Simply Enough

Living Simply

What Do Minimalists Want for their Birthday?

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It's my birthday month! And it frustrates my family every year. Surprise...I do not want gifts. Not stuff at least. I appreciate consumable presents so my best friend shops all year for the perfect item. She goes to a lot of effort to choose such thoughtful, consumable gifts. I am grateful. Another friend texted an emoji card.  I love it because it's free and there's no clutter!  My husband gave up buying cards years ago but still makes an effort to celebrate the day. Last year, he decided to sing Happy Birthday every time a card arrived. And he drove 25 miles to get me my favorite coffee and donut at the beach. All that said, my son and husband, celebrate their birthdays very differently. They do not need to adopt my version of minimalism. As a family, we live simply but minimalism is unique to each person. It will look different for your family as well. Hubby loves funny cards and ice cream cake. My son typically asks for an experience or a party with friends. When …

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How to Host Simple Kids Birthday Parties

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The House Party Years ago, I met a friend for coffee. We chatted about our kid's upcoming birthdays. She shared how her daughter was made fun of for her birthday party. The school friends asked, "What kind of 'house party' will you have this year?" Implying it was less of a celebration. Mom and daughter were already excited about their plans, so thankfully the comments had little effect. The New Norm for Birthday Parties But we were shocked by the response and discussed the new norm for children's birthday parties.  Party expectations start with 10-15 kids, food, cake, goodie bags, entertainment and more. She mentioned attending an indoor skydiving party at iFly.  Over $1,100 for 12 people. Yikes! And that's just the flying part! To be fair, I'm all for experiences. In fact, I'm a huge fan of experiences, not stuff especially travel. But I fear we're setting unrealistic expectations for our kids with extravagant parties and gifts. I was once very guilty of this. …

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7 Proven Strategies to Declutter Your Home

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I'm passionate about owning less because it saves me time and money. So, I've established daily strategies to control clutter and create order. Adopt these habits and reclaim hours in your day with less stress and more time to do what you love. Check out my 7 proven strategies to organize your home. 7 Strategies to Organize Your Home 1. Stop Shopping With love in my heart, I really mean stop shopping. Question every purchase before you make it. Wait 24 hours before you click "order." Turn off one-click and avoid stores where impulse buys occur. Consider a shopping moratorium.  I resolved to go 6-months without clothes shopping and found it easy to extend to 8.  I still remember the first item I bought and I didn't love it. A few months later, I donated it. 2. Borrow, Repurpose, Reuse, or Do Without Save time and borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor.  Or maybe a power washer or crockpot?  I love to build community through borrowing.  Several of my …

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Why You Need A Landing Spot Right Now

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Perhaps you attempted to leave the house today, but couldn't find your keys. And then ran back inside for your phone. Finally, you were set to drive away and remembered a package to mail or an item to return. At last!! You're in the school kiss-n-ride line but your son isn't wearing shoes. :) Sound familiar? If so, you need a landing spot, right now. Did you know in your lifetime, you will spend a total of 3,680 hours (153 days) searching for misplaced items? And on average, you lose up to 9 items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. (The Daily Mail) Let's stop the madness. Before decluttering, I was late for everything and struggled to get out of the door.  Times have changed since I got the volume under control and set up a landing spot. This simple habit helps me feel more organized and starts the day off right! So, let's add some hours back to your life too. Exit Strategy Identify which door you use to exit the house. Is it the front door or through …

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A Minimalist’s Favorite Things

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My favorite things are not things. They are people, places, and experiences. As a minimalist, I'm often accused of throwing everything away. Not true. And I do have a few really useful items that I plan to keep, as long as they serve my needs. Here are some of my favorite things and why they work for me. Minimalism doesn't mean owning nothing. It is different for everyone. And I thought you'd be relieved to know that I own some stuff. But more than that, there's intentionality behind each and every item and why I acquired it and also why I keep it. More importantly, I have chosen the best of the best because it's easier to identify what I love instead of  weeding through a pile of stuff I don't.  If you are struggling to downsize, write down your favorite things and then look around. You probably see a lot of things not on the list. But if you still feel overwhelmed, try tackling one drawer or one shelf at a time with the keep-approach. Experience the freedom of …

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How Many Dishes Do You Really Need?

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Only three people live in our house and yet we have a lot of dishes. Owning more dishes means more to wash and put away. Is a 12-piece place setting really necessary? What about all the entertaining platters and bowls? With a little work, and my step-by-step guide, you can downsize or better yet, rightsize dishes to serve the needs of your family on a day to day basis.CollectionsI’m embarrassed to admit we own three different types of dishes (everyday, china and Christmas). My husband loves our china so we use it often. But we reduced each set and agreed we won't keep the wedding or Christmas china forever. Neither of us wants our possessions to be a burden to our son. Dishes are a relatively easy place to start.  The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home so keeping it clutter-free and organized saves time and money. With clean countertops and organized cabinets, it's also much easier to cook dinner and resist the urge to order takeout. Step-by-Step Guide to Downsize …

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