What is minimalism? It’s not just a fashion or furniture style. Minimalism is the is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.
It’s a way to escape the excesses of the world around us — the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. But too little meaning. Minimalism is a way of eschewing the non-essential in order to focus on what’s truly important, what gives our lives meaning, what gives us joy and value.
In simple terms, minimalism is decluttering your life! Both physical and emotional.
It doesn’t have to be a complete change of your life as you know it, but rather a simplyfying.
Isn’t that a great quote! I am quite often feeling a little disorganized and like I am always cleaning up. I think I’m just moving the same crap around and around 😆 There’s clutter here, there’s clutter there. Where can I put this? I need more closet space! (I really do need more closet space…) Sound familiar?
Instead, I think I just need to declutter. I need to simplify. I need to MINIMALIZE!
I’ve decided to start a 30 day challenge on March 1st! I figure I can tackle one task a day no problem. Some are pretty simple and some will require a little more time, but I figure it’s worth a shot. Just like a fitness routine, starting somewhere is better than not starting at all! I could definitely use some minimalism around my house! How about you?
As I said, some days will require a little more time, like clearing out my clothes closet, and Day 20 just may not be the day for that! I think what I will do is tackle something each day and mark it off the list, even if its not in the exact order as listed. Come to think of it, March will be a difficult month to complete everyday since the kids are out of school for Spring Break 🤔 But I’m not going to let that stop me! Heck no! I will start anyway and if I miss a few days here and there I’ll make them up on another day. And, if my 30 day challenge moves a few days into April, so be it! Like I said, better to start then not start at all!
So, here it is:
30 Day Minimalism Challenge:
Day 1: Sort through your emails and delete to the bare minimum
Day 2: Eliminate or severely reduce your book/cd/dvd collections
Day 3: Meditate for 15 minutes
Day 4: Declutter your digital life, including photos you don’t need
Day 5: Write down five things you are grateful for
Day 6: Clear out that mail and magazine pile
Day 7: Switch to paperless billing
Day 8: Clean and organize your pantry
Day 9: Declutter your cosmetics and beauty products
Day 10: Clear out and organize the refrigerator and freezer
Day 11: Evaluate your commitments, are they all necessary
Day 12: Define your goals for the rest of this year
Day 13: Go for a walk and practice mindfulness
Day 14: Go bare-faced all day
Day 15: Examine your daily habits
Day 16: Journal for 20 minutes
Day 17: Practice mindful breathing
Day 18: Practice single-tasking
Day 19: Clean and organize your linen closet
Day 20: Clean out and organize your clothes closet
Day 21: No TV all day
Day 22: De-clutter your work space
Day 23: Don’t buy anything for 24 hours
Day 24: Practice gratitude
Day 25: Clean out your junk drawer
Day 26: Leave a whole day unplanned
Day 27: Identify your stress triggers
Day 28: Let go of a goal or resolution
Day 29: Turn notifications off all your devices for the day
Day 30: Set your next goals!
So, do you think you can complete the 30 day Minimalism Challenge? Do you think that you need to become more “minimalistic”?
Let me know if you give it a shot! And, I’ll let you know how it goes for me!
xoxo Angela