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Learning how to declutter is an essential part of moving, as you don't want to bring along things you don't need. Whether you begin the decluttering process before you move or after you've already settled in your new home, tackling this challenge can help you prepare your new home for a more minimalistic lifestyle. Whatever your style of organization, you could benefit from learning how to declutter your home and only keep the things you truly need.
What to Know When Packing
In some circumstances, you might be able to declutter your home before you pack to move into the next place you'll live. You should keep an eye out for any items you can get rid of during this transitional process. The less you have to move, the better. If you're hiring a moving service to help you transport your things, you might even pay less than expected if you have fewer things to move.1. Pack Each Room Individually
You should aim to pack one room at a time. Rather than going through every room to find items at a different pace, focusing on one room will keep your head clear and give you an easy way to remember what you’ve already decluttered. As you go through each room, you can get rid of items that don't serve you anymore.2. Follow the KonMari Method
If you’d rather declutter by category, the KonMari method is an easy way to figure out what "sparks joy" in your life. If something makes you happy, then you should set it aside to keep. Items that don't make you feel immensely happy when holding or being near them are things you should discard or give away. This method of decluttering has helped countless homes make space and find peace, and it can help you clear out yours, too.
3. Limit Your Boxes
You may not be able to control how many items you feel sentimental about, but you can control how much packing you do. Set a limit on the number of boxes you want to bring to your new home. Then, try to fit as much of your essential stuff into those boxes as you can. You might be able to make exceptions for a few things, but the idea is that you'll pack the priorities first. Everything else that comes after is just a want rather than a need.4. Sift Through Seasonal Items
You should know how large your next place is before moving. Seasonal decorations can take up a lot of storage space, so it might be worth it to get rid of the ones you don't need ahead of time. You’ll save a lot of packing space by not including them in your move.5. Learn Why You Hold Onto Things
Some people hold onto things from past decades just because they have a nostalgic attachment, even if it's something completely unnecessary, like a custom napkin from a grand event. Unless you can think of a better way to store these sentimental items, like in a shadowbox, it might be time to let them go.
You might not be able to keep every sentimental item you've collected over the years, but you can still have it as part of your life. Taking pictures of something sentimental can make it easier to throw something away or donate it. That way, you can always keep the items with you virtually.
How to Declutter After a Move
Sometimes a move comes quicker than you expect. You might not have time to go through all your belongings before packing up and moving away. In that case, you'll have to declutter once you reach your new home. You can set a goal to start decluttering the moment you move in. That way, you’ll focus on going through your belongings to get your home ready as quickly as possible.1. Don't Let the Clutter Inside
Your main priority should be going through your things and moving things you definitely want to keep indoors. When you don’t let the boxes inside except the one you're currently working on, you'll be focused on one thing at a time and won't clutter your home while unpacking. Make sure to label your boxes appropriately so you can easily sift through them in an organized fashion.
If you have one, leave boxes in your garage to give you the space to sort through your belongings. Put necessary things in water-proof storage containers and label them accordingly so you can easily find them when needed. If you don't have a garage, designate the boxes to an unused room in your home so they don't take up all of your main floor space.
2. Look for Your Bad Habits
Identifying your bad habits will help you understand how clutter begins to accumulate in your home. Do you have a habit of dropping things on your kitchen table? Do you sometimes buy things even though you don’t have room for them? You should make a plan for how to deal with your bad habits to help you break them more effectively.3. Find a Place for Everything
Once you designate a place for everything, you can create a plan for addressing clutter as soon as it inevitably comes into your home. Things like mail and bills can easily pile up, so if you have a designated spot for them, it'll help your home look cleaner and neater. That way, you can have less stuff lying around and enjoy a more minimalist lifestyle.
4. Go Through Junk Drawers
One of the biggest enemies of minimalism is the clutter that no one knows what to do with. Junk drawers are often the drop-off points for clutter that doesn't have a home. Going through your junk drawer, especially after you've been unpacking all your boxes, can help you find a home for things that would just be taking up space otherwise. It might also motivate you to finish unpacking.5. Donate Books
Books are some of the greatest treasures you can have in your home. Still, they take up space, which isn’t ideal when downsizing. Since reading is an essential part of learning and can introduce people to new viewpoints, you can donate any books you haven’t read in a while or repurpose them as gifts to loved ones.
Organize Your Home to Your Standard
An organized home looks different to everyone, so don’t let someone else's idea of minimalism pressure you into doing something you don't want to do. You have a unique sense of style. If something looks busy yet nice to you, you can keep it. The concept of minimalism revolves around learning to do more with less — but you can follow your own rules for happiness.What are people Saying?
An organized life is a more peaceful life. Yet, clutter can sneak up on you and many people feel immobile in the face of it. They hate the clutter they see all around them, but they don’t know how to handle it. Below are 13 of our best organizing tips to create a more orderly life. Once you get a good routine started with these tips, you’ll have a better chance of keeping your environment sorted. And having your surroundings in order allows you to enjoy every day free from stress and clutter.
1. Address the Most Visible Issues
Begin the organization process with areas that are most visible and/or problematic. Start small and be sure to allow sufficient time for each step in the process: sort, purge, assign a home, containerize, then maintain and equalize regularly. As an example, let’s imagine that your kitchen pantry is the worst aspect of your home. If you can get even one shelf organized, your home is going to look nicer as a result. This is one of many kitchen organizing tips that will help you going forward.2. Create Systems to Help You
The systems you create need to fit into your life and surroundings. Therefore, if you never check your calendar, putting reminders on it isn’t going to help you. Instead, you could use a system that requires sticky notes. The truth is that there’s no one right way to do things. Whatever system works best for you should naturally rise to the top. Grab onto it and make it work for you!3. Keep it Simple
This is where so many well-intentioned people go wrong. If you look around you and see a mountain of clutter, it’s going to be hard to do anything with it. By keeping your expectations simple, you can chip away at the clutter a piece at a time. Using garage organizing tips, for example, pick one thing to work on each week and you’ll end up in a much better place.4. Sort Everything
Is everything in your home sorted by the area you use it in? If not, it’s time to start. That means keeping your remote control on or next to the couch, putting all kitchen stuff in the kitchen right away, keeping your floss in the bathroom, etc.
Don’t allow items to be out of place. This way, even if you still have clutter to deal with, you’ll at least have the items you need close at hand.
5. Say No Sometimes
Society has done a good job of convincing people that they must always be available to others. However, nothing could be further from the truth. No is one of the best productivity tools there is. Before you say ‘yes’ to events, meetings or other time commitments, ask yourself this question, ‘Will it move me closer to my goals?’ If the answer is no, then say NO.6. List Making
Create a master list that allows you to keep track of your to-dos and other projects. Cross each item off once you’ve completed it. That way, not only will you know what you must do, but you’ll receive the satisfaction of seeing items crossed off the list.7. Learn to Delegate
One of the most difficult things for people to do is learn how to delegate. Whether we’re in our personal or professional lives, though, it’s an invaluable skill to learn. Always look for opportunities to delegate or outsource recurring tasks or low-value activities. Tidy Daily This is the point that messes up a lot of people. However, if you’ve cleaned up your messy space, it’s the absolute best way to prevent it from becoming cluttered again. As an example, following tips for closet organizing will help ensure that you make good usage of your time. The vital thing you must achieve here is setting a specific time (5 to 15 minutes) aside to work on any clutter.8. Make Sure Everything Has a Place
Everything in your home should have a place where it goes. And when we say this, we mean a place that makes sense. Again, keeping items by where they’re useful is the best way to put this system in place.9. Use the Right Tools
If you’re using old shoe boxes as containers, you might be doing yourself more harm than good. Our brains really love things to be organized, so putting them in a proper container definitely looks better. It’s also imperative to purchase the right tools to help keep your environment clean.10. Use a Labeler
Have you ever seen the episode of The Simpsons where Bart gets a label maker? He labels everything, including Homer’s rear end. We want you to imitate Bart by investing in a good labeler (e.g., Brother P-Touch) and labeling everything (although labeling your rear end may be taking it a step too far).
This should be used in conjunction with your organization tools. Let’s say you have a nice storage container that’s labeled with books. You should always go to this area to return any books you’ve been reading.
11. Donate Items
Do you remember how Marie Kondo asked you to check each item in your home and see if it brings you joy? This is a similar methodology that you should follow each time you bring something new home. The best way to keep your clutter to a minimum is by donating, selling, or tossing something out to make room for the new item.12. Control Your Paper Clutter
Take five minutes each day to look through the latest paper you’ve brought into your house. Do you really need it? Or did you simply receive bills in the mail that you’ve already got set to autopay? Go through your paper clutter and shred or throw out whatever you don’t need.13. Hire a Professional Organizer
If you’re still struggling with getting your life in order, it might be time to hire professional organizers like the experts at In Order to Succeed. We will come into your house and help you figure out what needs to go where.
If you’re ready to get started on decluttering your life, contact us today! We would love to help you achieve the orderly life you’ve been dreaming of.
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College is back in session and students everywhere are busy creating their dream dorm rooms. Living in a dormitory means that you have the ultimate benefit of being close to your classes while still enjoying the independence that comes from being on your own. On the other hand, it might also mean having to scale back on your belongings. While you might be eager to start decorating with your favorite wall art and brand-new comforter, the truth is that you need to spend some time getting organized. These dorm room organization ideas will have you ready to start your year with a clutter-free space that shows off your sense of style.
How Do You Organize a Small Dorm Room?
1. Think Strategically
The first thing you need to do is create a game plan that you can follow. Therefore, take a moment to gather information about the size and general layout of the room. Most residential halls provide essentials, such as a bed, desk and closet. But you’ll want to find out about the other amenities, such as whether or not you have storage cabinets in the bathroom. If possible, reach out to your roommate before you start packing. Finding out if they’re bringing a microwave or stereo system can help you avoid doubling up and wasting space. Plus, it’ll help you start building a good relationship that minimizes conflicts about how you organize the shared parts of your room.2. Prioritize Necessities
3. Hang On-the-Wall Shelving and Hooks
You also don’t want to leave wall space unfilled. On-the-wall shelving units can hold containers that you can fill with everything from school supplies to snacks. Or you might choose to place items on the shelf that can double as decor. For instance, an over-the-bed shelf leaves space for your headboard, and you can put a potted herb plant or coffee mug on top that looks cute and has a purpose. On-the-wall shelving is great for solving those little problems that tend to pop up in dorm rooms. For instance, you might like to have a wall shelf hung up high so that you can stash things you might need from the top bunk at night. Being able to reach over for your water bottle rather than having to climb the ladder could make a huge difference in how you feel in the morning. As you use your vertical wall space, consider adding hooks to your list of supplies. You can find hooks that attach to the wall with special adhesives that won’t remove paint yet are sturdy enough to hold many common dorm room items. In addition to using hooks for obvious reasons, such as to hold your coat or hat. You can hang small baskets from them to place pencils, pens and markers on the wall next to your desk.4. Use Vertical Space
In most dorms, the bed and desk will take up the bulk of the floor space, but you can bet there will still be plenty of room on the walls. Over-the-door shoe holders are great for storing your favorite footwear, and they can also double for storing other objects.
You can use these to hold accessories, toiletries and other small items that might not fit in your available drawers. If you have a bathroom and closet attached to your room, this gives you three doors to fill with your belongings.
5. A Curtain Wall
If you want to make your dorm feel bigger, hang a curtain over a cinder block wall. Not only will this instantly make your space feel larger, but it will also make your space seem much more sophisticated. Don’t try to drill into the wall, however. Instead, use heavy-duty tape or Command hooks instead.6. Give Your Room Some Much-Needed Style
As you look at your dorm room, you probably feel a bit of panic at the idea of getting all your stuff inside of it. Instead, get yourself a nice coffee table that has hidden storage inside. This is the ideal place to store extra blankets, which will really tidy up your room.How Do You Maximize Storage in a Dorm Room?
7. Under the Bed Storage
You have multiple options for turning the space under the bed into the perfect storage spot. Some dorms allow you to rent or bring your own loft beds that provide space for a desk or dresser to fit underneath. If you don’t have this option, don’t fret. You still have several ways to transform the space under your bed into an easy place to stash your extra belongings.
First, check to see if you can lift your bed. Bed risers fit underneath the feet of the frame, and they can lift it up by quite a few inches. Once your bed is lifted, you can then measure the space to figure out which storage containers will fill it in while maximizing every inch. Depending upon your bed’s height, you might even be able to place containers with drawers that help you to add an extra layer of organization to your room plan.
If you can’t lift your bed, then most types of frames still sit a couple of inches off the floor. This makes it possible to use under-the-bed containers that may lack height but are relatively wide. These are great places to stash things like sweaters or hoodies that you might only need on cold weather days but take up way too much space in your closet.
8. Multi-Use Furniture
If you do need to bring furniture into your room to make it comfortable, then look at each piece from every angle to make sure it maximizes the use of the space. For example, a storage ottoman gives you a place to stash books and other necessities while also serving as a comfy place to sit when you invite your new best friends to your room. Cube shelves are another fun piece that might take up space on the floor, but you can alter them slightly to use space vertically. After picking out a shelf that holds your favorite items, you can then put a cushion on top to make a versatile bench seat. These units also tend to be able to be placed on their side or standing vertically, which gives you options for using space in your dorm room. Rolling carts are another multi-functional piece of furniture to consider bringing along. They can serve as a nightstand, or you might use one to create a makeshift kitchen. Depending upon how much space you have, they can also be used for bathroom necessities, such as towels and styling tools.9. Don’t Forget to Use Your Windowsill
One area that often gets forgotten is the windowsill. However, you’ve got such a small space to work with that it’s truly a shame if you don’t take advantage of these little spaces. You can set a lamp on the windowsill, along with a mini wicker basket. This is the perfect place to store a few books or other items that you need to have convenient access to!
10. Closet Contraptions
Not having to search your closet for something to wear when you are late for a class can be a load off the mind. And one of the dorm organizing ideas that will make your life easier is closet organizers. Closet organizing systems range from being incredibly complicated to basic shelving units. While you won’t necessarily need a customized unit with lights and moving rails, professional organizers tend to recommend using closet organizers to make more room in this often-underutilized space. Closet contraptions include shelves that cover more of the wall space from the floor to the ceiling so that you can hang your clothes rather than just stacking up bins. Or you can use shelves that hang directly from the rails to store foldable clothing or shoes. If you share a closet, then using an organizing system also makes it easier for you and your roommate to keep up with whose stuff goes where.11. Organized Drawers
Taking the time to put together organized drawers will save you so much room in the long run. Using acrylic bins is a great way to turn this idea into a reality! You’ll have a specific place for everything, which is the best way to keep your space clean. Make time at least once a week to tidy up your room so that you can ensure the space stays clean.
12. Cord and Tablet Organization
One of the first things each college student should get is a desk organizer. This makes it simple to keep your desk in better shape. You’ll be able to keep everything much tidier because the cords will go behind the organizer. Now, you’ll have a charging station that won’t scream that it’s a charging station.13. Use a Floating Bookshelf
Everyone in college needs a bookshelf. Using a more space-efficient option requires you to purchase a floating bookshelf. This particular method of storing books doesn’t take up much space because it only allows one book per level. You can take up every slot if needed, and it’ll take up vertical space. This leaves a lot of horizontal space for everything else you’ll need.14. Use Several Drawers
Drawers are ideal for dealing with dorm room storage. They keep everything out of your way, but they don’t take up a ton of space. In fact, if you need to, you can even get separate storage cubes and stack them all up. Either way, using several drawers is a fantastic way to store everything.
15. Use a Stool with Storage
You’ll need a place to sit down at your desk. Getting a stool with storage inside it is the best usage of your minimal space. Whether you keep something in it or use it for your curling iron, etc., this space provides another way to keep everything you need handy.17. Use Your Nightstand as Storage
Again, any way to incorporate extra space into your dorm room is going to be a game-changer. Purchase an ottoman that has storage inside of it. Then, put all the little things you need in it, including extra phone chargers. If you only pull out an item when you need it, you can keep your dorm tidy while also keeping everything with you.18. Jewelry Storage
The most annoying thing about jewelry is trying to store it properly. After all, jewelry can easily become tangled. You can save yourself from this type of problem by hanging all your jewelry up, though. Hanging your jewelry will also introduce some color into your dorm room, which is a fantastic touch if you don’t have much artwork.
19. Use Space-Saving Folding
There are tons of different ways to fold your laundry, but some take up much more space than others. Fortunately, there are multiple different techniques you can use, so you should be able to find a t-shirt rolling method that frees up a lot of space.20. Hang Clothes Under Your Bed
This idea may seem weird at first, but it’s actually genius! As long as you have a higher raised bed, you’ll be able to put a tension bar between your bed posts. From there, you can hang up your clothes without touching your closet.21. Buy Stuff After You Move In
Although this may make sense, it’s not what most college students do. But if you can get yourself to wait for some lesser used items, you’ll be able to see much more clearly whether they’ll fit or not. Taking stuff with you without deciding how it’ll all fit is a disaster in waiting.22. A Dorm Bed Skirt Helps a Lot
Have you ever wondered whether a bed skirt could help you? If you’re looking for additional ways to create space, then definitely toss a bed skirt into the equation. What does it gain you, you might ask? The entire underneath of your bed can be as messy as you want it to be. No one will be able to see the mess, which means that a bed skirt is a perfect solution!Dorm Room Storage Hacks
Learning how to organize a dorm room also requires exploring a few hacks that take keeping things straight to an even higher level. In fact, you might soon find yourself thinking about how just about any container might work for an organizer. For instance, magazine holders have slim shapes and come in cute colors that you can use to keep your and your roommate’s notebooks separate, but they can also hold hair styling tools or video games.
23. Collapsible Organizing Tools
Collapsible organizing tools are also helpful. Most dorm rooms don’t have a washer and dryer, and you might not have time to run to the laundry room after getting caught in the rain. A collapsible drying rack can fit in small spaces, and it can be a lifesaver for preventing mildewed clothes and towels when you’re short on time.24. Under-the-Cabinet Baskets/Shelves
Under-the-cabinet baskets and shelves are another option to explore. These are made to fit around the pipes while giving you a way to double the amount of shelf space underneath the sink. If you share a bathroom, then consider dividing the space in half using the shelves to make it easier to grab what you need.25. Create a System for Yourself
Finally, the best hack of all is to create a system that works for you. If you know that you’ll remember to rotate your clothes when you go home for the holiday break, then make enough space for just your fall or spring wardrobe. Or you might need to create double the amount of room if you know you'll forget to swap things out.Get Help from a Professional Organizer
We hope you enjoyed these dorm room storage ideas and organization pointers we’ve listed here and found them helpful. Conversely, there are so many tips and tricks that go into planning an organized dorm room, and you might find that you lack the time to do it right when you’ve got orientation and other college life events filling up your calendar. If so, then contact our professional organizers today. We’ll help you with new dorm room storage ideas and set up a room that feels more like home, while also setting you up for success.What are people Saying?
Moving from your home or office starts a new chapter, but a downside of any relocation is the tremendous time and work required to execute it properly. It requires planning, prepping, getting rid of clutter and unwanted goods. It can also mean lots of waste and trash. As a moving consultant and relocation specialist, I understand how easy it is to get caught up in the hustle and bustle leading up to moving day. Because my team and I are passionate about taking proactive steps toward eco-friendly moving, we are always cognizant of finding ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. According to a 2017 U.S. Census Bureau report, the percentage of people who move every year equates to 11.2 percent of the population (or roughly 36 million people). These numbers are significant as are the impacts of moving upon the environment. Imagine the amount of disposed furniture each one of these moves can accumulate! In an article published by Reuters, “In 2009, the U.S. EPA reported that furniture accounted for 9.8 million tons (4.1 percent) of household waste,” which then finds it’s junky way into our landfills. As far as managing your move, Evernote is a great too for keeping tasks organized and helping to ensure that things stay green. Besides keeping track of everything and promoting a more paper free environment with Evernote, here are some other suggestions to help make your next move more eco-friendly.
Go Green with Your Packing Materials
From the paper, bubble wrap, styrofoam peanuts and cardboard, packing materials can result in piles of waste but by taking time to search your home and innovate, you can keep your items safe and keep trash down. Newspaper, old blankets or rags, egg cartons and a variety of other everyday household items can be used to protect your belongings. When you need to purchase materials think of repurposed paper, peanuts, and even reusable packing pads. There is also the option of renting reusable boxes. City Moving Boxes, a provider of packing materials that offers same day delivery throughout New York City has both conventional cardboard as well as reusable boxes for rent free delivery and pickup included. For additional companies offering this service you may wish to check out this article on MoverJunction highlighting 5 Companies That Provide Plastic Moving Boxes. We will recommend that our clients consider recycled boxes and materials both to be kind to our planet as well as save them some money.
Recycle
Moving is a great time to toss household and office goods that you don’t need anymore. The beauty of it is, most of these items can be recycled, and taking the time to dispose of them mindfully can go a long way toward making your move green. Most of us also have leftover items like old paint, batteries, and unused or old electronics. Most cities have centers to accommodate the drop of potentially harmful materials. To check out a list on the EPA’s website for Links to Hazardous Waste Programs and U.S. State Environmental Agencies by state, visit their website. Throwing these items out in the regular trash can be devastating for the environment. If you’re dealing with something that’s still usable such as an old CD player or Nintendo unit, you can take it to Habitat for Humanity, a local thrift shop or second-hand electronics store. They’ll be happy to give it a new life.
Donation and Removal
There’s nothing like a move to kick decluttering into high gear. Old shoes, clothing, purses and furniture are prime items to donate. From second hand stores to non-profits and domestic abuse family shelters, you can rest easy knowing that someone will get good use out of the things you no longer need. And the best part is, you’re not filling the local landfill site with these unwanted items. We advocate donating rather than tossing unwanted furnishings and home goods as long as they’re still of use. There are organizations such as the Salvation Army and United War Veterans Council who will pick up for free.
When we need to remove both trash as well as donation items, we call on The Junkluggers, a premium eco-friendly furniture and junk removal company specializing in donating, reuse and recycling. Their goal is keeping as much as possible out of the landfill and will take almost everything but hazardous material. Zach Cohen, brother of The Junkluggers founder Josh Cohen and the owner of the Manhattan and Brooklyn franchise said: “We like to think of ourselves as a logistics company that happens to specialize in furniture and junk removal. We have a true passion for giving back to our local community, and in this wild and wonderful city, there’s no shortage of people and organizations who can make use of your extra couch, old microwave, former office furniture, clothing that no longer fits—or any other items you may have lying around.” Homeowners may receive rate quotes over the phone and online or schedule an onsite estimate so they know in advance the projected associated costs. Specific designated time frames are given for pick-up and discount applied in the event of a delay that is 30-minutes or more. The Junkluggers partner with dozens of nonprofits and donation centers as well as provide tax-deductible receipts via email within a couple weeks.
Aim for a Natural and Organic Cleanup
Whether you’re leaving the old place spotless for the next tenant or owner or scrubbing your new home before move in, be sure to steer clear of noxious chemicals. From all-purpose cleaners to scouring powders and a variety of other household cleaning materials, many cleaners contain harsh, if not downright dangerous chemicals. Go green with your cleanup by using natural ingredients such as baking soda for scouring the sink, vinegar on the windows and select safe and natural substitutes for chemical cleaners that won’t hurt the environment! For some wonderful recommendations, see this article from the Today website, “An expert's choice for the best eco-friendly cleaning supplies” for 2018.
Look for a Go-Green Moving Company
Eco-friendly moving companies are cropping up all over the place, and many have a wide variety of policies designed to keep things green. From recycled moving materials to low-emissions vehicles, these companies make it a priority to take the environment into account during their moves. Nir Shuminer is President of Scanio Moving and Storage, a trusted moving company in business for over seventy years is committed to using biodegradable packing materials. He states “we care deeply about our impact on the community and the world at large and work hard to remain socially responsible through using green business practices.” Selecting a mover who shares these beliefs is key for ensuring an eco-conscious experience. If you’re doing the move on your own then inquire about a rental truck that uses an alternative bio-friendly fuel, such as natural gas or biodiesel fuel. If your move is long distance, then consolidated shipping or even sending shipments by train. Even though moving is a massive undertaking there are ways to execute your relocation while keeping environmental considerations in mind and making deliberate efforts to go green. If you are planning a move and want to discuss your options for a greener move, please email or call us today!What are people Saying?
This group of capable, professional, and dedicated women were essential on both ends of our move. They turned a formidable endeavor into a well organized and detailed adventure, greatly reducing the anxiety associated with moving.
Thomas McFaul – Award Winning Composer and Music Producer
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There's a big stigma going on in these turbulent times about the concept of change. How change is unsafe and dismantling. Whether it's political, social, economical, grammatical, or perhaps you want your spice rack to be alphabetical... whatever is changing, I personally think change is freaking awesome. Change represents an opportunity! Take quarantine for example. What wonderful exhaustion that was. We were given this golden snitch of an opportunity to finally stop and smell the racism, voter suppression, exes we shouldn't be texting at all hours of the night, that diet that 'never' worked and the concept of belts. Out of every inner morality lesson I have learned since March the most profound was my discovery of what I wanted versus what was provided.
I spent the majority of the quarantine lockdown out on Shelter Island, NY far removed from the expensive storage unit called my apartment I continued to pay for.. I indelibly exchanged all of my past purchases and currency clutter for clear skies, good company, silk beaches, gardening by the pool, volunteering at the local mom and pop grocery store, sunset cocktails and conversation, kayaking in the rain, birds singing while sipping morning coffee.
It was a pastoral awakening every single day that I never took for granted. It provided me with change I never thought I needed. It gifted me space. I woke up happier, healthier, my third eye was open, everything was in alignment, all because I had less. My materials had shrunk. Something in the stars had given me the user manual on how to simplify my bandwidth. And in return, what I had was community — the exuberant feeling that I was engaging, participating and giving back to the actual people and places around me. I wasn’t buried in my phone like a gnome wishing I had other people’s lives, scrolling to my inevitable doom, adding to cart every little tchotchke on Etsy.. I rediscovered past goals I had tucked away, relationships I had forgotten about, and even started running! I felt like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love.
Now being back to the ol' New York City grind attempting to navigate through some new semblance of normal, I am discovering the true power that is change. Having lived for nearly 6-months out of a suitcase I now have a deeply personal understanding of what I actually need. What a concept! #woke
I am sure I will still go through seasonal periods of wanting to accumulate and hibernate, but what this time has taught me having hit the big red reset button is that I finally am able to confidently say, 'No!' No..' I don't need that in my life. 'No..' That won't make me feel whole. 'No..' I don’t want to supersize my order for another dollar-fifty. What I need to do is volunteer, I need to garden and watch things grow, I need to practice patience, I need to vote, I need to call my mother! That's growth. That’s how you simplify your life, through gratitude. When you shift your perspective and percolate on what you’re grateful for, you invent your own joy. That spark of happiness becomes a mental health tool that you can in turn pass onto other humans. Your presence becomes the present and when linked like that through community, when you make others happy through that joy and gratitude it can be harnessed as a force for good. And that’s when you will experience mountains of space open up in your life. Gratitude is the golden ticket.
Make space for life friends. Make space for possibilities. Make space for proactive, productive, applied change. I like to think of it like a cross country train ride, each stop is progress.
P.S. be sure to laugh at some point today. Laughter is so necessary and important. It's vital. We all need the life affirming laughs, now more than ever. It really is the best medicine, next to actual medicine.
Jonathan Cobrda is a Life Management and Social Media Consultant at In Order To Succeed