Minimalism: Lifestyle Resolution

Last year seemed to have been a roller coaster ride for many people, myself included. However, I am choosing to remember it as the year I became proactive in becoming a minimalist. Therefore, this year, my New Year's Resolution is to continue to declutter and adhere to my personalized minimalist rules.

• If I bring an item into my apartment, a similar item must leave. For instance, if I buy a new coat, a coat or an upper body piece of clothing must be donated/trashed/regifted.
• I will not purchase any new movies or books (outdoor activity books are the exception). If I buy a new hiking book, then at least one leisure book needs to be donated to the library.
• Instead of keeping something I use rarely, borrow it from a friend when it is needed.
• Continue to work on limiting myself to three permanent items per surface. For instance, alarm clock, coaster, and lamp on nightstand.
• Being diligent on everyday maintenance. This week, I purged again after my initial decluttering that happened in November. I took a look around my apartment, and got rid of seven more bags of things, took three pictures off the wall, and got rid of four small kitchen appliances.
• My bedroom should be the most uncluttered room in my apartment, but unfortunately it has six pieces of furniture in it. My huge six-drawer computer desk from Pottery Barn is in my bedroom, along with a four-shelf bookcase that still has enough books to fill a eight-shelf bookcase. I still have more things I need to get rid of, but have made huge strides. My nightstand drawers are 90% empty, and my vanity dresser now has three drawers that are completely empty.

I continuously search out resources to help me along this journey of decluttering. While I was in Missouri for the holidays, I watched the documentary that is available on Netflix, Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things. If you haven't watched it yet, I definitely guarantee there is at least one or two things that will resonant with you. In addition, they have a website that you can follow, along with a book: http://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/