Our Happy Hive

Practical Tips To A Sweeter Family Life

5 Reasons Minimalism May Not Be For You

Inside: What is minimalism and is it right for you? Learn more about what it means to live a minimalist lifestyle and why it might not be for you.

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Minimalism. I don’t know about you, but when I hear that word, an image comes to mind. A tiny house, perhaps, with bare walls, hardly any possessions to speak of in view, and no car in the driveway. 

What is Minimalism?

There are a lot of misconceptions out there about being a minimalist (including that image I painted above). Let’s take a quick look at what minimalism is…and isn’t.

What Minimalism Isn’t

If you’re like me, you envision a minimalist owning about 2 outfits, 1 pair of shoes, 1 plate, 1 cup, and so on (ok, a slight exaggeration – sort of).

The definition of minimalism, in my mind, was basically shunning possessions. Refusing to own something that may be useful or beneficial simply out of principle.

Unfortunately, that’s kind of the rap that the minimalist movement has right now.

I’m so happy to say, however, that after more investigating and even dipping my toes in to practice a little minimalism myself, that’s not the case.

Personally, I like having extra plates so that we don’t have to run the dishwasher until it’s actually full. I also like having cute shoes! 😉

What Being a Minimalist Is

Now I bet you’re wondering how to be a minimalist!

Minimalism is really about simplifying your life. Removing stress caused by clutter, financial fear, and owning material possessions. 

It’s about finding freedom from those stresses and worries and living a more intentional lifestyle. Rather than setting rules for what you can’t have, it’s about making decisions to purchase items more deliberately. 

Do you want to own a car? Go for it! 

Do you want to have a career or live in suburbia or have 5 pairs of shoes? That’s ok!

So then what is minimalism…really? It’s a way of life that promotes getting rid of excess material possessions in order to live a more intentional life.

Or, another way to put it is to say that minimalists only keep the material items that add value to their lives.

Living with less stress sounds good, right? But, is minimalism for YOU?

If you want to learn more about becoming a minimalist, check out these books!

  1. The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify – by Francine Jay
  2. The Minimalist Home: A Room-by-Room Guide to a Decluttered, Refocused Life by Joshua Becker

white modern chair and a vase of calla lilies on a pale green wall

5 Reasons Minimalism May Not Be For You

These days, it seems like everywhere you turn you’ll see people talking about how amazing their lives have become since turning to minimalism. In fact, it’s a popular movement right now!

However, no matter how many people proclaim that minimalism has changed their lives for the better, being a minimalist isn’t necessarily for everyone.

Here are 5 reasons why minimalism may not be for you.

Do You Want to Truly Minimize or Merely Declutter?

When I refer to minimalism, I’m referring to the act of paring down your possessions to the must-have essentials while discarding everything else.

Many people talk about minimalism but what they are actually talking about is a general and thorough decluttering. I am (obviously) a huge fan of decluttering – even a very thorough one.

These days people seem to place themselves into one of two extremes when it comes to materialism:

  1. They have way too much stuff which requires more storage space either in the home or in a rented space and buying things that aren’t needed just because (ex: “retail therapy”)
  2. They embrace minimalism and get rid of absolutely everything that could possibly be excessive, including items with sentimental value.

I personally fall somewhere in the middle. I have no desire to live a truly minimalist lifestyle, and at the same time, I prefer to keep my home decluttered and not collect too much stuff.

At the end of the day, decluttering and minimalizing is not the same thing. If you see value in items that don’t necessarily provide an essential function, then minimalism may not be for you.

 Would you rather declutter than minimize? These posts may interest you:

Blue sofa with colorful pillows and a white coffee table

Freedom Can Be Too Much

The idea of being “free” sounds so good when we feel weighed down by something – anything. However, if you look at people who truly are free, say financially free to do whatever they want, they are often at a loss for how to spend their time.

There is value in being tied to something: your job that earns an income or your home that you spend time caring for and cleaning.

Without these ties, there’s a type of void that you can fall into. With minimalism, that void can be so much freedom that you don’t know what to do with it.

If you prefer to have responsibilities to attend to, living a minimalist lifestyle may not be for you.

You Like to Plan Ahead

If you like to plan ahead, some ways that might look like include: 

  • Stocking up on food or toiletry items when they are on sale 
  • Buying kids clothes or shoes a size ahead 
  • Having a second pair of your favorite tennis shoes on hand for when your first pair wears out.

Minimalism, which focuses on living in the moment, buys items on an as-needed basis. Planning or buying ahead is about saving time or money, but it’s not living in the moment. If you prefer to plan ahead, then minimalism may not be for you.

You Have Too Much Time in the Day

Some people thrive on free time; others struggle when they have too much time to fill.

A minimalist lifestyle frees up time that you would have spent shopping, cleaning a large house, putting away your stuff, etc. 

If you have a hard time filling up your daily schedule, becoming a minimalist may not be for you.

Modern kitchen with sitting and dining area

It’s Easy To Get Carried Away

Just as I showed in the example above about the extremes of materialism, humans can often find themselves going to one extreme or another. Another way to put it is that people can go “too far”.

Minimalism is a perfect example!

The idea of living a life of freedom from the constraints, financial commitments, and time commitments of material objects can be extremely appealing. So appealing, in fact, that minimalism can go from being about getting rid of material items that don’t bring joy or value to your life to just getting rid of almost everything.

There’s the problem. There are many examples of items in our lives that hold value, even if they collect dust: 

  • A special book signed by your parents and given to you as a gift. 
  • Your first stereo that you worked hard to earn the money to buy. 
  • Your child’s baby items.

These types of items and many more hold value in the form of memories and emotions. Sentimental value, after all, is a true value in itself. 

This is the biggest reason why minimalism is not for me…and may not be for you either.

Final Thoughts On Why Minimalism May Not Be For You

While I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist, I do like the idea of living a more focused and intentional life. I embrace the philosophy of removing items from my life that don’t provide value in order to be able to focus my time and energy on the things that truly do matter to me.

And yet, even though I embrace some of the basic tenants of minimalism, I am not a minimalist. Instead, I prefer to create a clean, decluttered, peaceful environment, even if that means I hold on to “silly” things like my baby’s lock of hair. 

What about you – is minimalism for you?

 

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More From Our Happy Hive:

Is The Home Edit or the Kon Mari Method right for you?

Inside: Want to get your home organized or decluttered? Don’t know where to start? Inside this post we’ll explore two approaches made popular by Netflix… Marie Kondo’s Kon Mari Method and Get Organized with The Home Edit.

Last night I binged Netflix’s new show Get Organized with The Home Edit.  A year or so ago I bought the book by the same name and was in love with all of the beautiful Instagram-worthy photos of stunningly organized celebrity closets, play-rooms, and pantries

But watching the show…well, I couldn’t stop.  The charismatic magnetic energy between the two designers, Clea and Joanna sucked me in!  Not to mention I kinda have a thing for home organizing!

The new series reminded me of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo’s Netflix show.  When I say reminded, I should clarify.  The two shows are NOTHING alike!!!  It’s just the fact that they are both about home organization and on Netflix that the two have anything in common.

The Differences Between Tidying Up and The Home Edit

Well, first of all, Tidying Up has subtitles and a translator.  Marie Kondo only speaks Japanese on the show and she uses a translator with her clients. 

Secondly, Marie Kondo’s show focuses on everyday families where she teaches them how to do her method. 

The Home Edit has Clea and Joanna organize the space for the clients. Each episode features a celebrity’s home and an everyday family home.  A few celebrities’ homes they visit include Reese Witherspoon, Khloe Kardashian, and Eva Longoria.

The energy of each show is very different.  Tidying Up is subdued like a documentary whereas The Home Edit is entertaining and funny.  (To be honest, I kinda love these ladies and secretly wish I could be their friend!)

 

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliates Disclosure.

The Differences Between the Kon Mari Method and the Home Edit process

Home Organization Effort / Size

Marie Kondo recommends an intense and total home organization process  e.g. one that includes every space in your house and could take you 6 months to complete.  She is firm in her belief for decluttering to stick, the entire space must be transformed.

The Home Edit process on the other hand focuses on one space at a time their philosophy is to not bite off more than you can chew. So, they focus on smaller areas like a closet, a garage, or a single bedroom.

Decluttering Method

In addition to having a different focus, there are differences in their process as well. 

Kon Mari Method

Marie Kondo includes 6 steps in her decluttering / home organization method.

  1. Commit yourself to tidying up
  2. Imagine your ideal lifestyle
  3. Finish discarding first
  4. Tidy by category and not a location
  5. Follow the right order
  6. Ask yourself if it sparks joy

There are two basic components to the method 1) discarding and 2) deciding where to store things. She is a big advocate of discarding, and is a minimalist at heart!

Steps 4 & 5 tidy by category and not location are critical in her process.  Her order is Clothes, Books, Papers, Miscellaneous items, and finally Sentimental things. 

It’s also important to note, the KonMari Method has an order of decluttering items within each category. For example, when sorting clothing, you should do it in the following order: tops, bottoms, clothes that should be hung, socks, underwear, bags, accessories, clothes for specific events e.g. swimsuits, and shoes.

 

The Home Edit Process

Focuses on having spaces to be functional and look beautiful. They try to get inside the heads of their clients to understand how the space needs to function and what is required in order for it to be maintained.  They also always make sure there’s a visually pleasing element like books organized by the colors of the rainbow or a fun poof cushion in the closet etc. 

 

Clea and Joanna believe the atheistic side not only makes your home more enjoyable to look at but also inspires you to maintain the organized space.

Their process is simple

  1. The Edit (declutter)
  2. The Assembly (organize)
  3. The Upkeep (maintain)

Most of the work on the show happens in Steps 1 & 2.  They are very sensitive to the client’s needs and don’t force decluttering.  If the client is hesitant to get rid of something (even if it’s never used) the duo encourages them to “archive it.” In other words, get it out of the space they are working on and move it to a space that is used less.

Like most home organization processes, they 1) take everything out of the space 2) create groupings, and 3) pare down. 

Step 2 – The Assembly

The Home Edit also focuses on containers and labels for organizing.  This is a huge part of their work and part of Clea and Joanna’s signature style.

Kon Mari, as a minimalist, recommends reusing containers instead of buying new containers. This is a striking difference between the two and their final outcome.

If you’re going with the Home Edit’s approach, they recommend you measure space and maximize your usable space including going vertical.  They also recommend that you buy containers in a variety of sizes from the same collection of containers so that there’s visual appeal. In the show, they are regularly bringing in huge bags of acrylic containers or beautiful boxes for storage from The Container Store.

Labels are a HUGE thing for The Home Edit.  In fact, Clea has beautiful handwriting.  The duo made a script font out of her personal handwriting to create custom vinyl labels for their storage containers.  Spoiler Alert…if you buy their book, it includes a page of clear labels for you to use in your refrigerator!

Their Book also goes into storage and assembly ideas for every room including the entry/mudroom, laundry, bathroom, home office, play spaces, closets, and the kitchen.

Kon Mari Method & The Home Edit Comparison

 

Kon Mari Method

The Home Edit
Organization Philosophy Keep only the things that bring you joy and to store them in a simple and intuitive way. Organize your space in a way that is functional, efficient, and pretty.
Scale Entire home in a specific order of categories (not rooms) One specific space in the home e.g. Closet
Organization Focus Categories e.g. Clothing Rooms
Emphasis Decluttering / minimizing the stuff in your house to achieve the vision you have for your home. Accessible, functional storage that is pleasing to the eye.
Storage Reuse existing boxes and containers where possible, buy as a last resort Buy the same container in a variety of sizes so that you maximize the visual appeal
Time Required Up to 6 months 1 – 2 days


 

In Conclusion

Both Tidying Up and The Home Edit are quality programs that demonstrate proven steps to organize your home.  The basic steps are the same:

  • identify what (area/category) you want to organize
  • eliminate unnecessary items
  • categorize
  • and store

But the approaches are very different.  Both approaches can be successful. 

Things to consider when deciding on a decluttering approach.

  • What’s the current state of your home? Does it require a massive overhaul or just some revisions in a few areas?
  • How much time can you dedicate upfront? Do you just have a day or two or can you make a multi-month commitment to the effort?
  • What is your end goal? To have less stuff? To find things?  To have function meet beauty?

Also, be sure to check out both Tidying Up and The Home Edit on Netflix or buy their books for more ideas.

If I’m honest with you, I’m all about customizing a process to meet your needs.  I like a lot of what Marie Kondo teaches like vertical filing of your clothes, eliminating things you don’t need, and using the “joy” criteria for determining what you keep.

I also like The Home Edit’s approach to not biting off more than you can chew, having beautiful consistent storage containers, and adding a pop of home décor in a space.

So, now it’s up to you…will you go with one approach or, like me will you pick and choose the parts from each home organizer that you like best?

Happy Organizing!

 

Pin Me For Later

Organized home using the colorful approach from the Home Edit and the minimalist approach from Marie Kondo displaying a rainbow selection of hanging clothes and foldeded clothes with text Is the hOme Edit or The Kon Mari Method right for you?

 

 

 

 

More Easy Decluttering Ideas

16 Things Marie Kondo Says Everyone Should Discard

4 Easy Steps To Organize Any Drawer

DIY Dollar Store Bathroom Organization + 7 Organizing Tips

Pantry Food Shelf Life - How Long Does Food Really Last

5 Insanely Easy Steps to an Organized Pantry

Super Simple Ways To Organize Important Papers and End Paper Clutter

End the Chaos – Organize your Food Storage Containers Today!

15 Minute Decluttering Tasks That Don’t Overwhelm

3 Steps for Using a Pantry Inventory To Stay Organized

Inside: Save on grocery bills and reduce food waste by keeping track of the food you have on hand as well as the food you need to buy. I highly recommend creating a pantry inventory – here’s how.

When was the last time you pulled something out of your pantry only to find that it was (VERY) past its expiration date? 

How often do you run out of ingredients that you thought you had on hand only to find out (too late) that you don’t? Or you bought something you thought you needed only to find two of them in there when you got home?

Trust me, every one of those scenarios has happened to me too!

When left to its own devices, your pantry can quickly become an area that sucks up your time and money and causes stress rather than the glorious storage area it’s meant to be.

How do you change that? Well, I’m happy to report that it’s easier than it may seem! With just a little bit of organization and a pantry inventory list, you’ll soon be well on your way to knowing exactly what food you have on hand and what you (actually) need to purchase!

3 Steps To Getting (And Staying) Organized With A Pantry Inventory List

Do you know what you have in your pantry right now? If you (like many people) don’t, the good news is that you are not alone. The bad news…well, not knowing is costing you time, sanity, and money.

It’s time to change that with these 3 steps – they will change your life (sounds dramatic, but it’s true!).

Step 1: Clean Out Your Pantry With This Pantry Organization List

What is the pantry? Most people hear that word and think of a designated cabinet area in your kitchen that holds dry, shelf-stable items. 

For this post, I’m using the word “pantry” to refer not only to cabinet space but also to any other space where you store food: the refrigerator and freezer. The process I’m showing you today works for cabinet items as well as cold and frozen foods!

Clean Out Your Pantry 

In order to be able to take stock of what you have in your pantry, you first need to clean it out. Pull out every single item you have in your pantry and put them into 3 categories: 

  • Keep
  • Throw away
  • Donate

Decluttering expert Marie Kondo suggests only keeping items that “spark joy”. I think this is a great general concept for the home. However, for the pantry, I suggest adjusting that to only keep food items that “you will use”.

For example, if you have boxes of regular dried pasta in your pantry but don’t eat pasta anymore (or only eat gluten-free), get rid of the dried pasta you won’t use. Why keep it in there taking up space? 

disorganized food on pantry shelves

As you clean out and sort your pantry items into the three categories above, be sure to throw out any:

  • Expired items (here’s how to find out how long pantry food REALLY lasts) 
  • Rancid oils
  • Old or rancid nuts
  • Stale crackers, chips or bread
  • Old spices that have lost their flavor
  • Bottles or boxes that are essentially empty

Pro Tip: If you find two open containers of the same item (such as bags of the same kind of chips), try to combine them into one to save space and declutter. 

Declutter Your Pantry

As you pull out your pantry items, let the answers to these questions help guide your decision about whether to keep the food or not:

  • When was the last time you used this?
  • Could you make a meal with this today?
  • Do you enjoy eating this item?
  • Will you use this before it expires?

Pro Tip: Donate any unexpired food that you won’t eat to your local food bank. FYI, food banks and other donation collections will not accept expired items.

Step 2: Organize Pantry Items With A Pantry Inventory List

Whew – that was a huge step in the right direction!

Next, in order to help you stay organized and avoid going right back to that cluttered, disorganized pantry system you had before, it’s time to organize your pantry items.

I love this part of the process! This is where you get to create the organizational system that will make the biggest difference in knowing what items you have and what you don’t. 

It will also help you find the items you need quickly so that you aren’t digging through to the back of the pantry wondering where the canned tomatoes are. 🙂 

Create pantry “zones” to help you organize your pantry items and quickly find whatever you are looking for.

To do this, think about your family’s cooking and eating habits (after-school snacks, baking supplies, pasta, soups, etc) and designate an area for each category. 

Before and after photos of organizing a pantry

Examples Of Possible Pantry Zone Categories

*(adjust this list to fit your lifestyle)

  • Breakfast items
  • Snack items
  • Pasta & grains
  • Sauces and soups
  • Baking items
  • Canned goods (I like to break these up into categories: fruits, beans, veggies, etc)
  • Beans
  • Sweets
  • Beverages
  • Condiments

I have tried nearly every type of pantry inventory organization method there is, and the very best way that I have found to organize a pantry is to sort your items into zones as listed above and also use containers to keep things contained and neat. 

This works especially well if you buy items in bulk.

For example, we buy our oatmeal in bulk, and without a container to put our oatmeal into, my pantry gets cluttered with bags of oatmeal that I need to sort through before using to make sure that I have some oatmeal and that what I’m grabbing IS the oatmeal.

Ideas Of Different Types Of Containers You Can Use

  • Baskets
  • Buckets
  • Bins
  • Canisters
  • Cereal containers
  • Glass jars

Important Tips Regarding Your Pantry Containers

  • Use appropriate containers to help keep like items within your zones together while separating those zone items from items in a different zone.
  • Mix and match types of containers to find a system that works best for you. A bin or a basket works well for “collections” of items: snacks, small boxes, cans, etc.
  • Larger containers with lids (like cereal bins or canisters) work well for loose items like grains, pasta, flour, sugar, loose tea, nuts, etc.
  • Maximize your storage space by creating solutions that utilize vertical storage rather than pushings things towards the back to get lost and forgotten about with horizontal storage.

Pro Tip: If you really want to stay organized for the long term, label each pantry category so that family members can easily follow the system and put things where they belong to help keep it organized.

It may take just a little bit of time to set up your system and then fine-tune it so that it works just the way you want it to.

Then, it simply becomes a matter of living by the phrase: “A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place”!

Related Post: 5 Insanely Easy Steps to an Organized Pantry

woman standing in front of her organized pantry

Step 3: Use My Pantry Inventory Printable To Take Keep Track Of What You Have & Stay Organized

The third and final step for getting your pantry inventory under control is to grab my pantry inventory printable and use it to keep track of every item in your pantry. I designed it to be used regularly to help you not lose (or have to throw out expired) food anymore!

To use it most effectively, write down every single item you have and how many of each item you have. Keep it close to the pantry – or even hanging or velcroed inside – so that when someone takes an item out, they can mark it down.

Pro Tip: I highly recommend laminating the pantry inventory printable after you print it out. Use dry erase (or wet-erase) markers on it so that you don’t have to keep printing out new copies.

Click here for your free pantry inventory
 

Final Thought 

There you go! I hope these 3 simple steps help you get your pantry organization under control and eliminate your pantry inventory problem. Cleaning out your pantry will help you eliminate food waste and avoid spending money that you don’t need to.

Using a pantry inventory list will help you save time and feel like you really “have it together”(and who doesn’t want to feel that way?)!

 

 

 

 

 

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The Best Home Management Tips that are Actually Easy

Inside: Tired of always feeling tired, stretched too thin, and stressed out as you try to manage your home? These 7 powerhouse home management tips will help you create a custom home management system that eliminates stress and leaves you with a cleaner, more organized home!

Managing a home is a full-time job all by itself. Between cleaning, organizing, cooking, paying bills, running errands, and completing small repairs, all the tasks that are necessary for home management can easily consume the entire day.

And if you don’t have any systems in place, you’re probably overwhelmed with all of it. I would know because that’s exactly how I felt. Managing our house and raising our kids was much more difficult than my corporate job because I didn’t have the tools I needed to get the job done.

Home management tips being created on a printed sheet

Why You Should Use a Home Management System

In my corporate life, I know how to help teams of people prepare for their future. But, when I started to focus on raising our family, I didn’t know how to manage my own house. I was frustrated, stressed, and overwhelmed, to say the least.

That’s because I didn’t have a home management system. I simply didn’t have a way to make sure that I was staying on track, instead of dropping all the balls.

7 Top Home Management Tips That Are Actually Easy and Effective

While my home management skills were less than ideal at first, I was determined to come up with systems to make it extremely manageable. After years of fine-tuning those systems, I am now sharing my top tips with you to help you hone yours!

1. Use To-Do Lists

One of the things I discovered early on when I began managing our home was I couldn’t make it work without to-do lists. There are just so many things that come up and need to be addressed but also get forgotten in the busyness of life.

Life happens. The washing machine needs to be repaired. The grass gets long and full of weeds. The heat won’t turn on. Your son needs his baseball uniform washed pronto.

When it comes to managing a household, let’s face it: the to-do list is extensive. That’s why it helps to get all the tasks out of your brain and on paper so that they aren’t using up precious memory space or energy just to remember them.

Make your to-do list a part of a home management binder so it’s always ready when you need it.

2. Cleaning Routine Checklist

Certain cleaning tasks must be done daily, while others need to be done regularly but less frequently (weekly, monthly, etc). Staying on top of these tasks is the difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling like you’ve got everything under control. Make a list of chores and split them into what needs to be done daily, weekly, or monthly. 

Daily Chores

Here are a few examples of chores that need to be done daily in order to help you stay on top of them:

  • Make beds
  • Wiping down the kitchen after use
  • Sorting through the mail or papers from school that come home
  • A load of laundry
  • Put shoes and clothes away each day
  • Sweep the floors
  • Wash dishes

This was just a list of examples. If you have other daily chores, add them to the list!

Check out my 10 Minute Speed Cleaning Tasks to help you tackle those daily chores quickly so your house always feels clean.

Weekly Chores

This list might include things like:

  • Vacuuming
  • Mopping
  • Dusting
  • Cleaning the bathrooms
  • Changing bedsheets

 Again, feel free to modify this list based on how often you want certain chores done.

Monthly Chores

Some ideas of monthly chores (or tasks) might include:

  • Do a monthly clean cycle for your washing machine
  • Run a monthly clean cycle for your dishwasher
  • Change your furnace filter
  • Clean bedrooms
  • Dust blinds and ceiling fans

In other words, if you want to keep your home clean without spending all weekend long cleaning it, do a little at a time – consistently. The effort goes a long way and reduces those feelings of overwhelm that engulf you when you look around at a filthy house.

a desktop with a smartphone, a planner, and a woman's hand writing on a planner sheet

3. Calendar

Do you remember when your next dentist appointment is scheduled? How about when the A/C repair guy is coming? Your daughter’s orthodontist appointment? Or your husband’s work party?

Life flows at a breakneck speed these days, which means that you are often hearing about (or scheduling) events that your brain doesn’t retain as it’s also trying to remember 9,738 other things.

Keep a calendar handy. Whether you use a trusty paper version or a calendar on your smartphone, having an updated calendar always at your fingertips is huge for helping you keep track of all. the. things.

Tip: If you use a calendar in your smartphone, take advantage of the feature that allows you to set alerts. I always set alerts for my events. In fact, I sometimes set multiple alerts if I think I might forget about an event so that I am not too distracted and forget where I need to be!

4. Meal Plan & Prep

Meal planning is one of the easiest and most impactful home management tasks you can do. Really, it’s your secret weapon.

It literally shaves hours of work off your week and eliminates the daily frantic struggle to come up with a dinner plan (and get it made in time while also running soccer carpool and helping your daughter with her homework).

Here are some other benefits to meal planning:

  • It limits the number of trips (and time spent) going to the grocery store.
  • It saves money by eliminating aimless grocery shopping.
  • It’s healthier (and cheaper) for your family because you spend less on unplanned take out or drive through meals.

Learn how to do easy weekly meal planning and save yourself the headaches and stress of figuring out what’s for dinner each night. If not, I highly recommend you check out some of these menu planning services if that fits better into your schedule and lifestyle. 

The next time you hear the question that used to spark dread in your heart, you can answer what’s for dinner without any hesitation (or scrambling)!

5. Get Finances in Order

Part of managing a home is keeping track of finances and paying the bills. Having a clear picture of the money that comes into the household and where it flows is crucial for a smooth-running home.

Get your finances in order by setting a budget and sticking to it. You can find everything you need to get started by setting a budget and paying bills on time in my Home Management Binder.

6. Develop A System For Organization

If being organized doesn’t come naturally to you, that’s ok. There are certain things you can do to make your home more organized in a way that fits your personality. 

If you take a look at organizational systems that professional home organizers use, you can adapt them to your own home so that they work for you.

Here are a couple of gems to help you get started:

  • Designate a “home” for everything. When everything has a place where it belongs and is in that spot, there is no clutter. “A place for everything and everything in its place” as the saying goes.
  • Use baskets, bins, and other storage containers to create organized (and designated) places for everything. Label them to keep them organized.

organized playroom shelves with toys and storage boxes

7. Create Routines

People naturally crave routines, so build routines that fit your personality and help you stay on track. When you have a backbone for your day, it’s easier to stay on task and be productive than when you’re moving aimlessly from task to task.

Use your daily tasks, your frequent appointments, and other commitments to establish a daily routine that helps you.

Home Management: Final Thoughts

Adopting these 7 home management tips will help you implement a home management system that helps you stay organized and stress-free.

Need a little extra help? My Home Management Binder will help provide the structure you need. No more missed appointments or dinnertime frustrations!

 

 

 

 

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How to Finish Every Decluttering Project You Ever Start

Inside: If you’re tired of being overwhelmed or never finishing decluttering projects, check out this list of 7 tips that will help know exactly how to finish your decluttering project every time! 

It was a cold day in the mountains and all the campers have just left. We had a few hours before the new campers arrived. As part of the volunteer Summer work crew, one of my jobs was to change the sheets on the bunk beds throughout the camp.

This was a necessary but unglamorous job. At times the immature high-schooler in me did not want to do the job with excellence. Thankfully, I was paired with an older girl who had more wisdom than me. She said something that has stuck with me to this day. She said, “Anyone can start job well it’s how you finish it that matters.”

Many years later, I’ve taken that advice with me when I’ve ended professional jobs, moved to new to cities, or volunteered for organizations.

Despite my commitment to finishing jobs for others, it’s easy to let myself off the hook when it comes to personal matters.

Are you a serial starter?  How many times have you started decluttering only to get stalled in your tracks? Maybe you started a home organization project and got derailed. How many times have you started a diet and gave it up on Friday pizza night? Or maybe you set New Year’s resolutions only to abandon them before the end of January.

If I’m being candid, I’ve done ALL OF THESE!

I can so relate with my readers that share their struggle with finishing decluttering projects.  Recently, I have challenged myself to keep the commitments I make to me just as I would to others.

Let’s look at how you can keep your commitment to yourself by finishing what you started.  We’re going to dive into 7 tips to help you finish every decluttering project you ever start! (spoiler alert, you can apply these tips to more than just decluttering!)

1. Write down your goal

The first thing you should do is write down your goal.  You may not typically think about writing down a goal for decluttering, but writing things down has tremendous benefits!  Here are 7 to consider:

  • It makes you more committed
  • Helps clear your mind
  • Clarifies your goals and priorities
  • It makes you more efficient
  • Helps keep you motivated
  • Encourages consistent progress
  • Gives you a sense of achievement

close up of a woman's hand writing down her decluttering goals

2. Set timeframes and make commitments

In addition to writing down your goal be sure to include timeframes for finishing your decluttering project. You need to break the projects down into smaller tasks. For example, instead of saying I want to de-clutter the kitchen, break it into smaller steps like clean out the junk drawer, declutter under the sink, and organize the cleaning products. Once you break the project into smaller steps assign dates to each step.  These dates are your commitment to the timeframe. 

3. Prioritize

When you’ve broken your decluttering project into smaller steps you can then prioritize the steps even further.  Think about what motivates you. Maybe there’s an eyesore that bothers you every time you walk by. Put that project first on your list and imagine the satisfaction you’ll feel once it’s completed. Or maybe you’re having a hard time getting started… identify the smallest and easiest steps to help build your momentum. Prioritizing your action steps will help you finish your decluttering project every time.

4. Use time-blocking

Alright, let’s admit you’re guilty of multitasking.  Multitasking has been proven to actually make you less productive!  Gasp! How many times do you check your phone for text messages, emails, or Facebook updates?  I’m guilty too!  Time blocking is a simple tool you can use to help you focus your energy for a predetermined amount of time. 

What’s great about time blocking is you can make it work with almost any schedule. I know a woman who started a new business in the midst of running another business and having two young children. She decided she could work on the new business in 25-minute bursts of time. She listed her activities and then blocked off 25 minutes intervals at different points in the day.  Now she has a thriving new business that is significantly more successful than the previous.

To start using time blocking to help you finish your decluttering project, determine the amount that time you can dedicate on a daily or weekly basis. Block out the time on your calendar to commit to your decluttering project.

5. Identify the tradeoffs

Another helpful tip to finish your decluttering project is to recognize the trade-off in advance.

Recently a friend of mine decided to remove the carpet and tile and replace their flooring.  The husband had a 4-day weekend and this was their window of time to do it.  They watched a couple of YouTube videos but had no prior experience.  Four days later the entire family was still working on the demolition.  Their house was a  wreck and in total disorder and now they needed to go back to work so the project wouldn’t be finished until the next weekend.

In this case, identifying the tradeoffs would have looked something like this:

  • All 7 family members will need to be involved in this project which means they won’t be able to do other activities for these 4 days
  • The entire house is going to be in disarray, but it will look great when it’s finished
  • It may cost more money than you expect, so be sure to put aside some extra
  • In the end, it will all be worth it

Identify trade-offs before you start a project and you’ll be better prepared and more committed when things arise.

6. Practice achieving your goals

This is a real confidence booster. Do you know how many times you set yourself up for failure? You make a commitment to a goal so big that it’s highly unlikely you’d ever achieve it.

But big goals are not the only way to get things done. In fact, you’ll be more committed if you experience success if you take things on a little at a time.

Like I mentioned earlier, write down your goal. Make sure it’s a doable and achievable goal. In other words, make sure it’s realistic. If you’ve been burned by not completing projects in the past set out this time to start AND FINISH a small decluttering project. 

The more you see yourself being able to complete the decluttering project the more willing you’ll be to start and finish every decluttering project.

So how do you start small?… One drawer at the time, one shelf at a time, one small space at a time, or projects like cleaning out the bathroom drawer or the kid’s clothing drawer. Write down your goal (commitment), spend an hour or less to get it done, and see yourself achieve the goal.  This will build momentum and help you to finish every decluttering project you ever start! 

Decluterwomen's clothes hanging in an organized closet after she finished her decluttering project.

7. Manage your energy

There are natural points in the day when you have more energy.  Yes, it’s also true right after you have a cup of coffee that you’ll have more energy.  But you also have a natural circadian rhythm.  We have high energy points and low energy points in our day.  For most adults, between 1-3 p.m. is a low energy point.  THIS WOULD NOT BE THE TIME to start your decluttering project.

Maybe you’re an early bird or perhaps you like to stay up late to crank work out.  Think about when you have your burst of energy and schedule your decluttering project in that window of time.

You can also increase your energy by tapping into your internal motivation.  Remind yourself why this decluttering project is important to you.  How will it feel with you’ve completed it?  What benefits will you gain from it?  Will you save time, have less frustration, or just enjoy living in a decluttered space?

If you’re tired of getting stalled on your decluttering project and wondering how to finish every decluttering project you ever start, use these tips!  By writing down your goals, setting dates, and prioritizing your work, you’ll be more committed to the project.  Identifying trade-offs, practicing achieving your goals, and managing your energy will also help you cross the finish line.

So, what are you waiting for?  It’s time to get started (AND FINISH) your decluttering project!

 

 

 

 

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