May 2024 - Getting Others on Board with Decluttering
š«§ I had an interesting moment this week.
I have so many ideas for things I want to talk about here on Refine. Things like decluttering, slow productivity, self-care, healing, luxury, and organization to name a few, all through the lens of simplification.
The thing is, thereās so much I want to say, that for a moment, I didnāt know where to start. The irony of being someone whose passion is simplification, having so much stuff to share about it, and not knowing where to start, is not lost on me. It actually gave me a little impostor syndrome.
It took me a moment, but then I remembered how to get past a block like this. Whenever I get to a point where there is some sort of overwhelm, whether thatās information, choices, stuff, you name it, my first step is always to hit pause and get to the root. What is really important here?
I want what I share with you, and anyone who joins our adventure in the future, to really be valuable. I really want to help you build your best, most abundant life, through simplification.
I realized that my current content is missing those more foundational pieces. In the time Iāve focussed on simplification, certain questions have come up over and over again. Questions like:
- How do I get rid of sentimental items?
- How do I get my household on board?
- What do I do with collections?
- How many items should I have?
Most of these questions are from people only just dipping their toes into the world of practical simplification and Iām also very aware that these questions have been answered by many other āsimplification experts.ā As I build out my brand though, I think itās important for me not to ignore these fundamental pieces of knowledge.
So, Iāve been having a great time gathering my learnings for, what I am currently calling, āSimplification Foundationsā posts. A series of posts covering those most frequently asked questions. My hope is that they are not only helpful to people just starting their journey into simplifying and curating their dream life, but also remind those whoāve been at it for a little longer, how far theyāve come!
So to get us all started:
Something by me
One of the most asked questions when it comes to simplifying our belongings is:
How do I get my household or family on board with decluttering?
When youāre motivated and inspired to declutter and simplify your life, it can be incredibly frustrating when you live with people who arenāt on board with the concept. Decluttering your home can feel like a huge task, especially if you're the only one in your household with the drive to do so. Youāre already convinced of the benefits of declutteringāfrom a cleaner living space to reduced stressābut how can you achieve this when your family or roommates resist the change? Let me share how to proceed.
Something by someone else
Speaking of other peopleās stuff:
Title: āThe Comfort of Thingsā by Daniel Miller
What itās about: āAn ethnographic study of an ordinary street in London and looks into thirty households. It reveals the aspirations and frustrations, the tragedies and accomplishments that are played out behind the doors. It focuses on the things that matter to these people, which quite often turn out to be material things ā their house, the dog, their music, the Christmas decorations. It reveals the forms by which ordinary people make sense of their lives, and the ways in which objects become our companions in the daily struggle to make life meaningful.ā
Why I like it: In academia Daniel Miller is the material culture guy (material culture is a fancy way of saying "stuff"). His life's work is studying people and their stuff and it is fascinating. If youāre ever in the mood for getting real academic about humansā shopping, browsing, and owning habits, his work is the number one place to start. I never thought I would fangirl over an anthropologist/ethnographer but here we are. Back to the book. When I was doing my dissertation I read a bunch of his work, but the Comfort of Things has left a lasting impression. For as long as I can remember, Iāve always been interested to see how other people live, not to judge, but to learn about my own blind spots. To learn what I donāt know. This book has given me that opportunity. To look behind closed doors. And even though it's a study, which can be quite dry, there's something really raw and emotional to it. While itās not exactly a page turner, it's made me appreciate the complexity of being alive in modern day society and how our stuff fits into that picture.
Check it out here: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/The+Comfort+of+Things-p-9780745655369
Something by you
Going back to the introduction of this email, Iām really curious to hear:
What are the questions about simplification youād like to see me answer?
Iād love to hear any questions you come across often on the internet, but Iām open to all questions of course! You can directly reply to this email.
Refine updates: Behind the scenes
Iāve already shared that Iāve been thinking a lot about the type of content I want to share. On top of that, Iāve hit some big milestones while creating the course on digital organization. Itās really almost ready to officially launch!
In the meantime, if youāre planning on joining, Iād love to invite you to start preparing by choosing where youād like to create your backups if you havenāt already (I recommend either Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive).
Just like always I will be announcing any and all launches in this newsletter, so no further action is required on your end!
