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MINIMALIST RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR

A new year means a new perspective and goals for the future. Today I am outlining five minimalist resolutions that I am setting to start 2019 out on the right foot!

I have just finished up a four week series of declutter challenges. The process was hard work, but I have to admit that the house is looking pretty amazing. It’s impressive to see what even just one month of focused intention can do! I want to keep the momentum going into the new year, and have come up with a series of minimalist resolutions to help me reach my goal.

FIND INSPIRATION

Since we are just at the very beginning of our minimalism journey, it can be daunting at times to think about how far we have to go. Reading about others who have gone before us and seen success is going to be key. Finding inspiration is the first of my minimalist resolutions for the new year.

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BOOKS

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I have been wanting to read this book for a while, as it has received many great reviews. The author, Marie Kondo, was the one who developed the KonMari decluttering method. I used that method for one of my declutter challenges and found it quite effective.

Marie’s philosophy on decluttering has to do with keeping only the items that bring you joy. She has partnered with Netflix to create an eight episode mini series, where she teaches others to use her techniques. The series starts on January first, and you can be sure I will be watching!

Minimalism for Families. Because we are a large family, I am particularly interested in techniques to help our brood along on this journey. This book got good reviews not only because of the practical tips that are offered, but also because it helps the reader understand the ‘why’ behind reducing clutter.

BLOGS

The Minimal Mom: The writer of the blog, Dawn, is a fellow Minnesotan. She and her husband are raising 4 kids, and I feel like she is super relate-able. They have gone through an extreme decluttering process that has resulted in a new and more simple way of life for their family. Dawn also has a great YouTube channel with many videos that further explain the techniques they use. I definitely recommend you check out their laundry system video – a unique approach that works for them!

YOU TUBE

Break the Twitch: Of course, there is a ton of videos about minimalism on YouTube, and it will surely serve as a source of inspiration in the new year. One channel that I have recently subscribed to and am loving is Break the Twitch. Anthony uses humor to teach about why mimimalism is effective. He shows his audience that mimimalism is more than just eliminating physical clutter. It also has to do with a mindset shift in order to live intentionally.

NO SPEND MONTH

My second resolution is in collaboration with another amazing YouTuber. Shannon Torrens and her family have been walking down the path toward minimalism for the past year or so. It is really impressive to see all that they have accomplished in such a short time! Follow along with their journey by visiting her channel.

Shannon and I both recognize that a challenge can be a great motivator to reach a goal. Because of this, we decided to make January a ‘no spend month’. We will attempt to buy only consumable products such as food and toiletries for the entire month of January.

Doing this for the first month of the new year will be a great way to reset our spending habits. It is also likely to be quite eye opening. I will be recording how many ‘want items’ went un-purchased as well as the amount of money that was saved.

I am personally calling this our ‘Happy (NO) New Year Challenge’. Feel free to join us!

I’m excited to have Shannon as my accountability partner this month. Be sure to view her personal New Years resolution video and blog post, and check back here at the end of January to see how we both did!

FINISH DECLUTTERING

Of all of my minimalist resolutions, this is likely to be the most challenging. We have lived in our rental farmhouse for over four years now. There are still boxes that remain unopened from our move, sitting in a storage closet. And, of course, we have accumulated more items during the time we have lived here. Because Arrow Hill Cottage is smaller than the rental house, we need to be very diligent about which items we decide to keep.

I would like to have the declutter process finished by the time we break ground on the new house. This adds a bit of urgency to this resolution. We should be breaking ground in the spring – April or May. That gives me only 3 or 4 months to get the job done.

Thankfully, the December challenges gave me a great jump start. I definitely plan to use some of the techniques I used to tackle the rest of the rooms in the rental house.

GARAGE SALE

My husband really hates garage sales. He doesn’t feel that they are with the effort. However, with all the decluttering that is about to happen, we will have plenty to sell!

I finally got him to accept the idea by mentioning that the proceeds from the sale could be used toward items for the new house. And so, the fourth of my minimalist resolutions is to have one big garage sale near the end of the summer.

It is likely that we will be preparing to move near the end of the summer, or early Fall. That just happens to be prime garage sale time in our area. We are currently storing all the items for the sale in a large upstairs closet we have lovingly named ‘the sell room.’ Everything will be moved out to the garage for the sale. Items that don’t sell will be immediately donated.

Not having to pack everything into boxes and move, then sort again at the new house, is considered a win-win in my book!

ONE IN ONE OUT

After the whole house declutter and massive garage sale, we need to move forward by keeping things clutter free. It would be the biggest disappointment to put in all the hard work only to fill up the new house.

And so, my final minimalist resolution for 2019 is to practice the one in / one out rule. Essentially this means that before bringing any new item into our home, I will think about which item it will be replacing. The replaced item will then be donated, so that we do not continue to accumulate over time.

Items should be of like value or type. For example, purchasing a brand new power tool and eliminating a small hair accessory would be bending the rules. My year round capsule wardrobe will be easy to keep in check, since I want to keep it at the same number of items.

It would be really extreme to catalog and number every single item in our entire home. Instead, I plan to always be mindful of the things we do own, so that we don’t end up with duplicate items that serve the same purpose.

Of course, there will be a period of time while we are setting up the new house with bedding, curtains, and some new furniture. This will be the exception to the rule however, and for the most part this process should be complete within a few months of moving in.

I’m excited to see how the one in / one out mentality helps me to think critically about which items are brought into our home.

THOUGHTS ON MY MINIMALIST RESOLUTIONS

We are filled with hope and anticipation going into 2019. Our family has been dreaming about building our forever house for years and years. Knowing that it is finally going to become a reality is beyond exciting.

Not only will the house be a special tailor-made place for our family to live, it will also be a clean slate for us. A chance to start over in some respects, and to create the family life we have been craving. A slower paced, intentional outlook on life – where we have deeper connections with one another. As our kids grow, these connections are going to be even more important.

I am hopeful that this year’s minimalism resolutions will be a jump start into even more positive changes in the coming years.

OTHER NEW YEARS GOALS

I have heard before that a goal is just a wish unless you write it down. And so as an effort to keep these things at the forefront of my mind, I am leaving them here to look back on when I need motivation.

FOR MYSELF

Taking more time to rest, and enjoy the simple things in life

Saying ‘no’ to events and commitments that add unnecessary stress

Waking up each day with a positive attitude and clear mind

Cooking healthy meals for my family

FOR MY FAMILY

Spending more quality time together

Craig had an awesome idea, which we will be implementing on January 1st. We are calling it ‘Screen Free Saturday’. On the first Saturday of each month we will shut off all of our devices and connect as a family. We envision cooking all of our meals together, playing board games, and just getting to know each other better. Everyone in the family is really looking forward to this!

Reading books together

Leading up to Christmas, I read an advent story book aloud to the family. The kids all enjoyed it so much that they were constantly asking for me to read extra each night. I think it would be fun to start a book series that all of our children, ages 5 to 12, could understand and be interested in. One option I have thought of is the Little House on the Prairie Series. If you have any recommendations for captivating books in this age range, please let me know!

Celebrating the value that each member brings to the family

As a large family, it is sometimes difficult for each member to find their place. Even though it isn’t intended, some members definitely receive more attention than others. I would love to do some family exercises that could help us each recognize that even though we are all different, we bring something unique that helps our family as a whole.

FOR THE BLOG

I am hopeful that the things I have learned in 2018 will help me to grow the blog even more in the coming year. More specifically, I am going to be working on putting out great content that will be helpful to my readers. This minimalism journey that our family is on will be a big source of topics for the blog, but I will also be writing about healthy meals, organizing tips, and of course home design ideas.

Are you making New Years Resolutions? If so, I would love to hear about them and encourage you throughout the year! Here’s to a wonderful 2019!

MINIMALIST RESOLUTIONS VIDEO

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CAPSULE WARDROBE | DECLUTTER CHALLENGE

Clothes have a way of sticking around and cluttering closets and drawers. This week I attempted to build my very first capsule wardrobe, as the fourth challenge in the December Declutter!

Welcome back to the fourth and final week of the December Declutter Challenge! This month I have already completed a Konmari declutter of our Christmas Decor, a speed declutter, and a deep cleaning of one room, top to bottom. Today I am sharing how I decluttered my clothing in an attempt to create my first capsule wardrobe.

CAPSULE WARDROBE PRINCIPLES

The main idea behind the capsule wardrobe is to fill your closet with clothing items you like and that you like on your body. Though the term was coined in the 1970’s by Susie Faux, the concept has become even more popular in recent years. With people busier than ever, overwhelmed by their lives and jobs, minimalism has gained recognition as a way to slow down and simplify. Capsule wardrobes are in line with minimalism techniques.

A typical capsule wardrobe includes between 25 and 50 pieces. Some include enough pieces for year round wear, while others offer a seasonal selection only. The great thing about a capsule wardrobe is that it is personalized to fit each individual. As such, the rules can vary from person to person.

MY CAPSULE WARDROBE RULES

Because we live in the Midwest, we experience dramatic temperature changes with each season. My wardrobe has to incorporate shorts as well as sweaters. For this reason, I opted to allow my capsule to include the maximum number of fifty pieces.

This will be a full year capsule wardrobe. I chose not include jewlery/scarves, pjs, or outerwear (coats, snow boots, etc.) Even so, I attempted to minimize the number of items in these categories to a combined twenty. Undergarments were not included in any item totals.

My long term goal for this challenge is to actually use the clothing I have. To create different outfit combinations with a minimal amount of items. I want to get to the point that I love everything in my closet.

CLOTHING CLUTTER (BEFORE)

My husband and I share a teeny tiny closet that is built into the eaves at our rental farmhouse. It was pretty well stuffed to the brim on the hanging bar.

We also had some bins on the closet floor that held bulkier items such as pants and sweatshirts. And I had one dresser drawer plump full of workout and lounging clothes.

SORT THROUGH THE CLOTHING

I used a method outlined on the website The Penny Hoarder when sorting through my clothing. The first step involved gathering all clothing items and footwear in one area, similar to what is done in the KonMari method.

Taking every item out of the closet, drawer and bins and laying them all on the bed was a huge eye opener to me. It was a massive pile of clothing. Considering that I can only wear one outfit at a time, I would say it’s obvious that I had far too many clothes.

The next step in the process is to sort all of the clothing items into three separate piles. One pile for items that you love, your favorites. Another pile for items that you like, and a final pile of items that you are certain you no longer need. Clothing that doesn’t fit properly or has stains/tears should go into the third pile.

Even if at one time the pieces were your favorites, if they don’t fit or are damaged do you really want to include them in your minimal wardrobe?

After my sorting was complete I was left with quite a few items that were destined to be sold or donated. I went ahead and bagged them up straight away. In this way, I wasn’t tempted to go back through those items searching for something to keep.

FINE TUNE THE SELECTIONS

The two remaining piles including clothing pieces that I love, and those that I like. At this point I needed to do some more critical thinking. I thought about which items could be used in multiple ways to form various outfits. I thought about how many seasons each piece would be useful in. Further sorting through these two piles back and forth, I was able to narrow down my capsule wardrobe to the pre-set 50 pieces.

HANG UP FAVORITES

My favorites were then hung back into the closet. I tend to arrange my clothing in color categories and by sleeve length.

Because this is my first capsule wardrobe, I decided to keep a ‘back up’ of 16 items that were from my maybe pile. These clothing pieces were placed into a bin and are stored in the back of my closet for the moment. If, after 365 days none have been needed, they will be moved into the donation bags.

While I am learning the ins and outs of my particular capsule wardrobe, I am giving myself lots of flexibility and the freedom to make fine tuning decisions. For example, I may find that I need fewer long sleeve/ winter items but more short sleeve options.

Each time a new item is added, either from my back up pile or purchased new from a store, one of the items in my capsule must be set aside. This will allow me to keep the item count consistent throughout the year.

I am hopeful that after a full year using these fifty items that I will have a good handle on what I need and use most often.

WATCH ME CREATE A CAPSULE WARDROBE

Take a virtual tour of my clothing before, and watch me declutter my clothing to create my very first capsule wardrobe!

MY CAPSULE WARDROBE SELECTIONS

I will admit that this was probably the most difficult of all the challenges I was faced with this month. Perhaps it has something to do with the intimate nature of clothing, which causes a person to become attached more easily.

Even still, it was an exciting exercise. I personally am really looking forward to knowing that everything in my closet fits and is useful. My final capsule wardrobe includes the following 50 items:

FOOTWEAR

7 pairs total: 2 flats, 2 boots, 1 casual canvas, 1 nicer pair of sneakers, 1 pair of running shoes.

BOTTOMS

8 total: 4 pants/jeans, 1 Capri, 2 shorts, 1 yoga pant

TOPS

27 total: 6 tanks, 3 short sleeve, 1 vest, 1 cover/wrap, 4 cardigan/pull over, 6 long sleeve, 5 sweaters, 1 dress

WORKOUT

8 total pieces: 3 bottoms (1 short, 1 Capri, 1 pant), 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 short sleeve shirt, 3 tank tops

ADDITIONAL ITEMS (not included in the capsule wardrobe total)

20 total items: 1 swimsuit, 1 pair of snow boots, 2 winter coats, 1 spring/summer jacket, 1 poncho, 4 PJ pieces, 5 scarves, 3 necklaces, 1 pair earings, 1 ring.

OUTFIT OPTIONS

Probably my favorite part of the entire challenge was coming up with different outfit ideas with the smaller number of pieces. These are just a few of the options that I am excited to wear!

I love how most of the items can be either dressed up or down depending on how they are paired and with different accessories. For example, a basic t-shirt can be worn with a pair of shorts or yoga pants for a comfortable casual look. The same shirt can also be dressed up with a scarf and nicer shoes.

I plan to print off index card sized pictures of outfit options. These cards can then be placed on a binder ring and stored in my dresser. That way, if at any time I feel that I have ‘nothing to wear’, I will have visual outfit inspiration!

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS CHALLENGE

This challenge was eye opening for sure. If you had asked me before how many total clothing items I had, I doubt I would have thought I owned even fifty total. The truth is that I had nearly two hundred. Essentially, this exercise cut my wardrobe in less than half.

While having a final item count might seem restrictive to some people, I actually found it useful. Knowing that I couldn’t go over my predetermined number caused me to really think about which pieces I wanted to hang onto.

I also found it surprising that the items I chose to keep in my capsule wardrobe shared a lot of similarities. Apparently, I enjoy wearing comfortable pieces that are generally plain or have small patterns/prints. There are also quite a few striped items that made the cut. Color wise, there is a definite palette of favorites – something I never realized before!

My side of the closet is in order and looking awesome. Perhaps for this reason, my husband has given me the green light to tackle his wardrobe next. I call that a declutter win!

PIN THESE IDEAS FOR LATER

Are you ready to tackle a clothing declutter and create a capsule wardrobe of your own?