Blog

Minimalist Living: Tips From the Experts

by Sofia Medina
March 10, 2023
from Porch 

 

In recent years, the minimalist lifestyle has gained significant popularity among individuals looking to simplify their lives and reduce their environmental impact. Minimalist living refers to the intentional decision to live with less regarding material possessions and commitments. It’s about prioritizing what truly matters and eliminating distractions and clutter that can weigh a person down. At its core, minimalist living is a philosophy that promotes mindfulness and intentionality in all aspects of life. In this article, we’ll share tips from experts in the minimalist community to help you embrace this lifestyle and enjoy its many benefits as you create a more intentional and fulfilling life with less.

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A Clean and Tidy Home Can Boost Your Mental Health—Here’s Where to Start

by Shelby Deering
February 27, 2023
from RealSimple.com

 

Take small steps toward a cleaner home and improved well-being, even if you’re totally unmotivated.

Some symptoms of depression are well known: lethargy, a loss of interest in things you once found enjoyable (known as anhedonia), hopelessness, and deep sadness. But there are other depression warning signs you may not be aware of: stacks of dirty dishes in the sink; a towering pile of unfolded laundry that you washed days ago; boxes, wrappers, and bags dotting the disheveled landscape of your home.

We’re all prone to messy moments, but when intense disorganization is accompanied by symptoms of high stress, anxiety, burnout, or depression, it’s often an indicator that you may be struggling with your mental health.

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When to Update Your Last Will and Testament

Do you have a Last Will and Testament? Excellent! It is an essential part of your estate plan, and will make things clearer and easier for those you leave behind. “I’m not rich, I don’t have an estate, so I don’t need a will,” you might think. An “estate” in this situation is considered as, “a person’s belongings, physical and intangible assets, land and real estate, investments, collectibles, and furnishings.” You don’t need to be a bazillionaire to have an estate.

Your will does need updating from time to time. Estate lawyers recommend updating your will every three to five years, or any time you have a major life event. Read on for situations when you should update your will.

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How “Doom Boxes” Can Help You Tame Clutter

by Laura Wheatman Hill
December 17, 2022
from Apartment Therapy

 

I recently started seeing videos in the ADHD corner of TikTok about “doom boxes,” an ominous name for something I thought everyone did, regardless of their neurotypical or neurodivergent status. Turns out, maybe not. 

“Doom” is an acronym for “didn’t organize, only moved,” and a “doom box” is a space where you store these random unorganized items, just for the sake of putting them away. I have a doom closet, and I know people with doom rooms too. While a doom box may seem like an organizational no-no, you can make this habit work for you.

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Mid-Winter Home Organizing Projects (Indoors, Where It’s Warm!)

It’s cold, it’s wet, and it’s oh-so-very cozy inside your warm and inviting home! This doesn’t mean there’s nothing productive to do. Mid-winter is an excellent time to tackle a few indoor home organizing projects, before the sun starts making a regular appearance and you’ll want to be outdoors. We’ve got some ideas for this—some will take only an hour or two, while a few could take a day or a weekend.

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A Complete Guide to Makeup Expiration Dates—and How Often to Replace Every Toiletry You Own

October 29, 2022
from RealSimple.com

It’s probably time to replace your toothbrush (and mascara and lip gloss and razor blades).

Raise your hand if you’ve had a tube of (definitely expired) mascara knocking around in your makeup bag for over a year now. Or how about a lipstick you’ve been swiping on for a decade? Unless you routinely set aside time to clean out your cosmetics stash, it’s all too easy to keep makeup, toiletries, grooming tools, and medications long after their expiration dates. We’re all guilty of it—but it’s time to make a change.

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Clever Organizing Solutions for Your Crowded Kitchen Drawers

Do your kitchen drawers need a makeover? We’ve all got a junk drawer (okay, maybe two), so that’s okay. But if you’ve got more than one drawer that sometimes get stuck because it’s overfilled, or if it takes you too much time to find something in a drawer, then it may be time to do a little decluttering and reorganizing in those areas. Set aside a few hours to pare down your problem drawers’ contents, and then place the remaining contents back into the drawers. To help them stay neat and well laid out, we’ve got some clever drawer organizing solutions.

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13 Lesser-Known Places to Donate After Decluttering

January 1, 2023
by Brittney Morgan and Trisha Sprouse
from apartment therapy

 

Decluttering your home is just plain good for the soul. For starters, getting rid of any superfluous items tends to bring more harmony into your space, since it leaves you with a more curated collection of belongings that you know you need. But there’s a more meaningful benefit as well.

That purse or bag you no longer want could be the very same one somebody else has been coveting but couldn’t afford. Same goes for the blazer that helped you ace an interview in the past. Purging your possessions presents you with the opportunity to pass your belongings onto someone else who may need and appreciate them more.

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I Love My Clutter, Thank You Very Much

December 26, 2022
by Burt Solomon
from The Atlantic

 

Blame my childhood, but I find it cozy and comforting to be surrounded by stuff.

A confession, first: I love clutter.

The horizontal surfaces in my family room are covered with newspapers, magazines, books I’ve started, books I intend to read, books I want to read but never will, erasable pens, a sweatshirt or two, a soccer ball, a bucket of toy cars, and wayward Legos that gouge my stockinged feet. In addition to a computer, two telephones, and a TV remote, my desk at home is strewn with notebooks, folders, loose papers, birchbark, a modem, scraps of paper with notes to myself, photos of my wife and kids, flash drives, nail clippers, pens, coins, a stapler, a thesaurus, shopping receipts, a hand-grip strengthener, a blood-pressure cuff, two- and three-dimensional likenesses of Abraham Lincoln, four baseballs, three baseball caps, two 1909 baseball cards, two flashlights, a pair of AirPods, a miniature boxing glove my father gave me before I can remember, one Pokémon card, and two Tibetan bowls.

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What to Do More or Less of For A Better 2023

2022 was a different experience for all of us, but one thing is for sure: we are all looking forward to a better, improved 2023. Nobody wants to say the dirty “R” word (you know…resolutions…shhh). Instead, we’ll focus on simple things we can do more or less of, that will have a bigger, more positive impact all around. 

1. Say “No” more.

Are you dreading the next time your friend asks you to pet-sit? Then say “no” next time they ask. It’s okay to say no to doing something you really don’t want to. Explain why, but don’t feel like you have to apologize profusely for it. Your friend won’t stop being your friend because you can’t do this favor for them.

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