Adopting these five simple mindsets will help you maintain a happy clutter-free life with your family.
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You’ve done it. You’re feeling the many benefits of being clutter-free and only owning the items you LOVE. You’ve started the process of decluttering, you already love it, and you're never going back to ‘how it used to be.'
As you move forward, adopting a few mindsets and behaviors will help you maintain your new clutter-free lifestyle.
5 Simple Mindsets for Living a Happy Clutter-Free Life
Here are five tips to help you stay on course:
1 | Adopt a "one item in, one item out" rule.
Decluttering doesn't necessarily stop the urge for retail therapy. Often we buy things we don't need (or even necessarily want) simply for the relief we're taught shopping provides. If you start to feel tempted to engage in ‘retail therapy,' try and redirect your mind by reading, engaging in a hobby (photography for me), meditating, journaling, or spending time with a friend.
If you find something you love, make "one item in, one item out" a hard and set rule in your household. If you bring ANY item in, another item must then go out.
2 | Don’t let sentiment hold you back
Many of us love having things around that remind us of a specific time, trip, or event. This can be challenging when attempting to maintain a clutter-free environment. It's ok to keep these cherished items, but two questions you can ask yourself to stay inline with a minimalistic mindset are:
- Is the memory going to go away if I get rid of this item?
- If I donate this item, will I be happier knowing someone else is using it?
BONUS TIP: Take pictures of sentimental items you love, but don't want to keep. It is a great way to save the memory, but not be bogged down by the physical clutter in your home.
3 | Happiness is found outdoors
Make time to take walks, check out local parks or state parks, explore new playgrounds, and just hanging out in your backyard. The more active and engaged you and your family become, the less stuff you'll need inside your house to be happy.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 52 Obtainable Ways to Simplify Your Life by Erica Layne at The Life on Purpose Movement
4 | Chose "Experiences over things"
When reflecting back on life, we don't often hear the phrase, "If only I'd owned a..." We usually hear people wishing they would have spent more time with the people they love. When you feel tempted to make a new purchase, remember the mantra "experience over things".
5 | Less is more
Of course, there are lots of perks to owning less...
- The stuff you own is stuff you love
- You're not constantly annoyed, distracted, stressed by clutter
- You save money by not constantly feeling the need to buy more stuff
If you find yourself in need of a simple reminder of why you're moving toward a minimalistic lifestyle remember that:
LESS stuff, LESS organizing, LESS time cleaning = MORE time doing stuff I love
In the end, owning less is a route to Becoming UnBusy.
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Meet Laura | The Mindful Mom Blographer
Laura a mom, wife, nature photographer, proud Minnesotan, outdoor enthusiast, self-care advocate, blogger, food lover, mantra say-er, cat and dog owner, part minimalist, gardener, pay-it-forward lover and so much more. Her goal at The Mindful Mom Blographer is to help you live the most mindful and intentional life you want, using resources you have available. Follow her online: Blog | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
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