Tidy Thoughts
Articles, tips and inspiration all about attainable minimalism for moms and families.
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3/17/2022 0 Comments You Can't Organize Clutter [Pt. 2] Only AFTER you dump the clutter can you organize what’s left!
Adding on to my organization tips from yesterday… ✨ Use what you can, BUT, if you buy new storage solutions, MEASURE and order extra! ✨ Clean your space before you organize/restock ✨ Decant pantry, laundry and bathroom staples to get rid of excess packaging and improve aesthetics Don’t get stuck in a cycle of clutter by “organizing” it! My husband and I had a running joke before I ruthlessly dumped the clutter. He’d look for something and ask, “Where’d you organize that to?” I think that about sums up the “clutter cycle” so many of us continue to “deal” with. LET ME HELP YOU GET OUT OF THE CYCLE! It’s a time waster, and a stress inducer for you AND your whole family.
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3/15/2022 0 Comments You Can't Organize Clutter [Pt. 1] Only after you’ve ruthlessly removed the “stuff” can you organize what’s left.
My top organization tips: 1️⃣ ✨ "Measure twice, cut once" - measure your space (and your items), THEN, figure out what you can use to store those items ✨ Use what you have or order your baskets/bags/bins of choice - Pinterest-perfect is nice, but useful is way better! 2️⃣ ✨ As Maria Montessori says, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Give absolutely everything a home ✨ Instead of putting it down, put it AWAY! 3️⃣ ✨ Chose a “method” and stick with it throughout your home - be consistent, whether that’s alphabetical, rainbow or something else; I like to do a “trial run” when I first organize an area, as long as it’s functioning well, I’ll keep the method/solution and I may update my storage bins only AFTER it's working well ✨ Label everything that is not in a clear bin I used to buy new storage solutions all the time but I just couldn’t get rid of the mess. What I didn’t realize was that I was never actually getting rid of the root cause by RUTHLESSLY getting rid of the clutter and crap. When I stopped filling up bins with that clutter and slapping a label on them and actually gave what was left a designated home, I FINALLY became the more organized person that I always wanted to be. Can you relate? What’s your top organization tip?  Getting rid of 80% of your possessions can total A LOT of stuff. So how do you minimize waste when possible and do your best to put less in the landfill? Sustainable living and simple living go hand-in-hand!
Try one of these four ways to give something a second life… 🌟 SELL ONLINE: Facebook Marketplace, Local Sales Groups / Swaps, Poshmark, Mercari, Kidizen, eBay | IN-PERSON: Consignment stores, pop-up events (lots of great kids ones out there!), garage and yard sales, estate sales, flea markets, auctions 🌟 DONATE Goodwill, Salvation Army, local shops, churches, family organizations, returning to work (ex. Dress for Success), animal shelters (old sheets, towels, blankets) [see my stories for more info on this!] 🌟 GIFT Special occasions, hand-me-downs, ask family/friends if they need or are looking for something, use a local service like buynothingproject.org 🌟 REPURPOSE Paint decor, move it to a different room, refinish furniture, use something unused for something else (ex., an unused cute coffee mug as a pencil cup) After the chaos of the holidays and the kids entering new stages during the first few months 2022, I have 4-5 boxes to donate - but, getting rid of that clutter is one way to avoid that dreaded cycle of it creeping back! Have you given something a second life recently? 1/25/2022 0 Comments Kitchen Gadget Chaos Storing kitchen gadgets can make you say, "What the fork?". Here are a few tips:
👩🍳 Declutter these like CRAZY - be honest with yourself; (see: the mortar and pestle I used once and likely will never use again) *especially* before you buy any bins/containers! 👩🍳 Keep what you use closest to where you’ll grab it 👩🍳 Don’t overcrowd bins; give everything a designated home 👩🍳 Maintain/repair/replace tools you use and find valuable in your toolbox Some choose to have bare counters. I cook daily, so I don’t mind tools I use on my counters: 🔪 Utensil crock 🔪 Knife block 🔪 Salt, pepper and sugar crocks (these are SO convenient!) Containers are from Ikea and Target- between $2-$4 for multi-packs! I’ll take you through my kitchen in stories later for some other fun kitchen hacks you may want to try. Do you struggle with organizing your gadgets? 1/18/2022 0 Comments Struggles with "Kid Stuff" Kid's stuff. The little pieces. The piles. The stuff they play with that aren't actually even toys (I'm looking at you, rocks and cardboard boxes!).
Not to mention the (very generous and thoughtful) gifts from family and friends. The (LOTS) of laundry. The kitchen supplies and utensils. I could go on, but you get it, so I won't. I put the kitchen set (Christmas gift) in our kitchen for now, so we could "work together". Our wonderful family gifted A LOT of fake food and kitchen accessories for birthday (October) and Christmas - two weeks ago, I put a lot of it in the toy bins to see what could happen... Let's just say the current amount of fake food in the bins has been cut down by 2/3. She's still thrilled, plays with it multiple times a day, and reaches for the cupcakes, donuts and pizza instead of the veggies. In one word, tell me, what is your biggest struggle with "kid stuff"? 1/12/2022 0 Comments Making the Minimalist Choice You’ll always have to take care of your home, so why not do it in the most efficient way possible to make room in your timeline for other things? Things like spending time with your family and actually enjoying it - instead of being present in face only when you play Monopoly on game night because you can’t remember if you paid your credit card bill when it was due last week and you’re internally panicking.
 The Minimalists came up with the 20/20 “rule”, which is an ideal way to approach whether or not you should keep the “just-in-case” items that we tend to keep around for that exact reason - just in case.
I’ve adopted this rule, but changed it a bit to fit our family’s needs - the $15/15 minute approach. The idea is, if you can replace the item for less than $15 in less than 15 minutes, it’s gone. If you need it, like REALLY need it, you can replace it down the road, BUT the majority of those items, you won’t even miss. Consider the following... 12/7/2021 0 Comments Holiday Gifts for a Minimalist So what do you gift a minimalist… or at least someone who’s minimalish? I know, I know... "Don't buy anything!" (ha!) I FINALLY started my own Amazon wishlist - highly recommend it!
If I was buying a gift for someone working towards minimalist living, I’d consider at least one of these when I buy - can it stand the test of time, does it have multiple purposes, can it be used up / experienced or serve the family well in quality / usefulness. You know you’re an adult when a cast iron pan or a robot mop is a great gift (but seriously). #adulting 11/22/2021 0 Comments Buy With Purpose Thanksgiving week is (already) here. After the grateful gatherings of family and friends and displays of thanks and gratitude (and the food coma wears off ), the day after we honor what we’re thankful for, we “celebrate” consumerism at its finest. Isn’t it ironic?
Don’t get me wrong - I do buy a few things on Black Friday. But, as I try to live a more intentional, efficient and minimalist lifestyle, I have made a conscious effort to adjust my spending habits and reevaluate my mindset as a consumer. I try my best to make deliberate purchase decisions, delay gratification and seriously consider the quality, purpose and benefit for my family of my purchases. When you shift your mindset, you bring less into your home, save time and save money. AND the items you DO buy are more…
How do you feel about Black Friday? Shopping in general? Any tips and thoughts?  Excited to share tips about intentional shopping with Shawna and the @practicallyminimal community on the Practically Minimal blog!
I talk about helpful ways to adjust your shopping habits, how to use tools to help you avoid over shopping, and my "4 Qs" technique that I use often to help me make definitive and intentional purchases. Head over to the @practicallyminimal blog and let me know what you think. I hope these tips help you as we approach the holiday season - over shopping can be hard to avoid with so many sales and deals, plus gifts to buy, and getting stuck buying "just one more thing". I love a good deal and gifting so this season is especially challenging for me. What's the most challenging thing for you when it comes to shopping during the holiday season? |
CategoriesAll About Babies 0 To 12M Cleaning Consumerism Decluttering DIY Family Feelings Food Gear Holiday Season Home Home Systems Hosting Intentional Living Minimalism Montessori Motherhood Organization Routine Sustainability Tidying Tips + Tricks Toddlers 12M To 5Y 
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