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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
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EMBRACING CHANGE
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minimalism... has anyone tried?
after marie kondo and THE, i've been looking into minimalism.
has anyone tried to minimalize their home?
how has it gone?
what was easy? what was tough?
* my journey started with folding my t-shirts differently so i can see what i own. that evolved into reducing/editing the amount of clothes i have (which wasn't a lot to begin with).
* i also did a purge in the kitchen to get rid of expired items.
* i've given things to my local "buy nothing" group, i've donated, i've thrown away a lot of stuff.
but i still feel like there is WAY TOO MUCH stuff!!
looks like this is a life-long process.
note: i will NEVER reduce the size of my yarn stash. that sh*t brings me pure joy!
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Posted 4/12/21 5:52 PM  |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
I wouldn't say I am a pure minimalist but I certainly am not a collector of things either. I am really more in the middle coupled with being a super organizer of everything. lol I like everything to have a place and a purpose in my home. I'm really into creating "zones" wherever I can. For example, the food in my pantry is divided up into zones (like items together) so I can find things easier, my kitchen cabinets are divided into zones so that all of my baking things are in one spot, cooking things in another. I live by my labeler and The Container Store is my heaven. 
I feel like it's okay to have things, even a lot of things, so long as you are organized. When your things become overwhelming chaos and stress you out, then you know it's time to declutter. My personality is such that I really cannot function in messy clutter, it stresses me out so much. If my house is in chaos I feel like everything else is in chaos so for me organization of my things is really key. It allows my day to day to function more smoothly and more importantly, I feel like I actually get to enjoy the things that I own because they all have a home and I can find them easily. 
ETA - Your yarn stash is my kitchen tools and ingredients. PURE joy!!! 
Message edited 4/12/2021 6:22:04 PM.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:21 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:22 PM |
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nycbuslady
LIF Adult
Member since 9/15 1066 total posts
Name:
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minimalism... has anyone tried?
I don't know if there are specific things that officially classify you as a minimalist, but I think I am one. During this pandemic, since I've been working from home, I literally have been wearing the same 5 shirts. I just do laundry every few days and I re-wear them. I realize that I don't need more. I definitely have a lot of stuff, but I'm doing my best not to add to it!
A couple of years ago, pre-pandemic, we were at a school fundraiser where you buy raffle tickets and then put them in the bucket to win prizes. I told my husband and kid that they were not allowed to put a ticket in anything that involved bringing a physical item home! They could put it in to win tickets to a show or game, but that's it! I think we ended up winning tickets to a LI Ducks baseball game.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:31 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true.  My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:32 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by nycbuslady
A couple of years ago, pre-pandemic, we were at a school fundraiser where you buy raffle tickets and then put them in the bucket to win prizes. I told my husband and kid that they were not allowed to put a ticket in anything that involved bringing a physical item home! They could put it in to win tickets to a show or game, but that's it! I think we ended up winning tickets to a LI Ducks baseball game.
Great idea! I did something similar with my kid's birthdays one year, I asked for experiences instead of toys and it was so fun! We got to go to a ton of museums, movies and other cool things that year. They didn't even miss the toys!
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:34 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
LOL- same. We have a tiny house. We have no basement, a one car garage that is overflowing with crap, 2 sheds full of crap and a crawl space attic that isn't nearly big enough.
And to answer the question- i could never be a minimalist because I like things too much. Just ask the drivers who deliver multiple packages a day to my home. LOL
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:34 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
True as I am afraid to move and have actually said to my husband maybe we can leave it all and add it on the price of the house and buy everything new lol.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:38 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
LOL- same. We have a tiny house. We have no basement, a one car garage that is overflowing with crap, 2 sheds full of crap and a crawl space attic that isn't nearly big enough.
And to answer the question- i could never be a minimalist because I like things too much. Just ask the drivers who deliver multiple packages a day to my home. LOL
Sounds like my kid with the deliveries lol.
I actually counted how many shirts there was one time when going through the closet to see what fit and what they just didn’t want anymore. 100, yes 100 shirts. All different kinds but this is a small closet mind you, not a walk in one.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:41 PM |
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JME78
LIF Adult
Member since 11/09 3672 total posts
Name:
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minimalism... has anyone tried?
I am not a total minimalist but I don't like having too much stuff around - it stresses me out. I prefer to buy high quality clothes that last a long time rather than cheap fast fashion. I buy things that make me happy and if they don't make us happy I get rid of them. I don't have emotional attachment to objects so its easy for me.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:41 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
LOL- same. We have a tiny house. We have no basement, a one car garage that is overflowing with crap, 2 sheds full of crap and a crawl space attic that isn't nearly big enough.
And to answer the question- i could never be a minimalist because I like things too much. Just ask the drivers who deliver multiple packages a day to my home. LOL
Sounds like my kid with the deliveries lol.
I actually counted how many shirts there was one time when going through the closet to see what fit and what they just didn’t want anymore. 100, yes 100 shirts. All different kinds but this is a small closet mind you, not a walk in one.
If anyone saw the amount of clothes I have.... they would be appalled
I have literally broken closet rods due to the weight of the clothes I have. My DH has had to reinforce them.
I'm a disaster... 
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:42 PM |
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MrsT809
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 12167 total posts
Name:
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minimalism... has anyone tried?
Me! I've been striving towards minimalism for several years now and I could never go back to having a ton of clutter around. It's a never ending process, especially with kids and a husband that are not of the same mindset but I do what I can. My wardrobe and my kitchen are the most minimal since I don't have to consult anyone else there. Start with easy things by getting out obvious stuff that is broken or goes unused. Then go through small zones like one drawer or cabinet and see what can go. Room by room, cabinet by cabinet until you can get rid of empty storage bins and bookcases.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:45 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
LOL- same. We have a tiny house. We have no basement, a one car garage that is overflowing with crap, 2 sheds full of crap and a crawl space attic that isn't nearly big enough.
And to answer the question- i could never be a minimalist because I like things too much. Just ask the drivers who deliver multiple packages a day to my home. LOL
Sounds like my kid with the deliveries lol.
I actually counted how many shirts there was one time when going through the closet to see what fit and what they just didn’t want anymore. 100, yes 100 shirts. All different kinds but this is a small closet mind you, not a walk in one.
If anyone saw the amount of clothes I have.... they would be appalled
I have literally broken closet rods due to the weight of the clothes I have. My DH has had to reinforce them.
I'm a disaster...
Lololol. I always say I am jealous of my mother and her clothes as she can buy as much as she wants as she has the entire house to herself. She has a big walk in and then every drawer and closet is all for her. She does purge though she says. Probably because she would break some rods too lol.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:45 PM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
Name:
EMBRACING CHANGE
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by MrsT809
Start with easy things by getting out obvious stuff that is broken or goes unused. Then go through small zones like one drawer or cabinet and see what can go. Room by room, cabinet by cabinet until you can get rid of empty storage bins and bookcases.
this is roughly how i've been doing it. i started with the t-shirts, like i said. i'll roughly hit one drawer per weekend and not overwhelm myself.
yesterday, i got home and had an "itch" to do something. i grabbed a couple of tied supermarket bags that were at the bottom of the closet. most of the items were so out of shape! i decided to just throw them away. the old me would have found a use for them... cleaning rags or clothes to sleep in. this time, i decided to let them go.
it felt so good to just get rid of things that had been sitting in the bottom of the closet for years.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:49 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by MrsT809
Start with easy things by getting out obvious stuff that is broken or goes unused. Then go through small zones like one drawer or cabinet and see what can go. Room by room, cabinet by cabinet until you can get rid of empty storage bins and bookcases.
this is roughly how i've been doing it. i started with the t-shirts, like i said. i'll roughly hit one drawer per weekend and not overwhelm myself.
yesterday, i got home and had an "itch" to do something. i grabbed a couple of tied supermarket bags that were at the bottom of the closet. most of the items were so out of shape! i decided to just throw them away. the old me would have found a use for them... cleaning rags or clothes to sleep in. this time, i decided to let them go.
it felt so good to just get rid of things that had been sitting in the bottom of the closet for years.
So many things we don’t realize go “bad” with clothes that we just keep. Tights, stockings and pants with elastic go bad and we just keep them in drawers for years.
Mid matched socks is the worst for me as I will say well maybe it will reappear lol.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:52 PM |
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MrsT809
LIF Adult
Member since 9/09 12167 total posts
Name:
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by MarathonKnitter
Posted by MrsT809
Start with easy things by getting out obvious stuff that is broken or goes unused. Then go through small zones like one drawer or cabinet and see what can go. Room by room, cabinet by cabinet until you can get rid of empty storage bins and bookcases.
this is roughly how i've been doing it. i started with the t-shirts, like i said. i'll roughly hit one drawer per weekend and not overwhelm myself.
yesterday, i got home and had an "itch" to do something. i grabbed a couple of tied supermarket bags that were at the bottom of the closet. most of the items were so out of shape! i decided to just throw them away. the old me would have found a use for them... cleaning rags or clothes to sleep in. this time, i decided to let them go.
it felt so good to just get rid of things that had been sitting in the bottom of the closet for years.
I know the feeling and the good news and bad news is you can get that feeling again and again. There is always more sneaking in as hard as I try avoid it. I have a bin in my closet for things to donate and a list in my phone of spots to go through or things to get rid of next time I'm making a donation run. There's no better feeling than loading the car and coming home to a tidy house a few boxes lighter.
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| Posted 4/12/21 6:56 PM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11487 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Me! So funny, because I was just thinking about starting this topic.
It is a never-ending process! My garbage collection is limited, so I work with that slowly. Everything has to be recycled, and sometimes it makes no sense what goes where. I try to take a trip to the dump to get rid of things about once a month. I wish they had curbside pick up here, but they don’t. You have to pay for things to be picked up, so it’s either a trip to the dump or advertise things for free. Garbage collection is strictly paper or ‘waste.’ The waste has to be sorted. Glass requires a trip to special locations placed throughout the city along with plastics. Other things fall into this category as well.
I have gone through my closets and I was amazed what I have doubles and triples of. I have gotten rid of a lot of clothing.
Lately, I take about 10 mins a day and just throw things out that I haven’t used. Or I list it on FB marketplace. The 10 min throw out a day is a really great start to clearing out stuff.
Paper seems to be a never ending process, but I finally have my filing cabinet in order. I have a lot of paper teaching materials as well. But luckily I have that organized into nice binders.
I’m currently working on my pantry and freezer.
I’ve been feeling much better as I slowly get rid of stuff. Stuff gives me anxiety.
Another thing is when shopping I ask myself if this thing brings any value to my life. If I need to think about it for too long, then I don’t get it or wait until I forget about it.
I have been following this channel on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/c/SimpleHappyZen
She’s got great stuff, but I find her sentence intonation a bit distracting.
The Minimalists are pretty good, too.
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| Posted 4/12/21 7:01 PM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by NervousNell
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by windyweather21
The smaller the home the less stuff you usually have.
I am actually afraid to go smaller though as I could with a condo as at least I have the basement and garage.
I am constantly purging and throwing things away, mostly as I can’t deal with clutter.
Not always true. My first house was a ranch with a one car garage and no basement. There was not a ton of storage BUT you would not believe what came out of that house when we moved! It was insane how much we fit primarily because I was REALLY good at organizing and making things fit even in a small space.
OP - Another good thing to do at least once is if you have enough stuff you want to get rid of, get a dumpster. That was one of the best things we did and it pushes you to part with things you don't need or use.
LOL- same. We have a tiny house. We have no basement, a one car garage that is overflowing with crap, 2 sheds full of crap and a crawl space attic that isn't nearly big enough.
And to answer the question- i could never be a minimalist because I like things too much. Just ask the drivers who deliver multiple packages a day to my home. LOL
Sounds like my kid with the deliveries lol.
I actually counted how many shirts there was one time when going through the closet to see what fit and what they just didn’t want anymore. 100, yes 100 shirts. All different kinds but this is a small closet mind you, not a walk in one.
If anyone saw the amount of clothes I have.... they would be appalled
I have literally broken closet rods due to the weight of the clothes I have. My DH has had to reinforce them.
I'm a disaster...
Lololol. I always say I am jealous of my mother and her clothes as she can buy as much as she wants as she has the entire house to herself. She has a big walk in and then every drawer and closet is all for her. She does purge though she says. Probably because she would break some rods too lol.
Marie Kondo would lose her will to live if she saw my life.
Just sayin
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| Posted 4/12/21 7:02 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Every time I try to minimize, I realize that I *need* everything I have, and I *need* a few more things while I'm at it....
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| Posted 4/12/21 7:08 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
I love minimalism. I watched this documentary on netflix many years ago by the minimalists and it jump started me on such happiness. I suffer from anxiety and minimalism has been sooooo helpful in so many ways. I wish I could be a more strict minimalist but it is hard when your family isn't on the same page.
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| Posted 4/12/21 8:40 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
oh and the hardest stuff is the sentimental items. leave those for last.
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| Posted 4/12/21 8:41 PM |
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drpepper318
MIR MIR MIR!
Member since 6/07 8274 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
I have a minimalist mindset (I hardly buy anything new) but I have a tough time getting rid of things I already have that are useful. Even if I don’t really use them much, it’s hard for me to put stuff in the garbage unless it’s broken or obvious trash. I try to give as much stuff away as possible if it’s something I can donate or I just try to think of somebody I know who could use it & hope they’ll be willing to take it lol. I’m always telling DH please don’t get any packages or bring more stuff into the house!
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| Posted 4/12/21 10:28 PM |
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PhyllisNJoe
My Box Is Broken
Member since 6/11 9145 total posts
Name:
Phyllis
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
I would love to do this but the “I may need that one day” in me won’t allow it.
I’ve talked to my sister about how I can’t get rid of stuff and have so much crap. Busting at the seems in my little house. We both agree it’s because we grew up with nothing and now when we get stuff, we want to hold on to every little thing. Makes total sense.
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| Posted 4/12/21 10:30 PM |
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
My copy of The Joy of Decluttering is on my nightstand! On top of 8 issues of Real Simple and 2 good housekeepings LOL
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| Posted 4/12/21 10:41 PM |
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MarathonKnitter
HAPPY
Member since 2/07 17374 total posts
Name:
EMBRACING CHANGE
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Re: minimalism... has anyone tried?
Posted by PhyllisNJoe
I would love to do this but the “I may need that one day” in me won’t allow it.
I’ve talked to my sister about how I can’t get rid of stuff and have so much crap. Busting at the seems in my little house. We both agree it’s because we grew up with nothing and now when we get stuff, we want to hold on to every little thing. Makes total sense.
YES!!
i spent many years as a very poor single-mother of one and i still live in that deprivation mind-set. this is also why i'm not rushing myself through the process. it's a hard frame of reference to shake.
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| Posted 4/12/21 10:51 PM |
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