Imagine having a wardrobe closet, kitchen cabinets, or a garage so un-stuffed that it’s as if you walked into a department store window display to live.
A small handful of clients out of thousands I’ve worked with actually live that kind of minimalist lifestyle. Case in point: many people have too much clothing and not enough closet space to use wooden hangers as they do in magazines and advertisements. Wooden hangers take up lots of space. Lack of closet space is why slim hangers are so popular now.
Minimalism: A dream only obtainable through curated lifestyle magazines and Instagram posts?
The photo in this post depicts minimalism, but it hasn’t been curated to obscure reality. It is how the closet I organized truly looks. There really is that much space between clothes, and it’s because this person chooses to own very little. It reflects the simple lifestyle of a client I recently worked with for the second time. She’s called on me twice for help when moving homes. She’s done all the decluttering herself.
How can someone live so simply? Here are a few excellent ways to start:
Restrain yourself – we don’t need to buy a ton of organizing supplies to get organized. Most people I work with need very few or nothing at all.
Say “so long!” to magazines – they are primarily ads for things to buy and these ads work on the subconscious more than we realize.
Go offline – cut down on personal time spent on social media and the web (including Amazon). Facebook and Instagram exist today only because corporations are making big money through this new form of marketing. And “free shipping” is a drug to start weening yourself off. Take a few months hiatus a couple times a year. You won’t miss anything important, trust me.
Take action TODAY:
Declutter, Declutter, Declutter – Set up a donation bag or box that lives year around in your home and toss into it anything your heart, mind, and soul tells you. Place it somewhere you see it every day. Over time, this box will fill and refill, and you and your home will begin to feel lighter and free.
Do you want to live the minimalist lifestyle you see in magazines and on Instagram? It’s possible!
The Pareto Principle
Research shows that people use 20% of what they own 80% of the time. The rest takes up space, mostly untouched. Consider the things in your home, the clothes on your body, and even what you take in your luggage on vacation. This is an example of the Pareto Principle, also known as ‘the law of the vital few’ and the 80/20 rule. In life, it means that 80% of all effects result from 20% of all possible causes. Does the 80/20 rule apply to you and your stuff?
Imagine the money you’ll save, how easy it will be to clean, and how quickly you’ll find what you need living a life of minimalism. What would you do with the free time and space created by owning only what you truly love and use?
If it’s a minimalist lifestyle you want to live, you can do it. YOU can make it happen. Start TODAY.
San Francisco Bay Area Professional Organizer Isabella Guajardo works with clients to downsize, minimalize, and organize their wardrobe closets, offices, paperwork, kitchens, garages, and any challenging area of the home. Call her today at (510) 229-7321 for a complimentary 20-minute conversation about downsizing and minimalism.
Join me this week to downsize and minimalize the amount of kids toys around the house. Tips:
When working with a child to declutter toys, let him/her know about all places they can donate to kids in need, such as to homeless shelters and toy drives. Pick a place to donate together and follow through with it. If not sure where to donate locally, ask the neighbors at nextdoor.com
Tackle clutter with the kids for as long as their attention can be held, they are having fun, and being productive with you.
Kids get overwhelmed by choice. Allow them to make decisions on what to keep and what to donate for only a few things at a time. When their interest starts to wane…
Set them free! Don’t get frustrated. It’s up to you, their mom/dad/guardian/caretaker, to continue sorting, decluttering, and putting things away.
Tackle kids clutter every few months. Declutter a little at a time together and instill great habits in everyone. Do not give up. Their clutter is your clutter. Set a regular schedule, find balance with the amount of stuff you are willing buy/accept/store/donate, and turn challenges into successes.
Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.
Join me this week to downsize & minimalize the knick knacks, doodads, bric-a-brac, and nondescript “junk” covering shelves, ledges, dressers, and other surfaces around the house.
What can you do with little things collected over the years that you are ready to let go?
Donate to a local charitable organization such as Goodwill
Give them to all the kids on the block
Leave them at the edge of your driveway by the sidewalk with a sign that reads “Take me, I’m yours” and watch them magically disappear
Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.
Join me this week to downsize & minimalize the excess make-up and toiletries that take up valuable space in the bathroom.
Shampoos and conditoners that your hair didn’t approve of, excess lotions, gels, creams, liquids, powders, and make-up that never did it for you.
Don’t hold onto what you don’t need nor what your hair and skin don’t like. Choose what you love and let go of the rest.
Isabella Guajardo, founder and owner of Bella Organizing, is a San Francisco Bay Area professional organizer offering home organizing, interior redesign, and residential move management services throughout the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Call (510) 229-7321 or email info@bellaorganizing.com for more information. Gift certificates are available.
