Long time no see!
Much has changed since I last blogged...
Much has changed since I last blogged...
- Moved to California
- Downsized drastically (2000 sq.ft. to 800 sq.ft.)
- Decided to start a minimalist journey
My husband recently changed jobs and I, unfortunately had to quit mine. I couldn't possibly commute from California to Washington every day 😏. Although I am sad about losing my job/home for the last four years, I welcomed a new challenge and am taking with me wisdom, knowledge (not the same thing!), and inspiration from my wonderful boss and bestie/sista!
In quitting my job, I needed to face the question; what do I do now? There's a simple, yet complex answer to that question. First I needed to tackle fitting a 2000 sq.ft. house into a 800 sq.ft. apartment. My husband having started his new job in California and I was still in Washington; it felt like a daunting and impossible task. I needed to start ruthlessly editing my life and all of OUR possessions. Woman, did we accumulate a lot of "stuff"!
Secondly, I needed to figure out a new career path. My whole life I never knew what my calling was. I wanted to be a little bit of everything; marine biologist, dolphin trainer, nutritionist, wellness coach, photojournalist for National Geographic, back to nutritionist... I always wanted to work with a small business though. I've always admired those strong women who had an idea and ran with it. That Boss Babe who can handle it all (family, business, personal) with grace, humility, kindness, poise, and a little attitude. I can say I worked with just such a woman, and she inspired me to be my own kind of Boss Babe; therefore I am slowly easing myself into the world of furniture salvage, finishing, and reselling. I can't wait! All I need is to find the right shop to practice my craft. That's for another post...
So, what does all this have to do with being minimal?? Well, having worked in the resale business, I accumulated a lot of furniture and decor over the years. We had a big-ish house to fill and I was more than happy to do it! Antiques and vintage finds from every era. Rich mahogany and oak furniture carefully dressed with antique bottles, mirrors, books, bobbles, glassware, etc. Let's just say I had a lot of ideas for a space that was already maxed out. Woops! But I can't take all the credit; my husband is equally responsible for our drowning in stuff. He likes knickknacks that hold special meaning or remind him of a time passed. Nothing wrong with mementos, but when you have to find places to stash all that stuff, only to come across it when you're looking for something else, is no way to live. Clutter reigned supreme in our house! We had duplicates of almost everything. We were living the "in case of" life.
The "in case of" life is living for the possible eventuality of having to need something. We made sure our home was for guests, while sacrificing our own comfort. And by that I mean we had 12 white towels, six white hand towels, countless soaps and shampoos, three sets of eight drinking glasses (small, medium, and large), countless sets of queen and king sheets, blankets and pillows out the yinyang, place settings for 8 (plates, silverware, and chargers), the list goes on. And there is nothing wrong with having provisions for guests, but we bought our 4 bedroom house "in case of" guests, namely our immediate family as they all lived out of state. 4 bedrooms for the two of us. Pretty ridiculous.
Something changed in me when I realized we had too much stuff that was cluttering our lives and minds, and jeopardizing our happiness. We wanted to have nice things, and again there's nothing wrong with that, but we had TOO many nice things. So it was time to start editing our belongings and priorities.
In an effort to make these posts as concise as possible (who am I kidding?) and manageable to read, I will be breaking down our process of becoming minimal. Notice I say process, because I don't think anyone is ever truly done becoming minimal. It is a constant effort and every decision has to reflect it. I will, however, leave you with a quote to hopefully inspire you AND to have you check out The Minimalists OR their TED Talk on becoming minimal.
Stay tuned...
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| 26 dish pack boxes just from the kitchen! Side note: isn't Sunny adorable? |
Secondly, I needed to figure out a new career path. My whole life I never knew what my calling was. I wanted to be a little bit of everything; marine biologist, dolphin trainer, nutritionist, wellness coach, photojournalist for National Geographic, back to nutritionist... I always wanted to work with a small business though. I've always admired those strong women who had an idea and ran with it. That Boss Babe who can handle it all (family, business, personal) with grace, humility, kindness, poise, and a little attitude. I can say I worked with just such a woman, and she inspired me to be my own kind of Boss Babe; therefore I am slowly easing myself into the world of furniture salvage, finishing, and reselling. I can't wait! All I need is to find the right shop to practice my craft. That's for another post...
So, what does all this have to do with being minimal?? Well, having worked in the resale business, I accumulated a lot of furniture and decor over the years. We had a big-ish house to fill and I was more than happy to do it! Antiques and vintage finds from every era. Rich mahogany and oak furniture carefully dressed with antique bottles, mirrors, books, bobbles, glassware, etc. Let's just say I had a lot of ideas for a space that was already maxed out. Woops! But I can't take all the credit; my husband is equally responsible for our drowning in stuff. He likes knickknacks that hold special meaning or remind him of a time passed. Nothing wrong with mementos, but when you have to find places to stash all that stuff, only to come across it when you're looking for something else, is no way to live. Clutter reigned supreme in our house! We had duplicates of almost everything. We were living the "in case of" life.
The "in case of" life is living for the possible eventuality of having to need something. We made sure our home was for guests, while sacrificing our own comfort. And by that I mean we had 12 white towels, six white hand towels, countless soaps and shampoos, three sets of eight drinking glasses (small, medium, and large), countless sets of queen and king sheets, blankets and pillows out the yinyang, place settings for 8 (plates, silverware, and chargers), the list goes on. And there is nothing wrong with having provisions for guests, but we bought our 4 bedroom house "in case of" guests, namely our immediate family as they all lived out of state. 4 bedrooms for the two of us. Pretty ridiculous.
Something changed in me when I realized we had too much stuff that was cluttering our lives and minds, and jeopardizing our happiness. We wanted to have nice things, and again there's nothing wrong with that, but we had TOO many nice things. So it was time to start editing our belongings and priorities.
In an effort to make these posts as concise as possible (who am I kidding?) and manageable to read, I will be breaking down our process of becoming minimal. Notice I say process, because I don't think anyone is ever truly done becoming minimal. It is a constant effort and every decision has to reflect it. I will, however, leave you with a quote to hopefully inspire you AND to have you check out The Minimalists OR their TED Talk on becoming minimal.
"Minimalism isn't emptiness for the sake of emptiness; but rather making room to move freely, think clearly, and open ourselves to the beauty and wonder of life." -Francine Jay
Stay tuned...
I watched "The Minimalists" a few weeks back, and immediately packed a few Salvation Army boxes, filled the recycling bin, and reorganized a closet. I think if I watched it once a month or so, I'd have a ship shape house! Love this Mal!
ReplyDeleteHey, Danielle! I'm sorry I'm only seeing this now; I didn't notice a comment. Eeek! I'm so glad you were inspired by the Minimalists. They are ruthless and inspiring (great combo!). Thanks for the feedback, hopefully I'll have more soon!
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