Minimalism and Motherhood: The Trick to Accumulating Less

When I gave birth to my son 6 months ago my life changed in the most amazing way and now I can't imagine life without him. If you're a parent, you know exactly what I mean. Our kids ARE. OUR. WORLD. 

As part of our world, they need things (and if you're like me and millions of other parents, you want to buy them things because you love them and want the best for them). Now, since I call myself a minimalist, I tried to be as selective as possible about what I added to my registry (quality over quantity!). It was important that I felt equipped to take care of my little guy but at the same time walk that fine line of making sure I didn't have too much or too little. Naturally, I didn't want to forget the essentials. 

I was methodical about what I thought we'd actually use. I read, researched and studied. What did I find out? Just about the same stuff that everyone else was telling me and I felt like in the sea of items "that are necessary" I was coming out even more overwhelmed. You've seen the lists: minimal must-haves or the top things you need for a minimal nursery. The problem with these lists is that while they've curated beautiful, high quality baby items, they left me feeling like I needed to add a lot to my registry.

Fortunately, I'm happy to note that after all was said and done, I felt like I had crafted a very manageable registry and 6 months later I can say I've used everything except just one item (and I found a purpose for it just last month). 

So, how did I do it and what's the trick you ask? I'll tell you. It's about defining and using your best judgment to predict how much you or your child will use something. Sure, you may want to also consider things like the quality of the item and aesthetics of it but at the foundation, I suggest you try to guesstimate how much use it will get. This can be applied to apparel, toys, baby dishes, strollers and equipment, etc. To get a comparable estimate, consider how much use it will get per week.

I'll use my son's clothes as an example. If I want to buy him something because I think it's too adorable to pass up, then I'll factor in how many times he's going to wear it before I purchase. This applies to items of all price-points - be it expensive or cheap. If your child is going to wear it every week -- maybe even multiple times, then you know the item is worth it.

On the flip side, I've eyed a few "items for convenience" during the occasional trip to Buy Buy Baby and I swear like 95% of the time those things aren't necessities. So save yourself time and money by estimating your child's usage of stuff you're considering buying and I really believe you'll be better off for it in the long run.

Are you looking for a little (or a lot) of help with your own home organization? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with Britnee about your home organization goals.

Mental Shift: Focus on What You Don't Need Instead of What You Don't Have

I am re-listening to Brene Brown's Power of Vulnerability lecture on Audible. (This is my third time listening to it because she is... amazing. I soak up her data and research like water in a sponge every time I hear it.) One of the first points she makes is about how we live in a society of scarcity. We can't get enough and we never have enough. So many of us can't stop worrying about not getting enough sleep or not getting enough done in the day and the list goes on. I imagine you're thinking about what you feel scarce about right now. Am I right?

This had me thinking. We really don't need more. We shouldn't feel these feelings of scarcity even though we do. In fact, I'd argue that it would help the majority of us if we felt less burdened by what we can't seem to get enough of and instead shifted our thinking to focus on what we can do without.

Have you ever decluttered a storage closet? It's like taking an eraser to the marks of chaos. It's not that the world sees these places (many are hidden by doors) but you know when they're neat and tidy. You know the feeling you get when everything has a place. If it's been a while since you've had this feeling (or maybe you've never felt this feeling) I encourage you to start trimming. Bit by bit you'll see what you really don't need.

Most of the time, we really don't need the new clothes, shoes, endless toys for the kids in our lives, [insert whatever it is that you buy here]. Now, you might be saying, Britnee it's easy for you to write about it rather than do it. You haven't seen my house. It's crazy! It'll never be where I want it. To that I say, it takes time and patience and practice. I'm still practicing it. That's another reason I started this blog! To chat about what works for me as I practice simple living.

If you're willing, then you can tackle it. 

Let's talk about some of the pitfalls - the things that deter us from this idea of having less and not needing it all. Once we identify those, we'll be more equipped to properly handle them and say BYEE to the excess. 

Pitfall #1: Shopping. Whether it's online or in-person, shopping is fun. For some people, it's so fun it's become an addiction. Bored? Go shopping. Happy? Go shopping. Reunited with family for an afternoon? Go shopping. This is a very real pitfall that's working against you. Good news is, it doesn't have to win! 

Pitfall #2: Significant other who may not see eye-to-eye with you on your simple vision. I've heard it more than once. Many people wish to do away with the excess but their significant others aren't on board. This can be a toughy. In those cases, I recommend taking it SLOW. Start a real conversation about why you want to trim and let them know why you want to do it. You might consider sharing a Pinterest or Houzz board of what you want your house to ultimately look like. Sharing examples can show someone with hesitation what exactly your end goal is. Show them that it doesn't have to be scary and the end-goal will be well worth it.

Pitfall #3: Feeling overwhelmed. I think we can all agree that this type of feeling is a natural response when we see a pile of anything staring back at us. My suggestion is to start small. You don't need to organize your entire garage this weekend. Think about cleaning out a few shelves first. The idea is for you to experience a few small wins to help motivate you to continue on to the big stuff. And once you have a few small wins under your belt, you won't want to stop because it really does feel good.

How cool would it be to simplify our homes and focus solely on streamlining them? Make them more peaceful. Make them more aligned with a feeling of calm instead of worrying about buying or accumulating whatever we thought we needed before. For me, that's living. 

If we're honest with ourselves, we know that there is so much that we really don't need. My challenge for you is to consider what you can do without this week when you're at the store debating that impulse buy. You went to Target for sunscreen and a card for your mom but you're debating whether or not to snag the mini-chalkboard easel, the blouse that screams spring and a few other non-essentials. 

If nothing else, have a little internal convo with yourself. You'll recognize your real needs if you know that 1) you're going to use those additional items and/or 2) you really won't and your impulse purchase is really just a whim to satisfy a fleeting craving.

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Top Ways to Simplify Your Closet & Get It Looking Cleaner in Minutes

Dayne and I bought our mid-century home one year ago. With it came his-and-her closets (small and sweet in size). Mine is pictured above and below. (Fun Fact: In 1973 the average size of an American home was 1,660 square feet. In 2010, the average was 2,392 square feet.) Where did they put all of the extra square footage? Most definitely in the master closets. And a bunch of other places but for the sake of this blog post, I'll stick to talking about closets.

Aside from maternity clothes, which are boxed up nicely in the garage, what you see is all I got! I have a few drawers for items like t-shirts, PJs, swimsuits and the delicates but in front of you is my main wardrobe. 

I know what you're thinking -- how can you say you're a minimalist and have THAT many shoes? To that I say, I believe minimalism is about using the things you have. If you have an actual use for it - then great! I recommend going through your closet frequently and either donating or recycling anything that you don't wear. I do wear those clothes and I do wear those shoes. Minimalism doesn't have to be about seeing how sparse you can make your closet but encourages the use of what you have inside of it.

Back to my example pictured above. You can see that I don't have a lot of space, so making use of it as best I can is key. Most of this is attributed to the fact that I frequently get rid of the items I don't wear or that have worn out. This keeps the volume of items to a minimum. I also color coordinate my clothes to give my closet a cleaner, more organized look. Below I've made a list of top ways for you to streamline your closet and get it looking cleaner in minutes. 

1. Color coordinate. If you color coordinate the items in your closet it will instantly look "cleaner" and more organized. This closet system can be applied to any apparel - blouses, shoes, pants, dresses. 

2. Be consistent about purging. I go through my stuff often. Do you buy items once per year? Most likely, no. Going through your clothes on a regular basis will help you rid your closet and drawers of the things you no longer wear or need on a regular basis. Remember, the idea is to keep only what you actually use!

3. One in, one out. Along with step 2, consider getting rid of an item every time you buy something new. I'm not advocating waste or getting rid of perfectly good clothes here. I am saying don't buy things you don't need, get rid of anything that you don't wear. 

Let me know how your closet system cleans up in the comments section!

Interested in the whole less is more idea? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with me about your home organization goals or follow me on Instagram here for daily organization and minimalist-living tips.

Decluttering: How to Organize Your House One Room at a Time and Keep Your Sanity

I grew up in an organized, simple house. It was a typical 4 bed, 3 bath house in a Phoenix suburb. My dad skewed toward most minimalist habits when it came to accumulating things and my mom was constantly cleaning. (I attribute the joy I get now from cleaning to her!) Overall, they were tidy when it came to stuff. Neither liked dark, contrasting colors on the walls or prints that detracted from a room. They gravitated toward neutral tones and less instead of more. Of course, I didn't realize when I was little. It wasn't until I ventured over to other peoples' houses and saw the ratio difference. Even the outside of our house was streamlined. No weeds, a manicured lawn and the cars were always parked inside the garage. A wild concept for a large population of people with garages. Am I right?

This rubbed off on me throughout the years. I think a person's upbringing and environment has a lot to do with how they end up curating and grooming their own space - be it good or bad. Having said that, it doesn't determine how your space will be. Nope, you've got the freewill and power to do it all on your own regardless of what surrounded you as a kid. 

For me, my idea of decluttering became an even more important part of my life after I got married. My husband is AMAZING at organizing. He could do it all day if you let him and he's good. So good that I'm confident he could make a living doing it. I thought I was organized until I married him. I have him to thank for the true organization of our house. 

No matter your upbringing or current status now, I'm here to share 4 simple ways to declutter and organize your house one room at a time without feeling overwhelmed and while keeping your sanity. End goal? Create a calmer, more enjoyable living space. Here's how:

1. Start with one room at a time. Tackle your house room by room so this way, you experience small wins each time a new space has been simplified. Any kind of win is a great thing! So start with one room and take inventory of what's inside of it. Especially when you're overwhelmed and burdened with the load in front of you. So, let's say you start with your living room. What's taking up the space? Do you have a couch and love-seat and chair and ottoman? What about on the walls? Do you see a plethora of frames hanging every which way? Take a visual inventory and notice every single thing that you can see by staring at your room. 

2. Begin sifting and sorting everything in sight that doesn't serve an actual purpose. For example, if your electronics work, then they serve a purpose. If they're broke then they don't. Shelves and entertainment centers can be really bad collection zones. Try tackling those first. So let's say you have an entertainment center full of what makes sense and then layered on it and in the drawers you find books, warranty manuals, old remotes with broken parts, movies, CDs, etc. In this example, an entertainment center might best serve you if it holds your television, electronics and supporting media such as DVDs (if you still buy those), a few magazines or accessories. What's left after that? Remove any loose paper, miscellaneous toys or items that were put there but don't belong or that are broken. Keep repeating this step until you have only what makes the most sense for that given area. (You're a smart one, you'll know what makes sense after you keep after it!)

3. Pair back on the decor. I know, this one may sound a little strange and can put some people on the defense but the point is to streamline your space and limiting the amount of stuff you have out will do just that. Promise. Once you've eliminated the stuff that doesn't belong, take another pass and be honest with yourself about the amount of decor you have in that space. Ask yourself, what can I remove that should not be here? Perhaps you have one too many candles or vases. Can you see the surface of the furniture? Pair back things like the amount of books you have. You'll be amazed and what this sort of trimming does to your space. Repeat steps 1-3 until you are satisfied with your new, calmer, simplified space. Then move to the next room. Again, go through your house one space at a time so you don't get too stressed with the stuff. Decluttering can be extremely overwhelming if you bite off more than you can chew. 

4. Find your own Feng Shui. I'm not saying you need to go out and study the actual way to achieve Feng Shui but I am saying that if you want to create a calmer, simplified living environment then ask yourself if you feel a sense of calm when you're sitting, sleeping, talking, walking in your space. Will others feel this sense of calm, too? It might be necessary to make adjustments to your decor such as removing a few more decorations or toning down the visual display of clutter if there is still too much. It might be that you've organized and purged as much as possible but the space can still seem too overwhelming. If that's the case, then take a look at what items are still out (meaning they aren't in drawers or closets). If you can put the items you want to keep out-of-sight, then I'm confident you'll see major improvements in your space.

Follow these simple steps and you'll be well on your way to creating a more organized and calmer living environment. Keep me posted!

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Top 4 Things Creating Clutter In Your House & Why You Should Get Rid of It

There is always room to clean out the stuff that is cluttering your bedroom, living room, kitchen, closet, car, (insert any place where garbage or junk collects). There are some things, though, that try as we may never end up in the donate pile. Every time we come to that object we know we should purge but we can't because we either can't separate ourselves emotionally or we think we'll eventually use it. Here are the top four things creating clutter in your house and why you should get rid of it all:

• Free stuff. Not all free stuff is worth keeping. Truth be told it probably wasn't worth accepting to begin with. You don't need the lanyard from the corporate sponsor. You don't need the pens. You don't need the magnet. You don't need the coffee cup. You have MORE THAN ENOUGH coffee cups.

• Unmatched socks. We all find the floaters. I'd love to know where those long lost sock mates have gone. If you take laundry out of the dryer and you only find one sock. Wait for it to come out of the next few loads and if it never appears, don't keep the other one. Disregard and say so long to the solo sock.

• Paperwork. Invest in a quality shredder. Then you'll have no excuse for hanging on to important papers that you don't want getting into the wrong hands after you trash them and you can keep your space spic and span.

• Items you haven't worn in more than 6 months. I'm not talking seasonal must-haves like coats or wool socks. I'm saying that shirt that you keep looking over because it doesn't work with anything else. Or those shorts that have somehow gotten shorter over the years. Toss 'em. You'll be glad you freed up the space and you'll be even happier that you don't have to turn down those pieces anymore. Send them on their way!

Once you're able to tackle these common clutter-makers you'll be well on your way to stopping them before they become a problem the next time around. Remember, you're not the only one who has clutter. We all do. Except for the select group of zero-waste folks, we all have to stay on top of the stuff that accumulates around us.

Let me know how your purge of the common offenders go. I'd love to hear!

Interested in the whole less is more idea? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with me about your home organization goals or follow me on Instagram here for daily organization and minimalist-living tips.

Mental Shift: How to Move Past the Honeymoon Phase of Minimalism

Let's face it. The idea of being a minimalist oftentimes dies quickly once the actual act of being one is put into practice. It's easy to sit back and watch documentaries like Minimalism or read books like The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and feel a sense of overwhelming motivation to throw everything away and keep our closets and rooms and lives simple until a few months roll by and... we lose the motivation. It's just a lot easier to talk about it than to do it.

Oftentimes, the motivation isn't strong enough to withstand the pressures to buy new things. It's especially difficult to say "betah not" when faced with the excitement of new seasons, sales and styles. Those home decor isles at Target are some of the worst culprits. It's so hard to say no to that mid-century mirror but it can be done. Promise.

So what to do? How do you get past the honeymoon phase of being a minimalist and make it a life-long pursuit? Here are three tips that I've put into practice over the past year. Now, I only buy something if I REALLY want it - meaning I know I'm going to wear it out or use it out until I can't anymore.

1. Try to keep your emotions in check when your favorite store has a sale. Ask yourself, if I buy this new swimsuit because it's a smoking deal -- will I actually wear it more than once or twice? If your answer is yes, and it seems to be made to last then consider it an investment piece. If your not going to wear it out, leave it on the rack! Chances are you're going to forget about it by the time you get home if you were purchasing on a whim.

2. Another way to withstand retail pressures is to leave the store. Look around, try things on and then leave without buying them if you're luke-warm. If you REALLY want it then you'll go back and buy. If you didn't love it, then odds are you'll keep walking. Walking away from the so-called deal because you know it will only take up space in your closet. Truly, I believe this could be one of the most freeing things you try this year. The more you do it, the more you'll keep doing it and by the time you know it, leaving stores without buying a thing will become a habit. The only way you'll end up buying something is if it's too amazing to pass up and then that thing will become one of your favorite pieces. This works for jewelry, clothing, home decor, you-name-it. Don't go into a retail store with the same attitude anymore!

3. When it comes to shopping online, things get a little trickier. It's hard to say no when it's available with the touch of a button. Literally, one touch or swipe once you put in your checkout credentials once. They make it TOO easy on us. So here's what you can do. Leverage step one from above. If you think you'll get use out of the product (be honest with yourself) then consider it an investment. If you find yourself ordering things because you love the feeling of receiving packages at your desk at work then you're buying stuff for the wrong reason.

I've been practicing these three tips for the past year and I've had a much easier time finding things that I love and that I wear out - completely.

Leave a comment below and let me know how you're seeking out minimalism as a life-long pursuit. I'd love to hear what's working well for you!

RELATED POST: Mental Shift: Focus On What You Don’t Need Instead of What You Don’t Have

4 Ways to Be More Present in a Tech-Driven World

It's been a while since I last updated my readers but since we last spoke, I became a MOM. And it is WONDERFUL. Something that I'm reminding myself of daily is that living in the present moment is more important now than ever because each day my little bundle of joy keeps getting bigger and if I don't slow down, I'll miss moments that I don't want to miss. Moments that I can't redo.

For me, living in the present moment with him means turning my phone to silent and giving my little guy undivided attention. It's not always easy but I really believe it's vital. I think the most unfortunate thing would be for me to be glued to my phone just to wake up one day and realize that he's all grown up and I missed it because I was more concerned with something like social media feeds. 

Given that I'm a new mom, I'm no expert and I certainly don't claim to know everything but I have been studying simple living and ways to improve a little more each day. So whether you have kids or not, this list of four ways to be more present in a tech-driven world still apply. Take them or leave them but I hope they help you think about being present.

1. Give yourself a social media schedule. Yeah, it might sound elementary but give yourself allotted time(s) in your day where you allow yourself to check your social feeds. If you're addicted (like a large majority of society) then this will help you limit how much your checking feeds and will provide a healthier cadence for perusing platforms like Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat. An example might be that you allow yourself 10 minutes during lunch or after your loved ones go to bed.

2. Establish an expectation with others you're regularly in communication with. Half the battle of becoming more present is letting others (be it coworkers or friends and family) know that you're working on savoring each moment. Let others know in advance when you're going to be out-of-pocket and either unavailable or slow to respond. This way you won't blindside anyone who has an urgent message for you and on the flip side, you'll have less anxiety about getting back to your phone to respond to incoming beeps and dings.

3. Silence is golden. When you're with your loved ones silence your phone. It's one step closer to out of sight and out of mind. Often things like work emails interrupt us (like every. single. minute. of our day) and it's important to delay their opening and remember to really BE in the moment. Silencing the phone and flipping the screen over so you can't see it helps force you to be in the moment.

4. Out of sight, out of mind. If silence isn't enough to get you to keep your fingers off your phone then put it in a different room. If you're hanging out in the living room decompressing, keep your phone in the kitchen or laundry room. Consider a location where you won't hear it or have the urge to pick it up. Once your family time is over, then you can grab it and start back on vetting through your inbox.

Leave a comment and let me know how you're working on being present. I'd love to hear other ideas!

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Living with Less: How to Declutter Your Knick-Knacks Like a True Minimalist

At one time or another, we've all received something that ended up sitting on a shelf collecting dust or was put in a box that we'd keep for later. It's common that we end up keeping things that we've either collected over the years or that reminds us of the time and place where we got it.

We all have a few of those sentimental items that mean something and we hang onto them for different reasons.

A moment from our favorite vacation ever.

A card from someone who has passed.

A tried-and-true household good that helps us on a daily basis.

And the list goes on.

Are you a collector? Or are you naturally inclined to purge what's in your living space? I've always been a purger. I remember at a young age donating my Barbie collection because I was done playing with them and wanted to package them up and clean out my room. No tears. No regrets. I was just done with them! (For years, I wondered if that was something I should've been worried about. Now I'm grateful.)

For those of you who are holding onto something or a bunch of somethings - be it a large or small collection, I've listed a few different ways to declutter your knick-knacks like a true minimalist.

1. Locate what and where first to get started. You'll never be able to get rid of the things that are taking up space if you haven't identified what and where they are. Did your parents gift you Beanie Babies or porcelain dolls? Maybe you're into plants and you've got dozens in pots that are overtaking the backyard?

2. Which of the items make you the happiest or in other words, which ones do you really want to keep? Pull those out and put them in a separate area. Then focus on what's left. Identify the condition of the items you're getting rid of and create a donate pile for anything that is still in good condition.

3. Discard. When I say discard, I don't necessarily trash. I mean, find ways to actually move the items out of your home! You can create a post on Facebook (to your own friends or groups) and let others know you're selling or donating the collectibles. You'll find there are many people out there who will enjoy your items just as much if not more than you did. The idea is to donate what's in great shape and share with others. You’ll find it to be a little easier when you know those items are being used and loved by others more than you may have used them.

4. Recycle where possible. If the items aren't in great shape then consider recycling what you can. For items that can't be recycled then you'll need to toss. If it's hard to do alone, ask someone who can help you with your purge! Moral support is key if you are having a harder time saying goodbye.

Want more simple living help to streamline your house? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with me about your home organization goals or follow me on Instagram here for daily organization and minimalist-living tips.

RELATED POST: Mental Shift: Focus on What You Don't Need Instead of What You Don't Have