• Home
    • Blog
    • All Posts / Archives
    • About Me
    • About Zero Waste
    • About the Lingo
    • Top 10 to Get Started
    • Blog Posts for Beginners
    • Take the Zero Waste Challenge
  • Shop
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Work With Me
    • Let's Hang Out!
  • Community
Menu

Going Zero Waste

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number

Your Custom Text Here

Going Zero Waste

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • All Posts / Archives
  • About
    • About Me
    • About Zero Waste
    • About the Lingo
  • Get Started
    • Top 10 to Get Started
    • Blog Posts for Beginners
    • Take the Zero Waste Challenge
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Work With Me
    • Let's Hang Out!
  • Community

5 Tips for Downsizing and Decluttering

January 8, 2018 Kathryn Kellogg
Five tips for downsizing and decluttering from www.goingzerowaste.com

If you're following along with the zero waste challenge via YouTube, (Which you should be ;) you'll know yesterday's challenge was to declutter. 

You can check that video out below, but don't forget to catch all of the videos here. 

Many of you know, six months ago.... Justin and I moved into a tiny house. 

It's not a traditional tiny home on a trailer with wheels. It's just a really small house. It's around 325 sq. ft. which according to the all-mighty google is a tiny home. 

It's also doesn't have that gorgeous modern tiny home design with giant windows and a functional floor plan. It's kind of an odd bungalow from the 1920s. 

We moved in knowing that eventually, we'd move back into a larger house. 

I have no desire to live in 325 sq. ft. for the rest of my life. 

I have kind of a love / hate relationship with living tiny. That's a blog post for later, but the main moral of the story is I NEVER want to live in any house over 1,600 sq. ft. EVER. 

I don't want to live "big" but I certainly don't want to live "tiny." Because, I know tiny living isn't permanent, it's kind of like I'm living in limbo with a little too much stuff.

I own a lot of things that are important to me. I don't want to give them up because I know in several years, I'm going to want them when I live in a slightly larger space. 

There's room for everything, but I certainly feel more crowded than I would like it to. My husband who loves stuff and bric-a-brac is in heaven.

I'm also sad, there wasn't room for most of the plant babies. But, downsizing has taught me a lot of important lessons. 

focus on the benefits: 

Any time I start feeling bummed, I think of all the benefits. You've got to stay focused on the positive, which is really a good life lesson in general. And, it's a great Bing Crosby song. 

Moving into this tiny house allowed Justin to go back to school without us incurring any debt. We've been down to one income for almost two years. (It's why I still work my 9-5 job!)

Living tiny has allowed us to live alone!! For the first time in our relationship, we don't have roommates fairly important for newlyweds. And, OMG it's AMAZING. (Justin and I were living together when we met. You can read more about it here and also get a glimpse of our last house. RIP amazing windows, I miss you.) 

It also allows us to focus on having creative careers. Justin is working on building his own recording studio, and I would like to get back to acting full-time. 

When you're downsizing and decluttering, focus on all the freedom you're going to have. Think of all the physical and mental space you'll be gaining. Don't focus on what you're losing. Look at what you're gaining. 

Anytime tiny living stresses me out, I think of all the amazing things we can do without a major rent payment. I suddenly feel very grateful, and my small space doesn't seem so bad. 

get serious about what you need: 

After going through a house fire, you quickly realize there's a lot of stuff you simply don't need. 

I really encourage you to think long and hard about what you truly need. It's much easier to be strict when you have to purchase something. It's much more difficult, when you're giving away something you've already bought. 

Focus on the positives you'll receive by decluttering, and be ruthless. 

Ask yourself a series of questions: 

  • Would you buy this right now again? 
  • When's the last time you used this item?
  • When's the last time you thought about this item? 
  • Can you use something else? 

Dream about what you'll do with the space when the item is gone, even if it's just the peace of knowing you'll have more space. 

find other spaces: 

By living in a small space, it's become important for both Justin and me to adopt other spaces. 

A small space isn't conducive to a lot of movement. There's just not that much room to move around. It's forced us to find other living spaces. Mostly, we get outside and walk a lot more! 

Which is great for our mental health, physical health, and our relationship. We're out walking and talking to each other. We'll spend a couple of hours on the weekend enjoying each others company. Oh, and Nala enjoys it too. 

We're homebodies by nature. We like to get involved in our own projects, and being forced to find new spaces forces us to connect with each other and our friends too! 

use what you love: 

When we lived with roommates, we had the good plates (one of my prized possessions that were off limits due to living with some clumsy people), and I had some mismatched plates picked up from the thrift store. 

Five Tips for Downsizing and Decluttering from www.goingzerowaste.com

Moving into our tiny home, without roommates, allowed me to break out my favorite plates for every meal! Yes, there have been some cracks and chips over the past couple months. They are very delicate, but I love them so much.

Every time I pull the plates out, I'm so happy. By downsizing, there's only room for the things you love. It infuses joy into day-to-day activities. 

go for the gold: 

We know when something is good. We can easily identify something that makes us happy. We have trouble when it comes to things we feel mediocre about. Especially if that mediocre thing was given to us as a gift or has some memories attached to it. 

If you struggle with letting things go due to gift guilt or memories attached to the items, you should read this blog post. 

When I say, "Go for the gold," I mean go for the things you know you couldn't live without. 

If you're going through your bookcase, ask yourself, "Which ones are my favorite?" "If I were on a deserted island, which ones would I have to have?" 

You're going to pick out the gold. You know which ones you love. You know which ones you can't live without. You're probably thinking of those books right now. You KNOW the books. Keep those, and box up the rest. 

I doubt you'll even think of them. Donate anything that's not the gold. 


What's your top tip for downsizing or decluttering?  

Blog
The 10 things you need to know a beginners guide to minimalism from www.goingzerowaste.com #minimalism #ecofriendly #sustainable #simpleliving #simplicity
Aug 8, 2019
Beginner's Guide to Minimalism
Aug 8, 2019
Aug 8, 2019
10 things I no longer buy from www.goingzerowaste.com #minimalism #nobuy #nospend #zerowaste #ecofriendly #gogreen
Jun 11, 2019
10 Things I Don't Buy Anymore
Jun 11, 2019
Jun 11, 2019
shoppingless2.jpg
May 8, 2019
6 Tips for Shopping Less
May 8, 2019
May 8, 2019
5 questions you should ask yourself before making a purchase from www.goingzerowaste.com #minimalism #ecofriendly #zerowaste
Feb 28, 2019
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making a Purchase
Feb 28, 2019
Feb 28, 2019
Why I wait 30 days before I make a purchase and you should to from www.goingzerowaste.com
Feb 21, 2019
Why I Wait 30 Days Before I Make a Purchase
Feb 21, 2019
Feb 21, 2019
5 Reasons Tiny Home Living Was Awful from www.goingzerowaste.com #tinyhome #zerowaste #minimalliving
Aug 13, 2018
5 Reasons Tiny Home Living Was Awful
Aug 13, 2018
Aug 13, 2018
8 tips for decluttering the zero waste way from www.goingzerowaste.com #zerowaste
Mar 12, 2018
8 Tips to Declutter the Zero Waste Way
Mar 12, 2018
Mar 12, 2018
Five tips for downsizing and decluttering from www.goingzerowaste.com
Jan 8, 2018
5 Tips for Downsizing and Decluttering
Jan 8, 2018
Jan 8, 2018
A Sentimental Minimalist
Jun 1, 2017
A Sentimental Minimalist
Jun 1, 2017
Jun 1, 2017
reflecting and setting intentions for the new year. 2017 is going to be a year of simplifying from www.goingzerowaste.com
Dec 29, 2016
Reflecting and Setting Intentions for the New Year
Dec 29, 2016
Dec 29, 2016
Tags Minimalism
← Zero Waste Cold and Flu RemediesHow to Go Zero Waste on a Budget →
KK.jpg

Most Popular Posts:

  1. 101 Easy, Eco-Friendly Tips

  2. Ultimate List of Zero Waste Swaps

  3. How Going Zero Waste Saved me $12,000

  4. 10 Zero Waste Makeup Brands

  5. DIY Zero Waste Lotion

community.jpg
Join the community

recent posts:

Featured
How to Celebrate Earth Day at Home | 15 Things You Can Do for the Planet
5 Secrets for Finding Joy in Life
3 Simple Sustainability Science Experiments To Do At Home With Kids
18 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day at Home
Sustainable and Cheap - 15 Self-Care Ideas
#GoodNewsFriday is getting a bit of a temporary shakeup! The world is sort of on pause so there aren't many good news stories pertaining specifically to our environment. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Instead, I thought I'd round up general good news stories to brighten your
How many of you have been handed you an "eco-friendly" *compostable* single-use product at an event?⁠⠀
⁠⠀
You accept with a humorless and awkward smile... ⁠⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Because you know reusable is the MOST eco-friendly option...⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Then when yo
Is your pantry stocked? I went to the grocery store last week to buy my weekly essentials, and I'm not sure if I timed it right, but every shelf was full. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I was really surprised after hearing and seeing so many images of empty shelves. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Ju
Sláinte! 🍀We've officially been ordered to shelter in place. So, while there will be no pub crawls or parties - I'm celebrating with an Irish flag smoothie! ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Did you know Ireland was the first country to divest from fossil fuels? ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
T
How are you doing? I ask in sincerity because I'm not doing super great. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I've doing Going Zero Waste while working a full-time job for the last five years. I was so excited to finally stop working 60+ hours a week and focus all my energy on GZW
*GIVEAWAY ALERT*  I’m a supplement freak. Seriously, ask anyone I’ve visited recently (@shelbizlee, @jesswithless) about how committed I am to taking my multivitamins.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I’m pumped to be partnering with @MegaFood to gift one luck
⭐BREAKING NEWS⭐ Coke and Pepsi are getting sued for *LYING* about recyclability. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⁠Earth Island Institute, right here in NorCal, is taking Coca-Cola and 10 other major plastic polluters to COURT! 👩‍⚖️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Who's ready for this showdown!? On
Is the coronavirus going to erase all of the progress the zero waste movement has made? ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Bulk Barn, Starbucks, Blue Bottle, and so many more have banned reusables to reduce the spread of the virus. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
I even got an email from imperfect produc
View all Posts
 
 
Follow me on Instagram
 
mediastrip.jpg

archives  .  contact  .   disclosure policy  .   terms and conditions  .  privacy agreement  .  member agreement

it's not about perfection; it's about making better choices