All you need is less.

While browsing through Pinterest this morning I saw this...

via MinimalLiving

 

AND I LOVE IT!!

 

It was so timely because on Friday, I'm speaking to a local group of ladies on organization and how to live more simply. The key component to my talk and what I think is the key to living an organized life is perfectly summed up in this phrase!

 

"All you need is less."

 

It's in our nature to gather and buys things (not to mention...it's kind of fun!) But then those things begin to fill our closets, our kitchens, our offices, our craft rooms, and our bedrooms and pretty soon, those things we bought to bring us happiness or joy (or even something we really needed) bring us anxiety and frustration when they begin to overflow. The answer? Get rid of things.

 

I think I live pretty simply as it is, but I know there are areas where I can improve. I found this except the other day while doing some research and it's definitely challenging me to organize my life and not just organize my clutter!

 

I hope you find it as interesting and applicable as I did.

 

Courtesy of Miss Minimalist...

 

"I used to be a big fan of organizational items. Although I wasn't much of a shopper, a trip to The Container Store or Organized Living never failed to excite me.

 

The idea of corralling hundred of loose bits and bobs into sleek, perfectly-matched containers had great appeal. I truly thought that by putting all of my stuff into various bins, I could maintain a sense of order in my life.

 

But while containers made my house look Shelter Magazine tidy, they didn't bring me the serenity I'd hoped for. Even though everything was arranged neatly in pretty boxes (cloth-covered, wooden, wicker, or plastic), it was still there.

 

In reality, all those lovely loose boxes, bins and drawers served no higher purpose that to hide my junk. At some point I realized that I wasn't organizing my life; I was organizing my clutter.

That's when I changed strategies; I went from a world-class organizer to a world-class declutterer. Instead of arranging and containing things, I got rid of them. I decluttered on the weekends; I decluttered in the evening; I decluttered in the morning; I decluttered in my dreams (really!) When I wasn't actually decluttering, I was thinking of what I could declutter next.

And it worked. As my house became emptier, I became happier. With the weight of my stuff lifted from my shoulders, I felt more spontaneous, energetic, and carefree."

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I want to be a world-class declutterer!!

Over the next few months, I plan on tackling all of the areas in my house that hide and contain stuff. I don't have a concrete plan or outline to follow. Instead, at whatever pace works for me, I'll work on decluttering my life and making sure that the stuff I have, is the stuff I either really love or really need.

Good news is I have a yard sale planned with a friend this weekend, so I'll be getting a jump start on the decluttering!! Yay!

How about you? Are you ready and wanting to declutter???