we all want the perfect minimalist home. while I agree that you should only surround yourself with things that “spark joy” I don’t think it’s necessary to do a great purge of everything you own. and if you do want to get rid of things, there are more sustainable solutions to discarding.

on clothing:

• fashion trends come back so you might be glad you kept certain pieces (bike shorts for example).

• wear different things – notice if you keep reaching for the same stuff, and consciously wear something you haven’t worn in a while. this also applies to packing for a trip.

• when purchasing new pieces, start to stick to a color scheme. of course if something different is speaking to you get it, but for most items a more neutral color will get more wear and maintain its presence in your closet.

• if something doesn’t fit or truly doesn’t spark joy, instead of throwing it out you can recycle it to sustainable fashion brands like reformation x threadup that will upcycle clothing into new pieces (and give you a store credit!)

• repurposing: layer a dress with a t shirt or turtleneck or under a sweater, and transition your closet to spring/summer/early fall to fall/winter/early spring — basically cold or hot weather with in between items.

generally:

• organize things by category and put them into labeled boxes (like everything I have from my graduation I keep in one box).

• don’t keep things that aren’t decoration just out and cluttering your space.

• definitely throw out old papers that have no use (like a psychology exam from years ago).

• repurpose finished candles to hold makeup brushes and nice boxes for storage (and the aesthetic).

TCFN!

<3,

Elizabeth