It started out innocently: a week in an early-1900s log cabin in Wisconsin’s Door County, with my husband. We’d clink wine glasses by the fire, take long walks in the nearby woods, and finally burn through a stack of novels.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with the tiny cabin’s simplicity. Granted, work life, housecleaning, and dog care were all on pause. Stocked in the cabin’s kitchen were bare essentials, but all high-quality: hand-blown water glasses and just one each of serving utensils, pots, and pans. In the living room were a small sofa and two armchairs—all comfy. On each side of the bed hung Moroccan-style pendant lights—ideal for reading in bed.

Still, after checking email and the news, I felt restless, putting me at odds with the cabin’s peacefulness and predictability. In the quiet, thoughts of to-do lists and other worldly concerns whirled through my mind.

As I later learned, minimalism experts believe that achieving true serenity is about more than just a shift in your residence and wardrobe. You also need to regulate the amount of information you consume. Even checking email an hour after waking up—as opposed to within minutes—makes a huge difference in mental clarity.

My journey to the pared-down world of minimalism traces back to a redwood-walled studio in Palo Alto, CA. Of all the residences I’ve called home, I felt the most at peace there. Perhaps because I didn’t—and couldn’t—collect clutter. (There wasn’t the space.) Next came a house in Los Angeles with a garage (perfect for clutter) and a move back to the Midwest with the trappings of a basement and garage (again, space to store items that no longer work or are no longer used).

Back home from the log cabin, I embarked on a search for those water glasses (found them at HomeGoods). More importantly, I opened up closets and drawers, determined to rid our home of clutter.

My takeaway: As we head into the final months of the year, it’s an ideal time to get a jump-start on embracing a minimally decorated and furnished home. Here are tips from experts, as well as my own experience.

How to pare down

In these stressful times, it can help to home in what you truly love. You don’t need to emulate Marie Kondo, but a thoughtful approach to all the stuff you own is a goal to strive toward.

“The things that surround you affect what’s within you. Before decluttering, I felt more scattered and easily distracted, but without the clutter, it’s easier to focus on creative projects and be fully present for conversations and other things that interest me,” says Courtney Carver, author of “Soulful Simplicity.” In 2010, Carver founded Project 333, a three-month minimalist fashion challenge to wear 33 items or less.

“Minimalism isn’t just a concept; it’s a way of life,” adds Jack Miller of How I Got Rid Of, a home improvement and pest-removal company.

Ponder your intention to go minimalist

“Whether it’s for personal decluttering, or you want to help the environment, knowing your ‘Why’ will provide more clarity,” says Miller, “and help you be more effective at it.”

“Our stuff has weight, and having less of it frees you up,” says professional organizer Liza Algar, founder of The Less More Method. “My clients always tell me that after a decluttering and organizing session, they feel so much lighter. There’s less to maintain, and finding what you need—when you need it—is so much easier. Investing time and energy into creating a space that is calm and functional promotes productivity.”

According to Carter, there are five common decluttering excuses:

1. You might need it someday (even though you didn’t earlier).
2. You want the items to go to a good home (does that place even exist?).
3. Your stuff is “not hurting anyone” (except possibly your mental health).
4. Your children might want this (trust us, they don’t).
5. Guilt over how much you paid for an item (financial mistakes happen!).

These excuses also serve as roadblocks. Taking time to ponder why you’re decluttering invites energy to see you through the process.

Do you want to no longer spend weekends clearing through piles of stuff? Do you feel overwhelmed every time you open a drawer or closet? Are you making room for a family member’s arrival or a bonus room for an activity, such as crafting or working out?

How do I get started?

Look for clutter known as “extras” in drawers and cabinets.

“You bought it on sale. You are holding it ‘just in case’ or someone gave it to you,” says Carver. “Or you thought you were ‘supposed’ to have more.”

Examples of these extras might be coffee cups, measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons, wire whisks, the same shirt in different colors, handbags, sunglasses, and pens.

If you’re unsure about whether to toss an item, put it in a “time-out” box, says Carver.

“Write ‘donate after 30 days’ or the number of days you feel good about,” she says. “After that time period, if you don’t miss it or don’t remember what was in the box, donate.”

Tobias Gillen, an author who writes about living a minimalist life, calls this the “unsure” box.”

“Close this box and write the current date on it,” he says. “Set a reminder in your cellphone that is as far in the future as possible, for example, six months or a year. Most likely, you will open the box and realize you haven’t missed anything.”

Adopt the “Do I need it, use it, or love it” mantra, suggests Algar.

“Set a timer for 15 minutes, put on some music, grab a box for collecting your donations, and just do it,” she says.

Are you sure I won’t need this someday?

Can you replace the item for under $20 or within 20 minutes (a few clicks online or visiting a store)? If so, and you haven’t used it in a year, toss it.

I followed this mantra and ended up with only one minor regret. Swimming goggles were collecting dust, and I donated them. While I enjoy swimming, I don’t do competitive laps and I don’t have a pool or live on a lake.

But as it turned out, the swimming goggles would have been perfect for a Barbados trip. I almost replaced them, but why buy another pair I’ll rarely use? Instead, I donned a life jacket, jumped off the boat, and swam in the ocean with joy. Problem solved.

“Take a critical look at your stuff and ask, ‘Would I buy it again? Does it represent who I am and is it enhancing my life?’ If it’s not, let it go,” Algar says.

Think of your life as chapters.

“Accept that the product has served its purpose for the last few years and now it’s time to let it go,” says Gillen.

The ‘one in, one out’ rule

I recently inherited vintage china and silverware. To carve out space, I culled table runners and tablecloths (I did not need one for every season). The “one in, one out” rule allows you to make room for what’s important.

“Before you buy something,” says Algar, “make sure you know where you’re going to put it. Everything must have a home, and if you don’t have room, you need to make room by subtracting something before you can add.”

Tackling your closet

In the 2021 documentary “The Minimalists: Less is Now,” Joshua Fields Millburn addresses a common concern in whittling down one’s closet: being forced to wear the same clothes over and over. (Truthfully, people will not notice.)

“But I’m wearing all of my favorite clothes now,” he says. About 20% of one’s wardrobe is worn 80% of the time, according to the New York Times.

Eliminate clothes that no longer fit or are damaged. Poshmark and thredUP buy clothing in good condition, particularly from designer labels.

“There’s no reason to keep clothes in the closet if you have outgrown them,” says Christopher Liew, founder of the personal finance blog Wealth Awesome. “If you don’t want to sell it, just give it away or share with friends and family,” he says.

“To track what you’re actually wearing, turn all the hangers the same way,” says Algar, “and whenever you wear something, put it back with the hanger reversed. You’ll start to see a pattern. Untouched items are the place to start.”

Maintaining the minimalist lifestyle

It’s important to nip shopping and accumulating habits in the bud—by knowing what triggers you to buy on impulse.

“Maybe it’s the YouTube videos you watch or ads on social media,” says Miller. “Identify these triggers, and learn how to deal with them. It should also help you save a good chunk of money.”

The bottom line is that objects are more than objects.

“Material possessions cost us,” says Gillen. “The less stuff we have, the more energy for the really important things in our lives.”

The post Farewell, Clutter! A Week’s Stay in a Pioneer Log Cabin Convinced Me That Minimalism Is the Way To Go appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.