New Podcast about Minimilizing

We all want to be surrounded by beauty and simplicity, don't you think?  Images like this inspire us with their color and uncluttered look.  I want my whole house to feel this way.  (Someday, right? Maybe when the grandkids come to visit?)

This beautiful room designed by Kelly Donovan totally inspires me.

The painting, decor, and design aspects are going to have to wait for now (but I know I'll get there eventually!).

In the meantime, however, I'm focusing on simplification.  Anyone--on any budget of time or money--can simplify his or her home.  We can take out the trash, give away items we no longer use, and make our homes into a haven for each family member.  It's totally doable.

But how do you do it when you're in the midst of "being the mom"?

I just recorded a podcast with my dear friend Marilyn DeBry (who is so good at this), and it went live on Power of Moms today.

Click here for more information on Episode 46: Simplifying Your Home Simply (and WITH the Children).

And just a little more background . . .

I met Marilyn and her family at the Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico this past summer.  She knew me through Power of Moms (such a small world!), and we instantly became friends.  Here she is with her husband and six of her eight children:

Her two oldest children had gone on a week-long hike, and the family made posters to welcome them back to camp.  Isn't that so sweet?

And then before we parted after our week together, we took a quick photo in the dining hall:

The reason I wanted to record this podcast with Marilyn is because she is SO relaxed and positive around her children, and she and her husband had just de-cluttered their entire home. She was telling me all about how great it felt, and I knew that this was something our Power of Moms audience needed to hear. 

As a result of our podcast, my family minimalized our entire home, as well.  I was totally inspired, and now it feels incredible.  (I already liked de-junking, but Marilyn helped me take it to a whole new level.)  I am so grateful.

Enjoy the podcast!

Minimalizing (My FAVORITE Way to Unleash Creativity)

Are you feeling excited about 2013?

Thought I'd record some ideas that have been really helpful to me this week--in case you're looking to clean up your life a bit and make this next year even more wonderful.

I had the chance to interview my dear friend Marilyn a few weeks ago about how she and her family de-cluttered their home over the past year.  (Our conversation will be posted as a podcast on www.powerofmoms.com in the next couple of weeks, so you can hear her tell all about it!)

One of the "secrets" she shared for getting started was to read Minimalist Blogs.  (I was kind of embarrassed to admit that I had never heard of the term "Minimalist Movement," but wow, now I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of it.)

There are tons and tons of blogs out there that teach how to get by with less.  They show you how to get rid of your stuff and focus your life on what's really important. 

I've always loved books like "It's Here . . . Somewhere" and Julie Morgenstern's "S.H.E.D. Your Stuff, Change Your Life." I follow blogs like SimpleMom.net, and I've spent lots of time de-cluttering in the past.  I just didn't know that there was a movement going on that could help me become more deliberate in how I focus my life. 

For example, my daughters are getting ready to paint their rooms, and this photo, featuring beautiful simplicity, inspires us:

From www.houzz.com

I also LOVE this quote that was posted on the GTD Times Facebook page the other day (Are you following them yet?):

"The end of a year and start of the new is a great metaphorical event to use to enhance a critical aspect of your constructive creativity—get rid of everything that you can.

(This is the photo GTD Times posted with the quote.  One of the comments said, "Some nerve -- posting pictures of my apartment without my permission."  That made me smile.)

"Your psyche has a certain quota of open loops and incompletions that it can tolerate, and it will unconsciously block the engagement with new material if it has reached its limit. Release some memory.

"Want more business? Get rid of all the old energy in the business you’ve done. Are there any open loops left with any of your clients? Any agreements or disagreements that have not been completed or resolved? Any agendas and communications that need to be expressed? Clean the slate.

"Want more clothes? Go through your closets and storage areas and cart to your local donation center everything that you haven’t worn in the last 24 months. And anything that doesn’t feel or look just right when you wear it.

"Want to be freer to go where you want to, when you want to, with new transportation? Clean out your glove compartments and trunks of your cars. And for heaven’s sake, get those little things fixed that have been bugging you.

"Do you want more wealth? Unhook from the investments and resources that have been nagging at you to change. (And give more than usual do to someone or something that inspires you to do so.)

"Do you want to feel more useful? Hand off anything that you are under-utilizing to someone who can employ it better.

"Want some new visions for your life and work? Clean up and organize your boxes of old photographs. Want to know what to do with your life when you grow up? Start by cleaning the center drawer of your desk.

"You will have to do all this anyway, sometime. Right now don’t worry about the new. It’s coming toward you at lightning speed, no matter what. Just get the decks clear so you’re really ready to rock ‘n’ roll.

—David Allen

Isn't that fabulous?

So my family and I are doing some major de-cluttering this week.  We're cleaning out our closets, garage, cupboards, drawers, reading baskets, bookshelves, filing cabinets . . . everything.  We're making space in our lives so we can make room for the things that really matter in 2013.  It doesn't have to happen all at once, and I'm sure we'll get better at this over time, but it feels AMAZING.

(If you have any advice--favorite blogs, books, podcasts, videos, etc. that teach how to simplify/minimalize, will you please share them in the comments?  I am eager to learn.)

Much love,
April