Clear The Clutter 2019 Challenge

Happy New Year friends!

I hope the holidays found you cozied up with loved ones, savoring simple, and filled with the true things that matter in your life. As we closeout the holiday season I look with anticipation ahead to what 2019 will bring. I love the new year for the chance to start with a clean slate. What better time than the present to start your journey toward less? I know that both time and energy create barriers to a more simplified home. For those of you interested in simplifying and minimizing your home, I've outlined a few guidelines to help take the guesswork out of the equation.

1. Define your "why?" - It's easy to delve into anything full steam ahead only to quickly lose momentum because you failed to define your why. This could be a simple phrase coupled with a word that encapsulates your journey. For example; "Peace - I want my home to be a place of respite and tranquility that welcomes me at the end of a long day. Presently I don't feel at peace with all the stuff and excess that surrounds me," or "I'm a busy working mama that does all the things for my family. I need to streamline my home so I can spend the time I do have with my husband and kids, not excess time maintaining my home." You get the idea; remembering your "why" will help revitalize your process when the going gets tough.

2. Make a daily appointment - Look ahead on your calendar and set a daily decluttering appointment with yourself for the month of January. Some of you may be stay at home mamas and naptime might serve as the best/only option, others juggle a hectic work schedule and find post-dinnertime the only time to squeeze in a quick session. The length of time doesn't matter; it could be 10 minutes or a few hours. Depending on your work style and personality, tailor this daily appointment to what suits your needs. Think of this time as a form of self care and necessity. When you prioritize your home and the space around you, it feeds into your and your family's physical, mental, and emotional wellness.

3. Choose a space or room to start - In my experience it's gratifying to focus on one area or space at a time to see the most dramatic results rather than jumping around between the kitchen drawer this day, and the bathroom counter the next. If your new to minimalism, the easiest place to start are spaces without emotional attachment, like the bathroom. Use your daily decluttering appointment on this designated area until it's stripped down and simplified to your liking. Don't move on until it's complete.

4. Donate - Get rid of at least 1 item each day. This number can be more, the point here is that you're actually decluttering vs. reorganization eg; moving stuff around. In my home I have a pretty Magnolia Farm basket on my laundry room counter that houses my donation pile. I've come to a point in my minimalist journey where I only drop off donations a few times a year, but if you are just beginning, it may be helpful to have an area of your home to collect donations. Drop off donations as soon as possible. There's so much truth to the phrase "out of sight, out of mind." I've been pursuing less for years and I honestly can't recall the last time I regretted donating something.

Who's with me? I'd love to follow you on your journey. For those of you joining, please tag me on Instagram @thejoyfulminimalist and hashtag #2019cleartheclutter. Let's replace the excess and clutter in our homes with breathing room, peace, and space for the things that matter.