What minimalism means to me

Keeping on top of decluttering

I declutter clothes every time that I'm packing for a holiday, everything else several times a year. Both mine and those belonging to other people. I always have a charity bag on the go which I can drop off easily at the gym collection point when it's full. I try not to keep the things that have outlived their purpose or that don't make me happy.

Giving everything in the house a home

And returning it to that home when it's finished with.

Keeping the loft empty

All that we have up there is the Christmas decorations and a very few empty boxes for things that we might want to sell in the future.

Being surrounded by the things that I love

All these things combined mean that as far as possible the things that do surround me are the things that I want there - books that I love and will re-read, decorative items that make me smile and have a personal meaning, appliances that I use regularly. Nothing important to me is hidden away where I can't get to it.

A simple system for housework

I recently reviewed The Organised Mum book and it's been a game changer for me when it comes to keeping the house in order. Little and often is definitely the way to go, and by making the effort to do that little bit every day, over time I like to think that my house stays fairly tidy and clean.

Not being too fussy about the washing

We don't have many clothes, but I still seem to do plenty of washing! But I always put it away as soon as it's dry, and because our wardrobes and drawers are in pretty good order (apart from my husband's, but that's his business!) it's a lot easier to put things back where they belong. I only separate the white school shirts, with separate loads for bedding and towels just because they fill the machine. I don't bother with extra products like fabric softener or stain removers (unless it's really needed), and only a few shirts get ironed.

Not having many clothes to choose from

I tend to wear the same sort of thing most days - jeans and a t-shirt or jumper depending on the weather - with dressier clothes for special occasions. Because I declutter my clothes regularly, all the clothes in my wardrobe are ones that I am happy to wear. So I don't spend ages deciding what to put on each morning.

Keeping a clear schedule

Both for myself and for the family as a whole. We don't do too many clubs or after school activities (which suits the children very much too) and I don't have many regular commitments. I like to be flexible and make last minute plans, and I also like having the day stretching out before me to fill as I wish.

Photo credit Eric Rothermel via Unsplash

Having a simple make up routine

Which basically means rarely wearing it, and not on a day to day basis. As I get older and more haggard perhaps I should up my game in this department a bit, but apart from attempting to hide the dark circles under my eyes I don't do a lot more.

Keeping to a meal plan

I don't mind cooking, but I don't like having to decide what to cook, and I worry about having everything that I need on hand. So I stick to a simple repertoire of meals that I can cook easily without too much fuss, while also attending to homework and general child care duties. Luckily the rest of the family are also happy to eat the same favourites over again.

Not having reminders around me of things that need to be done

Like piles of washing that need to be put away, letters that need to be actioned, or dirty plates that need to be washed.

Not forgetting about my digital life

This is just as important I think! I sort through e-mail regularly and use a filing system to keep only a few in my inbox at a time. I have unsubscribed from most mailing lists. I have notifications turned off on my phone, apart from calls and texts, and I keep my apps to a minimum. The photos from my phone are backed up regularly, and digital photos are stored by year, subdivided into holidays, and backed up to the cloud. I probably could do more when it comes to cutting down screen time, although Scroll Free September has been a good start!

You can see more of my thoughts on minimalism here - Minimalism