I know I said I was taking an indefinite break—and of course the second I felt like I’d have nothing to write about for the forseeable future, a long-awaited package arrived on my doorstep that also held a big life change inside.… Read More »
The Magic of New Old Things
This morning, we were at Target (where else does one find a midwestern family on Saturday mornings?). I don’t love shopping at Target, but we needed some household items–baby wipes, water softener salt, dishwasher detergent–and it’s by far the easiest place to buy them.
While we were there, we picked up some new sketchbooks for the kids. It had been a few months since I replaced them, and I couldn’t find a blank page the last time I looked. As we were walking away from the craft aisle, my second child said to me: “Don’t we need new markers, too? Ours are all dried up.”… Read More »
Osoji: A Deep Clean to Welcome the New Year
Last month, in the midst of my own major post-holiday declutter, I learned a new-to-me term: osoji, which Google tells me literally means “big clean” in Japanese. It’s not a new tradition at all, however–it dates back to circa 800 A.D. At that time, the Imperial Court was ritually cleansed of soot at the end of each year to welcome the deity of the new year (source, source).
Keeping my home free from unused items does have a spiritual component for me. It feels respectful to my family to maintain a decluttered home in which the kids can play and Eric and I can efficiently live our lives. It feels respectful to the environment to thoughtfully pass on items we don’t need, and to receive an annual reminder to be intentional about the things we bring into our home. I even have more mental space to focus on what matters in life and to be intentional about my own spiritual practice when we aren’t overwhelmed by unnecessary stuff.… Read More »
Beyond Stuff: Eliminating Clutter Hotspots from the Home
Happy December, friends! Can you believe it’s the last month of 2024? This year absolutely flew by for us–pregnancy and election notwithstanding–and I’ve just about wrapped up my holiday shopping 🙂 I’m ready to settle in for a month of festivities with (ideally) low stress and Christmas to-do’s.
Speaking of the holidays… another project I’m working on at the moment is our pre-Christmas decluttering. With four kids, generous grandparents and extended family, holiday craft projects from school and two winter birthdays after the holidays, things can get seriously messy in our house during the winter.… Read More »
How Minimalism Benefits Big Families
The art of emotional detachment from possessions is a lifelong pursuit. It’s learning how to appreciate an item for its functionality and/or beauty, without hanging onto it for purely sentimental reasons long after its usefulness or beauty has disappeared. There are very few things that should remain with us for life.
Two of the times in my life when I have felt the most free were after massive declutters. First, when we moved back to Minnesota from California. And then downsizing our possessions to (try to) move to Norway. … Read More »