When I first read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo’s manifesto on decluttering, my reaction was “here’s a woman who has no kids or hobbies.” It’s easy to say everything needs to “spark joy” when you aren’t in the world of diapers, plastic toys and grubby play clothes. Easy to say you should […]
A Word for the Year: Usephoria
My actual word for the year is calibrate, but one meaning of calibrate (to me, anyway) is to make things a little bit better, and that’s exactly what usephoria is about. What is Usephoria? Usephoria is a word I made up a few years ago and I defined it like this: The joyful feeling derived […]
Unfinished Projects are Clutter. Here’s How to Fix It
I’ve been working on cleaning my office/studio again (always) and I realized something I already knew: I have a lot of unfinished projects hanging around. That quilt I made my husband (of 20 years) when we were dating that I never actually quilted. The half-knit blanket I’ve been “working on” for years. The sweater that’s […]
What Does it Mean to be a Minimalist Crafter?
Are you a minimalist crafter? Do you want to be? What does it even MEAN? The word manifesto has such terrible connotations, but I really like the idea of having a manifesto or a firm statement of beliefs about different things that I do. Writing a manifesto, or mission statement, or whatever you want to […]
These Free Worksheets Will Help Give You Motivation to Declutter
It can be hard to find motivation to declutter. But if you can get a good vision for what you want your space to look like when you’re done, it just might give you the kickstart you need. I know how hard it can be to declutter your craft supplies and make a space that […]
Decluttering Challenge: Play the Moving Game
Sometimes it takes a decluttering challenge to get you motivated to clear out craft supplies or anything else that might be holding you back. The moving game is an easy way to change your mindset about the things you’re holding onto and whether you want to keep them. How to Play the Moving Game The […]
KonMari Not Working for You? Try New Minimalism
Affiliate links are included for your convenience. Marie Kondo’s methods have probably inspired millions of people around the world to clean out their spaces and look for the things in their homes that spark joy. But it can be hard for some people to know what joy looks or feels like, or how you feel […]
Time to Get Honest about What’s Stopping You from Decluttering
If you say you want to declutter but it’s not happening, what’s stopping you from decluttering? I’m taking part, along with some of my co-workers, in the Whole Life Challenge, a six-week program that focuses on diet, exercise, getting enough sleep and water and different aspects of well-being. This week’s well-being challenge has to do […]
How to Avoid Buying Things on Black Friday
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are designed to thwart our minimalist tendencies. Here’s how to avoid the spending spree. Affiliate links included in a tongue-in-cheek way. Everyone wants you to buy something on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, whatever you want to designate these days of hyper-consumption after the holiday designed to remind us to be […]
On Swedish Death Cleaning, Natural Disasters and Decluttering Now
Why Swedish death cleaning and natural disasters can motivate us to declutter things now, while we still have the chance. There have been so many people affected by hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and other disasters lately. I’ve read more than one person say that having to clean out a house full of stuff that was flooded […]