I always loved the song, ‘ Inch by inch, row by row, gonna make this garden grow’…  When we were Quakers, we would often sing this song before meeting.It reminds me of what minimalism is. Doing a little at a time, inch by inch to get to that place where simplicity lives.

Minimalism is a journey into simplifying life. To get to the place of “lagom”. That’s the Swedish word for ‘just enough’, not too little, not too much.

When I started on my minimalist journey, I decluttered for many many months. Then I eased off and then started again. There have been many rounds of removing the non-essential.

Sometimes it has been a very small thing that has been decluttered or something that I’ve looked at but didn’t feel ready to let it go. So it really has been inch by inch, so to speak.

I thought I’d start a mini minimalism series, mostly, because I like talking about it.

So, today is the first.

There are many ways to begin decluttering, but I think the most important is to just start somewhere.  I liked to have a visual win for when I first started decluttering. So perhaps for you that might be a counter in the kitchen or the top of your dresser. Look around and even take pictures with your phone( I have found this enormously helpful), and then tackle the area that irritates you the most.

Gaining control over your space is partly what I love about minimalism and simplifying. Your home is your space, create the space you want.  This has been a real motivator for me.  I always wanted a white couch, and eventually, I got one. Of course, it’s an Ikea, so affordable. Plus I happen to love white as it is very easy on the eyes and I love that there are many shades of white.  Maybe you love blue or green. It doesn’t matter, what matters is you creating the space you are comfortable in. Decluttering non-essential things from your home is the first step.

Go for it. Do 15 minutes a day like FlyLady suggests. It is amazing what you can accomplish in 15 minutes.