Just Start Somewhere

When it comes to minimizing, you don’t need to start with the hard stuff. Start easy. Start small. Just start somewhere.

Begin your more-of-less journey at the easiest possible place. I recommend beginning in the areas of your home that you use frequently. Living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms, in particular, are great places to start. Typically, they are easier and take less time to declutter than kitchens, offices, or attics. But more importantly, because you use these rooms often, you will quickly experience the benefits of minimalism by making a difference in those areas. 

Removing clutter from your living room allows for a more peaceful, less distracted time of relaxation or family bonding. A minimized bathroom will make getting ready in the morning easier. A decluttered bedroom offers benefits both day and night. As you remove the excess from these places in your home, you will notice the positive effects almost immediately. 

It’s okay to start small. You might want to start by clearing the clutter from your automobile, a drawer, your living room, or maybe just one bathroom cupboard. You will begin to experience success and see the benefits of living with less. As you do, you will learn the skills necessary for confronting the more challenging areas in your home—and life. 

Remember, as you begin, you’re focused on choosing easy battles, scoring quick wins, and establishing momentum in your decluttering journey. Do the obvious tidying up in the areas where you spend most of your time. Most likely you can accomplish this first step in just a few hours. Don’t make any hard decisions yet. Simply grab an empty bag, and remove everything you can easily part with, along with anything that you don’t even want in your home anymore—items that you probably should have gotten rid of long ago. Just put them in the bag and set them aside for now. You will sort them later. 

This isn’t a thorough cleaning. You haven’t dealt with your whole house yet. But already you can step back, look at the result, and start feeling the peace that comes from living in a home that has enough but not too much. 

What are the three easiest areas in your home you could clean out?