Joshua Becker's Blog, page 61

14 Achievable Tasks to Help Declutter Your Home While Safe Inside

Got some unexpected free time in the schedule?

Maybe your local church, school, or sports team gathering has been cancelled. Maybe your vacation plans got upended and now you’re going to be safe at home for the next few weeks instead of leaving. Or maybe your local stores are all out of necessary supplies so there’s no use leaving the house anyway.

Either way, I think we all want to remain productive. Maybe some extra time at home could do us all some good—if we choose to use the time wisely.

I’ve seen some recent chatter about people spending extended periods of time at home. Tasks such as Cooking, Cleaning, and Decluttering seem to top their list of goals.

Although Clutterfree, the first app to provide everything you need to own less was just released this week, I thought it might be helpful to create a list of home-based decluttering tasks for you to work through with your family today (or one each day if you’re planning to be home that long).

14 Achievable Tasks to Help Declutter Your Home



—Challenge-Based Tasks—

1. Take the 12-12-12 challenge. The rules are simple: locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home. That’s it. Repeat if desired.

2. Fill an entire trash bag. Get a trash bag and fill it as fast as you can with things you can donate at Goodwill. Ann Marie hosts a 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge every year during the Lenten season. You can still hop in late and join the community of people completing this challenge daily.

3. Sort through a pile of mail or paper. Junk mail piling up on your kitchen counter or a stack of paper somewhere it shouldn’t be? For this challenge, look for piles of paper in places they don’t belong (kitchen counters, dining room tables, coffee tables) and tackle those piles first. Work to get through them quickly and easily.

4. Set a physical boundary for toys. I’m not a big fan of making your kids declutter their stuff unless you’ve led by example, so don’t start with this challenge. But when the time is right, take a look at the toy collection in your home and create a helpful physical boundary for them (a shelf, a closet, a wall, etc) and then help your child curate their toys to fit.

5. Clean commonly-touched items. It’s always important to keep often-used surfaces clean of germs and contagious viruses and stuff. Maybe now more than ever. Using an effective cleaner, take time to clean countertops, faucets, doorknobs, drawer pulls, light switches, remotes, keyboards. You know, all the things that should remain clean in order to shorten your time at home.

—Time-Based Tasks—

6. 15-minute family challenge. If your whole family is getting tired of the indoors, see if you can talk them into a fun game. Take 15 minutes as a family and see if you can find 100 things to remove from your home. Give them instructions to scatter, declutter only things that belong to them, and see if your total pile numbers 100 things by the end.

7. 20-minute linen closet clean-out. You can probably declutter all the old towels and linens in your linen closet in 20 minutes. Set a timer and get it done. You’ve been meaning to anyway, now’s your chance.

8. Declutter one room in 45 minutes. Take a look around the house and see if there is a lived-in room that you can declutter entirely in 45 minutes. Maybe your living room, family room, or dining room. Work hard to challenge your assumptions about what needs to stay in the room, removing as much as you can. When it’s complete, take a break and enjoy the peace and calm of a clutterfree room. Maybe tackle a new room tomorrow?

9. Skip one television show. I mean, really, you can only watch so much television before you start feel terrible anyway. So skip one show that you’d normally watch (if you enjoy sports, that’s already been settled for you) and use the time to declutter. That’s 30 minutes (or maybe even 60) of progress creating a new living environment.

—Area-Based Tasks—

10. Clean out your car/vehicle. Too often our vehicles fill up with unnecessary things: old CDs, sunglasses, Happy Meal toys, receipts, coins, empty water bottles, paper trash. Grab two bags: one for garbage and one for items to relocate. Fill them quickly with everything in your car that doesn’t need to be there. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can empty your vehicle of unneeded clutter.

11. Clear out clothes you don’t wear. Open your closet and drawers, notice how you usually wear the same things every day? Now’s a good time to get rid of the others: clothes that don’t fit, clothes that are too old, clothes that are out of style, clothes with holes, clothes that just don’t complement your figure the way you thought they would…. clear them out and open up your closet (and mornings).

12. Sort through your pantry. Seems like now is a pretty good time to get a good handle on what home essentials you already have and what is still needed. So take an afternoon this week to sort out your pantry—removing anything old, expired, or unlikely to get used.

13. Food storage containers. Your kitchen doesn’t need to be a punchline about Tupperware lids and the fact that they never match the container you need them to. We declared Tupperware bankruptcy many years ago, getting rid of our entire stack, and replacing them with Rubbermaid containers that stack easily. Do the same.

14. Clear your desktop. A clutterfree desktop is such a beautiful place to get work done—whether it’s career-based work or home-based work. So find some time and finally clear yours. Process piles of paper and remove unneeded supplies to craft an entirely new work environment. Who knows? Given the amount of free time you’re going to have at home over the next couple weeks, you might be surprised what new opportunities you are paving the way for.

We live busy lives—maybe too busy from time-to-time. Spending a few extra hours or days over the coming weeks at home with family may be just what we need as a society. If that’s you, for whatever reason, I hope you find the list above helpful in making the most of your time making your home the best it can be.

14 Achievable Tasks to Help Declutter Your Home While Stuck Inside

Got some unexpected free time in the schedule?

Maybe your local church, school, or sports team gathering just got cancelled. Maybe your vacation plans just got upended and now you’re going to be stuck at home for the next few weeks instead of leaving. Or maybe your local stores are all out of necessary supplies so there’s no use leaving the house anyway.

Either way, I think we all want to remain productive. Maybe some extra time at home could do us all some good—if we choose to use the time wisely.

I’ve seen some recent chatter about people spending extended periods of time at home. Tasks such as Cooking, Cleaning, and Decluttering seem to top their list of goals.

And because Clutterfree, the first app to provide everything you need to own less, won’t actually be released until next week, I thought it might be helpful to create a list of home-based decluttering tasks for you to work through with your family today (or one each day if you’re planning to be home that long).

14 Achievable Tasks to Help Declutter Your Home



—Challenge-Based Tasks—

1. Take the 12-12-12 challenge. The rules are simple: locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home. That’s it. Repeat if desired.

2. Fill an entire trash bag. Get a trash bag and fill it as fast as you can with things you can donate at Goodwill. Ann Marie hosts a 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge every year during the Lenten season. You can still hop in late and join the community of people completing this challenge daily.

3. Sort through a pile of mail or paper. Junk mail piling up on your kitchen counter or a stack of paper somewhere it shouldn’t be? For this challenge, look for piles of paper in places they don’t belong (kitchen counters, dining room tables, coffee tables) and tackle those piles first. Work to get through them quickly and easily.

4. Set a physical boundary for toys. I’m not a big fan of making your kids declutter their stuff unless you’ve led by example, so don’t start with this challenge. But when the time is right, take a look at the toy collection in your home and create a helpful physical boundary for them (a shelf, a closet, a wall, etc) and then help your child curate their toys to fit.

5. Clean commonly-touched items. It’s always important to keep often-used surfaces clean of germs and contagious viruses and stuff. Maybe now more than ever. Using an effective cleaner, take time to clean countertops, faucets, doorknobs, drawer pulls, light switches, remotes, keyboards. You know, all the things that should remain clean in order to shorten your time at home.

—Time-Based Tasks—

6. 15-minute family challenge. If your whole family is getting tired of the indoors, see if you can talk them into a fun game. Take 15 minutes as a family and see if you can find 100 things to remove from your home. Give them instructions to scatter, declutter only things that belong to them, and see if your total pile numbers 100 things by the end.

7. 20-minute linen closet clean-out. You can probably declutter all the old towels and linens in your linen closet in 20 minutes. Set a timer and get it done. You’ve been meaning to anyway, now’s your chance.

8. Declutter one room in 45 minutes. Take a look around the house and see if there is a lived-in room that you can declutter entirely in 45 minutes. Maybe your living room, family room, or dining room. Work hard to challenge your assumptions about what needs to stay in the room, removing as much as you can. When it’s complete, take a break and enjoy the peace and calm of a clutterfree room. Maybe tackle a new room tomorrow?

9. Skip one television show. I mean, really, you can only watch so much television before you start feel terrible anyway. So skip one show that you’d normally watch (if you enjoy sports, that’s already been settled for you) and use the time to declutter. That’s 30 minutes (or maybe even 60) of progress creating a new living environment.

—Area-Based Tasks—

10. Clean out your car/vehicle. Too often our vehicles fill up with unnecessary things: old CDs, sunglasses, Happy Meal toys, receipts, coins, empty water bottles, paper trash. Grab two bags: one for garbage and one for items to relocate. Fill them quickly with everything in your car that doesn’t need to be there. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can empty your vehicle of unneeded clutter.

11. Clear out clothes you don’t wear. Open your closet and drawers, notice how you usually wear the same things every day? Now’s a good time to get rid of the others: clothes that don’t fit, clothes that are too old, clothes that are out of style, clothes with holes, clothes that just don’t complement your figure the way you thought they would…. clear them out and open up your closet (and mornings).

12. Sort through your pantry. Seems like now is a pretty good time to get a good handle on what home essentials you already have and what is still needed. So take an afternoon this week to sort out your pantry—removing anything old, expired, or unlikely to get used.

13. Food storage containers. Your kitchen doesn’t need to be a punchline about Tupperware lids and the fact that they never match the container you need them to. We declared Tupperware bankruptcy many years ago, getting rid of our entire stack, and replacing them with Rubbermaid containers that stack easily. Do the same.

14. Clear your desktop. A clutterfree desktop is such a beautiful place to get work done—whether it’s career-based work or home-based work. So find some time and finally clear yours. Process piles of paper and remove unneeded supplies to craft an entirely new work environment. Who knows? Given the amount of free time you’re going to have at home over the next couple weeks, you might be surprised what new opportunities you are paving the way for.

We live busy lives—maybe too busy from time-to-time. Spending a few extra hours or days over the coming weeks at home with family may be just what we need as a society. If that’s you, for whatever reason, I hope you find the list above helpful in making the most of your time making your home the best it can be.

Hysteria Drives Clicks

I’ve been blogging for 12 years, which is crazy to think about.

Along the way, I’ve learned a few things about writing for the Internet, including the importance of titles and headlines. If you are going to get noticed on the Internet, you need to do it well.

A blogging friend of mine once confided in me that he’ll spend hours crafting the perfect title for a blog he has written–sometimes spending as much time crafting a title as writing the article itself. That is how important the skill has become.

But it makes sense.

In a world where billions of new pieces of media are being published every day, a headline may be the only opportunity you have to grab a potential reader’s attention. And your words are only helpful if they are read by someone else.

Choosing headlines and titles that can grab a person’s attention enough, to cause them to stop their lives to read what you wrote, is one of the most important skills for writing on the Internet.

That being said, I think it is important, from time to time, for all of us to take a step back and remember how hard websites are working to grab our attention to increase clicks and views. There are a number of different things a publisher can do to grab our attention—and not all of them are healthy for us as individuals or for us as a society.

For example, hysteria drives clicks (and viewers).

Manufacturing hysteria is not usually helpful or beneficial for a society. But websites and media outlets use it all the time to grab our attention.

It is, after all, more likely that we would click on a news article proclaiming the end of the world than an article reporting everything is going just fine.

I’ve been taking note of some of the headlines I’ve seen over the past few weeks. Here are just a couple:

Most Daunting Virus in Half a Century.

Virus Outbreak Sparks Toilet Roll Panic!

Bye-bye Handshakes.

Refugee Crisis Could Break the EU.

Investor Massacre May Be Near.

Mechanized Bots Amplifying Denialist Messages.

Bumblebees are Going Extinct.

Within each article, there is important news, and some of the information is certainly serious. Don’t misread what I am saying here.

But in almost every case above, the overstated hysteria of the headline is designed for one purpose: to grab attention and garner clicks.

Of course this might all be fine and good if the practice was not causing any harm. But the effect of constant overstated hysteria is not good for us as individuals or a society.

There are numerous studies connecting consumption of newscasts with anxiety—reflected in uncontrolled fear, physiological hyperarousal, sleeping difficulties, and fearful thoughts. Constant overstatement of the danger surrounding us is causing personal harm and division among us.

It is important to stay informed and I am not encouraging you to bury your head in the sand, ignoring world events. It is wise for each of us to read and stay educated on current happenings.

Additionally, I do suppose there is a chance, that at some point in the future, the world will end by some great catastrophe or political leader. At that point, hysteria will be warranted.

But at this point in time, from everything I can tell, most
of the hysteria we see on websites and news channels is entirely manufactured
for the purpose of grabbing attention and garnering clicks (or increasing
viewership).

See through their manipulation. Your heart and soul will
thank you for it.

Encouraging Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. It requires a conscious decision because it is a countercultural lifestyle that stands against the culture of overconsumption that surrounds us.

The world we live in is not friendly to the pursuit of minimalism. Its tendencies and relentless advertising campaigns call us to acquire more, better, faster, and newer. The journey of finding simplicity requires consistent inspiration.

For that reason, I hope you will make an effort this weekend to find a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some of these hand-picked articles to encourage more simplicity in your life.

Clutterfree. Clutterfree is a brand new app that will help people remove their unneeded possessions, own less, and live the life they want. It is the first app of its kind, creating a personalized, room-by-room decluttering plan for your unique home—and I’m really excited to announce it. Available later this month.

The Clarity Minimalism Provides | Thrive Global by Laura Winter. Minimalism isn’t the fix, but getting rid of the excess stuff can help bring clarity to your life. Letting go of the things that block your path to the life you want to live helps change your perspective on everything.

How One Woman Eliminated Stress From Her Life By Simplifying Her Wardrobe | Forbes. It still amazes me that you can reduce a significant amount of stress from your life simply by removing items from your wardrobe.

7 Benefits to Living in a Smaller Home | Modern Simplicity by Sandy Kreps. While the size of a home depends on the taste and preference of the home owners, many people would be just as comfortable (and probably happier) living in a smaller home.

10 Ways to Tell if Minimalism is Right for You | Joshua Becker on YouTube

How a “Do Nothing” Day Changed My Life

Note: This is a guest post from Hilary Barnett of Whole Motherhood.

Doing nothing. The mere thought gives you a sudden twitch, right?

Me too, my friend, but despite the twitch, I would like to make a proposal: for one day out of each week, you do absolutely nothing. This doesn’t mean you don’t go anywhere, or just sit on your couch and stare at the wall. It means, simply, that you clear your calendar and make space for what could happen.

You remove any social obligations, you let projects sit idle, you turn off your notifications, and you simply take a day to just be.

Ever since my first daughter was born, I felt the pull toward a “do nothing” day. I went back to work part-time when she was only eleven weeks old, and when I spent time away from her, her demeanor and behavior was just different.

She wasn’t as settled, and neither was I. I could tell she was a happier kid when I was able to spend one day just being with her. So when we were able to be together on my days off, I tried to make it a point to have one day where we didn’t have a million places to be, if I could help it.

No agenda, no rushing around, no one else to please. Just me and her, together. Doing whatever we felt like doing, or getting into whatever adventure may come our way.

Recently I heard someone say if you want to see where your priorities really lie, look at two things: your calendar and your bank statement.

If you believe your priorities are what truly matters to you, look no further than those two places to confirm or deny your hunch.

The “Do Nothing” Day

Let’s do an experiment. Take a look at your calendar, and take an inventory with me. How much of it is work related? How much of it is spent in social engagements? With family? Doing hobbies? Self improvement?

And how much white space do you see?

We have become a culture that is severely uncomfortable with white space. We don’t like being left alone with ourselves, and that’s because it’s not always fun.

We then have to face our true feelings, our negative emotions, our relational drama, and figure out what to do with it. It is much easier to simply turn on the TV, check our phones, and continue numbing.

We are terrified of silence, of nothing on the agenda—who are we without these things to hold us up, to give us significance?

We pack our schedules full, hoping that will keep us from stopping long enough to notice our inner lives are in great need of attention. The essence of simplifying your life is recognizing you have intrinsic value by simply being.

You matter, your life matters, and you have worth. Period.

You matter without the stuff, without the outside approval and conferred significance, without the career, the projects, the friends, without anything.

Just. You.

It takes the absence of an agenda to really learn yourself. It takes quiet. It takes room. It takes time. But everything in the world is going to fight you for it.

Learning to be comfortable with a “do nothing” day isn’t going to come easily. It is hard work, but it is work worth doing.

So today, look at your calendar. What can you say no to, just this time around? If there is a colored notification on each day, which of those can you clear out? Which day can hold some white space, some possibility, some openness?

Here are a few tips as you consider your own “do nothing” day:

1. Set it aside, and make it known.

We make things sacred through our intentions and our actions. So set your intention—what day will it be? And then let some people close to you know, so they can support you in your effort.

2. Don’t stress about it.

Wake up, and simply resist the urge to immediately DO. It might take time to break this habit, but as soon as you remove all of your go-to distractions, you will instantly notice how often you rely on them.

3. Pay attention.

Depriving ourselves of our normal comforts for even a short amount of time can go a long way in teaching us what we really need. We are able to notice when we have an urge to check our phone, or make a call. We can get a better feel for our own patterns of behavior and the motivations behind them.

4. Listen to your heart.

If someone invited you to attend something, don’t simply give a knee jerk response. Stop, and wait. Is this something you would typically just say yes to because you feel obligated? Or is this something that would really breathe life into you? Notice, and respond with authenticity and vulnerability.

5. Spend some time in silence.

Our brains are constantly bombarded with information, images, and noise. We tend to assume our minds are like fortresses, and all this stimulation can simply bounce off, but that is not the case. Our minds are vulnerable, and everything we see and experience influences our thoughts and emotions. So for your “do nothing” day, set a guard at the gate.

Have you ever given yourself a “do nothing” day? What would be your ideal way to spend one if you had it?

***

Hilary Barnett empowers moms to dream big on Whole Motherhood. You can find her podcast here or follow her on Instagram.

12 Cleaning Tasks that Can Be Easily Overlooked

Note: This is a guest post from Dana White of A Slob Comes Clean.

As a teenager, I worked at a camp. A very clean camp.

I learned a lot over those summers. I lived by the detailed
checklists we were given that told us exactly what to clean and how to clean
it.

It was a magical time in my life, and I remember almost every
moment fondly.

Almost.

The bedrooms in our staff cabin underwent daily inspections,
and I still feel a little heat in my face and grumpiness in my heart when I
remember being scolded for my messy bunk.

I doubt the scolding was much of a scolding, but I took it
hard because I was so genuinely confused. I couldn’t understand what had caused
me to fail the inspection. When I asked the inspector, the look on her face
clearly showed that she couldn’t understand what I didn’t understand. She
listed off multiple “obvious” things that I had neglected to do.

They were not obvious to me. Obviously.

As I became an adult with my own home, I learned that I had
legitimate issues with not seeing things the way others see them. (Slob Vision is a
real thing.) I became paranoid about missing cleaning tasks that should be
obvious.

I’ve come a long way, and by keeping up with daily tasks and
getting clutter out of my home, I’m much more aware of what needs to be done. I’ve
also chilled out a lot and realized it’s more important to welcome people into
a home with a potentially-overlooked mess than it is to keep them out for fear
of forgetting.

But a list helps. So here’s mine. Here’s a list of cleaning tasks that can be easily overlooked, spring (with all of its natural cleaning energy) is a great time to tackle them.

I’ll start with the tasks that are most visible. That’s how I prioritize all of my cleaning and decluttering efforts. I call it the Visibility Rule. Progress in visible areas increases my cleaning energy and inspires me to keep going.

12 Cleaning Tasks that Can Be Easily Overlooked

Doorknobs

A doorknob and the grime that somehow gathers around it may
be the first thing a guest sees. It’s annoying that hands I wash all the time
get grime on things they touch, but it’s also satisfying to wipe that grime
away.

Light Switch Covers

Again with the finger grime. I’m sure there’s a scientific
explanation involving body oil and skin cells, but I don’t want to talk about
that because it grosses me out. Just clean your light switch covers.

Light Fixtures and Ceiling Fans

I’m a big fan of turning on my ceiling fan in a pinch if I forget
to dust it, but maybe you’re not as lucky as I am to be at an age where you can
realistically call Hot Flash on a cool day. If you are paranoid about sending
dust chunks flying, use a pillow case to do the job and catch the chunks
inside. (Just don’t forget to shake it out into the trash.)

If glass light fixtures are easily removed and replaced,
stick them in the dishwasher and they’ll come out sparkly. While I often don’t
notice a slightly dirty light fixture, clean and shiny ones get my attention.

The Back of the Bathroom Door

It feels like the back of the bathroom door doesn’t qualify
as visible. But it’s totally visible to someone who is in the bathroom. I don’t
want to talk (or think) about how the door gets dirty, I’ll just tell you to
clean it.

Plant Dust

Real ones or fake ones, I feel like plants should be self-cleaning,
but somehow they aren’t. Dust them.

Tops of Curtains

Windows usually get attention during spring cleaning, but
don’t miss the tops of your curtains. You could wash the curtains if they’re
washable (and hang them right back up to dry), but if you’re not going to do
that, at least dust the tops.

Window Sills

Grab a handheld vacuum and clean your window sills, especially ones behind curtains. That’s where bugs go to die.

Let’s move on to some things that aren’t as visible, but quietly get dirty and can really benefit from the focus of spring cleaning:

Silverware Trays

How exactly do crumbs end up in a place where only clean utensils
go? I’m not here to solve that mystery, just to remind you that it happens. If your
silverware tray is dishwasher safe, run it through a cycle. If not, wipe it
out.

Dishwasher and Washing Machine

It feels like dishwashers and washing machines shouldn’t need
to be cleaned because they deal with soap and water on the regular. But just
like a bathtub, they do. Both will look better and perform better once they
have been cleaned. Usually, it’s as simple as running a cycle with a special
cleaner.

Walls

Dust your walls. I was upset, too, when I realized dust could
collect on vertical surfaces, but being mad about it didn’t make my house look
better as much as running a dry mop along my walls. The whole room looks
brighter (and a little less fuzzy) when the walls have been dusted.

What are some things you forget to clean?

***

Dana K. White is an author, podcaster, speaker, and (much to her own surprise) a Decluttering Expert. In a desperate attempt to get her own home under control, Dana started blogging as “Nony” (short for anonymous) at A Slob Comes Clean in 2009. Today, Dana shares realistic home management strategies and a message of hope for the hopelessly messy in her books: Decluttering at the Speed of Life and How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind.

—

Our newest issue of Simplify Magazine released today and takes a deep dive into the topic of Spring Cleaning. You can subscribe here.

A Book Lover’s Guide to Reading More While Owning Less

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from M.C. Starbuck of Living Tiny, Dreaming Big.

I love books. I love reading them. I love writing them.

I love just looking at them or holding them in my hands.

I even took a book with me on my first five dates with my husband in case he got boring.

And what better excuses to hoard books than an English degree and an occupation as an author?

I balked when I first heard Marie Kondo’s suggestion that 30 books is a good amount to own. I didn’t even think 100 was enough. 

How many do I have now? If I counted correctly, I personally own 85 at the moment. That includes cookbooks, books I’ve written, my childhood Bible, and a Greek lexicon. It does not include the stack of 20 more books I’ve already read and am getting rid of. Either way, I no longer have 500… nor the weight that went along with them.

Throughout my process of downsizing books, I had four categories:

Definitely Keep: books I would read in the next five yearsNot Right Now: books I’ve had interest in but aren’t on the top of my listSpecial Copies: books signed by the author, containing a note from a friend, or with comments and highlights of passages I want to rememberDecorative Books: books that are beautiful and bring me joy when on display

The majority of the books I got rid of were from the Not Right Now category. After I read the Definitely Keep books, I was much quicker to get rid of them once I’d enjoyed the benefits of owning fewer books. I got rid of a few Special Copies as explained in the steps below.

8 Steps to Reading More While Owning Less

1. Calculate how many books you plan to read in the next three to five years. This allows you to make a realistic calculation of how many books you should keep.

When I first did this, I wanted to cry. It was the saddest realization that there’s no way possible for me to read all the books I want to read before I die. At the time, I read about 20 books a year. Even if I kept five years worth of reading, that would only be 100 books. Why was I keeping 500? At the rate I was reading, 500 books would have taken me 25 years! I would be a vastly different person by then, with different books on my Definitely Keep list.

2. Make a list of the books you most want to read right now. Since you can only read so many books in your lifetime, start with the ones you’re most excited about!

You probably already own some of them. Pull those aside and put them in your Definitely Keep pile. Check your Amazon cart, Kindle, or Audible for other books you might already own and want to read. The total number on this list should not be more than the number you realistically think you can read in the next five years, as determined by step one.

3. Create a pile of books you could easily and affordably buy again if you’d like. Examine the books not in your Definitely Keep pile. Look them up on Amazon to see if you could buy them again at a decent price later. Or see if your library has a copy. This makes parting with these books so much easier!

At this point, you can avoid giving away what I call Special Copies: old books from your grandma, signed copies, or pricey editions. For now, only get rid of books you can replace if you start to miss them. If you’re anything like me, in five years you will have found at least 50 new books you want to read. You will have long forgotten the ones you’re getting rid of now.

4. Keep a list of the books that are hardest to part with. I know it feels like you’re parting with your babies. This step is important for those of us who are still afraid we might be making a decision we would regret later.

What if it was gonna be my next favorite book? Or maybe a friend recommended it and you don’t want to let them down. You might want to give it a chance after you’ve finished your current stack of favorites.

These are your Not Right Now books. Remember, you aren’t completely ruling them out. But you aren’t going to allow them to take up precious space in your home. Add these books to your Amazon “save for later” or wish list so you can rest in knowing you won’t forget them once you’ve finished reading the books on your Definitely Keep books. Pack up your copies of these Not Right Now books, and get ready to remove them from your home.

5. Look for a used bookstore nearby and trade in your books. (If you don’t have a used bookstore, simply donate your Not Right Now books and move on to the next step.)

I hardly ever recommend selling items because it’s too much time and work and not enough reward. But stores like 2nd & Charles (previously Books-A-Million) make it easy. Simply take your books to their store. They will sort through your books while you browse rows and rows of bookshelves, then they’ll tell you how much money or store credit they will give you.

You could potentially trade five books you no longer want to read for one of the books that’s on your list to read in the next five years. Many used bookstores sell new books, too, and may give you full or partial credit towards those items. You don’t even have to spend the credit that day. Just go back after you find out what your book club is reading next. This helps you feel like you aren’t throwing away money.

I’ve gotten over $200 total in store credit just from books. It encourages me to get rid of books as I read them, too, because then I can use the credit from that book to put towards the next book on my list. Plus, a used bookstore is a great way for your beloved books to be cherished after you part with them! Even if they can’t sell them, they will usually donate them for you if you’d like to save the trouble of making another stop to drop them off somewhere else.

6. Take pictures of what makes your Special Copies special. Once you’ve seen how great getting rid of books can be, it’s time to get rid of some that you’ve already read and enjoyed. These books may have significant meaning to you but will still serve you better once they’re gone.

I kept some of my books through many rounds of decluttering simply because I wanted to remember one or two pages and the notes I made in the margins. I also kept books to loan to other people, but I realized I never actually loaned them out. I usually ended up just recommending the book or mailing them a new copy because they don’t live nearby.

Keeping a picture of the book helps solve both of those problems. You could even do that for a book that a friend or author wrote a note in for you. Once you’ve taken the pictures, it’s easier to let the books go. Pack them up so they’re ready to go on your next trip to drop off donations or do some trade-ins.

7. Give e-books and audiobooks a chance. If you already enjoy them, try using them even more.

When I moved to South Korea, I suddenly had a much smaller selection of English books available to me. That’s when I really gave the Kindle app and even Audible a fair chance. Does it replace my love for paperbacks? Nope! But it’s an additional way to enjoy books.

I realized I was “reading” so much online anyway through Facebook. The book lover in me would much rather spend that time reading a book even if it’s also on my phone. That simple change in my mentality helped me go from reading 23 books a year to 46! I learned to love the experience of reading on Kindle in a different way. I didn’t believe my friend when she told me the same thing years ago! Don’t make the same mistake I did.

8. Utilize the library. Remember that place?! This is a great way to surround yourself with all the books and book lovers!

They probably won’t even look at you weird if you smell the books. You can donate your Not Right Now pile to them if you don’t have a used bookstore or if your books are in terrible shape. My library uses damaged books to make crafts for book lovers! While the library doesn’t pay you for them, they also don’t charge you to check out a book. They often have a great selection of audiobooks and access to e-books, if you want to try them out for free.

Life with Less Than 100 Books

It’s been over four years since I first started downsizing my book collection. I can hardly believe I haven’t regretted it one bit.

I’ve yet to have the desire to repurchase a single book I got rid of. I’m too busy enjoying books that are more relevant to me at this time in my life.

I no longer feel guilty about all the poor, neglected books I own that I’m not reading. By hoarding them, I was keeping others from reading them, too. Instead, I now have small, cozy stacks of books intentionally placed throughout my home on beautiful display. Otherwise, my books are limited to a few small shelves shared with my husband—instead of three large shelves just for me.

A few books are more inviting than hundreds calling my name. Reading is even more of a pleasure now. Along with the feeling of accomplishment from finishing a book, I have the excitement of choosing the next book I can’t wait to read… rather than one I simply feel obligated to read because it’s been on my shelf for years.

May your love of books also be increased by owning fewer of them.

***

M. C. Starbuck is the author of Packrat to Clutter-Free. She blogs at Living Tiny, Dreaming Big where she provides simple ideas to make room for what matters most. You can also find her on Facebook.

Busyness is Laziness

Of all the distractions that keep us from living a fulfilled
life, the most prevalent in our world today may be busyness.

Possessions and property and the desire for wealth all come to mind, but the greatest distraction of them all may be busyness—it seems to transcend every social class.

I was struck recently by a quote from Søren Kierkegaard
concerning the danger of living a fast-paced, hectic lifestyle. Over 150 years
ago, he said it like this:

Of all ridiculous things the most ridiculous seems to me, to be busy—to be a man who is brisk about his food and his work… What, I wonder, do these busy folks get done?”

I have found his words to be true in my own life. Being busy does not result in fulfillment and meaning. Being busy may mean more things are getting done… but they are often the wrong things.

A busy life is an unexamined life. And an unexamined life is rarely worth living.

I learned this lesson many years ago when I was forced to slow down in college because of a unique course assignment. We were required to spend 1 hour per week, alone in a room with our thoughts. There was to be no music, no books, no meditation guides, no technology, no thought aids whatsoever. Instead, we were to sit quietly and allow our minds to focus wherever our hearts took us.

The practice was difficult at first, but eventually turned out to be one of the most significant assignments and practices of my entire college life.

The hour of solitude did not result in papers being written, homework being turned in, books being read, tests being studied for, or to-do items being checked off. It didn’t result in the usual busywork being completed. Quite the contrary, it resulted in deep life reflection about the trajectory of my life, the person I was becoming, and whether I even wanted that to be true of me.

It is why, I think, when I first read Kierkegaard’s quote, it resonated so deeply within me. Busyness may keep us rushing from project to project, place to place, or appointment to appointment, but what really are we accomplishing with these hectic schedules?

Rarely does busyness result in the most important work of our lives being completed. It most often just distracts us from it.

I experienced a very humbling moment yesterday. I ran into a friend—a good friend who is battling cancer. And it occurred to me, as soon as I saw him, that I had not spoken with him for over two weeks. Not a phone call, not a text, not a single inquiry into his health. My friend is facing the greatest struggle of his life… and I didn’t even think to check in with him.

Reasons quickly surfaced in my head to excuse my lack of thoughtfulness. I would have checked in, but “I’ve been traveling out of town most of the past week,” “I’m launching this really big project next month,” “I’ve been so busy with so-and-so and this-and-that, it’s understandable that my friend never crossed my mind.”

This, you see, is what busyness does to us. It prevents us from remaining focused on the most important work that we need to do.

Busyness crowds out self-reflection. It keeps our mind and feet always scurrying from one thing to another and never allows us to sit quietly in our thoughts to determine if the next opportunity is even something we should be engaging in.

As Blaise Pascal once said, “All of humanity’s problems stem
from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

A busy life is an unexamined life. And an unexamined life is
rarely worth living. It may be full, but it is rarely fulfilling.

It should be noted, of course, that this does not mean we will not go through busy seasons of life. Every new parent knows there are busy seasons in life. Every college student knows there are busy seasons during a semester. And almost every worker in the world knows there are heightened periods of busyness as deadlines come and go.

I am not saying there is no space for busy seasons. But a busy season is different from a busy life. If you find yourself racing about season after season after season, constantly chasing who-knows-what, you may want to ask yourself if you are finding enough time for meditation and solitude and self-reflection.

In this regard, some have even begun equating busyness with laziness. It is not laziness as we typically define the term, but it can still be a form of it. If our rushing about from one activity to another distracts us from self-reflection, or even worse, the important work that we should be taking up with our lives, it may indeed be a form of laziness—at the very least, it produces the same result.

I am challenged by the words of Søren Kierkegaard. His thoughts on how busyness may be preventing us from important work ring true—especially in our modern culture.

How many regrets have I heard from others who spent too much time working to be present with their family? How many times have I turned the other way from helping another (or simply calling a friend) because of the commitments on my calendar? And how many days have I let pass without focused self-reflection?

In each case, it may be asked, where does busyness get us? What exactly does it allow us to get done? And how might we be using it as a shield from the deeper work required of us?

Encouraging Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.

Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us
to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work
diligently with optimism and promise.

Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge
regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To
that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.

Each post was intentionally chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

How to Create Gratitude | Raptitude by David Cain. This thing you have—this meal, this bed, these clothes, this friend—if it’s possible to have it, it’s possible not to have it.

Lessons from the ancient philosophers to help improve our lives today | The Guardian by Marie Robert. We are meant to have desires and should worry less, said Aristotle, while Epicurus cautioned that most of the stuff we think we want won’t make us happy.

When Minimizing Was The Only Option | No Sidebar by Cheryl Smith. The time of unemployment that began that night ended up stretching out for 21 months.

Cut Through Addictions & Distractions: Feel the Discomfort & Uncertainty | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. Our lives are pervaded with addictions and distractions.

12 Factors to Look for in a Job Besides Pay | Joshua Becker on YouTube

How I Learned to Declutter My Mind

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Deanna Broaddus of Recovering Women Wealth.

For most of my life, my headspace has been filled with negative self-talk and lies. The tapes that would play over and over in my head went something like this:

You’ll never be good enough.Why can’t you be perfect?You are going to mess things up.You are worthless and unworthy.When will you grow up and learn?No one likes you.He thinks you’re stupid.

It was a heavy burden to carry. Worse yet, I could go on and on.

Growing up, my emotional security was scarce and my self-hatred was plentiful.

As I write these words, I realize how blessed I am that I almost don’t recognize that girl anymore. The road I’ve taken to trade in that garment of heaviness for one of joy and praise has been the most important journey of my life.

First
Things First

As the brain fog of addiction started to lift in early sobriety, I made a vow to unearth the roots of what led me here.

How did I end up to be a full blown addict in my 30’s? Why did I allow myself to be treated so harshly by men? And where did that little girl go who had a big ‘ol bucket full of dreams? I didn’t know, but I would do whatever it took to find out.

Unfortunately, one is not typically
willing to embark on such a soul-searching journey unless there has been deep
pain. My bottom was a very dark and lonely place. At the end of my rope I had a
vision and was
faced with the stark reality that my choices were:

InsanityDeathSurrender

I clung to the only possible hope I
had and fell to my knees.

Early sobriety was challenging and full of confusion and depression. Fortunately, I put myself in places to learn that it could also be full of hope.

As I heard story after story of people who found joy in recovery, I started to believe it could be true for me as well.

Create a List

I knew I had deep work to do to discover what led me here. I knew it would stem back to painful memories and wounds of my past. But it became very clear that I would not become free of the Groundhog Day of my life until I was able to face that past. I had to learn to forgive, see my part, make amends, and release resentments.

I needed to declutter my mind of those old familiar tapes which were not serving me.

Taking a fearless and searching moral inventory of one’s life is an exercise in many recovery programs. However, anyone can do it. The basic premise is to identify all of the people who have hurt you in some fashion.

Then you run each person or scenario through the following questions:

How were you hurt?What area of your life was affected?What was your part and/or the role you played? (not that you deserved what happened to you, but how did you develop unhealthy coping skills?)Name some character defects you displayed.What were the lies you believed in the process?

I can guarantee, if you do this exercise for every single person you’ve ever had resentment against, a pattern will emerge.

It did for me and I didn’t like what I saw.

Identifying
the Root

Once I could see how I often reacted out of self-pity, anger, or rage, I could see how I always ended up in the same types of relationships. I was playing out the same drama/trauma that scarred me as a little girl.

It’s not that I had a horrible childhood. In many ways, it was a great childhood but my family had some dysfunction, not unlike many other families—perhaps you can relate.

My relationship with my father was
volatile growing up. He was often stressed and had a temper and many times I
was on the receiving end of that temper. While I craved the love and affection
of my father, I rarely got it. And because I rarely got it, I began to rebuke
it and rebel on the occasions I did receive it.

I looked for my self-worth in a whole host of things outside of myself which ultimately led me to drinking, drugging, and relationships with men similar to my father.

What was the real issue? For me, I needed the love of a father.

Identifying
the Wounds of Our Past

If I was going to declutter my mind of negative self-talk and lies, identifying the wounds of my past was an essential step. It is for all of us.

If we don’t identify ways in our past where we developed unhealthy coping skills, find the courage to heal and forgive, and learn new coping mechanisms, we all can be subject to reacting out of the wounds of our past.

A good identifier can be if
something or someone triggers a big emotion in you, you might want to step back
and ask yourself several questions:

Does this emotion feel familiar?Is there anyone from your formative years who also incited this emotion? If yes, who and in what situations?

I’ve learned that male authority figures can trigger wounds of my past stemming back to my relationship with my dad. As I learned from two phenomenal authors, Kay and Milan Yerkovich, we all have historical data from which we react. It’s what we do with it that can set us apart.

Develop
Strategies

This final step is crucial because we can all be triggered.

Let’s take one of my former styles as an example. In the past, when there was yelling and/or a conflict, I would run to my room and hide. I’d bury my head in my pillow and cry.

I now know that conflict can cause me to want to take flight. One of my current strategies is to stay and remind myself of what I can control and not control. I have learned for me, by centering myself through prayer in the midst of the conflict, my fear dissipates. It has become my most important strategy. Yours may be different.

Of course, there is an appropriate time to walk away from conflict, but there are also times when it’s important to stay.

When you premeditate strategies for your typical emotional reactions, you begin to create new patterns in your life. 

The more you do this, the more the resentments of your past will melt away. Furthermore, you’ll stop attracting new ones.

I’ve learned that my earthly father could only give me what he had received. As a women of faith, I have a heavenly Father whose love is boundless. And through this faith, I’ve found the courage to form a healthy relationship with my dad.

Your exact journey may be different than mine, but this is the process that helped me declutter my mind of negativity:

Create a list.Identify the root.Develop strategies.

The work I mentioned is what has allowed me to embrace a minimalist mindset. I’m able to go forward into situations with less baggage.

My spirit is open and teachable. Yours can be too.

***

Deanna Broaddus recently celebrated 10 years of sobriety. She speaks publicly about her testimony, helps women in recovery, and writes at her blog, Recovering Women Wealth. You can also find her on Instagram.