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Does your place (house or room) looks:


  • Total voters
    22

Sabrina

Gentle & brave earthling
Hi, is anyone here a minimalist or is interested in minimalism? I started this lifestyle path formally four years ago, but I've always been interested in finding new ways to simplify my life. Having less visual distractions at home, and reducing the amount of decisions that I have to make everyday, regarding clothing, food, etc, has helped me a lot in having a sense of order in what otherwise would be a chaotic life. I've also rediscovered (because I remember that I used to love to organize my toys and stuff when I was a kid) that I get a thrilled sensation every time I can organize neatly my stuff :).
 
When I'm not pregnant and can take my meds my house is super organized and clean. Now I'm unable to do everything myself it's a total disaster as dude just doesn't care. I can't even leave my bedroom at the moment. He told me it's just going to stay this way until I can take my medicine and clean it myself. >: Living with people sucks.
 
I'm a pack rat, I suspect that if I'm not careful I could become a hoarder, but I don't think I would ever let it get that far... I collect vintage photos which takes up a fair amount of space, and I also collect other things... My main issue is that I tend to keep too many paper items that I don't really need, like a church bulletin from two years ago, I'm not kidding! I should have recycled that two years ago... :confused:
 
My dog and I play ball in the house, we keep things organized though keeping things clean is not such a priority. We live by a simple rule, if it collects dust then clearly it is not needed.
 
When I'm not pregnant and can take my meds my house is super organized and clean. Now I'm unable to do everything myself it's a total disaster as dude just doesn't care. I can't even leave my bedroom at the moment. He told me it's just going to stay this way until I can take my medicine and clean it myself. >: Living with people sucks.
Hang in there! It doesn't count if you have babies , little kids or are pregnant :D it's totally ok to have your house upside down. ;) Actually , don't organize too much, cos' you'll get frustrated .
 
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Hang in there! It doesn't count if you have babies or little kids :D it's totally ok to have your house upside down. ;) Actually , don't organize too much, cos' you'll get frustrated .
No the mess is literately hip high in the living room, you can't even walk you have to actually wade through it all. I can't even go out there, I'll have a meltdown. It's just the toys everywhere and the containers they're supposed to be in piled up on it and then dirty laundry piled through it and freaking cups and bowls and such. They both know I don't want them eating in the living room but since I've been unable to keep up on them they've just done what they want. Plus games that have been gotten out and discarded so the pieces are just where and the boxes to them just under the mess. Books scattered about. Plushies and stuffed animals just everywhere. No wonder the Angry Birds are so angry... Everything has an actual place and when the house is clean it doesn't look like we have that much really but when just every single thing is out and piled up it's just insane. It'll take me a good month to clean it when I'm finally able to again. -._-. Bleh :rage: #nothappy

The rule is supposed to be you can't get anything new out until the last things have been put away. This rule has only been applied in my bedroom where I keep certain toys (legos, Pokemon, Ponies, KNex, classic McDonald's toys, Ninja Turtles) since I've been unable to do the housework. He has no problem putting the toys away himself to get out something new if he's told to.
 
My entire life since leaving home at age eighteen, I have believed in keeping things simple, and having less of things where I lived. This created less stress and more motivation when the place is tidy and clean. I will give some examples that helped me minimalize.

(1) I loved having just the basics for furniture in any room, like for the living room, it usually consisted of a new or newer matching comfortable chair, sofa and loveseat, with a coffee table or end table. And for the bedroom would just be the bed and one dresser.

(2) For clothes, I had a reasonable number of new outfits each year, like 5 pairs of pants, 10 shirts, and an adequate supply of underwear and socks. All these items must fit in the one bedroom dresser and one closet there. I just had two pairs of sneakers and two shoes each year. I preferred casual and semi-formal wear, and not formal wear, and as the latter takes up too much space.

(3) Any other extra closet in the apartment or home would be either empty, or to fit a major need, like to store a vacuum cleaner, broom, or a few large Tupperware containers that are clearly labeled with like important items in each. I usually had large containers for: the rest of the non-displayed sentimental items, one just for photo albums, one for books, and like one for extra sheets or another blanket.

(4) For very sentimental items, I would pick at most one to two to display each year, to prevent breakage, either by putting on the wall or on a night stand, or on an end table. Again, the rest I kept in a storage container and stored in my bedroom or bedroom closet.

(5) The living room walls would just have a few other items, like a few landscape or seascape paintings and one clock. Most other walls in the residence were bare.

(6) Any older item or smaller item that I did not use for about two years, or would not likely use for the next two years I donated or discarded and threw away.

(7) For paperwork, I kept only very important things, like deeds to any homes, titles to a car, drivers licenses, important medical reports, very important receipts, insurance or tax -related information, etc. I threw out all other paperwork. I only needed a smaller container or safe for these.

(8) For bathroom and kitchen items, I kept just the basics, too. This meant maybe 5 towels, 5 wash cloths, basic grooming and hygiene items, for the bathroom, and to be stored in a small container for the small items, and the towels in the bathroom closet, too. For the kitchen, I would not use all the cupboards and drawers, but just like one cupboard for dishes and glasses, one drawer for utensils, and measuring cups, one cupboard for spices, one for a few pots and pans, and one for smaller food Tupperware containers and ziplock bags

(9) It should be noted that for all the smaller and accessory things too, besides the big furniture and appliances which were new or newer, less than five years old, nothing was really old, except for some sentimental items stored away. This gave me motivation to keep the place organized, clean and not-overflowing.

(10) I would not worry about cleaning sinks, toilets and vacuuming every day, but every few days, but only clean up spills immediately. But, I would pick up objects usually that were out of place at the end of the day and put them where they should go.

By doing this minimizing and organization of things, this indeed made myself personally happier, more energized the next morning, and with less stress. I just always felt a cleaner and more tidy place would make my life easier. The dirtier and more disorganized it was, and the more items in the place, I felt this would create more work each day for me. I realize others rather have the opposite, including my wife, but she is receptive to many of my ideas.
 
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If you have any tips, could you please, please share them? Books? Websites? Blogs? Have been trying to do the minimalist thing for years but I am not so good at keeping things organized. Everything is a potential craft supply. Oh, and I live with a guy who...well, let's just say he is enthusiastic about cooking.
 
Everything is a potential craft supply.
This for sure! My craft section is HUGE and extremely organized. The area is very tight since losing my craft room to my kids bedroom, but what can you do. It's nice to be able to just pull things out for him to create with on a whim. I could never afford to go to the craft store for every stupid project now. New posterboard is about the only thing I ever need to buy.
 
No the mess is literately hip high in the living room, you can't even walk you have to actually wade through it all. I can't even go out there, I'll have a meltdown. It's just the toys everywhere and the containers they're supposed to be in piled up on it and then dirty laundry piled through it and freaking cups and bowls and such. They both know I don't want them eating in the living room but since I've been unable to keep up on them they've just done what they want. Plus games that have been gotten out and discarded so the pieces are just where and the boxes to them just under the mess. Books scattered about. Plushies and stuffed animals just everywhere. No wonder the Angry Birds are so angry... Everything has an actual place and when the house is clean it doesn't look like we have that much really but when just every single thing is out and piled up it's just insane. It'll take me a good month to clean it when I'm finally able to again. -._-. Bleh :rage: #nothappy

The rule is supposed to be you can't get anything new out until the last things have been put away. This rule has only been applied in my bedroom where I keep certain toys (legos, Pokemon, Ponies, KNex, classic McDonald's toys, Ninja Turtles) since I've been unable to do the housework. He has no problem putting the toys away himself to get out something new if he's told to.
That seems very bad ...
 
It is interesting to read how one actually manages minimalism. I do not even aspire to your competence in managing such a lifestyle.

I have experienced something like it when I lost almost everything I owned, but did not like things so sparse. I do have ambitions to eliminate a lot more than I already have, though. Your examples of how you achieved your minimalism are certainly inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
 
If you have any tips, could you please, please share them? Books? Websites? Blogs? Have been trying to do the minimalist thing for years but I am not so good at keeping things organized. Everything is a potential craft supply. Oh, and I live with a guy who...well, let's just say he is enthusiastic about cooking.

I started with the book The Power of Less by Leo Babauta (blog Zen Habits) .

I recently saw the documentary in Netflix, Minimalism, a documentary about
the important things ( by The Minimalists, with the blog of the name). A lot of the people that they interview there are well know bloggers and authors in the subject.

I recently read The life - changing magic of tidying up , the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing, by Marie Kondo. I absolutely loved the book, as well as the follow up, Spark joy, but I must warn that these two books are for "advanced level" or for people a little bit obsessed with the issue, they both could be too extreme for first time declutterers (if that's a word:D).

There are also bloggers more focused in travelling like Colin Wright, in wardrobe ( Project 333) , in having less environmental impact like the author Bea Johnson ( book Zero Waste Home, the ultimate guide to simplifying your life by reducing your waste) and the blogger Joshua Becker , Becoming Minimalist.
 
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That seems very bad ...
Yeah. It's crazy because before we actually lived together he always cleaned up after himself when he came over, after he moved in he completely 360'd. I miss living alone in so many ways. If we ever get a bigger place I'm for sure going to have my own room that he's not allowed into at all. I'll use it for a guest bedroom, alternate bedroom for myself and also for all my craft stuff and projects.

I don't want to get rid of my stuff because it's such a nightmare; I want him to respect it and to teach our kids to respect stuff, their own and others. When you get something out it's fine if you don't put it away immediately but you do need to put it away before just piling more things up on top of it.
 
Did you ever see the documentary tiny house nation?
Minimalism sedating tv!!!!!!!"
Hi, is anyone here a minimalist or is interested in minimalism? I started this lifestyle path formally four years ago, but I've always been interested in finding new ways to simplify my life. Having less visual distractions at home, and reducing the amount of decisions that I have to make everyday, regarding clothing, food, etc, has helped me a lot in having a sense of order in what otherwise would be a chaotic life. I've also rediscovered (because I remember that I used to love to organize my toys and stuff when I was a kid) that I get a thrilled sensation every time I can organize neatly my stuff :).
 
My dream would be to live in a place just large enough for what I need to be comfortable so I could keep it clean and organized. It would be near a lake or pond with woods seperating me from any other houses nearby. I would love to be able to walk outside and not see other houses and people. Just me and nature.
But, for now, I am living with a senior man who has health issues and a big house. I live in one wing of it. I keep the kitchen clean and laundry room along with my wing. But, he is a hoarder and has no care about clean or organization. His master suite, living room, dining room and den are his mess. I would do some things to organize, but, he really wants it his way. So I don't go into those areas of the house. I would have to be better off finacially than at present to get my little secluded place I want.
 
Agree caring for another being is a big change do what keeps you healthy HES strong enough to help i imagine
Hang in there! It doesn't count if you have babies , little kids or are pregnant :D it's totally ok to have your house upside down. ;) Actually , don't organize too much, cos' you'll get frustrated .
 
If you have any tips, could you please, please share them? Books? Websites? Blogs? Have been trying to do the minimalist thing for years but I am not so good at keeping things organized. Everything is a potential craft supply. Oh, and I live with a guy who...well, let's just say he is enthusiastic about cooking.
Have you used it in the last year if not get rid thats the maxim one life coach has
i cant do that what i think is if i DONT use it give it away or sell if you can
 
my craft section just squeezed into one corner away from cats if ! i succeed
This for sure! My craft section is HUGE and extremely organized. The area is very tight since losing my craft room to my kids bedroom, but what can you do. It's nice to be able to just pull things out for him to create with on a whim. I could never afford to go to the craft store for every stupid project now. New posterboard is about the only thing I ever need to buy.
 
No the mess is literately hip high in the living room, you can't even walk you have to actually wade through it all. I can't even go out there, I'll have a meltdown. It's just the toys everywhere and the containers they're supposed to be in piled up on it and then dirty laundry piled through it and freaking cups and bowls and such. They both know I don't want them eating in the living room but since I've been unable to keep up on them they've just done what they want. Plus games that have been gotten out and discarded so the pieces are just where and the boxes to them just under the mess. Books scattered about. Plushies and stuffed animals just everywhere. No wonder the Angry Birds are so angry... Everything has an actual place and when the house is clean it doesn't look like we have that much really but when just every single thing is out and piled up it's just insane. It'll take me a good month to clean it when I'm finally able to again. -._-. Bleh :rage: #nothappy

The rule is supposed to be you can't get anything new out until the last things have been put away. This rule has only been applied in my bedroom where I keep certain toys (legos, Pokemon, Ponies, KNex, classic McDonald's toys, Ninja Turtles) since I've been unable to do the housework. He has no problem putting the toys away himself to get out something new if he's told to.

That is how our youngest son Dylan loves things. Scattered about. It is ok for him to do this for a few of his toys he loves, for him to play with throughout parts of the day, and then I put those away at the end of the day, but when he tries to often find just emptied boxes, and searches for papers and magazines and rips them, and chew on them, or throws these pieces all over every room, I have to make sure those papers and magazines are not lying around or in some drawer he pulls out. I usually burn empty boxes in our fire pit, as soon as they are emptied.

Dylan likes climbing on countertops looking in cupboards for items, too, because of his hyperactivity in addition to Autism, so that is why lots of the cupboards are bare too, but we do have locks on some of them. Aaron is very good at helping organize and tidy up the house at the end of each day. He loves helping like that. He likes things in its proper places, too, and not laying around, or having too much. Even last Christmas we asked him how many things does he hope Santa will bring and he says "I only want three things." I say, "Are you sure. You are a good boy and he wants to probably give you many more," and he says, either "Of course" or repeats again "I want just three things."

I guess Aaron takes more after me, and Dylan my wife. One day I would not rule out us having buillt a new adjoining living quarters larger single story home; one side with their own kitchens and living room for those two to feel comfort much of several hours each day, and one side for Aaron and me, to motivate us and relax us. But, Dylan and my wife are ok now with most of the more organized things and less things all over. We reached a compromise by them having several of their things left around if a need, but me of course having to pick them up at days end.
 
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