#essentialist

COVID-19 has turned the Pope into an essentialist!

Hello old friends!

I took a well needed rest and am looking forward to starting this new month on the right foot!

Since February, I started my usual closet decluttering because I noticed I had a lot of items in my closet that I just wasn’t in love with anymore. Even some of which, I brought with me on vacation to the Philippines. If you watched my last vlog that I posted, I took about 15 clothing items total (not including hat, swimsuit, undergarments) and even those did not all get worn during my 1 and a half month long visit.

Realizing this made me wonder, do we simply use less than what is presented, just because we have the option to? During a 1 month time period, I know I typically wear more than just 15 clothing items when it comes to the options that I have in my closet here in the States. But when I was only allotted the bare minimum, even that felt like too much. I didn’t even buy any more clothes while on my vacation, I only wore what I packed.

Once I arrived back home, I was reminded of all of my possessions. Most of which I hadn’t thought about at all. It didn’t feel overwhelming since everything was in its place. Before I left for the Philippines, I wondered how I was to ever decide what to wear without having my usual options, but once there and away from my items, I hadn’t given most of them the slightest thought… (Except of course, my coats. It was only about 30 degrees F in Ohio Mid-January, compared to the 80+ degree weather I had gotten used to.)

Once I got back onto my regular schedule, I fell back into old habits. Currently seeking, searching, reviewing, and purchasing. A disastrous routine. It’s like everything I had learned from the month I was gone was just out the window. I was back to making excuses in my mind as to why I really need this item. Now. I didn’t see a problem with accumulating, because it’s better to keep it and need it later, than to regret getting rid of it.

I had to sit and really think about this. With this mentality, I felt that I was allowing material items to run my life and take up my space. Consume my home. This isn’t healthy. I have accepted that I am a materialistic person, but I also realize that holding on to the past and not being able to let go of what's not needed can also consume you mentally. That goes for physical and emotional clutter.

For myself, someone who has battled with anxiety and depression, decluttering of the mind and physical space is an important and essential exercise. I feel that decluttering my physical space allows me to prepare for clearing my mental space. To let go of what is toxic or unnecessary, and appreciate and love what nourishes my life.

Since the beginning of February, I decided to give myself a challenge to keep track of what I actually constantly wear, and be real with myself. My old methods obviously hadn’t worked so well, so I decided on a different approach. I pushed all of my clothes to the not-easily-visible side of the closet with the hangers turned backwards, and anytime I wear an item, I turn the hanger the right way on the visible side of the closet. This works for me, because if there is an item that I truly miss, I will have to go to the other side of the closet and search for it, vs. it being in front of my face presented to me. Since starting this exercise, I notice that I keep grabbing the same few items on the visible side of the closet and rarely go searching for an item. I also set aside a box of items that I know I haven’t worn in a while, or that just don’t align with my current style. I had to be honest and disregard how long ago I bought it, how much it cost, how often I get compliments on it, etc. If YOU don't love the item because it doesn’t make you feel like your authentic self, you probably (most likely) won’t ever wear it.

this past week I have been crazy about decluttering. we recently got a new kitten named Mochi, so that Mango could have a playmate. with a new kitten, comes new toys, more food, another litter box. we are already pretty tight as it is in our 1br/550 sq ft apartment.

I have been spending a lot of time at home, which forces me to notice all the nooks and crannies of things we have been keeping but don’t use. our bookshelf for example: doesn’t look too bad, your eye is distracted by the other decorative trinkets on it. but on the bottom two shelves there is a library of books from college that I haven’t touched in over a year now. some of these books I had never even used for the class I initially bought it for. why do I still have these things?