Streamline your life
360 fitness and lifestyle is not just all about fitness and nutrition, it focuses on all aspects of health which also include getting enough sleep and limiting stress. The mind is as important as the body when we begin to consider all round health, an area I have been guilty of neglecting in the past.
With that said and following on from my last post about treating September like a new year, I’ve been focusing on ways to streamline and declutter my life to make things simple and less stressful.
A great place to start is with the physical clutter. I seem to think better when I’m not surrounded by piles of clothes, toys and magazines (actually, I love magazines but don’t buy them so much since we moved here). I’m not suggesting an ‘everything I own must fit into a suitcase” approach but I am learning to get rid of things that are neither ‘useful or beautiful’ and generally just take up head and home space.
Since moving abroad and to a smaller home three years ago, I have learnt to live with less….and I like it that way. Having said that, we have still managed to accumulate more things than we need. I believe whatever space you have, you fill and we have done just that.
To help me figure out a way of deciding how ruthless to be, I wondered what I would do if I lost everything….what would I replace? It’s probably best to do this exercise away from home though as you will see things you think you need but you actually don’t. It’s easy to get attached to things but sometimes you have to separate the emotions from your stuff and just let it go.
When we moved here, we cleared out so much clutter. There was only so much we could bring. It was hard but it felt amazing. So, I’m doing it again.
My trouble is I’m always full steam ahead and lets be honest here, you're not going to declutter your home in a day, or even a weekend, so don't even try. It took a long time for me to collect all this stuff so it will take time to let it go. Make a plan and target specific areas. Take one room at a time and remember the whole idea of doing this is to get rid of stress and not to create it.
To help me, I’ve come up with a four box method:
- Box 1 things I’m going to keep because I need them, use them or love them.
- Box 2 things I’m going to give away or sell.
- Box 3 things I’m going to throw away which include anything that’s broken, too small, paper that needs shredded etc
- Box 4 things to store…this is the most ambiguous box. Things that you just can’t part with but you don't use or need, or love…..maybe its a halfway house between keeping and binning.
My boxes are ready…..let the decluttering commence!!
Goodbye empty champagne boxes....I loved your contents but really can't justify your presence in my home anymore.
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