minimalism & downsizing your life

twinkle07

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marie kondo show

the guy clean up halfway, decide to play his vcd cos cannot remember what's in it...turn out ish prawn :s13:
 

duameatball

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threw away a bunch of skincare stuff...

never buying the body shop stuff again (except the tea tree oil cleanser)...

fragrance gao gao... when sexpire riao really stink.. :s22:

I also stopped buying body shop stuff. A lot of chemical and all unnatural. Bunch of gimmicky and overpriced products
 

duameatball

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whatmeworry

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YOLO is the lifestyle.
Just saw two cartons of my old primary books n stuff.
Throw them down stairs without a second thoughts!
 

duameatball

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http://www.becomingminimalist.com/why/
To Declutter Any Room, Ask These Two Questions

“If organizing your stuff worked, wouldn’t you be done by now?” —Courtney Carver

Organizing our things is important. It is helpful to know where things are stored and how to easily access them. But let’s be honest with ourselves, organizing is always only a temporary solution. We organize our things and find new storage solutions today… but are left again tomorrow, doing the exact same thing.

Finding better ways to organize our stuff holds some benefit, but that benefit is fleeting at best.

However, when we take the step of fully removing from our possession the items we do not need, we find permanent, longer-lasting benefits.

Minimizing possessions is an act of permanence because they are removed from our care entirely. It lays the groundwork for overcoming consumerism altogether. This step of intentionally living with less forces questions of values and purpose. And it provides the opportunity to live life pursuing our greatest passions.

Minimizing is always better than organizing. (tweet that)

How then do we accomplish this in our unique living space in a way that aligns with our lifestyle? We accomplish this room-by-room physically handling each and every item in our possession. And we learn to ask better questions.

In fact, almost all of decluttering comes down to asking ourselves only two questions:

1. Do I need this?

Discerning the difference between needs and wants has become almost a full-time job in our society. Advertisers routinely market items of comfort and luxury as items of need. I never knew I needed so much until somebody told me I did.

Almost all decluttering has to start somewhere. And every professional organizer will ask you to answer this question over and over again: Is this something I need to keep?

This is an important place to start because it provides a beginning framework within which to make better decisions. If we can identify the things we no longer need, we can begin to recognize the things that can be removed.

Of course, our human needs are actually quite slim: water, food, shelter, and clothing. It’s important to note we’re talking about more than mere survival here—nobody wants to just survive life, we want to make the most of it! What we’re talking about is realizing our fullest potential.

The deeper question then that we should be asking is, What items do I need to keep to realize my life’s full potential and purpose?

This question will get us further and provide an even more robust framework to make decisions about what to keep and what to remove. But even this falls a bit short.

Just because your answer is, “No, I don’t need this,” doesn’t mean you are going to remove it—or at least, not easily remove it. We all have things in our home that we know we don’t need. And yet, we choose to keep.

This, then, is where the second question becomes so helpful. And why it is even more important.

2. Why do I have this?

This question moves our thought process beyond functionality and into intentionality.

Ask yourself that question with everything you touch: Why do I own this? When you do, you will be surprised at the answers.

Case in point: Your closet. One of the first areas of my home that I chose to minimize was my wardrobe closet. When I did, I noticed all sorts of different styles and colors and fits—many of which I no longer wore.

And I am not alone in this—many of our closets are filled with items we no longer wear. Clearly, our over-filled closets have nothing to do with functionality. Instead, they have everything to do with intentionality.

Why do we own all these different articles of clothing and so much more than we need? Is it because we love them all or need that many shirts or shoes? No. We buy them because we are trying to keep up with changing fashions—the same changing styles that the fashion industry told us we needed to remain in style.

Additionally, when we look in our living rooms, we notice all kinds of decorations and knick-knacks cluttering our shelves. Why do we have them? Because we love them and they tell the story of our lives? Doubtful. Instead, we bought them because they were on sale, they matched the couch, or those built-in shelves needed something on them.

In each case, we buy things and keep them, not because they benefit our lives, but for some other intention. This realization makes the process of decluttering easier and it holds benefit for almost every item we own: Why do I own these CDs, that piece of furniture, these toys, these old electronics? Once we determine the why, we are better equipped to answer the What now?

Those two questions: “Do I need it?” and “Why do I have it?” form the basis for your best decluttering efforts going forward. They will prove to be enlightening and will open up new ideas about what items to keep and what items to remove.

And ultimately, isn’t that goal? To remove things entirely from our homes that we no longer need… so we can begin living the life that we want.
 

blues7

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Agree

Used to buy many of their products

bought too many, a few years didn't buy still have some left

Planning to finish using them

Won't be buying any to keep which is what I used to do whenever there's sale of some kind

End up accumulating becoz the compulsion was with the buying not the using

Sounds funny right? 2 very conflicting ideas

Anyway, now very aware of having too much is giving me more stress than when I buy things to relief stress from work Etc (without any thinking or proper planning)

I also stopped buying body shop stuff. A lot of chemical and all unnatural. Bunch of gimmicky and overpriced products
 
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Medicated Oil

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Anyway, now very aware of having too much is giving me more stress than when I buy things to relief stress from work Etc (without any thinking or proper planning)


It is like quitting smoking.
You need to replace activity A with another activity to be successful.
So, you need to replace shopping with another constructive activity.

For me, it used to be jogging.
Now, it is eating. :D
 

blues7

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Agree

Shopping is out becoz that just accumulate

Eating is out becoz not that many nice things to eat in SG

Books and movie are out too becoz there's only that many ways to tell a story

Travel is not too becoz with young kid, can't go very far, not exactly big on planning

Turning to exercise now - light duty, not looking to buff

And everyday thinking about what to remake next

:)

It is like quitting smoking.
You need to replace activity A with another activity to be successful.
So, you need to replace shopping with another constructive activity.

For me, it used to be jogging.
Now, it is eating. :D
 

twinkle07

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i got old school books also

that one know to throw

just thinking whether to throw or bring to recycle bin to recycle...


duno where the bin ish.. :s22:
not even sure books recyclable or not
 

twinkle07

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today slack, no mood to declutter...

but decide to clean up study desk/computer desk. cos watch the fengshui show and they talk about it affecting business relations...

after clean up, log in carousell, finally got ppl want to buy things....:eek:
 

OMeGa666

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more cleaning today

found moi old handphones...

pro tip for today. those who keep handphone boxes, can empty it can put stuff.
just realize gadget boxes super solid. :eek: lidat can keep box and dun waste space.. :s13:


think i got 4 boxes.. :s22:

Ehem ... more storage boxes = More clutters :s22:
Need to know maintain a balance.
 

blues7

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Really like this thread becoz going thru the same

Recently throw out some old old computer parts and electronics including phones

Yes, some phones were thrown out years ago but somehow their boxes stayed :)

Yet to junk the boxes, wondering if they are good for smal tips eg paper clips of whatever

Meanwhile, considering giving almost everything away, very stressed already after spending so much time to go thru all the things, removed the obvious and left with still a lot of not sure

If completely ruthless, remove all not sure, will I be stress free from all these things?

Ehem ... more storage boxes = More clutters :s22:
Need to know maintain a balance.
 

kaixax555

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I think I gonna declutter again soon...

maybe even declutter my computer :s22:
 

Medicated Oil

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today slack, no mood to declutter...

but decide to clean up study desk/computer desk. cos watch the fengshui show and they talk about it affecting business relations...

after clean up, log in carousell, finally got ppl want to buy things....:eek:


What did you put on the left or right side of the PC that improve your feng shui ?

Share with us when you strike lottery.
 

twinkle07

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Ehem ... more storage boxes = More clutters :s22:
Need to know maintain a balance.

repurpose box not clutter rah...

u need box to separate categories after decluttering anyway. use it to put folded socks in closet, or cables in drawer also can...
 
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