• Decluttering,  Minimalism

    How to Recycle Clothes and Other Clutter

    Going minimalist? Planning a big declutter? If so, you’re about to create boxes and bags full of clutter. And those will need to go somewhere. I’ve written guides on how to sell and donate clutter. But some things won’t fit in either of those categories. You’re going to want to clear out clothes with holes or stains, worn out shoes, and random household items. If you feel guilty about throwing them away, you can use this guide to figure out how to recycle clothes and as much other clutter as possible.  That being said, I’d like to issue a warning at the outset that you shouldn’t overthink decluttering. If you…

  • Minimalism

    10 Unexpected Things that Happened When I Became a Minimalist

    I’ve written before about how I toyed with the idea of minimalism for a couple years before I really took it seriously. One January I finally dipped my toe in as a resolution. I started by decluttering, then creating a capsule wardrobe, minimizing my beauty routine, and buying less. In the process, I was shocked by the realizations I started having very quickly. Here are 10 things that took me by surprise once I became a minimalist. 1. I felt better, not worse, after letting things go. As a tidy person, I had done superficial decluttering before. It always feels nice to clear out trash and obvious junk from your…

  • Minimalism

    8 Surprising Things I Learned by Designing a Minimalist Wardrobe

    Designing a Minimalist Wardrobe For most of my life, I was pretty clueless about style. I had way too many clothes but somehow still struggled to put outfits together. When I tried to declutter, I had no idea where to start. When I started my minimalist journey, one of the first steps I took was creating a capsule wardrobe. That involved decluttering most of my clothes and creating a curated collection of pieces that could be mixed and matched. I had no idea how to approach this, so I did some internet research and learned how to design a minimalist wardrobe.  Now, I’m still not a fashionista, but I’ve figured…

  • Minimalism,  Minimalist Kids

    How to Be Minimalist With a New Baby: What to Pack in a Diaper Bag for a Newborn

    Why Pack a Minimalist Diaper Bag for a Newborn? When I imagined becoming a parent, I pictured families I’d seen around the city with their babies. They pushed babies in strollers, schlepping blankets, bottles, and toys underneath it, along with a suitcase-sized bag on their shoulders. They looked burdened and harried as they hurried along with their little ones. It’s understandable, of course – when you’re a new parent, you have more important things to think about than what to pack in a diaper bag for a newborn. Still, the sight did not make me eager to enter this phase of life.  But could it be easier?  I was dabbling in…

  • Decluttering,  Minimalism

    How to Declutter for Good: 10 Bad Reasons You Hold Onto Junk

    Have you tried decluttering before and found that, despite the purge, you still have more than you need? There are some things we all have that are obviously junk – you know how to identify and declutter them. But other things survive the decluttering process over and over, continuing to take up space in your home after multiple spring clean-outs. This article describes some bad reasons that you’ve held onto these things. Once you can identify those, it will be easier to recognize which items seem worth hoarding but are, in fact, clutter.  Bad Reasons You Hold Onto Clutter – and How to Shift Your Perspective to Declutter 1. It…