Decluttering your home, but not sure where to get started? That’s what we asked Dayton native Rose Lounsbury, a minimalism and simplicity coach, speaker, and author of the Amazon bestselling “Less: Minimalism for Real.”
>> Q&A: Why Rose Lounsbury chose a more minimalist lifestyle
Here are a few ideas to help you get started, in Lounsbury’s own words:
Tip #1 – Start in the bathroom
Often, what’s holding us back is our feelings and emotions about our stuff, and those are difficult. Maybe we spent money on that item and never used it, so we feel bad… The bathroom is a great place to start because most of us don’t have strong emotional connections to toothpaste or old makeup. It’s an easy place to start because it’s under your jurisdiction and it’s not emotional for most people.
>> FOOD & DINING: With 2 new additions, 10 local Asian restaurants have now reopened
Tip #2 – Ask “Is this useful or beautiful to me?”
When you go through your belongings, ask very seriously: “Is this useful or beautiful to me?” Those were the parameters that I looked at when I was sorting everything from coffee mugs and sweaters, to tools in the garage and paperwork.
TEDxDayton 2018 took place Friday, Oct. 12. Speakers included amateur photographer Adam Alonzo; performer Montrea Blackshear; painter Tiffany Clark, educator Kevin “Mister C” Cornell; radio personality Faith Daniels; attorney Barbara Duncombe; former Air Force pilot Mark Fogel; student and TEDxYouth@Dayton performer Shawn Gardner;student and TEDxYouth@Dayton performer Yash Gupta;physician Andre Harris ; parent Elizabeth Horner; sex abuse survivor John-Michael Lander; oganizer Rose Lounsbury; journalist Ray Marcano; engineer Dennis Ong and Tony award-winning actor Alice Ripley.
Photo: Amelia Robinson
Tip #3 – Declutter as you’re walking through your normal day
I did not have much free time in my life at all, so I just picked away at it every single little spare moment that I could. After the kids were in bed and I would do a little here or there. These were not huge projects. I would organize the junk drawer or deal with my towels… I think sometimes people think that they need to dedicate a set time period to do this, and you really don’t.
>> TRENDING: Forest conceals long-forgotten amusement park, a 1930s Dayton hot spot
Tip #4 – Just deal with your own stuff
I tell people not to worry about your spouse or your children, just deal with your own stuff. Not only will you make a significant difference in your home and in the way you feel, but you also set an example for your family to follow… I say: “Be the change you wish to see in your home.”
Tip #5 – Think before you buy
The sobering truth is that everything ends up in the trash someday… It makes you check yourself at the cash register. That’s where you stop overconsumption is at the source … the point when you purchase it. A natural byproduct of going through this process is you become a more conscious consumer as a result.
