Hello Hive,
I noticed that living in a small space with limited storage compels one to be more strategic and purposeful.
Organized spaces motivate me and my procrastination tendencies stem from straightening things around before getting into actual work. I am guilty of re-adjusting an artwork while walking in a hotel corridor.
Clear space clear mind.
It was a habit formed many moons ago. Before working on projects, I wouldn't sit on the drafting table's ergonomic chair until the room was spick and span.
Needless to say, the kitchen sink was cleared and the dried tableware had all been placed in their rightful place before I started writing this post.
Less stuff = fewer items to clean and clear
De-cluttering increases productivity and helps efficiency. It offers less distraction. Clutter subtly pesters our minds with visual stimuli that lead to mental overload, anxiety, and even guilt.
Whenever I have extra hours during the week, I slowly tackle de-cluttering projects one bite at a time the Kaizen way which some of you might have seen in the previous Bedroom Decluttering post.
I designed this TV cabinet and had it custom-made by a furniture manufacturer in the city when we moved to Cebu. It's multi-purpose storage for photo albums, memorabilia, AV equipment, and gadget-related items including DVDs, chargers, batteries, headsets, and the like.
When we moved to the tiny 70 sq meter 2 bedroom resort home, the function of this media cabinet changed. We let go of books and unnecessary items and the placement transformed into:
The Novellino sparkling red was a Christmas gift from Kim @ybanezkim26.
It's a pretty small wine cabinet compared to the stash we had during our previous life in the Middle East. The wine bottles had been replenished since. We prefer to have bottles of red in hand for out of the blue dinner invites from friends.
The paperclips, thumbtacks and medicines were scattered all over the drawers in our previous home so these transparent mini containers allow anyone to easily and safely find them.
The above decluttering exercise was a literal approach to Before and After. If I were to share any aspect during the minimalist journey, the benefits and the differences in my personal growth and to answer the community topic for this week, "How has minimalism changed your life?
I humbly say that it may have started with objects but the practice transcended beyond tangible possessions. Profound questions started popping up with the mindset shift where we start seeing the world in a different way.
Social media encourages comparisons and one who indulges in it frequently is susceptible to envy and other negative emotions. Deactivating the FB account brought zen when I realized that the distractions and notifications saved me time. My sister quoted,"Ignorance is bliss" after deactivating her account for 5 years now.
I had encountered people who frowned upon certain social status suicide decisions I had made and still make because it didn't live up to their standards. This made me question without judgement the need to choose relationships that support one's authentic self. How liberating it is to be in the company of a friend who has our best interests at heart. Gone are the days when we had to tiptoe on eggshells as well as eyebrow raises for accidentallly using a white wine glass to drink red wine.
-Nurturing Relationships and Being More Intentional with Time
Quality over quantity but still open and kind to anyone life sends our way. Slowly, I also minimized my list of friends and acquaintances. Not that I ignored everyone and became a full time hermit (although with the remote lifestyle, I'm almost there haha )
There's this awareness and recognition that if I had reached a tipping point of being energy drained at a dinner party, I will politely excuse myself. My old self would have stayed behind but now there's this awareness of time and who we give them to.
Saying no to commitments that are not aligned with ones' values or projects that take one away from what they truly value. One starts to prioritize authentic relationships that are on the same wavelength and who they enjoy spending time with. If push comes to shove the bridge had to be burned, one doesn't hesitate to do so.
Does the position on the business card that we hand out define who we really are? Does what we do give us joy? Will our personal values increase and our identities level up when we get promoted? Will it make us less of a person if we don't work on the weekends or accept more responsibilities?
As one who was married to my career, I came face to face with this when I finally accepted the fact that work doesn't define my identity and self worth.
There are many changes tied in with our mindset shift such as personal care and the food we consume. So far, the above points that I have highlighted are the most impactful changes in my life in the last seven years.
Shout out to @littlebee4 as an invitation to join this week's topic. Thank you for reading and have an excellent week ahead!
Last image as seen on my Instagram and cover image taken in Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines yesterday edited with Canva
Curiosity and imagination lead to unexpected experiences. Interested in Nature, Places, Roads Less Traveled, Minimalism, Authentic Living, Anything French, and International Cuisine. Feel free to follow her, re-blog, and upvote if you enjoy her content.
