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A picture is worth zero words when it’s in a box

A picture is worth zero words when it’s in a box in a basement.
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I know the only time we ever went through those photos was when someone died and I was making a funeral slideshow. All those good times captured on film makes you realize those images don’t deserve to be hidden away.
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Enjoy the photos! You and your loved ones took those pictures to capture a moment in time where you were together and presumably happy. Put them on display, or at least allow yourself to access them digitally on a regular basis.
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I absolutely love Apple’s facial recognition software. Anytime I want to look at a photo of my late brother, I can click on his face and every photo with him pops up.
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Will this be tedious? Hell yes. But, there is nothing but benefits. You get to reminisce, give your future self more enjoyment out of the photographs, and free up all that physical space. Plus, you are sparing yourself the stress if someday a natural disaster, home invasion, or fire prevents you from ever looking through these pics again.
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Hey, some of you might be thinking, hell no I am not scanning 7,000 photos, I’d rather my basement be a crap hole forever. Check my March Minimalist Challenge pinned blog post for a link to a service that will do all the sanding for you.
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #photographs #photoalbum #photoalbums #picturetoburn #photomemories #palaroid #photograph

The stakes are high today! Whoever finds the most

The stakes are high today! Whoever finds the most old cell phones around their house in today’s challenge is going to get my Messy to Minimalist course for FREE!
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You must DM me photographic proof with the phones and you in the photo by Sunday at 3pm PST.
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The eras of technology that Gen X have moved through is staggering. Ya’ll grew up with rotary phones with party lines and now you’re expected to carry around a device with all the worlds knowledge in your pocket.
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If you read today’s blog post you understand the mission of purging not just old but also unnecessary technology in your house. Minimalism is the focus on what’s truly important and technology in a lot of ways keeps us from experiencing our life. Zoning out on TikTok or watching the news overnight on the bright box in our living room are probably not going to be the moments we remember on our deathbed.
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I’m so curious who ends up working on the bonus challenge today. Funny story about my random cord drawer…. When I had my minimalism kick off garage sale, I put out all the plastic drawers, one of which was filled with miscellaneous cords. I had assumed someone would buy a random cord for 5 cents or something. But, sure enough someone offered me $5 for the plastic drawer AND all the cords inside! SOLD!
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Don’t forget to gather up all your old cell phones and snap a pic!
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #oldtechnology #oldtech #outdatedtechnology #outdatedtech #flipphone #laserdisc #tamagotchi #walkman #ipod #boombox #sidekick #gigapet #8track #rotaryphone #ancienttechnology #randomcords

I remember the time Jefri came home and told me he

I remember the time Jefri came home and told me her art teacher said it wasn’t ok for me to recycle her artwork. Gut wrenching.
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Immediately I started to question if I was sending the wrong message or crushing her self esteem. My daughter makes beautiful art. I love that she creates and shares her creations with me.
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But, the harsh reality is, there is no possible way to keep it all. The space it takes up does not justify the one day forty years from now where they spend one day digging through to find one memory.
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The artwork does not hold the memory or significance. Your mind and life are significant.
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A basement full of stuff is nowhere near as important as a life full of memories. For us, it’s a trade off. I’d rather have digital photos of artwork of years past alongside photos of us at the pyramids, sipping hot chocolate in Paris, or swimming in the Dead Sea.
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Are you a school work keeper or recycler?
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #kidart #kidsart #kidartwork #kidsartwork #childhoodmemories #schoolwork

You never go anywhere without your purse. It’s y

You never go anywhere without your purse. It’s your lifeline and your bag of tricks. There are so many what ifs that your purse becomes an overfilled nightmare.
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Fun fact, I’ve bought this same style Kate Spade bag five times. I’ve owned it in black, white, orange, red, now black again. I love the way the flap has to flip up and be unzipped to reveal the wallet. This feature saved me from a pick pocket situation in Italy on the train.
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As you know with every empty space in our home, we find ways to fill empty spaces. If you want to lug around less stuff, get a smaller purse.
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More frequent audits of outdated stuff in your purse can keep you sane. Never let a loyalty card, coupon, or gift certificate expire in your purse! You should now that it’s in there and have a plan to use it.
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Remove receipts and garbage daily. Regularly check for expiring cards of any kind and remove payment methods that you don’t use (I keep my debit, 2 American Express, 1 Visa, & 1 Mastercard). I have an article on which credit cards I keep in my wallet as a nomad, DM me if you want the link.
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If you were to identify the biggest source of clutter in your purse, what would it be?
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #purse #designerpurse #katespade #katespadepurse #clowncar #bagoftricks #lessismore

Today is the Spring Equinox. I’ve never celebrat

Today is the Spring Equinox. I’ve never celebrated this holiday, but the Japanese workers and schools all have the day off.
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Holiday traditions become so fanatical that a lot of the meaning of the day is lost. Parents up late at night wrapping piles of presents. Gigantic Easter egg hunts being prepped weeks in advance. Sitting out in the sweltering sun to eat at hot dog on 4th of July.
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We decorate, cook, dress in theme outfits, and carry out the obligatory functions of each holiday every year. But why?
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I know people will be hitting me up to tell me it’s because it’s so special and they love doing it. Many people mistake the feelings of appreciation, being wanted and needed, or showing people they care with loving the holiday itself.
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You don’t need to explode your home with decorations from themed bathroom towels to porch decor in order to feel that way on any given day. Today your challenge is reducing your holiday decor to make the rest of 2023’s holidays less stressful.
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What’s your favorite holiday? Mine is without a doubt Halloween.
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #holidaydecor #holidaydecorations #holidaydecorating #christmasdecor #easterdecor #halloweendecor #thanksgivingdecor

Your habits dictate the flat surface to clutter ra

Your habits dictate the flat surface to clutter ratio. If you are the type of person that sees a flat surface and instinctively sets down a pile of delayed decisions, this challenge is for you.
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Take a look around at your mantle, entry bench, end tables, coffee table, breakfast bar, console tables, maybe even window sills. Is there stuff sitting on all of those flat surfaces?
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One by one you are going to clear off those spaces and either purge or relocate the items you abandoned there. Having empty space in your house is good.
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An empty breakfast bar gives your kids a clear space to do an art project. The empty coffee table allows for a spur of the moment guest to pop by and be served a tray of tea. Having an empty entry table means your keys are easily located every morning and not buried beneath your kids art work from school.
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After you clear off a flat surface, open the stopwatch on your phone and start the clock. Let it run until the first time you see someone abandon an item on that flat surface. It happens so fast it feels like the surface is inviting people to place junk on it.
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What’s your most cluttered flat surface?
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #homeorganization #organizedhome #organizedliving #thefloorislava #paperwork #cleartheclutter #brokenwindowtheory #papershredder

Jefri Patricia has just celebrated her 11th birthd

Jefri Patricia has just celebrated her 11th birthday in Tokyo. She has strong opinions and big dreams.
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If it wasn't for her, life wouldn't be nearly as interesting. She corrects my grammar, makes sure I don't break cultural norms, and stands up for her little sister.
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In the last year she's visited America, Turkey, Jordan, and several places throughout Japan. This is her 4th international birthday 🥳
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Daddy and I are so happy you came into our lives. You've impacted more than you could ever understand. Happy birthday Jefri!!!

Researchers agree less is more when it comes to to

Researchers agree less is more when it comes to toys. Children with less toys engage in more creative healthier play.
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Did you know higher quality play was a thing? Kids play with toys longer and in more sophisticated ways when there are fewer distractions.
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The abundance of stuff gives parents a false sense of not needing to engage with their children as intently. Many parents assume they should be entertained by that latest greatest toy.
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Broken toys, play sets with missing pieces, non-age appropriate toys, and items they never engage with all add to the visual and mental clutter of your home. Eliminate the excess to enhance your child’s experience with what is left.
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I think most parents would agree, we want our kids playing more and sitting in front of screens less. It’s a bit counterintuitive that less toys would be the answer to our problems. Hope this helps!
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#marchmessytominimalist #minimalism #minimalist #declutteryourlife #minimalisthome #minimalismwithkids #simplifyyourlife #simplelife #dowhatyouwant #kidstoys #toysforsale #kidsplayroom #toybox #lessismore

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