Tag Archive for: #MinsGame

Declutter with these 6 Smart Strategies

/17 Comments/in /by

declutter

 

 

The change of seasons calls us to do some decluttering. With this change around us outdoors, we feel inspired to make change indoors.  There are many strategies that can help you declutter.  Try one of these 6 smart strategies to declutter your space at home or work.

 

Tournament Method

The Tournament Method helps those who are especially overwhelmed. Just like in any sport, compare two items and one “wins.”  Keep the winner and pit it against another “competitor.”  Soon you will have eliminated almost half of your items.  If you want to keep your decluttering simple, the Tournament Method works well.

 

Treasure hunt

Rather than decide about what to give away, decide what is a treasure to keep.  A treasure hunt strategy keeps you positive and pro-active.  When sifting through a large box, dig for treasures only.  The rest is decluttered and given away. The Treasure Hunt method works well if you tend to lose focus when you are decluttering.

 

FlyLady Method

FlyLady has been a staple for many to help start decluttering.  Her strategy relies on small, fun tasks that break your decluttering into bite size efforts.  Establishing small routines makes your decluttering happen. One of my favorite routines is the 27 fling boogie.  You grab a garbage bag and eliminate 27 items at a time.  If you are a person who is looking for decluttering routines, Fly Lady’s method work help you make changes.

 

#MinsGame

Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus write the blog, The Minimalists.  Their game came from their new perspective on stuff and minimalism.  The game starts on the first day of the month. On day 1, you eliminate 1 item. On day 2, you eliminate 2 items. And so it goes.  It’s a great way to make a game of your decluttering.  Challenge others in your circle to play too.

 

Keep the End in Mind

Organizing guru Peter Walsh  reminds us to Keep the End in Mind. Create a vision of what your space will look like decluttered. Permit only what will work with that vision to remain.  Use a vision board, pinterest, or a magazine to help you stay focused on your goal.  Knowing what you want your space to look like when completed helps you make decisions on decluttering.

 

Konmari Method

Recently Marie Kondo, best selling author of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, created the Konmari method to declutter.  Her mantra about the items we own is, “does this spark joy?” Keep only what brings a smile to your face.  Does everything have to bring you joy?  For Ms Kondo the answer is “yes!”  Surrounding yourself with only what is fabulous is definitely life changing.  Learn more about the Konmari method here.

 

No matter the method, get started on  your decluttering today!  Your changes in your space will bring about changes in your daily attitude, stress and positivity.

 

More organizing tips and tricks each month! Join my newsletter here.

 

 

The Art of Letting Go

/18 Comments/in /by

The art of letting go

Our industry gathers each year for our NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) conference.  It’s our annual family reunion where we learn and hug!  This year we were privileged to hear The Minimalists.  Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus write a blog about living a meaningful life with less stuff (for 4 million readers.)  They shared their powerful stories of transition to simplicity.  They shared some powerful stuff.

 

The Art of Letting Go

Josh and Ryan are best friends from way back. Both chose a new path to having less and experiencing more because of transitions in their lives.  Originally living more traditional lives, they chose to let go of what is meaningless to them.   It required them facing situations that were emotion charged losses.  It made me think about how a sad and difficult situations can create the opportunity for change.

 

The Art of Letting go comes from the perspective of our new assessment of what our stuff means to us.  Our stuff does not define us.  Our memories are within us, not in our stuff. We can share our stuff with others who will find it useful.  We can remember without the stuff.   It all came down to this question about our stuff.  The question they asked of us…how might your life be better if you owned fewer material possessions?  Are you ready to embrace a life that means more without your stuff holding you back?

Getting started

Are you ready to simplify your life?  The Minimalists offer their solution to get started called #MinsGame. You eliminate one thing on the first day of the month. On the second, eliminate two things. Three items on the third.  It’s contagious! And who doesn’t like to play when you are an automatic winner?

 

I love the baby steps here.  Not only do you feel the emotional lift of less in your space, #MinsGame offers a daily dose of paring down in a small way.  It can be anything in your space that you choose to eliminate.

 

I love that decluttering takes on a powerful reason.  It shifts your focus from holding on tight to what you have just in case to keeping only what is most meaningful and useful.  Your decluttering and letting go will give you more opportunity to live the life you have imagined. 

 

(I first heard of this game last year.  Join the game and play with colleague Andrea Sharb.)

 

A final thought

 

The Minimalists resonated with me because of this quote they shared. Love People. Use Things. The opposite never works.  It’s in the art of letting go that we find what is being camouflaged by stuff and see what’s important to us.  That’s what’s empowering about organizing and simplicity.  Isn’t that what we are truly want?

 

 

 

More thoughts on simplicity each month! Join my newsletter