I created Living ROI as a passion, to share my experiences and support others who want to live more authentic, joyful and fulfilling lives.
Dear Friends,
Stuff comes into my life faster than I can make room for it. This weekend I decided to stay put at home and “organize.” Declutter. It’s a never-ending task. Though I have gotten better at managing and minimizing my stuff, I’d like to go to a much deeper level.
With the advent of Amazon, stuff has increased exponentially. It has never been so easy, and so cheap, to buy stuff—everything from clothes to books to electronics and so, so much more.
As I lay in bed this morning thinking about what I’d write about today, I thought of the late comedian George Carlin. He was a favorite of my mother. His routine on “stuff” hit home for her, and that was nearly 35 years ago!
Despite ongoing efforts, I still have too much stuff. Too many books. Too many clothes. Too much paperwork. My husband is particularly fond of tools and cars, but I will keep my eyes on my own stuff today. 🙂
A goal of mine this year (in addition to going to every California State Park) is to simplify my life. On every level:
- Finances (I am no longer going to categorize every personal penny I spend, only things that have a tax implication.)
- Food (I’ve got that one dialed in, amazingly, with my Bright Line Eating program.)
- Clothes (My goal is to do a capsule wardrobe, a la Project 333.)
- Books (I haven’t figured out how to manage this one…yet. They still come in faster than they go out.)
- Commitments (I am being thoughtful about how I spend my time and am keeping more open space on my calendar.)
- Digital (This is a big one that includes email, photos, documents and anything else that resides on a digital device. This clutter is “hidden” from sight but can weigh on a person like nothing else. I just got all of my photos centralized and in the cloud, but there are many more digital decluttering projects to come.)
My oldest daughter, Emerald, has been an inspiration on the minimalist front—especially when it comes to clutter and clothes. To help her let go of things, and not buy stuff in the first place, she focuses on what she wants. More time. Less debt. Less stress. Too much stuff takes your time, costs money and creates stress. Living in a small Brooklyn apartment with another person is a motivator for her too!
The decluttering, simplifying and minimalism market is booming. One concept I read about this morning really sums up the goal: Don’t just organize, minimize. Get it out of your home, and bring less stuff in.
I’ve been looking for the perfect questions to ask to help let go of unnecessary stuff and to avoid buying things I don’t need. There are several options:
- KonMari: Does it spark joy?
- Becoming Minimalist: Do I need this? Why do I have this?
- Kathi Lipp: Do I love it? Do I use it? Would I buy it again?
- Maura: Will I need it? Can I get it? Is it serving me?
- Simple Lionheart Life: Do I use this item on a regular basis? Do I love this item?
Okay, I’m going back to work on my minimalist ambitions.
Wishing you peace with your stuff, whether you keep it or send it on to live with others,
Barbara Fagan-Smith
CEO, ROI Communication
Chief Catalyst, Living ROI
P.S. Thank you to those of you who responded to last week’s blog with your Soul Goals! I’d love to hear more!
Barbara, thanks for this post. It really resonates with me as I’m facing a basement of stuff to purge, and also feeling the need to purge wardrobe as I head into middle age. Question: What do we do when friends and family keep buying us more stuff, despite our asking them not to? I’m trying to purge knick knacks, candles, jewelry, coffee mugs – but they keep coming in. I’ve explicitly said to people, “Please don’t buy me a gift, I’m trying to purge stuff.” I suggest Dunkin Donuts gift cards – this is something I love and really could use. To no avail, though. People love to shop, but in fulfilling their need, they dump on me. How have or others you know handled this dilemma? Thank you for you!
Hi Patti! I’m sorry for the delay in replying to this. Very real issue! We can’t control what other people do, but we can control what we do with the stuff they give us. I fully appreciate the thought and intention and thank them for the gift. Separately, I decide whether I need it. If not, I give it to the Good Will. Sometimes I take a picture so I have the memory without the stuff. So, I separate the act of giving with feeling any obligation to keep it. 🙂 I hope this helps!
All the best! Barbara