Not Too Big, Not Too Small

We are collectively glad to witness the signs of winter's departure with earthly signs of spring's greenery gently emerging.

And then a fervour of cleaning ensues in an attempt to rid ourselves of the clutter accumulated within those chilly months of repose.

WE ENDEAVOUR TO BE FOREVER ENVELOPED IN HOMES WITH PEACE, HARMONY AND JOYFUL TRANQUILITY.

Ahh ...... the ZEN-ful panacea of it all!

That idealistic bubble bursts quickly with a harsh reality check and we are forced to concede that our homes have evolved through a lifetime of various decisions. What initially starts with the concept of home, all too quickly becomes a maze of mumbo jumbo stuff. From necessities to cool memorabilia, hobbies, sports gear and travel-finds, everything ends up somewhat choked together into a happenstance plethora of domestic clutter.

The Right Sizing movement is currently well underway with a deliberate focus on mindful purchasing and living within a gentler ecological footprint. This change-making revolution is asking us all to do some serious bellybutton gazing, followed by the difficult task of analyzing our spending habits.

Generally - most of us use 20% of our possessions 80% of the time.

Running concurrently with the Right Sizing concept is the Hygge ideology; a Danish and Norwegian word to describe a mood of home-life coziness, friendship, and comfort snuggled around the emotional feelings of wellbeing, happiness and quiet contentment. The Hygge ideal is being fortified by the minimalism-inspired KonMari approach of organization, which integrates the happiness philosophy with personal possessions ensuring that each item must spark joy within us. By setting our intentions first with visualization, we are to disengage with the unnecessary accumulated baggage of life and embrace a more simplistic, organized and happier home.

LESS HOUSE but may I have MORE HOME please….

We live in an era of incredible abundance and for many, the waistline on the interior of our homes has gained a great deal of unnecessary girth over the past few decades. Begin this year's spring cleanup with a mindful practise by placing yourself on a possession diet.

Realistically, we don't need more space; we just need less stuff. Judicially administer the 3 R's; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, joined with a hefty dose of the three T's; Treasure, Transfer, or Trash. Essentially what you take out of your home is equally as important as what you bring in to your home.

We are all guilty of purchasing items intending to nourish our souls and fill a psychological void. When we've experienced too much "frugality fatigue", we often splurge with entitlement shopping. We buy based on the rationale that we work hard for our income, therefore, we deserve it! The downside is that we eventually begin to drown in those compulsive moments, with our stuff unconsciously tormenting and holding us back emotionally. We end up saturated with layers of guilt and silent regret of all that hard-earned money we've spent wastefully.

Confronting those guilt demons can take a great deal of mental courage. With a frank re-assessment and heavy dose of sensible logic, we know that there is no real need to horde anything away. Ultimately, it’s way better to donate than it is to accumulate.

The multitude of Right Sizing lifestyle philosophies help us to rethink the concept ‘ownership’. Reforming your personal perception, stepping away from materialistic attachments and releasing old habits, creates a disciplined mindfulness that begins with passing on overabundance.

By organizing our household items and consciously being more efficient with the use of available home space, we are given a refreshing new start to a 'JUST RIGHT' SIZED, HEALTHY AND HAPPY HOME-LIFE.