What goes in must come out.

I have spent the last two years decluttering (on & off). It started when we attempted to live plastic free and I got rid of all our surplus products in the bathroom and then moved through the house room by room. I haven’t read the Marie Kondo books instead I trawled and pinned on pinterest. Empty bare white spaces. Scandinavian design. Simple living. Clutter free.

I wanted a wardrobe that was easy to manage and fit for purpose so that every morning I could throw something on and it looked good. It didn’t have to be trendy just make me feel good. Bags and bags later I ended up with about 30 odd items (33*rules). Those items have changed a little since, updated with quirky items and the basics.

My style has become more Scandinavian country bumpkin but I love it and I feel comfortable every day whether I am in the park, working at home or heading to a meeting.

The rest of the house has also undergone a huge transformation but I wouldn’t call it minimalist in the classic sense – more cosy minimalist. Everything has a place and a purpose.

When I first started decluttering, I thought that would be it but I was wrong. More clutter appeared. Maybe not as en masse but still it appeared. Dealing with this took some time and mindset change to 1 in 1 out, new for old. It gets easier and is liberating. I just replaced a white top because it had holes in the armpit, the elbow and pretty much everywhere else. I already attempted mending it. This was easy to replace and dispose of. But I also enjoy the space in my wardrobe or the kitchen drawers. We actually have more space in the kitchen available to us and to think we added extra cupboards when we moved in to fit all our stuff.

With Christmas having just been upon us and a new year on the way, I find it therapeutic to clean and declutter a little more to make space for the new stuff – although this is less and less every year (even for our son) as our family have started to see us strive for a simpler more sustainable lifestyle.

New Year, New You? No?

It’s like an assault on the sense – set your goals, make your plans, vision it….and STOP! Breathe! When did we suddenly get this way. So I set some goals and plans about mid-December for the new year. I wanted to ease in slowly. Now I feel totally invaded and overwhelmed by the influx of emails, social media posts, etc… about how to have this amazing life I can have but not having currently.

What if I like my life the way it is?? Thanks.

Maybe we should try just being, rather than always be doing. With stress, anxiety and depression on the rise and perfectionism in the workplace also on the rise maybe we need to slow down and ask ourselves – is this really a healthy state to be in?

I have been taking courses now for over two years although I hold a couple of degrees and Masters (you’d think that would be enough) because we now have to be lifelong learners. Don’t get me wrong, I love learning and studying but there comes a time where you have to put it into practice. By continuously taking courses you more or less avoid this – it can even make you feel disempowered. So much information and knowledge in your head about what to do, how to do it and you are just paralysed by it. All you can think is maybe I need to do another course, maybe that one will help me take action.

*Drum roll* No it won’t. Only you can help you. Only you can take action.

“For most people, learning has become an escape from doing. Filling your head with useless information is the opposite of hard-won wisdom and understanding, which can only happen via the application of knowledge and re-application based on real world knowledge.”  Benjamin Hardy

It’s more than imposter syndrome. It sits somewhere between that, procrastination and overwhelm. It will probably be different for everyone.