PLAYING basketball. The older two boys have been enjoying basketball season at their school. It is {I’s} first year to play, and {D}’s second.
They think it is fun being on a team together! We are really impressed with how much both of them have improved, and are proud of the hustle and good sportsmanship they show out on the court.
CONTINUING to tidy. One of Angela’s New Year’s Resolutions is to declutter the entire rental house before we break ground on Arrow Hill Cottage in the Spring. It is a hefty challenge, but we have already made great progress.
KEEPING warm. The temperatures over the last couple of weeks have been absolutely insane. In fact, school was even cancelled for a couple of days because of the dangerously cold temps and strong winds.
We were thankful to be able to cozy up inside our house, staying out of the elements. And we look forward to next winter when we will be enjoying Arrow Hill Cottage – and especially the Rec Room on these cold winter days!
TRYING new hairstyles. January seems to be the time of year our family members like to experiment with their hair. The boys all got fresh cuts and {M} tried some curls.
And…Craig shaved his beard off! We all couldn’t believe how different he looked right away! I bet with the cold that is here, he maybe wishes he had kept the beard a while longer!
This is just a glimpse at what our family has been up to. If you’d like a closer look, be sure to check out our weekly ‘mini vlogs’ on our YouTube channel ARROW HILL FAMILY. Be well everyone!
Looking for an inspirational book to read? I might have just found the perfect one! This review of the book New Minimalism discusses the overarching topics and tips presented by the authors. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here
As part of my recent New Years goals, I am looking for inspiration. In particular, in regards to our family’s journey toward minimalism. I know it will be helpful to learn from others who have gone before us. By seeking out people who have been successful in a similar situation, we can be encouraged to continue on.
Right before Christmas break from school, I took our five children to the city library. It was my intention stock up a good supply of reading material to use during the cold days indoors. As we walked in, I noticed a small table set up with books about goal setting, organizing and intentional living. Within that grouping, I spotted the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. This book has been on my reading wish list for a while now. I quickly grabbed it and put it in the library bag.
Then, I saw another book. One I hadn’t heard of. The book was NewMinimalism, written by a pair of friends – Cary Telander Fortin and Kyle Louise Quilici. The subtitle of the book drew me in. ‘Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living.’ Yes please! Into the bag it went.
AUTHOR BACKGROUND
Cary and Kyle met through carpooling. Both ladies were beginning their journeys toward a more simple lifestyle, and spent their drive time comparing notes. Through the following months, their friendship began to blossom. So too did their commitment to providing others with this newfound information they had regarding minimalism. Ultimately, the pair began a home organization business that grew into an online presence.
Their website newMinimalism has helped countless clients declutter and organize their lives. Simply put, these gals know what they are writing about. More important than that, they have a passion for their mission.
THE PREMISE OF THE BOOK NEW MINIMALISM
Right from the start of the book, the authors make it clear that they wish to dispel a common misconception about minimalism. That SIMPLICITY was synonymous with SACRIFICE and DISCOMFORT. Through their many years of experience working with people from all walks of life, they have found quite the opposite to be true.
By removing unused items from their lives, their clients have experienced peace and saved money. They have felt liberated and more joyful, and developed more meaningful relationships. I’d say those are all great reasons to embark on a more minimal life!
Throughout the book, the authors are encouraging their readers to look at the aspects of new minimalism as a way to understand your personal values. And, in turn, observing how those values are reflected in your physical space. They offer their clients a simple statement and question.
Your external space reflects your internal state. What does your home say about you?
THE FOUR ARCHETYPES
While working with a variety of personalities through their years as home organizers, Cary and Kyle have recognized four distinct patterns of behavior, or archetypes.
They are careful to note that these archetypes are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are what people tend toward, depending on the situation. However, you are likely to find that one behavioral pattern is your personal default most of the time.
I found this section of the book particularly insightful and helpful. Understanding the habits that you tend toward will make it easier for you to more effectively minimize clutter in your life.
ARCHETYPE 1: CONNECTED
This person generally has a hard time letting go of personal items that have memories tied to them. They tend to be great listeners, reliable friends, and compassionate. The connected individual is highly sentimental.
Connected people have a hard time letting go of : gifts, handwritten cards, and souvenirs.
ARCHETYPE 2: PRACTICAL
Practical people are logical, data-driven, and methodical. They have a factual way of looking at the world. They find joy in finding creative ways to improve a scenario or solve a problem.
Practical people have a hard time letting go of: art + craft supplies, scrap materials, and anything that might be useful for a future situation.
ARCHETYPE 3: ENERGETIC
This person is creative and in a constant state of learning. A go-getter who has a hard time saying ‘no’ to a anyone who needs help. New projects are irresistible to them.
Energetic people have a hard time letting go of: projects, personal and social commitments.
ARCHETYPE 4: FRUGAL
This person tends to plan for the future, while rooted in the present moment. Frugal people tend to be very intentional about not only how they spend their money, but also their time.
Frugal people have a hard time letting go of: anything with monetary worth or perceived rarity.
This particular part of the book was very eye opening for me. I immediately knew that I fit the Energetic Archetype perfectly. I am often eager to start a new project, but will admit that following through is sometimes difficult. There is just something in me that loves the thrill of the creative beginning of a project. The finishing of the project isn’t as exciting. To be honest, often times by that point in the process, I am already looking toward the next new thing that can be started.
The second archetype that I align with is Practical. Because I love starting up new projects, I like to have supplies readily available. This is why my craft room is a giant mess, and in need of a major declutter.
I read the above descriptions to my husband, and he claims to most relate to both the Practical and Frugal archetypes. Absolutley, I agree.
The authors do a wonderful job of providing questions you can ask yourself while you are decluttering and minimizing, based on what behaviors you tend toward. By knowing your archetype, I truly believe you will understand how better to simplify your life.
THE DECLUTTERING PROCESS
The authors of New Minimalism offer a process of decluttering your spaces. Similar to the KonMari method of decluttering, this book recommends that items be dealt with by category. Seven specific categories are outlined. In addition, they recommend that items be dealt with in a specific order. They always start client decluttering sessions with clothing and end with furniture and home decor.
Their reason for the particular order is outlined in the book. Each category is given a section of the book, full of tips and best practices.
The authors also discuss how to be successful in the overall decluttering process. They offer encouragement on preparing, both mentally and physically, for the task at hand and include tips on how to enlist help.
CLEANING PRODUCT SOLUTIONS
Through their years in the industry, Cary and Kyle have encountered a wide variety of cleaning products. What they have come to find is that simple products are often the best. As a result, they have developed their very own formulas. Recipes for homemade wood polish, shower + toilet scrub, and an all purpose cleaner are all available in the book.
I definitely want to make the switch to a more natural way of cleaning, and will be giving these recipes a try! It would be amazing if I could make my cleaning routine at Arrow Hill Cottage toxic free!
NEW MINIMALISM DESIGN PRINCIPLES
This book offers up twelve design principles to think about when putting your new decluttered space back together. I won’t be writing them all here, but I do want to share the two that I love most.
The first is that we should redefine our definition of ‘full’. New Minimalism defines ‘full’ as a state when the confines of a drawer, cabinet, or closet have ample space to be seen and can be accessed with ease. Be mindful that when you overfill your spaces, items will be easily forgotten and, therefore, not useful. For example, I witnessed this firsthand when decluttering our linen closet. It was shocking to me that a very personal and special item was hidden below piles of unused towels and blankets. Never again.
The second principle that I plan to practice is to ‘allow one to stand for many.’ In a nutshell, this principle is addressing meaningful keepsakes from our past. The authors challenge their readers to seek out pieces that represent special memories, instead of trying to save everything.
There is a wonderful quote in the book by decluttering expert Karen Kingston. She stated: “When you are surrounded by more than 50 percent of belongings that remind you of something from your past, you will continue to live in the past.” That’s a powerful statement!
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK NEW MINIMALISM
This book is a thorough approach to decluttering and simplifying your life. It is not your average organizing book. The fact that it offers holistic insights to the WHY behind the clutter makes it so much more. The authors are insightful and clear on their thoughts. However, they also recognize the dynamics of human nature.
I very much appreciate that the book isn’t laid out as a ‘one size fits all’ formula for each and every situation. We are all unique and, as such, our journeys toward minimalism will look different.
In conclusion, I most definitely recommend this book. It is one of the best I have read in this genre!
VIDEO BOOK REVIEW OF NEW MINIMALISM
Watch me talk about my thoughts on this book. I am planning on implementing what I have learned in my own life, and go into that more deeply in this video.
PIN THIS BOOK REVIEW
If you are considering a minimalism journey of your own, I highly recommend this book. Pin this image as a reminder to buy this book, or borrow it from the library. It will be worth your efforts, I promise!
Again, the book is New Minimalism, and can be purchased HERE.
Like many men, my husband was reluctant to declutter his closet. And so, I teamed up with him to get the job done. Find out what I learned that helped him get organized and complete the process.
My husband watched as I decluttered my clothing, creating a 50 piece year round capsule wardrobe. Seeing how freeing it has been for me to have a smaller wardrobe, he became interested in tackling his own side of the closet. Though interested, he had no idea where to start or what to do. In fact, he told me that I could go ahead and get rid of anything I wanted and he would just wear whatever I decided to keep.
While decluttering other people’s belongings isn’t generally recommended, it may work for some items. Things such as dishes, toys, and books might be easy for an outsider to sort through without too many problems. Clothing though? I think it’s much too personal. And though he hates to admit it, I know that my husband has an opinion about how he looks and what he feels comfortable wearing.
And so, after some negotiation, we came to the decision that we would work together on his closet declutter. After everything was sorted, I would then be in charge of organizing the remaining items in a thoughtful way that he could easily maintain.
MY HUSBAND’S STYLE
Before we began the closet declutter, we sat down and talked about which clothing items he tends to gravitate toward. His response was that he likes to be comfortable, and that jeans, t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts were among his favorites. I would agree that it seems to be what he wears most often – though he does need to dress up slightly more for his office job. In that respect, he prefers polo shirts and nice sweaters to button downs and ties.
With this information in mind, we set to work on the process.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here
EMPTYING THE CLOSET AND DRAWERS
Following the KonMari method of decluttering, we gathered all of his clothing and laid it on the bed. We share a small closet, where he hangs up his nicer shirts. He also has a couple of drawers where he keeps t-shirts, shorts, and undergarments.
Seeing the mound of clothing on the bed seemed to surprise him. In fact, he commented that he probably had more clothes than I did! Now that I have my capsule wardrobe, perhaps. But during my own closet declutter, the pile I had on the bed was nearly twice the size of his. He just didn’t witness it.
SORTING THROUGH THE CLOTHING
My husband felt more comfortable going through his items while I was standing in the room. He knew from the start that he wasn’t planning on creating a capsule wardrobe. Instead, he wished to eliminate items that he didn’t like to wear or those that were damaged.
If he questioned any of the clothing choices, he would ask for my input. Ultimately though, every decision was his to make. There were definitely a few pieces that he decided to keep that I might have thrown directly into the rag pile!
Take this shirt, for example. It is literally see through – but Craig insists that it is the most comfortable shirt he has ever worn. He loves to wear it when he chops wood or is working outside.
There were also a pair of shorts that I think are too baggy, that he loves to wear. I encouraged him to keep them. This is his wardrobe after all, and I continued to reassure him of that fact as we went through this process.
BENEFITS OF DECLUTTERING TOGETHER
Decluttering can many times be thought of as a personal process. Going through my husband’s clothing with him though, I realized some important benefits.
BONDING
He might not agree, but I actually had a lot of fun helping him tackle the closet declutter. Not only did I get a better sense of what his style is, it helped to cement the unity of this moment as a couple. Minimalism and simplicity is something that we are constantly discussing as a couple, though I am the one who has taken on the bulk of the decluttering. It was nice to share this responsibility. Though I know that he doesn’t plan to help me declutter each and every room or category, this exercise at least gave him a better idea of the process that I am going through.
FINDING DUPLICATES
It was obvious during this closet declutter, that Craig had amassed quite the collection of T-shirts. Ironically, he doesn’t often wear them. After realizing that an entire drawer was stuffed with clothes he doesn’t use, he was willing to choose his favorites and let go of the rest.
In the large pile of t-shirts, we found two identical workout tank tops. Craig was unaware that he had both of them, and even questioned where one of them came from. He was able to look them both over, compare, and decide which to keep.
NOTING WHAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED
As the person who does the majority of shopping for our family (including clothing), it is important that I know when things need to be replaced. I will admit, however, that I hadn’t been paying close attention to Craig’s wardrobe. During this particular declutter process, it became pretty obvious that Craig is in dire need of a new pair of nice summer shorts, and also a couple new pairs of work Kaki’s.
Since we are currently halfway through a no spend month, these purchases will need to wait a bit, which shouldn’t be a problem. They are noted, and will be taken care of.
ORGANIZING THE CLOSET AND DRAWERS
Holding up my end of the bargain, I went to work getting everything put back in it’s place. The hanging items were neatly arranged in our small shared closet. Short sleeved tops are currently hung on the left side, since they are out of season. The long sleeved shirts are more easily accessible, on the right – closer to the door opening.
I decided since hooded sweatshirts were important to Craig, that I would hang them up as well. This makes them more easily visible. Pants and shorts were also hung, using a special type of hanger.
I folded his t-shirts using the KonMari method, and was pleasantly surprised to easily fit them all into the drawer along with workout shorts and running pants.
While decluttering together, we discussed that the bins we had been using on the floor of our closet were not a great solution. It seemed to us that when items went into the bins, they were easily forgotten about. We decided to fit all of our items either on the hanging rod, or in the dresser drawers. This will not only make the clothing more accessible, it should also hopefully cut down on items being forgotten.
The bins, and also over 60 hangers, are now relieved of their service.
WATCH US TACKLE CRAIG’S CLOTHING
There is something entertaining about watching other people take on a closet declutter. It might even be motivating for you to try the same thing!
Today I am going to share how I tackled a seriously stuffed hall closet and turned it into a simple and organized linen closet – in less than 30 minutes!
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclosure here**
In this decluttering journey, I have to admit that this space was one I was not looking forward to. Our linen closet had become one of those places in our house that was just out of sight, and out of mind. I knew what was lurking behind those doors – and knew it wasn’t pretty. But I didn’t really want to acknowledge the task at hand.
Faced with the lofty New Year’s goal of finishing our rental house declutter before we break ground on Arrow Hill Cottage in the spring, I knew that there was no more holding back. It was time.
LINEN CLOSET BEFORE
We moved into this rental house four years ago. In our previous home we did not have a linen closet, and so we saw this as a bit of a luxury upgrade. We piled all of our bedding, towels, and extra pillows into the closet and called it good. Except, it wasn’t good.
Here’s the situation. I wash laundry only once per week. I like this system, especially since it gives me a sense of finalization, at least for one day. The towels we use daily are stored in our bathrooms. They make their way into the laundry baskets throughout the week, and on Sunday get a thorough washing. That means that every towel behind this closed linen closet door are ‘extras’, and are rarely used. They are brought out primarily when we have guests stay in our home.
Bedding is similar. After I wash the sheets, they go right back on the beds. Again, as the above photo illustrates, we had saved plenty of extras.
DECLUTTERING THE LINEN CLOSET
Starting this declutter was by far the most difficult part. I think I was a bit overcome by just how MUCH we had stored away in this small closet. Once I began to take it all out though, a weight started to lift.
Our linen closet is located at the end of a long hallway upstairs. As I removed the items from the closet, I grouped like category items together. This made it easy to see the quantity of each type of item. Noticing the amount of duplicates made it easier to make decisions regarding what should stay and what should go.
Sorting through the piles, I placed items that I thought we should keep on the right side of the hallway, and those that we could donate or sell on the left.
FINDING TREASURES
One of the biggest surprises during this declutter project was finding a special quilt I had made years ago. It was presented to my husband at the groom’s supper, the night before our wedding. I clearly remember the months leading up to our marriage. Craig was doing a mechanical engineering internship near Chicago, and I was in North Dakota, at college. Those months apart were long and difficult, and I spent many hours working on the quilt and dreaming about married life.
Honestly, this quilt means more to me than my wedding dress. So why was it stuffed in the bottom of the closet, completely forgotten? When I first saw it, I felt really sad that it had been so neglected. Now I am ever more committed to this process, and discovering which items bring us joy.
This quilt will serve as a reminder of how easily items you cherish can be crowded out by other, less important, belongings. It will be going to the dry cleaners, and a more prominent spot will be found for it in our new home.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
When decluttering and creating an organized linen closet, there are a few important questions you should ask yourself:
Is this a convenient location for these items? Linen closets were very popular in older homes, but have fallen out of favor somewhat in recent years. I believe the reason is that more people now place items closer to where they will be used, instead of grouped together in a central location. For example, the bed sheets may be stored in the bedroom closets, and the extra toilet paper in the bathroom.
Really think about what works best for you and your family. Where some might find a central linen closet the prime location to store towels and bedding, others may find that a hall linen closet in their home is better suited to store cleaning supplies, small appliances, or even toys.
How many of _____ do we need? In our household, whenever a new set of towels was purchased we continued to hold onto the old set. Just in case, we said. If we have company, we thought. The truth of the matter is that if we chose to buy new towels, our old ones had more than likely finished their purposeful life for our family.
I encourage you to determine how many towels, bed linens, etc. your family really needs. Any more than those items used on a weekly basis will likely be stored. Don’t let them multiply behind closed doors like we did!
ORGANIZED LINEN CLOSET
Like a lot of people, I have been watching ‘Tidying up’ on Netflix. One of the tips I have learned from watching the show is the idea of placing like items into smaller baskets for storage. I have mentioned before that I have a love for baskets. In fact, I have a stash of them in our storage closet, just waiting to be used.
These chrome wire baskets were the perfect size to hold the items I had chosen to keep.
Though I don’t have quite the ‘magic’ of Marie Kondo, I did try her method of folding into thirds and storing them upright. I have to say that it really did save space! An entire set of towels (two bath towels, one hand towel and one wash cloth), was able to fit into a single basket, for example.
When putting the linens back into the closet, I made sure to put the items that will be used more frequently on the eye level shelves. The large blankets were placed on the highest shelf, since it is likely they will be accessed by the adults only. The extra pillows are now within reach for the kids to use for camp-outs and movie nights.
It is important to note that we are living in a rental house. Because of this, we aren’t able to modify the spacing between shelves. If you have a closet with adjustable shelves, customizing your storage should be much more efficient!
BENEFITS OF AN ORGANIZED LINEN CLOSET
Now that our linen closet is organized, I definitely want it to stay that way! The following benefits will help me keep the clutter from coming back.
Items are easily found. One glance in, and you can see how things are organized, by category. This makes it much faster to find that towel when you need to clean up a spill, or retrieve a clean set of bedsheets for a child who had a middle of the night accident.
Linens have room to breathe. With the linen closet stuffed to the max, there was little air circulation. Stored in this way for too long, and you could be dealing with musty towels and bedding. That’s just not pleasant. In your organized linen closet, you may consider adding an open box of baking soda. It will help cut down on moisture and will keep things smelling fresh and clean.
WATCH ME ORGANIZE MY LINEN CLOSET
See the process of of decluttering my personal linen closet. I am still shocked to see the drastic change!
Do you love getting a new glossy magazine filled with inspiration in the mail, but are not sure what to do with them after you’re finished reading? Today, I will be offering a quick organizing tip on how to control magazine clutter.
Long before the steady reliable stream of digital images, print inspiration was king. Magazine subscriptions were sold door to door as a form of entertainment and inspiration, and it was big business. I too have had a few longstanding subscriptions. And I can genuinely say that I look forward to each month’s new copy.
However, there is a major downside to this seemingly harmless consumption. Clutter.
HOW MAGAZINE CLUTTER HAPPENS
Perhaps you already have a system in place to stay on top of paper pile up. Many businesses now offer a paperless billing option that you might be taking advantage of. Or maybe you are great about sending junk promotions directly to the recycle bin as soon as they exit your mailbox.
However, there is something a bit more special about that shiny new magazine that shows up once a month. Whether because they arrive with less frequency or the fact that they are full of colorful images and inspiring information, magazines are hard to let go of.
One thin magazine laid on the coffee table turns into five, and then into a stack in the corner of the room. Before you know it, magazines are taking up more of your precious space than you would like. If this has become a problem for you, I have a tip that can help you control magazine clutter.
SIMPLE STORAGE TIP
Because I work in the home design industry, I find home decor and building magazines very inspiring. For years I held onto stacks of my favorite issues. Eventually they got overwhelming, and I had to come up with a solution. I realized that of an entire magazine, I was interested in about 5% of the articles and images.
Because of this, I determined that it didn’t make much sense to keep the entire magazine. Instead, I opt to rip out only the pages that are most inspiring. I then curate them in plastic sheet covers, in white three ring binders. This is an ultra simple and inexpensive way to control magazine clutter, and it has been working well for me.
One important word of advice. This method will work best when you get in the habit of practicing the ‘tear out’ method immediately after reading through a magazine. Not only will your favorite ideas and images be fresh in your mind, you will also be more likely to get the job done. If a magazine is allowed to stay whole for too long, it becomes a more permanent house resident that sadly won’t be noticed until a few of it’s buddies join.
My binders are stored on a shelf in my home office. The contents are used as inspiration not only for the decorating of my own home, but also also but when designing homes and spaces for clients. They are plump full of images I love. And they certainly were helpful to look back on during the design process of our family’s home, Arrow Hill Cottage.
WATCH ME DECLUTTER MY MAGAZINE STASH
With this storage system, it is important to go through the binders on a regular basis. Doing so will allow you to be sure they contain contain content you wish to save.
Recently, when looking through my collection, I noticed that there were articles and images that were outdated or no longer my style. Trending home products from 2006? Probably not relevant any longer. Just this week I decided to further pare down my collection by eliminating the pages that no longer inspired me.
The beauty of the binder system is that you can easily switch out items that are no longer giving you inspiration for those that are.
Before this most recent declutter, I had a total of six binders filled with plastic sleeves. Through the declutter process, I was able to reduce my binders from six down to three. It feels good to know that inspiration on each and every page awaits me, whenever I choose to open the binders up.
IS STORING MAGAZINES MINIMAL?
You might be wondering – wouldn’t it just be easier, and more minimal, to throw out all the magazines? Is keeping magazine clippings even necessary when there is Pinerest?
There is no short answer to either of those questions. The truth is that the more we walk down this minimalism path, the more realize that it is a highly personal journey. There are no hard and fast rules about what can be deemed appropriate to save, and what for sure needs to be tossed. Those decisions lie solely with the person who owns the possession, and nobody else.
Minimalism does not mean we need to rid our lives of all the things we love. Instead, it asks us to be mindful of the intentions behind each of our belongings. To decide, for ourselves, what things and quantity of things are appropriate for this moment in time.
The beauty of this mindset is that I don’t need to justify my decision to save three binders full of magazine clippings any more than someone else needs to justify their personal collection. Whatever that may be. My magazine binders bring me joy, and serve a purpose at this point in my life. So they stay. In the future, if I decide to scan all of the pages and keep only a digital copy, that is fine too.
I would encourage you to follow the same process of thinking while you declutter or attempt to simplify.
PIN THIS SIMPLE WAY TO CONTROL MAGAZINE CLUTTER
If you are a magazine lover like I am, I encourage you to try out this method. It’s inexpensive – maybe $3 per binder and $5 for a large pack of plastic sheets. It is also simple enough to be maintained as a long term solution to control magazine clutter.
OTHER MAGAZINE ORGANIZING TIPS
These articles offer additional ways to control magazine clutter:
