Anyone actively minimalist or big into decluttering?

[BWeaves]

Quote Originally Posted by BWeaves View Post
And I can throw out my husband's stuff with no problem. He hoards old newspapers that he swears he's going to get around to reading someday.

It's always easier to throw away somebody else's stuff. :P More seriously, though, even though we're "re-cluttering" my wife and I use this sort of thing to our advantage and audit each other every once in a while for that exact reason -- it's easier to hear somebody else say it and really consider it.

Very true. My mother used to ask me to come over to help her clean out her closets. I would be in "What Not To Wear" mode, and she would frown when I said something had to go, but she'd get rid of it if I convinced her it was out of style or no longer fit.

Mom, "But it's too good to give to the shelter."
Me, "No, it's perfect to give to the shelter."

[Vecturist]

I'm going through another round of paring down right now. I did a big session of it before I moved from AZ to CA about six months ago, although apparently not thorough enough because I got of several shopping bags and bankers' boxes after. I will say moving into a new apartment half the size of my previous condo will definitely force you to shed a few items.

Since my current job is not working out, I've begun to pare down again in anticipation of another move, especially since the primary areas I am looking for a job are in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area and I want to be prepared for the possibility of an apartment smaller than my current one. While I don't quite think I could get to the point of everything fitting in the car, I think I will be able to get close. It is freeing to get rid of things ans when I realized my job wasn't working out that I could move - and the fewer things I had, the more mobile I could be.

As far as paring down goes, I have found I will have a couple 'sticky' things - things I should get rid of, but I am attached to - and if I can let some (or all) of them go, everything is much easier.

[moriond]

People posting here might also like to take a read through the earlier Cleaning up and clearing out your space, what have you done? thread, where a number of posters were inspired by Marie Kondo's Book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up", mentioned earlier in this thread by @melminimalist.

moriond

[Alice in Wanderlust]

I couldn't be called a minimalist, but I am intrigued by the concept and am working to be intentional with things I buy and keep. I'm not sure Tom Bihn has helped because I now have 3 backpacks, 2 cafe bags, a maker's bag and few random accessories among other brand bags. I do use them all on regular basis though.

Clothing has been my latest downsizing attempt. We moved last year and I have half the closet space now, so I've been judiciously pruning and only buying needs. that inspiration came from Project 333, which is a great starting point, although I've tweaked my interpretation.

Books are one area where I will never be minimal. I have culled them down, but most are non-fiction and I use a large majority of them for research. I'm still in the midst of organizing and shelving many of my books from our move.

Before we moved, the rule became we would not buy anything that could not be moved easily by two people - not professional movers either, just two regular people who don't like to lift heavy boxes. We even got rid of our heavy sofa and downsized to two loveseats.

Aside from books, the hardest thing for me has been shifting the mindset. My previous house felt just right and I'm still trying to find that balance in our new one. Part of the challenge is my son and I bought a house with my mom and she has way more stuff than me. I purposely picked the smaller bedroom and have a separate living area, so I'm still editing smaller furniture items. What worked in the old house doesn't work in the new one. I actually planning on working on that today once I get off the Internet. *sigh*

Decluttering is an ongoing process. I've found it works best for me to take a little bit at a time, one category at a time. It's also a continual process if you're used to buying stuff.

In my dreams minimalism looks like just enough stuff to fit into the back of my SUV. I'm an older student and hope to attend grad school in the next few years. I will have to relocate and can leave most of my stuff at my current home, so I'm hoping to make what I need for grad school fit in the back of that SUV. That will be the real test to see what I actually need.

[Senua]

I am dipping my toes into the process of minimalism, but I’m not there yet. I’ve always been pretty good about going through and sorting once or twice a year, but after would still feel the weight of having stuff. I know that my personal idea of an item’s value is holding me back a bit with just going forward with decluttering/minimalizing. For now, I am trying to be intentional with what I bring into my home.

Recently reading Marie Kondo’s book and watching the TEDx Talk by the Minimalists really solidified how I was feeling about stuff, and gave me that “ah ha lightbulb feeling”. I’m looking forward to watching “Minimalism: a Documentary”, and checking out other great links that everyone has shared.

[wendybeachbum]

I love reading about people decluttering. I just went down to my mother's in Florida and her cluttered home inspired me to get rid of more.
To give some history, I am hoping to move to Scotland within the next year. So once I heard about the Minimalists, I was ready to change my life. All my life I spent so much money on stuff and two people (myself and my daughter) moved with a 15 foot U-haul from Texas to Colorado to Wisconsin and back to Colorado. My move to Scotland will be with a checked bag and a carryon of electronics. And that is all.
TedTalks has been my go to for people who have given up things for a more nomadic life. I am sorry I do not have links but the two that were the most inspirational to me was a man who talked about selling everything and go with his wife and infant daughter to Australia. The other was a woman who gave up 1000 items. I am at 700.
Soon I will be Ebaying a bunch of things, including some Tom Bihn bags. But not my Side Kick and Synapse 25. Those are my favorite Tom Bihn bags. I even got an iPad mini so I could use my SideKick and carry a tablet! I am condensing a tablet and Kindle into one and have a bigger screen than my phone so the iPad mini was my choice.
I feel my life is freer with the subtraction of things. My mother is even declutting and I am so proud of her!

[Xena]

I am dipping my toes into the process of minimalism, but I’m not there yet. I’ve always been pretty good about going through and sorting once or twice a year, but after would still feel the weight of having stuff. I know that my personal idea of an item’s value is holding me back a bit with just going forward with decluttering/minimalizing. For now, I am trying to be intentional with what I bring into my home.

Recently reading Marie Kondo’s book and watching the TEDx Talk by the Minimalists really solidified how I was feeling about stuff, and gave me that “ah ha lightbulb feeling”. I’m looking forward to watching “Minimalism: a Documentary”, and checking out other great links that everyone has shared.

I too am dipping my toes and I feel lighter and less anxious in my own room every time I get rid of stuff that has had no value or been used in forever. I recently decided to part with my Pop Figure collection. Friends can have whichever they want, and the rest will be put on eBay, along with some comics and some movies. Still deciding on the rest of my figures, but those aren't nearly as overwhelming as the shelve of Pops above my desk.

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[Jaffa]

I started decluttering years ago (the fact Im still decluttering would suggest Im rubbish at it!), but I moved from a 5 bed house to a tiny 2 bed bungalow. I put stuff in storage for 6 months, and then when I found my current house, I decluttered again, as all of my stuff still wouldn't fit.
I have just sorted out 3 bags of stuff this last weekend, and always feel better when Ive let go of stuff, that I wasnt ready to let go of previously.
I dont have a lot of space, but I do like the uncluttered feeling, and most of my 'stuff' is stored under a storage single bed and in a bookcase in my 2nd bedroom. I have found that the Minimalists and Miss Minimalist helped me, but will look at the other links for inspiration.
Jaffa

[Jaffa]

During my 4 days off, I finally sorted out/re organised my collection of 'little bottles' that I kept for fitting in my 3-1-1 bag -
I had enough to fit into 4 bags, (which is 3 bags too many). Just keep trying to find non liquid alternatives.
Got rid of a bag of 70 music cassette tapes, didn't know what to do with them, but went to a bric-a-brac stall this weekend.
I have a problem with brand new clothing hanging up in my wardrobe that reminds me I shouldn't have bought it in the first place!.
Too many Rohan tops/trousers.
Jaffa

[TRD]

Try some of the Konmari groups on Facebook. They're all abouf decluttering based on Marie Kondo's books.

[Jaffa]

Thanks, Ive tried Kon Mari books, and like the idea of gathering everything of something! Into the same place, it works for me.
However, its just the clothes with labels on, that I shouldn't have bought 3 of the same style in different colours!
Perhaps its just a question of time and getting ruthless
Jaffa

[melminimalist]

Thanks, Ive tried Kon Mari books, and like the idea of gathering everything of something! Into the same place, it works for me.
However, its just the clothes with labels on, that I shouldn't have bought 3 of the same style in different colours!
Perhaps its just a question of time and getting ruthless
Jaffa

Bring them to consignment store or second hand shop and get some more eyes for the clothes that are still brand new, or sell on poshmark.

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[LilAve]

I moved about a year ago and did things completely backwards. Instead of decluttering before my move, I decluttered afterward (learned my lesson!). In total, I donated of 8 large garbage bags of clothes that no longer fit me, or I haven't worn in a year or longer. I just did the same method with the rummage sale we had at work; I took over several books over that I had either read many times over and now have digital copies of to the sale along with several hats that no longer bring me joy, which is saying something because I'm a huge hat collector. My next endeavor is to pare down all of the hats I have. It'll be a struggle, but I'd rather have the extra space than have boxes of unworn hats that don't even see the light of day.

[TRD]

Thanks, Ive tried Kon Mari books, and like the idea of gathering everything of something! Into the same place, it works for me.
However, its just the clothes with labels on, that I shouldn't have bought 3 of the same style in different colours!
Perhaps its just a question of time and getting ruthless
Jaffa

I've actually never read them. Lol. I am, however, continually inspired seeing all the declutter photos people post in the Facebook Konmari groups.

[anna2222]

The new Cubelet and the small Pouchkin will certainly help achieve a minimalist EDC!