Tag: minimalist lifestyle

How to Declutter — Negative VS Positive Value

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Sometimes it’s really difficult to evaluate our possessions and determine whether something has earned its place in our home. I hope my take helps!

Watch by hitting the play button or read the recap by scrolling down.

There was a time when I didn’t understand when or why I should keep or ditch something. As soon as I realized that each item I own has both positive and negative value and vibes, it became so much more clear what I wanted to have around me. Things with bad vibes? Absolutely not! Beautiful, space-efficient things I love? Heck yes!

Here are just a couple of tips for determining negative and positive value:

How much space does it take? Items can be useful and wonderful but still have a lot of negative value if they take up too much space. This is where you have to decide if an item is worth the space or not. If it’s not worth the space but you still want that type of functional tool in your life, look for a similar item that is space-efficient.

Do negative memories surround an item? I’ve used this example many times in my books and podcast, but it’s the example that cemented negative value in for me. I had a blouse that was beautiful and looked great on me…but when I purchased it, somebody said something incredibly rude to me. I kept the shirt but hated wearing it and I tried to avert my eyes when I opened the closet because every time I saw the blouse, I couldn’t help but remember that comment. Ditching that shirt was like ditching that comment. Now when I use it as an example and remember it, I see that comment as that person’s character issue and not mine. Even though it stung at the time, I’m grateful for the lesson I—eventually—learned.

If you have items that bring back terrible memories and make you feel bad about yourself, why are you keeping them? Is there enough negative value there that you can let those items go?

The same goes for the opposite—if you have something functional and to your taste with great memories attached, try to make space for it in your home.

Is it adding to the style you want to achieve in your home/wardrobe? If you have something that doesn’t add to the vibes you’re trying to achieve in your space, why are you keeping it? The negative value is that you have something that isn’t making your home/wardrobe feel the way you want, therefore taking up space you could be using for something that would make your home exactly the way you want it to be.

When I bring something into my home/wardrobe now, I’m hyper aware of style, quality, and space. I never want something that won’t be well-loved and used in our home again. Of course, I know I’ll fail at this task at many points, but I find myself succeeding more and more often.

Whatever you need to declutter, I hope these tips help you make decisions about what earns a place in your home and what needs to find a home elsewhere. After all, if you have to spend your precious time and resources housing it, shouldn’t you make sure it’s truly worth the effort?

Good luck with your ditching and declutter and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

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Minimalist Tips for Beginners

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There are so many reasons to practice minimalism, but sometimes it’s easy to get lost when we begin to simplify our lives. Here are some tips to help you out.

Click the play button below or scroll down to read the article.

There are so many tips that can aid you in your minimalistic practices, but these are a few of my favorites that keep me going time and time again. I hope they help you, too!

1. Define your “Whys.” Sounds kind of cheesy, but it actually works. If you don’t know why you’re doing something, when times get tough, it’s easy to give up. However, if you know what you want to get out of minimalism and you’re either going to continue practicing minimalism or give up your goals and dreams, it’s a lot harder to throw in the towel than when you don’t realize what you’re giving up. Define your “Whys” — those wants and dreams. It’ll be a lot harder to quit and will ensure you get closer to what you want.

2. Declutter one micro space at a time. If you’re just starting out, I usually recommend starting small. Start with a drawer in one piece of furniture, then work on the next drawer in that piece, and the next until the entire piece is decluttered from top to bottom. You’re much more likely to feel really good about that piece, it’s easier to see progress than if you grabbed random stuff from around your home, and you’ll probably want to put in a little effort to keep the space clean. Grabbing random stuff from around the house isn’t quite as noticeable.

3. Don’t stop progressing—set aside items you’re stuck on and continue moving. Lots of times people stop their forward motion while decluttering because they get stuck on an item/set of items. Instead of setting them aside and continuing to ditch and declutter items they CAN make decisions about, lots of people simply stop their progress. Some even quit.

If you’re stuck on an item or space, move on. Set that item aside in a box or even empty the drawers of a particular piece of furniture (use a couple of boxes), then tuck those boxes away into a space labeled, “Still deciding.” Once you’re done decluttering and ditching stuff in the rest of your home or after several months, come back to the box and see if you’re ready to decide.

Call yourself a minimalist, practice minimalism, and don’t worry about whether your home has been decluttered 100%. We’re all works in progress and honestly, I don’t think it’s ever done. Minimalism isn’t about one massive overhaul, but about living mindfully about what you choose to allow into your life. The massive overhaul is just an initial clearing out that gives you more opportunities to make those choices about what you really want in your life.

4. Minimalism is about more than physical possessions. Check out your schedule—what’s cluttering it up? Or what ISN’T on your schedule that really should be? What about your budget—what’s on there that’s keeping you from experiences or isn’t on there that would enhance your life? What’s cluttering up your mind or not taking up enough space in your thoughts? My commitment to minimalism truly began once I realized it wasn’t only to be practiced with my kitchen gadgets.

5. Find YOUR kind of minimalism. This is pretty much the heart of everything I talk about when it comes to minimalism. It’s great to gather information about how to practice something, but the way you actually make it functional in your life is by trying it out and seeing what works for you and your home. Learn from others, but in the end, don’t worry about how they’re implementing minimalism—do it your way or it’ll never be all it can for you.

I hope these tips help! Remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Want to listen to the How to be a Minimalist podcast? You can find it here

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5 Daily Habits that can Improve Your Life

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There are so many habits I’ve developed—good and bad— that have changed my life. While I can’t control everything (let’s face it—it’s nice to have control of even a few things), there are several actions I try to do each day so that I can live my life to the fullest, enjoy those people that are most important to me, and work on goals and skills, which has become a huge part of my life. I still have bad habits, but I’m happy to slowly see the good ones winning more and more often.

Listen to the podcast by clicking the play button below, CLICK HERE to watch my YouTube video on the topic, or scroll down to read on.

They say that small things make the biggest difference and I’m noticing that to be more and more true in my daily life. This comes in many forms for me, but I find that the most personal growth comes from healthy, positive actions taken on almost-daily repeat. Below are five of my favorite high-impact habits.

1. I drink plenty of water each day, including a good 32 oz. soon after waking. You might question how this can have that much of an impact on anything other than giving my body one of the few essentials, and I get it. The thing is, when I wake up and drink water first thing in the morning, I tend to have more energy, I’m alert much more quickly, and I feel more athletic throughout the day. All of these things lead to me feeling generally happier and more capable of getting things accomplished. And it feels great.

2. Take a quiet moment to myself. I try to do this daily, even if it means reading a single chapter of a book, resting for 10 minutes, or going on a short walk alone. I find that putting my phone away is incredibly important during this time as social media and various apps can be some of the loudest things on earth. When I make the time to do this, I feel more whole, content, and focused.

3. Making time to get into nature has always been important to me. It’s inspiring, helps me to feel grounded, and I tend to feel healthier and energized from getting out on a walk or hike. I even try to bring nature to me by having a little tiny RV garden, which brings me joy and brightens our house on wheels.

4. Practicing joyful gratitude isn’t about an attitude adjustment—it’s all about noting, enjoying, and being happy in the abundance in life. Sometimes life is tough, but learning to see the good things has helped me through the bad times.

5. Each day I try to have a meaningful conversation with a family-member or friend. I especially focus on my husband and children. They’re my people, I love them, and I want them to know it. Taking time to laugh and talk with them, smile at them, and look into their eyes—instead of at a screen—while we chat has improved the connection I feel with my loved ones. If I can’t make time for that each day, something has gone terribly wrong and it’s time to re-assess.

What about you? What habits have improved your life? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments.

Remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Want to follow along and see if I can reach my goal of publishing 46 more YouTube videos by December 31st, 2020? Click one of my YouTube videos below and be sure to subscribe.

How to be a Minimalist YouTube Videos:
4. Five Daily Habits that can Improve Your Life
3. Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (Plant-Based/Dairy-Free)
2. Soft and Fluffy Dinner Rolls (Plant-Based, Oil-Free, Dairy-Free)
1. Chocolate Cream Pie (Plant-Based with Oil-Free Crust)

Hal Elrod’s Book—The Miracle Morning

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

Minimalism in the Workspace

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Whatever kind of work you do, in this episode I’m walking you through several ways you can bring minimalism to work. After all, many people spend almost as many hours doing their work as they spend on their personal lives. I hope these tips help you to have a more productive and peaceful workspace.

Listen to the episode by hitting the play button or scroll down to read the article.

Today, I want to talk about minimalism in workspaces, but talking about minimalism and an office space isn’t broad enough, but I also can’t possibly talk about every type of different work and how to apply minimalism to that particular area. I decided to break it up into a few different areas. I hope you find these tips helpful!

At Work, In Person:

This may sound basic, but keep your drawers nicely sorted. It’s hard because you’re working and taking the time to tidy up might even be frowned upon. In the end, though, it’ll make you better able to work efficiently, so spending a little time outside of work hours will end up helping you to work more quickly and have a more enjoyable space.

On a similar note, keep your desktop sorted out! Ask yourself, “What do I really need and want on my desk?” From there, you can decide how many photos and desk toys you want. I know from experience that shuffling things around your desk isn’t productive.

If you need organizing tools, get them…but only if you actually have thought about it and determined that you need them. It’s easy to have a space full of organizers without being organized at all.

If there’s a lot of drama at work, choose carefully who you spend optional time with. On the other hand, find those people that are uplifting and eat your lunch or collaborate with them as much as possible. Yes, your desk space is important, but your head space and choosing to fill it with either negativity or positivity is way more important. Negativity is the worst kind of clutter.

Driving for Work/Commuter Tips:

Spending a lot of time in a vehicle can lead to a lot of garbage tucked into door pockets and cup holders. Having a system for your garbage is essential! Keep a bin, bag, or garbage gadget in your car so it’s easy to toss your apple cores.

There’s a rule in hiking; “Pack it in, pack it out.” The same applies to vehicles—if you pack it in, pack it out. Don’t leave garbage or objects behind, no matter how tired you are after your day of hard work.

Don’t forget to wash the outside of your vehicle! It can be a challenge—especially if you drive a commercial vehicle—but it’ll make you feel great to drive a rig that’s clean inside and out.

Find ways to eat healthfully while you’re on the road. It’s already a sedentary life to be driving and sitting so much, eating unhealthy junk foods all day doesn’t help. Minimalism has been a big help when it comes to travel and packing foods for my husband—we keep it simple and healthy, which saves food and menu prep time. I’ve been making myself 1-2 things at the beginning of the week so I can save food prep time and it’s been an awesome way to allow myself to have more time to write and podcast instead of spending that time on cooking or opting to grab something unhealthy, instead.

Working at Home

If you’re working an office Job at home, what do you really need on your desk and in your space? Also, since you’re working from home, I’m assuming you have at least a teeny bit more control of your space than when you’re at an office building. How can you be happier in your space? Better lighting? Tidying your home the night before? Take advantage of being the decider of your office space so you can add to your happiness.

If you’re working at home as a homemaker, what tools do you need? I know that as the keeper of budgets, schedules, activities, menus, etc., I have things I NEED, but don’t often treat myself to. It’s wrong and I’m working on it. Need an hour so you can take care of your budget? Schedule it in. Need a desk drawer so you can have a place to keep your tools? Re-organize the desk. Almost every type of work requires some type of tool, so making sure you have what you need as the home maker is important. With the wide variety within the many areas we manage, it’s impossible to do it well without having the essentials.

Put your work away when you’re done. While we spend a good part of our lives at our work, our home life is more important and where we can take care of ourselves, reenergize, and spend time with loved ones. No need to keep our work out on our desk or other areas; this visual will only nag at us and keep our minds from relaxing into our home life.

Minimalist Challenge: Ask yourself, “What’s one thing that bothers me about my work area?” Maybe it’s your cluttered desk, unorganized pantry, or trash in your vehicle. Whatever the case, spend ten minutes working on it during your lunch or after work hours until you’ve got it the way you want it.

Good luck with your workspace and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Here’s the article I talked about in the podcast episode.

You can now purchase my book, How to be a Minimalist — A Beginner’s Guide! Click HERE to see the details. I sincerely hope you enjoy the book and thanks for supporting me/my family/my work! The ebook is out now and the paperback will be out in the next month or two.

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Broden and the Shark-Toothed Chicken — Book 1 of this chapter book series (should be marked as free)

My latest videos on YouTube:
Simple Crunchy Granola Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

6 Tips for Making Mindful Purchases

Posted on by Katie Coughran

 Listen to the podcast episode below, or stroll down to read my post that briefly goes over my six tips.

Every day, I see ads, spot things in stores, or see images and video of people using products that make me pause and wonder whether I, too, would like to own that item. As a minimalist, I’m constantly trying to avoid this kind of temptation, and I turn down 99.9% of the things I see.

The thing is, even with all of my constant efforts to say, “no,” there are still items that wear out, tools I need, and others in my family that would like to own things that I’m not interested in. Purchases are inevitable, even if that means buying a fresh pair of undies on occasion.

Knowing this, here are six tips that will help you — and me — to stay on track when it comes to deciding whether or not you’ll be bringing something new into the home.

  1. First off, it’s OK to LOVE your stuff. Some may think this means you’ll end up purchasing more because there are lots of things to love out there. What I’ve found since becoming more and more of an extreme minimalist is that the vetting process now has such a high standard, I am rarely tempted to buy anything because I know I won’t love it. The things in our home are things we are adore and if they aren’t, they’re in consideration for being let go of. Knowing I HAVE to love it for it to come in means more “NOs” than ever. 
  2. Don’t purchase things in search of false security. A long time ago, I used to shop in search of happiness and security. I never found it. Knowing that I need a tool for my life and then going and searching for that tool is my new gig and actually brings useful items into my life without all the excess. Knowing what I need to buy is very different from going to the store to search for something to buy.
  3. Take your time before buying. I’m gaining a little patience and contentedness the older I get. Most things aren’t items I need RIGHT NOW. I’m much better at waiting for the excitement of spontaneity to wear off in order to have a clear mind to go through the positive vs negative value of an item. Usually, once I wait for the potential thrill of a purchase to go away, I don’t actually want the item anymore and I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
  4. Research for quality and whether it will serve its purpose. A lot of times, when I know I want to allow something into our home, I’m tempted by the first option I come across. Waiting and researching, thinking about how the item will be used, and what I actually need will often better ensure that I bring the RIGHT item into our home.
  5. Budget and save while you’re researching. I don’t know about you, but putting stuff on credit doesn’t feel good to me. Saving up while I’m researching DOES, and I love knowing I can pay with cash and afford what I’m buying. I know this can be difficult and sometimes impossible, but it’s always an effort I make so I have total peace about my purchase.
  6. Ask yourself if there’s an experience or necessity you’d rather spend your money on. Asking myself this has often instantly removed the temptation to buy and it’s probably the first question I ask myself.

There are so many different ways to make mindful purchases, but I hope one or more of these tips helps you to create a home you love and feel comfortable in.

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Here’s the video I talked about on the show — Simple Happy Zen’s 25 Things I Only Own 1 Of

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Minimalist Hobbies — Ep. 28

Posted on by Katie Coughran

If you’ve been looking for some new hobbies to try out, but don’t want to get involved in anything that requires a lot of materials, I’m hoping this list will get you inspired. Some on my list are new-to-me hobbies, some are old, all are things I enjoy and am grateful are a part of my life. Hit the play button below to listen or find the How to be a Minimalist podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Here’s the YouTube Channel I talked about: Heal Your Living

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!