227 | Less is More in 2024 – Decluttering & Organizing at Home & Beyond

[00:00:00] Removing, what is holding you back is going to be a huge thing when it comes to moving towards your goals and meeting those goals. This year, we are talking about why and how less is more in 2024 on, in this episode.

 With two full weeks complete already. And this new year, it’s really a natural time that we are into our routines again. With the kids or anyone in the family following a traditional school calendar. The new semester may look like, just like what it did at last semester. And it’s just a continuation of the year, or it might be a bit different and that’s causing you to have to make adjustments to your schedule. this can be difficult Maybe for you, it looks like this semester is easier or more relaxed, or maybe there is a lot more [00:02:00] going on or your heading energy, a busy calendar season when we have to make these adjustments.

That means that we also have to change, not just. Where we’re going when we have to be someplace at the time of arrival, but also when certain tests are completed, when we do these things, how are you going to get everything accomplished that needs to be done. And even if some of these changes to the stuff that needs to be managed based on activities and. The weather.

I know a lot of the country right now is having a massive snow storms. So weather can make significant changes and what we needed to do, or what is coming and going in our house. What comas in gloves, hats. coats. footwear. Right now, compared to several time, all of those changes need to be addressed.

So that stuff isn’t in every room of the house or dropped all over the floor or in chaos, we have to adjust it depending on the time of year, the activities, the schedule that we keep, what is on our calendar? What is this season? And this phase of life, like for us, These changes with what comes in, goes from the house and the car on a regular basis.

That is. The like the very basic we want to come up with a way to maintain those things and make it so it’s not causing a big, a mess all over. What about carpooling? Are there carpooling times that needed to be arranged now that are different than before? Do different times of the day look different and that affects your work hours, whether that’s working outside of the home or in the home, or the ability to be at home at, in the evening to make dinner, to actually cook dinner or put it in the oven. Or do anything related to a food and meal time in the evenings?

Are you out and about now, or maybe now you’re home and it’s the [00:04:00] opposite. Now you are home. Now you have this time where the last couple of months closing out last year were the chaotic ones. For some of us, when we start a new year, that means we’re altering our schedules and we’re making these changes. And for others, it’s the beginning of a new year.

And it really doesn’t seem any different than what our days looked like, what our hours looked like a month ago or even a year ago. Now the other big change that comes with a new year is this idea. It’s a new year. We have this idea of possibility and that often it correlates with the dreams and the goals of change, or we want to change something.

So we have this goal for change for something better. This goal or this dream that we want to. Bake something happen in the future. We want to set this for ourselves to achieve something that is going to. positively affect us in the future. That is the idea behind new year’s resolutions. There were a few episodes from last year where we really get into this, I would say late December made it to late December of 20, 22. Through mid February of 2023, those episodes are really going to get in to new year’s resolutions setting goals. Why these work, why they don’t work, why it’s common to fail, how to set yourself up to have more success, go back and listen to the episodes of the intentional edit pod. Cast. From December, 2020 to probably mid to late December, 2022 through mid February, 2023, you can listen to those and hear where I share.

And I even talk with guests about setting goals for the upcoming year resolutions, or even having a theme for the year or a word of the year. Now I get into this in great detail in those episodes, but a little kind of refresher statistics [00:06:00] show that the majora. Majority of people that set big lofty goals, even those that have good intentions for their new year’s resolutions have already stopped or already failed at. Completing these or following through with them before February even arrives.

That means you are not even getting to one a month. Of the making progress or completing the tasks you need to do to. Keep moving forward with that goal, you’ve already fallen off the wagon or whatever phrase you want to use, but you have stopped moving towards that goal before one month into the year.

So right now is a time where a lot of people are seeing that the goals that they set are not going to work out because they were too big or they were not realistic. I mean, yeah. You think that we could get further and the, to the year, but when you have to change habits and you have to change the way that you do something that is not a small task.

And that is why. A lot of the times, or most of the time the resolutions do not stick. So again, go back, listen to those episodes from December of 2022 through the middle of February, 2023. And you can hear me and some guests that I had on talk about goals those episodes might be helpful to you if you are really trying to make big changes this year.

Now, if you’re working towards a goal and you’re still going, we’re two weeks in, I want you to keep going and congratulate yourself because many people have already dropped off and stopped working towards the goal that they set just two weeks in your more likely to be successful when you have made a thorough and thought out plan and, and you have to have realistic expectation. support is incredibly helpful. And knowing that if you make a mistakes or you kind of [00:08:00] go back to your old way of doing something, does it mean that you have to end it all there?

You can keep going. Even when there are setbacks, of course, there are going to be setbacks. There’s going to be hiccups. There’s going to be things that happen. I keep going. Now, if you haven’t made a plan or like me, you don’t really make a new year’s resolutions or you don’t have like a practice set up to make these big goals and resolutions every year. Even if you have some intentions in mind or you do set us was a goal.

I want to bring up something that has come up. And I think that we need to talk about it. So I’m dedicating the episode today to this thought. Now, I’ve already mentioned the first two weeks of this year, the new year we’re we’re in to that. Like 20, 24 is here really the last few weeks of last year, too. It’s been a little bit chaotic for me.

I don’t know about you, but it was kind of chaotic. There was a lot going on really so much happening from one thing to the next, to the next, to the next to the next. And it just kept going with all kinds of stuff. Of course, there was normal day to day stuff, sports competition, season, and traveling.

That’s all ramping up added work projects that weren’t planned for. And we’re taking a lot of time home renovation, remodeling type projects. Offering additional support for Lee and help for friends that were going through tough situations. During that time. The holidays in general, always have a ton of extra stuff going on.

So all kinds of things just kept adding one on top of another, on top of another. And I know that you can relate to some of this in addition to things that I’m not even mentioning, but things that you have going on, I’m not listing them, but there’s so many things that are happening right now for so many people that are causing us to feel more stressed out and that we have to carry this load.

We have more to deal with or responsible for more than ever before. I took a little time to [00:10:00]reflect on the past years and things that are working and things that are not. And one thing that kept standing out to me that I am truly grateful for is that I have taken the time to put systems into place in my home that keep things running and that don’t take any mental brain of power from me because these systems and routines. Keep things going without me having to think about it.

It’s just the way that we do things. Now they have become our habits. And that’s the goal with setting intentional systems and creating these routines is that we want to replace. What’s not working with something that is working, that becomes a habit. So we are incredibly thankful to have these routines that carry us through the day to day when life is extra busy, because the chores get done, the tasks get done.

The regular. Uh, things in the house that have to happen to do everything else that we want to do those happen by intentional routines. The laundry is washed. It is also put in the dryer and I don’t have to rewash it because I forgot about it. So the laundry is washed dried, folded. It is put away without thought, because it’s just something that is worked into the regular part of my schedule.

The dishes are loaded into the dishwasher in the evening and the counters are clean each night. Right before I ever go to bed, I don’t leave the kitchen or the main part of the house in a state of mess, because I don’t want to wake up to that waking up to a clutter-free kitchen when I walk out and see that and have to start the day.

That feels good. It is something that takes away from the stress. If you are walking out to a mess, you all ready have this reason to be cranky and annoyed and stressed out and overwhelmed because you’ve started your day. With more to do. And it’s this a visual reminder instantly. You see it and there’s [00:12:00] already a mess you have to deal with.

So I love waking up and walking out in the morning to a clean kitchen. And that is something that once you declutter, you don’t have the excess to deal with. And when you come up with that routine, that makes that happen. That it’s something that you do each day, you kind of put your kitchen to bed, you put your house to bed, you wrap everything up and then you can start the next day fresh. And feeling good. I’m kind of joking when I say this next one, that just came to mind, but. I’m thinking. I have my family training and I joke with the word, like I have them trained, but I do, I have them trained to pick up things that like throw pillows if they’ve gone on the floor, because we’ve been sitting on the couch and the furniture and the chairs put the blankets back in the baskets where they go toss the pillows back onto the couch when we’re done using them.

And it’s silly to say, and I’m. Halfway joking about the part where I say I have them trained to do that, but it’s one thing that takes seconds. It literally just takes seconds, not even a minute to grab those pillows, put them back on the couch, put the blanket back on the Ottoman or put it in the basket. Wherever it goes and it makes our home environment immediately less stressful.

It feels more peaceful because there is not stuff that is out and about and in the way and looking messy. And it eliminates that visual clutter, having an organized home means that there is less stress. It means that you can have more enjoyment in your space. And even though the past few months have seemed full, like very, very full. Oh, if you picture a glass, the glass is overflowing with so much stuff and it’s full of great fun and memory making activities.

And also lots of work and projects and holiday thing is in baking and wrapping and packaging and shipping. So many gifts all over to family and friends planning [00:14:00] for the upcoming year that here we are, it’s already here. Cleaning purging, organizing, doing typical end of the year. Wrap-up stuff, travel all kinds of stuff, much, much more than I’m listing when I can look at all that busy-ness and the commitments.

And I know that the time I spent years ago with decluttering and purging and really dialing into the organization so that we always know what we have. We know where to find things when we need something. And really making good use of systems and routines and coming up with those systems and routines intentionally. Those are working for my family.

I see them working. If I stopped to think about it. I see them working every single day. They are. What is making it possible to do what we’re doing now with more enjoyment? To handle when there are more things coming at us that makes it easier to handle those without being immediately overwhelmed, they allow us to, yes.

Celebrate more and have more fun, but also to have more rest. To have less stress and to make the, all the duties and responsibilities and chores and tasks. Even those things. as big of a deal because we took the time to set up the routines to remove the excess by per day, and to make sure everything else that we want to keep is organized and even all the fun stuff that takes up time and that you still have to figure out and plan. It makes it more manageable because we have this organization and the routines that allow me to get things done that have to be done. And you get those things done as efficiently as possible with as little overwhelm and burnout. I want to avoid that.

I don’t want to be stressed out. I don’t want to be burned out. I don’t want to feel like this is too much and I [00:16:00] can’t handle this. I love simplicity. I love simplicity and probably everything. If I can come up with a way to make something easier or simpler, I am going to do it. I want to make things seem like they’re effortless because I don’t want to have to think about. All of the things that have to be done If I can come up with an easier way, a simpler way, a way to accomplish whatever needs to be done. And still do a great job at it, but make it quicker and more efficient. I am all for that. That is probably why I love organization. And I love routines because both of those things get me to that result where it makes something easier and simpler. With getting it done still to the best of the ability and a not sacrificing the into results. Now we’re here.

And as we are still in this kickoff phase of early 20, 24, it’s a new year. It. Uh, a phrase caught my attention. I saw this phrase and the phrase said less is more in 20, 24. I like it. I really like it the first time that I heard it really was something that caught my attention. And I thought, wow, it’s catchy. I thought it would be a great starting point now that we are settled into our new calendars and our new routines of the year.

This is something that we can really zone in on and think about what can this mean for you? Less is more in 20 and 24, instead of adding to the already long to-do list or the ongoing thoughts in your mind of all the things that you want to change, you want to do better, or you want to get done. You want to accomplish in the upcoming months. If we put our focus on less, how does that change?

How would you feel if you had less to worry about or less negativity in your life or less pressure on yourself to meet unrealistic expectations? Maybe what about [00:18:00] less stuff? Less clutter removing clutter and having less of all of the extra stuff your house. All over the place causing you stress, just getting rid of that clutter, having less in the sense of physical belongings, that, that just, that simply means less stress.

That means less to clean, less, to get worked up about less, to get frustrated about if your longterm goal, and one of the reasons why you are here listening to this podcast, it would be in part of the intentional edit community. If you’re here because your overall goal is a more simplified home or a simple environment that allows you to live peacefully and happily.

And to give you more time, to enjoy your family and have more time to make memories and spend together. Then Let that sink in for you because less is more in 20, 24. It’s perfectly fitting for this year. I want to help you remove clutter. And of course, to get rid of that chaos that can come with home and life when we are not organized and when we don’t have the systems and routines.

So of course, I want to help you do that. And I want you to bring in simple rhythms and routines that really lighten the load of the tasks. Because it takes a significant amount of energy and brain power. When you are the CEO of your home and your family, and you are in charge of running everything, making sure that it all happens.

I want you to be able to carve out more time for a thing is that you have determined are meaningful to you, and that are important to you and important to your family. To have the time to get to do those things. Being fully present in the moment where you can actually enjoy the moments rather than feeling the guilt about what still needs to be done.

What is still on the to-do list or are you sacrificing sleep? Are you sacrificing your own [00:20:00]wellbeing? Are you sacrificing your overall wellness to make all of this happen? Because you’re staying up late. You’re getting up early because you want to make everything happen. You want to make sure everything gets done. And you’re still falling short. You’re feeling bad about what’s not getting done.

You feel overwhelmed, you feel behind and you are stressed out. That is real. That is a very, very real. I want to help you change that this year, I’m starting with the idea that less is more in 2024. I think that phrase is going to be prevalent the upcoming months. And I am going to keep that in the back of my mind for what I am committing to and what I am going to do this year to now planning ahead for this year. I’m going to be more cognizant of that, you know? I love the word intentional.

Uh, it comes up a lot in the podcast, so I’m going to be more intentional with what I commit to. I’m going to be more intentional with my time and intentionally. Plan down time. Plan time. That isn’t not packed. Put blocks of time in our calendar. Where there is nothing to do, because that is part of being healthy and having overall wellness.

What that means for me is saying no to certain things that we are invited to, or when we are offered something or opportunities come up, it means saying no to certain things. My home is orderly and it is organized, but I might make some intentional changes to what I’m allowing to take up the space in my home.

Maybe I’m going to purge more things. A few months ago, I finally decorated my bedroom. Now, this is something that is simple and you might think kind of silly, but there were simple changes that I made to my bedroom because I never really [00:22:00] paid attention to that space when I moved into this house. So I painted a wall, got new curtains, a new rug, some changes in the bedding. The thing is that I did those basic things, made the entire room. That entire space feel completely different. It wasn’t bad before it wasn’t a mess before or cluttered. It was just simply a space that was never touched. But now I love it. I love to walk in the room. I love if I glanced down the hall and I see the room when I make the bed and it all put together Or wake up in the morning in that space. I simply love the room.

It feels good to be in there. I have created this space intentionally where I thought out what I wanted to do, and I took the time to get it done, to create this space. That feels good. An area where I want to be, that feels great to be in. It’s a benefit of having a simplified home and taking the time to make our homes look and feel how we want them to feel and how we want to feel when we’re in these rooms and live in those rooms.

That was a simple change that I made. And took some time to make those changes. And now I really enjoy that space. It feels good to be in that space. Maybe there are a few more changes coming for me in 2024 or for my home. That I don’t have to know that today, but those changes can happen throughout the year.

The idea or the concept behind it less is more is basically saying that if we are using that motto, as we move through the next few months, and as we move through this year, then we’re going to be intentional about removing the things that are removing us from the life we want to be living. I’m going to leave it at that.

Are you on board for a simplified, more orderly home in this coming year? Do you want to feel. More peace, more contentment, and the less stress in your [00:24:00] house. If, if a simplified and orderly and organized home in 20 to 24 is what you’re looking for. That comes from routines and intentional systems to carry you through daily tasks and chores. So you can focus on other areas of your life that are much more important. I am here to encourage you to make this your year and let’s do this together.

Let’s move forward together with the idea in our minds that less is more in 2024. And as I finished this episode, I want you to keep thinking about what would be beneficial for you to have less of this coming year. Is it less clutter, less negative? Self-talk less commitments to things you don’t want to be part of.

And. Any way less stress, less worry, less negativity, less feeling of that. You’re running ragged and out of energy all the time. Less wasted, time, less. Does that mean less mindless scrolling or less screen time, less wasteful spending, less excuses, less excess. Keep going with this list that I have started here and think about what would you like to subtract?

What do you want to take away and what do you want less of this year? You keep going with that list and think, what can I have less of in 2020 for that in the reality, in the big picture, if you take away some of these things, then it will actually be bringing you more. It will be bringing you closer to the things that are important to you, closer to your priorities, aligning your lifestyle with the priorities and the dreams and the goals. That you want it, we’ll be getting you closer to that.

Simplified home to making things easier the day to day things easier to remove some of that overwhelm. What is on your list that you, if you have less of that will actually get you more of the life that you are wanting to be living.

Thank you [00:26:00] for being here.

Let’s keep this conversation going throughout the year and make changes that are getting us closer to that simplified, organized, orderly home that you have been dreaming of. I will meet you back here for the next episode of the intentional edit podcast.