Clearing out: tips for your home
Have you always wanted to declutter? The right time is - now!
Check: Create space. Get rid of old ballast. Start with your home. Because nothing creates more space for new ideas than a tidy home. Take the advice of the Japanese Marie Kondo to heart. She is one of the world's best-known tidying experts. In her "Magic Cleaning" series of books, she takes those who want to tidy up by the hand. The most important decluttering tip: simply storing things away is useless. Every item in your home should be put to the test first: Does it make me happy? Do I really need it? Only then can the item stay.
Organize: Marie Kondo pursues a clear strategy: every item in the home is given a fixed place once it has been given the right to stay. Only then can chaos be banished in the long term. Ask yourself how often, when and for what purpose the item is needed. Things that you need often are given an easily accessible place. Think practically. Items that are rarely used are relegated to the back. And: all items in the same category go in the same place, vases in a cupboard, for example.
Rent: Buying things that are rarely used costs money and, above all, space. Many providers have therefore made it possible to rent products for some time now. From a drill (e.g. via OBI) to clothes (e.g. HERE) to a washing machine or TV(HERE) - there are (almost) no limits to our need to rent something.
Mucking out in everyday life
A lot of unnecessary things accumulate in everyday life. This naturally stands in the way of minimalism as a lifestyle. So: get rid of it!
Unsubscribe: From a technical point of view, everyday life can also be optimized in a minimalist way. First step: Unsubscribe from all email newsletters that you don't need. You will realize how liberating this is. Step two: How many social media portals are you registered with? Go through what and whether a profile there is of any use to you at all. Then limit yourself to a maximum of two such networks. That's enough.
Cancellations: Do you have appointments in your diary with people you're not really looking forward to? Cancel them. This may sound harsh, but you should only surround yourself with people you enjoy. Tip: Make clear statements and avoid the word "maybe" - that way you won't be so easily "talked into" meetings.
Cooking: Does the minimalism lifestyle also work in the kitchen? Try it - with just a handful of ingredients, for example. That saves time and thought. Or how about potatoes and herb quark again? Super simple and delicious!
Repair: The toaster has given up the ghost. Just throw it away? That wouldn't be minimalist. Better to repair the appliance together with volunteers at a repair café. Info: www.repaircafe.org
Clearing out: tips for the closet
Spend three hours mucking out - and you'll feel liberated!
Sort out: Is your closet overflowing and you still have nothing to wear? Then you're in good company. Every German buys 18 kilograms of clothing a year - that's around 50 to 70 items of clothing. Fashion blogger and author Anuschka Rees felt the same way - until she committed herself to minimalism and discovered that less is more. In her book, she explains that it's not the quantity but the quality in your closet that counts. She advises rigorous mucking out in order to (re)discover your own style. A detox cure for the wardrobe.
Distribute: The first steps to a tidy and minimalist wardrobe are four boxes labeled: "Rubbish", "Sell/Give away", "Leave to change" and "Wardrobe". And then: everything out of the wardrobe. Yes, really everything! Next step: Pick up every single item of clothing and check it very carefully: Do I need it? Is it good quality? Does it suit my style? Depending on your answers, the items will be distributed among the four boxes. In the end, you'll be surprised how great it is to put your (newly) discovered favorites back into your closet. By the way: minimalists believe that a wardrobe consisting of 20 to 40 items is enough. Don't worry: this does not include underwear and stockings.
Grouping: Once you've decided what you want in your wardrobe, it's time to sort. Think about a sensible layout for your wardrobe. Decide whether you want to sort your clothes by occasion (everyday, office), by season (spring, summer) or by color (red, black). And most importantly: stick to this system.
Sorting: The first steps have been taken. Now it's time to sort the clothes into the wardrobe in an orderly and space-saving way. After all, the aim is to maintain this order. If you have drawers, roll T-shirts, sweaters and pants. That way they won't crease. Tip: Put underwear and stockings in discarded shoe boxes - that way you can keep an overview in the drawer.