A place for everything and everything in its place.

I love this saying and lately it's become my minimalist mantra!

My husband and I recently went through our garage and really cleaned out everything we had duplicates of or hadn't used since we moved in three years ago. We ended up getting rid of a huge pickup truck load of stuff. We already could park both cars in the garage, so it wasn't like we had stuff piled willy-nilly in there before. It was all "organized" into (you guessed it) totes, bins, toolboxes, hung on hooks, etc. This was further proof that even organized clutter can cause stress.

After we got rid of what we didn't need or anything that didn't add value to our lives anymore, the change was amazing. I actually look forward to going out into the garage every day. And I'm using the items we kept so much more than before. I think it's because we only kept the tools that are useful to us and now they aren't buried behind those items that weren't.

I'm also caring for my tools better than in the past because they are all my favorites. I actually took the shop vac apart today to let the parts air dry after using it. I've never done that. Because before decluttering, I had three of them! I kept my favorite and now want to keep it clean and in good condition.

What I didn't expect from this experience has been the feelings of calmness and self-respect. When you look in your garage or your closet or your medicine cabinet and know that you have everything you need, it's all clean and in good working order, and it has its own easy-to-access place in your home, it feels serene. My environment is a source of pride rather than a cause for anxiety.

I cannot stress the difference that I have found recently through minimalism. I have been organizing for years. That's just not enough. Letting go of items that no longer are my favorite, don't bring me joy, or I just don't need is the key I have been missing in the past.

If you or anyone else would like me to assist you to declutter and organize your home, please contact me for an appointment.

-Jennifer Morrow, Indy's Minimalist Organizer