen to as many articles I can to glean ideas and get encouragement. I’ve already burned out one vacuum cleaner, chocking out the 2nd and have a 3rd on standby. Wish me luck!:face-purple-crying:

  • I’m still looking but planning to move. Even considering a tiny home lol (499ish sq ft) although I think maybe a small cottage would be the best size. (1000 sq ft ish or less—the sweet spot would prob be 650-750 sq ft or so). I’m in a large place now and I feel the weight of even just a lot of space I hardly ever use. Less to maintain/repair. Less to clean and no room for a lot of extra stuff—on purpose. Lol. Just how small can I go I wonder? I’m still debating on that one. Lol. I’ve already played musical rooms kind of “practice shrinking” my living space. Considering turning the large living/dining area into a rentable “loft/studio” space, as I barely use it anymore (it’s a separate room with a door-an older house with high ceilings). I think next I’m gonna measure the sq footage I use regularly without that area. I can also exclude another room Bcuz it’s more like a room I use to run the other rental part of the house and store the “work” stuff there.

  • After my mum passed away, dad agreed to move closer to us. I’m doing this we had to pack up the house. I discovered my mum was a secret hoarder. We cleared every cupboard out and tried to declutter before the move with the immediate items. A year on and we are still going through boxes but it is an emotional thing to do. Exhausting too. Your articles acknowledge this and I know we will get there eventually.

  • I moved 5 times in 3 years, and it’s amazing how much of the stuff I ‘had’ to keep for the first move had been thrown out by the 5th one!!! Since then, I’ve made a practice of going through all my belongings systematically once a year so they don’t build up too much – I just do a drawer or a shelf or a box at a time, so it isn’t overwhelming, but it does help keep things thinned down. And I have a permanent ‘donate’ container for anything I find between decluttering sessions. I also keep a donate box to hand when I’m unpacking in my new home, to catch anything that missed the pre-move cull! It’s so much easier to get rid of things if they have never been given a place to live in the new home.

  • Thank you, Joshua! I like to go back to your articles, no matter how old they are, because I still find meaning and inspiration when I need it. Today is my planned decluttering/tidying day. I am not moving, but part of my small property was remodeled. It forced me to move stuff around, almost like when one is moving out of the house. The remodeling gave me an opportunity to realize and reevaluate everything I own, and honestly, I don’t need to in the first place. So, things will be going away today, and my life will be a bit lighter and simpler from this afternoon. Thanks again!

  • I have been decluttering for years and reducing what I bring in for years. However, when my younger sister passed away early this morning after a long battle with cancer, it gave me a renewed resolve to keep reducing. I’m compiling things I think other family member may want but will not burden them with anything they don’t.

  • We recently sold our home and downsized to a home with half the square feet. It took months of decluttering, donating furniture to the Salvation Army, and having our kids (now grown and moved out) go through their stuff or it got tossed. We have since helped two of our kids move apartments. With each move, I am reminded of the burden of our “stuff.” Thanks for your content!

  • I’m really enjoying your talks as I learn to get rid of all this extra stuff we have acquired. We moved to a smaller house 8 months ago. 1 bedroom is full of stuff still in boxes and the so was the garage. I started about a month ago very aggressively going to work in the garage because as a man, it’s my domain to put it order first. The extra stuff in the bedroom belongs to my wife and 3 children. I’m gently trying to encourage them to declutter what’s in there …. But I figure I need to start by showing the example first. I’ve been working at it every chance I get and I’m starting to capture a vision of what I want the garage to look like. It’s was a gloomy 2 car garage w unpainted drywall with lots of old nail and screw holes and some crappy shelves badly positioned. So far I have taken everything out several times to work on it. I have torn out all the old unusable shelving, primed and painted the ceiling and walls and installed new lights. And install new metal suspension shelving above the garage door. And a couple more sturdy shelves high along the walls. I’m now purging the many totes and bins we have filled over the 26 years and 3 kids. I’ve been battling 2,types of abdominal cancer, GIST (diagnosed 1 year ago)and Metastatic Appendiceal cancer and under going chemo therapy since Jan of this year. I am Active Duty military who regularly exercised and ate resonably well but I find that now, more than ever, my strength and ability to move, fix and maintain the things that need repair is often diminished and I’m learning to balance working on things and allowing my body to rest so I can beat this cancer.

  • Before I found minimalism I moved. And I had one rule – do I actually want to carry this stuff? I got rid of a lot of stuff because I didn’t want to carry it to the new place. Several garbage bags were donated and thrown away. I’m so glad I went through that with myself because moving without a moving company is hard! I didn’t want to make extra trips for stuff I wasn’t actually using. I’m going to pretend that I’m going to move again and ask myself if some of the stuff I own is worth carrying with me. I don’t have a lot of clutter, but I know I definitely have more than I need. So it will be a good way to get rid of excess stuff in my home 👍

  • I’m preparing to move again and I’ve been on a journey of minimalism for 3.5 years and it never ceases to surprise how much I still have to declutter. Recently I decided to ask myself how long I have owned something and how much of it or how often I have used it. Is it worth the cost of storing it or moving it?…That one question made me realize many things I have even for sewing I have hold onto for years just in case for the next project. So a good chunk of it I downsized but still kept a much smaller amount so I can continue to pursue my hobby without feeling overwhelmed by options. I have 9 kids at home and am looking to move 8 hours. As I want to do it all in one trip I am looking at this realistically and know it all has to fit in a 26 foot box truck. So now I ask myself what are the things you truly use and want to keep and what could you easily do without.

  • Just over a year ago, I had to move out of my house, into my own apartment, because the clutter from my best friend and his son, who still live in the house, was stressing me out, physically and mentally. We had a disaster of a mess in one side of the basement. I had made an appointment for J-Dog to clear everything out. So, deadline. Joshua, I took a process from your playbook that I applied to all three of us. Pull out only what you want to keep. Everything else is getting tossed. It’s much easier to look at a pile of stuff and pick out the keepers, than to go through every single item. I still had to cajole and threaten, but it worked.

  • great article Joshua! We just moved three weeks ago into a smaller home and were unpleasantly surprised by how much stuff we still have (even after being on our decluttering journey for almost two years now…) We have decided to let the basement “sit” for a while and declutter everything that has not been touched by the end of the year. Excited how this “time test” will reduce our possessions even more.

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