Do you binge and purge (household items/school stuff/clothes)?

[mykdsmomy]

I have been on a journey to minimalism. I do really well for a while then I get stuck on "design" (what colors do I want my kitchen/bedroom/bathrooms/kids rooms to be). I get bored easily and wind up wanting change with everything from clothes to textiles to bathroom themes to dishes!

 

I wish I could be content with white dishes/white bathrooms with minimal color/design....but then I feel like it looks to plain and I want to dress it up.....then when I add color (say we acquire some blue towels.....then I think....ohhhhh now I can do a beach theme!).....then I get frustrated that I can't afford to fully decorate it the way I want (now that I have the blue towels, I'd love to go find a cute soap dish or a picture for the wall ;) )....So after a while, I get overwhelmed and want to just go back to white :001_huh:

 

So to recap.....I reduce our everything, simplify it....get bored, add stuff....get overwhelmed and start simplifying again. How do I stop the madness? Oh, and this is important too....I wind up going to someone's house and falling in love with their "style" so I want to try and duplicate it in my house :glare: I just want to be content with me :(

[Dmmetler]

I do this with books and with DD's room. We reduce, reduce, reduce-and then go to one library used booksale or she gets a new interest, and within months, it's back to crowded again.

[Molly]

I just want to learn to keep on top of all the stuff that comes in the house and teach the blossoms how to get rid of stuff as other stuff comes in.

[DarlaS]

Trying to purge some school stuff right now on the FS forum. Unfortunately, so is everyone else. :D (Still getting some cleared out and that's great!)

 

I have two kids whose ankles are showing. It's about time for a clothing purge. Again. :tongue_smilie:

[Desert Strawberry]

No themes! they are cheesy, it's too easy to caught up in acquiring unnecessary junk, and then you get sick of them.

 

Instead, choose things that are useful, and that you truly love. Start with colors. Don't make rash decisions. If you LOVE someone else's style, it's because it is truly their style--NOT yours! You can't steal it. You have to figure out what is really, truly yours.

 

In my house, nothing matches. I don't like matchy stuff. It's boring. I like color. I like similar, but different textures and decor. I like warm, light, sunny, fun. My towels and dishes and linens don't match. It's not an accident. I like it that way.

 

You have to find who you are, and what you want your space to be. It's your home. It should be a part of you. When you add somehting to your home that is really truly a part of you, you will never tire of it. Buy only things that you need. Things that will be useful and improve your life. Not just for the fun of having something new and matchy.

[Hoggirl]

I seem to have only been binging! But, right now I am in a super-declutter mode. So, no, I haven't really done what you have done. I definitely don't want to change the style in my house often. But, I have binged on "stuff" in the past. I have been purging books like crazy. And, I have often bought too many decorator-type items. Those have been going, too. I am trying to get the mindset to NOT let stuff creep back in. To PROTECT my house from stuff. I don't know that I would ever be a minimalist per se', but I am determined NOT to go through this again. I am keeping things that I love AND that we use. So, I would say I am trying to become more of a minimalist.

 

I will never, however, be minimalist about clothes and shoes! :D

[Denisemomof4]

after watching my parents and my grandparents have a VERY hard time getting rid of their mountains of STUFF, some quite valuable, I have been VERY careful about what I bring into the house. I had the task of weeding through my grandparents AND my parent's stuff, and it was NOT easy. Just this year I got rid of the last of the valuables of my parents. I have plenty to remember both by, but their collectibles were THEIR passion, not mine. I've kept some and donated the rest. I don't have the desire or patience to list everything on Craigslist so I donate everything. It's SUCH a blessing to give to people in need!

 

When I find something I truly love, I won't buy it unless I have the PERFECT place for it, or unless it will take the place of something else. PERIOD. I do NOT want to clutter my home with tons of stuff. Our garage is about 90% cleared out, the basement about 85%. The drawers, closets and cabinets are 100% cleared out, and I bring NOTHING in without taking something out. Also, every fall I go through all my drawers and closet to see what I haven't used and bag it up.

 

As far as change in decor, it does sound like you want color. Plain white IS boring to me and since you've already experienced that, you know it doesn't work long term. Pick colors in paint you can live with and then mix and match the towels/decorations. Maybe even do it twice per year so that you have spring/summer decor and then fall/winter. But to make things work, you have to be comfortable with YOUR taste and not compare yours to everyone else! I can tell you that my taste is VERY different that most. People come in and appreciate my style and compliment me, but they likely would never decorate their house the same way. Likewise, I can go to other homes and appreciate their style, but I'm simply more happy to have COLOR and unique decorations. I wait to find just the right thing, and I *HAVE* waited for years, but I eventually always find what I'm looking for. Then it stays.

 

If you can really decide what you love for your home decor, then you can mix up simple things (towels, pictures, soap dispensers, serving dishes) to help give you a variety. Plates and large ticket items stay the same.

[Denisemomof4]

I just want to learn to keep on top of all the stuff that comes in the house and teach the blossoms how to get rid of stuff as other stuff comes in.

 

once per year when I purge my closets and drawers I also have the kids do the same. I no longer do it for them. I have them bag up what doesn't fit (some dislikes probably go in there but if they don't LIKE them, they're not WEARING them!) and donate it WITHOUT LOOKING TO SEE WHAT'S INSIDE. that's KEY.

 

Also, when their rooms are disgusting, they know they're going to get a HUGE black trash bag and will be told to bag up half their stuff. I've been doing this for years. We're finally getting to a point where their rooms are acceptable, and I rarely buy them ANYTHING that will be brought into their rooms unless it's CAREFULLY planned out.

[lewelma]

DH, dd10, dd7, and I live in a 650sq ft apt by choice. My trick to minimalism is to change your desires. Instead of wanting permanent items for your house, start desiring "consumables." Treat yourself to fancy food, opera tickets, a nice bottle of wine, things that disappear after you have used them. Also, if you are in the mood to buy something, go to the library.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Frontier Mom]

once per year when I purge my closets and drawers I also have the kids do the same. I no longer do it for them. I have them bag up what doesn't fit (some dislikes probably go in there but if they don't LIKE them, they're not WEARING them!) and donate it WITHOUT LOOKING TO SEE WHAT'S INSIDE. that's KEY.

 

Also, when their rooms are disgusting, they know they're going to get a HUGE black trash bag and will be told to bag up half their stuff. I've been doing this for years. We're finally getting to a point where their rooms are acceptable, and I rarely buy them ANYTHING that will be brought into their rooms unless it's CAREFULLY planned out.

 

:iagree: It has been really hard for me to learn this but I am right there with you. As mine have gotten older, we have less and less in our rooms. It just gets too much. I try to be careful but my dd is a crafty, hoarder type which causes a battle from time to time.;)

[mykdsmomy]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions!!! I DO need to figure out what style is me. I have struggled with this for years. I think it's what causes me to accumulate things. You've all given me a lot to think about :grouphug:

[Peela]

I have been on a journey to minimalism. I do really well for a while then I get stuck on "design" (what colors do I want my kitchen/bedroom/bathrooms/kids rooms to be). I get bored easily and wind up wanting change with everything from clothes to textiles to bathroom themes to dishes!

 

I wish I could be content with white dishes/white bathrooms with minimal color/design....but then I feel like it looks to plain and I want to dress it up.....then when I add color (say we acquire some blue towels.....then I think....ohhhhh now I can do a beach theme!).....then I get frustrated that I can't afford to fully decorate it the way I want (now that I have the blue towels, I'd love to go find a cute soap dish or a picture for the wall ;) )....So after a while, I get overwhelmed and want to just go back to white :001_huh:

 

So to recap.....I reduce our everything, simplify it....get bored, add stuff....get overwhelmed and start simplifying again. How do I stop the madness? Oh, and this is important too....I wind up going to someone's house and falling in love with their "style" so I want to try and duplicate it in my house :glare: I just want to be content with me :(

 

I can so relate to this! The was I deal with it here is by continually going to swap meet, garage sales and op shops. And letting go of the old as the new comes in.

WHen I get a thing for a particular style of clothing, thats all I will look for at our weekly round of the 2nd hand places. Its like I have filters on. I don't pick up things I am not interested in- I just look for a certain thing until i find it. If I find a picture in a frame that really calls to me, I think about whether i want to introduce that new theme into my home- and if I do, I might change a few other things in the room too.

I might pick up a new set of cushions for the sofas one day because I jsut really like them- the old ones are tossed.

I enjoy it! Its cheap, entertaining, and its all just getting recycled really. I love change too.

Recently I was given a kig sized bed. I have decided than rather have a king sized doona on it, I like to have several single doonas that I can toss on and off me, wrap around me etc. So I have a new mission to find white doona covers and white feather doonas- I have them now and love my new bed. It was fun- an adventure!

I love minimalism too- but I also love colour, change, variety. As long as as much stuff or more is going out the door, at the same time it is coming in- I am fine with it. I dont buy much new at all- the fun is finding it 2nd hand, for me.