Category Archives: Minimalism

The best excuse

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I have posted about priorities, motivation and common obstacles for getting started on a life of stylish minimalism. Today I want to address excuses. In short, there is no valid excuse. I believe excuses are a commonly accepted way to claim the desire to change but to not.

But why would someone make the claim? Why do we say, “I really should go swimming” or “I want to finish that photo project” and then follow up with excuses why we haven’t?

I think the answer is usually something along the lines of what other people think. What they expect. Who we think we should be. I have a real problem with living life like this — because it’s NOT LIVING your life. Decide who you want to be, and make no apologies for it. Nobody can argue what you want. And I’m not talking hedonism here. Working on the big picture priorities (your life vision) is not always fun. But turning down other peoples’ priorities is going to happen a lot.

If something is a priority, it’s important. When you know something is important – really important – you don’t make excuses. Instead of saying “I can’t” you ask “How could I get this done?” and start making changes to get yourself there.

If you “really should go swimming” but obstacles come up (and you’re making excuses) I urge you to check if this is really a priority if your life. Once you know it IS a priority, check out this post on how to get and keep yourself motivated.

If you still can’t get started, what’s stopping you?

So what’s the best excuse?

And if you scrolled down here without reading the above, I applaud you for trusting your judgement on what’s important and spending your time accordingly. Hooray!

The best excuse (even though I hate calling it that, it’s more of a reason) is: “That doesn’t fit with the vision I have for my life so I’ve decided against it.”

I’d like to close with an example from my own life. A few years back I started learning how to play the clarinet. I enjoyed it and made great progress in only half a year. When I devoted a lot of daily time elsewhere (4 hours daily commuting plus 3 hours a week studying) I didn’t have time to practice. Music is a priority to me, bringing me peace and joy. So I eliminated everything else less important but still couldn’t make enough time. I made the sad decision to stop playing clarinet. I hoped to take it up again once I moved and finished studying but then I had some children, and they take up even more of my time.

I was realistic enough to realise I will not have time to learn in the forseeable future so I sold the instrument. When someone asked me (taunted me?) if I was still playing, my answer was a guilt-free “No, I don’t have the time.” Without going into my reasons/excuses why I don’t have the time. It effectively ended that topic of conversation. I can’t tell you if the person asking was disappointed to miss out on the “yes, but”  game… but I can tell you I felt and still feel at peace.

If, for whatever reason, you aren’t doing something… that’s fine. Let it go. Don’t make excuses and don’t beat yourself up. I believe in hard work, building your life towards fulfilling your life vision. But if something does not fit into your plan, let it be.

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Colour schemes

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Why they matter

A colour scheme is a set of colours that all work well individually and together in any combination. Ideally your colour scheme will suit your personality and looks. You can use the same colour scheme for wardrobe, house paint and interior decorating…  anything you like.

Finding a colour scheme is important because it makes life much simpler. Everything coordinates so there is no clash. And things look better and more planned with less effort. I find it so much faster to shop because I don’t give a close look to anything unless the colour works for me. You could even keep less thread for sewing repairs in just the colours you love.

The plan

You could pick any set of colours but I suggest doing it thoughtfully. It’s more fun to live with colours you love and that make you feel relaxed and comfortable, and ones you won’t get bored with. I suggest starting with about 3-5 colours in varying shades… unless your style is “multi-coloured.” Try these:

  • hire a professional (search for a local wardrobe stylist or interior decorator) or do a mail-order quiz
  • read up on colour theory
  • check out what looks good on you using a mirror
  • use colours you are consistently drawn towards. Is there a particular throw pillow or scarf you love?
  • pull out the clothes you always wear/love/feel good in/know looks good on you – use those colours
  • experiment with combinations of paint chips, polyvore items, photos, magazine cuttings

The colours you pick are your personal choice. Don’t worry if you’ve never seen them before together or if someone remarks on the unusual combination. These are the colours for your life. If they work for you, that’s enough.

The implementation

You could throw away everything that’s in the wrong colours and replace them with items in your colour scheme, but that’s wasteful. Other ways to try out your colours are to wear neutrals and accessorise with colours to try out how they feel. Slowly work away by replacing items (when needed, if needed) with things in your colour scheme. You can carry swatches while shopping if that helps you remember the precise blend you like. I prefer to buy only custom clothing because I can choose fabric in the perfect colour, as opposed to the in-fashion-at-this-moment colour. I can’t always afford a dress maker though, so I sometimes make my own clothes and get a tailor to custom-fit them for a professional finish.

Ongoing maintenance

There is one decision to make when keeping your life within your colour scheme. At the very moment you are considering buying, making or accepting something ask yourself if the colour is right.

  1. If the colour falls within your scheme, check other points to see if it fits your style and budget. If so, enjoy!
  2. If the colour is not in your scheme, consider if you want to add it. If so, grand. Is there a colour you need to edit out to keep the scheme current? Part of getting the right palette is trial and error.

If you decide not to add the colour, DO NOT BRING IT INTO YOUR LIFE. Be strong and hold fast! If something is almost the absolute right colour, or if it’s a really good price or feels comfortable but isn’t in your colour scheme, put it down and say a firm “No thank-you.” An exception here and there will bring you a collection of uncoordinates. Being picky leads to the benefits listed above.

Have fun and enjoy your new colour scheme!

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What are you waiting for

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The work required

If you think stylish minimalism is for you, there are plenty of action steps already covered in previous posts. If you’ve been working through them, that’s great! Please post your comments about how your life is changing. If you haven’t quite started yet, this post is for you.

As much as we love silver bullets, the journey of minimalism involves work. Just reading this blog won’t change your life. It takes time and effort to go forward. It’s easy to come up with reasons why we can’t start. But all these reasons are just excuses. It’s time to move past the excuses.

What are you waiting for?

No matter the answer, there is always the same response: Do you really want to be a stylish minimalist? If your answer isn’t an enthusiastic YES! then I suggest spending your time on something you do really want instead of reading this blog.

Here are some common excuses and some suggestions on how to move past them.

I don’t have enough time.

  • Declutter your commitments. The next time someone asks you to do something, say no. You don’t have to make excuses. Your life is yours to dole out as you see fit.
  • Spend less or no time with technology. TV, internet, games, email, phones… they devour time. Turn it off and use the time to declutter for 15 minutes then enjoy that space for the next 15 minutes.
  • Rearrange your life. If you’re losing big chunks of time, you might need some drastic action. I was once commuting 4 hours a day. Moving closer to work gave me some time back.
  • Where are you spending your time? What can you live without doing? Minimise it!

I’m too tired.

  • Get more rest. Make the time (see above) but instead of more activity, go lie down in bed or sit outside.
  • Cut out any activities you don’t need to do. The ceiling lamps don’t need to be polished every week. I carry around my children less as they get heavier, saving me some energy.
  • Take a sabbatical. Take everything down to zero so your day consists of sleeping, eating, light exercising and resting. Even a weekend of rest can make a difference. Stay home and do the bare minimum.
  • Where are you spending your energy? What can you live without doing? Minimise it!

I don’t know where to start.

  • You can start anywhere. The important thing is to pick a place and get started. Jump in wherever you are.
  • Let go of your perfectionism. If we wait until we have enough time to do the job perfectly, it’ll never get done. Minimalism is a lifestyle, not a destination. Even a little effort will product some results. I try to keep the top of my bedroom dresser minimal, even when the rest of the house is in chaos.
  • What place catches your eye and drives you crazy? Minimise it!

My partner doesn’t want to be minimalist.

  • Be stylish yourself. Minimise your personal posessions and commitments. Accept that you can’t change others, only your own actions. Realise you’ll have to compromise on some things as part of being in a relationship.
  • Check your values. Talk with your partner about why you’re doing this. Discuss your similar values and how minimalism applies. For example, it’s important to my husband and I that we save money for travelling. Therefore we don’t use our resources on consuming more than we need.
  • What can you minimise that doesn’t affect your partner? Start there!

What else is holding you back? Leave a comment if you would like some suggestions on how to move forward.

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Decluttering and minimising

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The difference

There is a distinction between decluttering and minimising. Although they’re based on the principle of less is better, the mindset when decluttering is moving from lots of stuff down to less. When minimising it’s about going from the bare minimum up to a thriving minimum. The questions we ask when decluttering are: Do I love it? Do I have another one? Do I use it? Regularly? When minimising, the questions are slightly different: Do I love it? If I didn’t have it, what would I do? Can I live without it?

The distinction is subtle so here’s a concrete example. I had a garlic press and used it every day because I always put garlic in dinner. When I decluttered, this little tool stayed in my kitchen. When I minimised, I gave it away and used my chopping knife for the job. It took a little more time to mince but less time to clean! Just because you use something every day doesn’t mean you need it.

Keep in mind that you don’t have to minimise down to the bare living essentials. There will be things that you keep because you love them and every time you look at or use them they make your heart sing. That’s what stylish minimalism is all about. There is a point between decluttered and empty where there is calm of minimalism fused with inspirational style. There could be a minimalist out there who keeps their garlic press.

Which one to use

If you have a lot of stuff, start with decluttering. The objective is to own things you use and enjoy often, and nothing more. The guidelines for how often depend on you. Once a month, or every week in season could be a useful guide. If you’re already clear of clutter, go to the next level and minimise. The objective here is further paring down things that you can happily do without.

Step-by-step decluttering

I love the FLYlady 15-minute technique. The key to this is that you declutter/minimise for a set time. After that time, even if you’re not finished, you stop. You don’t get distracted and start detail cleaning, or working on a project you found, or putting something away in the other room, where you start doing something else. You pick an area and work there for 15 minutes straight. You can do 15 minutes once a week or three times a day. No matter how often, you will be making progress. Even after 15 minutes there is a sense of accomplishment. Here are the steps.

  1. Pick a small area.
  2. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Start with a shorter time if you need to.
  3. Take one thing. Decide where it goes.
    • If you love it, use it or need it… keep it. Find a home for it, but don’t get distracted
    • If you’re ready to let go or have a duplicate, sell or donate it.
    • If you’re not sure or feel guilty about letting it go, put it in a box, write the date on it and put the box away. Whatever stays in the box for six months or a year isn’t part of your life. You probably don’t miss it and neither does anyone else. You don’t even need to open the box… go ahead and give it to the local charity.
  4. If you finish before the timer counts down, start on another section.
  5. When the timer beeps, stop! You’re finished unless you want to take a break and go again.

You can use the same steps for minimising. But since there’s less to start with, it might be easier to analyse things as you see them. Or pack things away and take them out as you use them, discarding the unused items after a set time.

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The always principle

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Not just sometimes

If you’re going to become a swimmer, you don’t dip your toe in the pool, take weeks off, or spend most of your time practicing underwater handstands. You take lessons, get coaching and (most importantly) dive in and practice the strokes! You build up your stamina and perfect your technique each time you swim. The moment which you can say “I am a swimmer” is not when you decide to become a swimmer, but when you begin actually swimming. And you will maintain your swimmer status only if you continue to swim.

You can say the same thing about being a stylish minimalist. Doing a little decluttering here, a little wardrobe update there, does not a stylish minimalist  make. Take some lessons, get coaching and (again, most importantly) take the plunge and practice being a stylish minimalist! Consistently practicing will make you a stylish minimalist. Like swimming, it will become easier and you will hone your style.

Unlike swimming, location is unimportant for stylish minimalism. In fact, you can practice this lifestyle everywhere, in every area of life. Throughout your day, make decisions, do actions and think thoughts that line up with your definition of stylish minimalist. The more you practice, the more defined and personal your style will be.

This is called the always principle because a stylish minimalist is (or tries to be) stylish and minimalist always: all day, every day.

How to always be a stylish minimalist

Being stylish and minimalist all the time is a habit. Use the following techniques to get started.

  1. Get ready every morning. Make it part of your routine to set your style at the beginning of every day. Even on days off and when you don’t expect to see anyone, be your stylish self! If it takes too long to get ready, simplify your style.
  2. Plan your daily activities. Think about what you do regularly. How can you make these activities more stylish and minimalist? For example, plan your style for transportation and how you will be minimalist in the meals you eat.
  3. Declutter. When you have less things, you have less to always keep in your style. Use the time and energy you would have spent maintaining these things to customise your style and do things that take you closer to the stylish, minimalist life you want.
  4. Minimise your words. Use the time instead to prepare what you’ll say with your style. Practice a vocabulary and tone that is “you” every time you speak or write.
  5. Pare down your actions and commitments. You’ll have more energy to put into your unique style. The less you do, the easier it’ll be to be stylish, always.
  6. Use reminders to reset yourself. Set an alarm on your portable phone to go off each hour or tie a string around your finger. Remember why you’re doing this and what your final destination looks like.
  7. Get inspired. Talk to and read other minimalists to get ideas for your life. Socialise with similarly-minded people. Hire a coach for brainstorming and support. Finding your definition of stylish minimalist will make it easier for you to become stylish and minimalist.
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The easy way to be stylish

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The disconnect between style and minimalism

Stylishness and minimalism don’t usually go hand in hand. A minimalist has few things and simple routines. A stylish person often has many things and complicated or time-consuming routines. There is a point somewhere between the two where the stylish minimalist lives. That point is different for everyone. Finding it is key to consistency.

The easiest style is natural

Using your nature will help you to pare down while keeping your unique style. Natural styles are attractive and they stand the test of time. They are easy to create and maintain on a regular basis. Because a natural style uses fewer resources than an unnatural one, it costs less and is easier on the environment. Most importantly, natural style is authentic. It showcases the real you.

I’m not talking about uncut hair and bare feet (unless that is your style). It’s about going with the flow rather than pushing against it. So instead of straightening and colouring your hair, let your curls out and skip the dye job. You’ll get a healthy shine and the colour will flatter your skin tone. If you enjoy hip hop dancing, quit the ballroom dancing course and spend your time doing the dance you love. If you live in the Arctic circle, trade your backyard palm trees for evergreens or move south if you can’t live without them.

How to find yours

Before you can have a more natural style, you need to know what that nature is. It comes back to knowing yourself – your personality, your preferences, your body. The fastest way to develop your natural style is to go with the activities, people and things you’re naturally drawn to. There will be less resistance to your improvement than if you force things in an unnatural and awkward direction.

If you find yourself using a lot of time, energy, money or products to get something done on a regular basis, it’s likely that you’re fighting your nature. If you are on autopilot in any area of your life, take a step back to analyse what’s actually useful and what you’re just doing out of habit. Here are some questions to get you thinking and using a more natural style. Apply this process to every area of your life for a consistent style. Remember to think about career, environment, finance, health, looks, personal growth, recreation, relationships.

  • What steps in your routines can you drop that won’t compromise your style?
  • What tools do you use?
  • What would happen if you stopped using them?
  • Can you become comfortable with the more natural result?
  • Is there an easier way to tweak that result to fit your real style?
  • Which result is more “you”?

Have fun!

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The absolutely critical first step in becoming a stylish minimalist

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The first step: Know your style

Just as you need to know your destination before beginning a successful journey, you need to know your personal style before you start making style choices. This is the single most important step in any strategy. Knowing your style will keep you focused and guide your decisions so you don’t end up with a mass of souvenirs in various styles. Detours may be interesting but they don’t always contribute to your end goal. When the end is clear, it will be easier to make goals, as well as to say no to anything that doesn’t fit.

Doing it minimalist

When defining your style, remember the KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid. There’s no need for a colour-coded filing system, fancy spreadsheets or a stack of new books and magazines (electronic copies count too!). Exercise your little grey cells and use what you have. Borrow if you need to. This is about discovery and analysis. The wise minimalist invests time and energy on thinking.

How to start

Like most good things, there is no one way. It depends on your learning style… which is a bit Catch-22, I know. Just start with whatever seems easiest. You could read a book, take a quiz, hire a coach, join a forum or make a collage. The process depends on you. The main idea is to analyse what lights you up and simplify it down to the bare minimum that still does it for you. Your style expresses the real you to the world.

Here are a few points to get your thinking started.

  • What’s your definition of minimalism?  What would your ideal minimalist life look like?
  • Who do you admire? What do you admire about them?
  • Picture your ideal life. Consider your career, physical environment, finances, health, looks, personal growth & development, fun & recreation and relationships.
  • What are you drawn to? Consider music, art, films, colours, textures, people, places and books.

Bon voyage!

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