3043: Simplifying Your New Year by Robin Shliakhau with No Sidebar on How to Declutter in 2024

[00:00:00] It's a minimalist Monday edition of Optimal Living Daily episode 3043 Simplifying Your New Year by Robin Shliakhau with NoSidebar.com and I'm Justin Malik. Happy Monday! This is where I read to you from some of the best blogs I can find and get permission from covering personal development,

[00:00:18] minimalism, happiness and productivity on this show. We cover a bunch of other topics in the Optimal Living Daily podcast network. Definitely check out those if you like this one. Just search for Optimal Living Daily to find all of them.

[00:00:30] Now let's get right to our minimalist Monday post and start optimizing your life. Simplifying Your New Year by Robin Shliakhau with NoSidebar.com To all my friends, I am the minimalist.

[00:00:48] I'm who they text when they're about to throw away all the things or when they text a photo to when they have successfully minimized and need to share their victory with someone. I've already had several reach out to me about the new year and decluttering.

[00:01:02] I love it and I'm hoping to reach new levels in my own minimizing. As I start to think about the things I want to do, I'm a little wary as New Year's resolutions have a bad reputation. I don't want these grand ideas to not work.

[00:01:17] I don't like failure and I would assume neither do you. But the itch to simplify and minimize possessions is not a new idea. It's one that people have been pursuing and successfully accomplishing for generations. Simplifying Your New Year

[00:01:34] Here are 10 ways tested and true to start the new year off as you begin your decluttering, simplifying, and minimizing journey. Number 1. Just Do It There's nothing that helps the journey to minimize your possessions than to dive right in.

[00:01:50] When I first began, I didn't have it all figured out. I didn't tidy my entire house and had only read a handful of posts from Becoming Minimalist and Francine Jay's The Joy of Less. The first thing I decluttered was my desk and it felt wonderful.

[00:02:07] Having the Less is More mindset and wanting a clean space gave me freedom and seeing a little bit of success furthered the desire to clear out more areas. Number 2. Decide If It's All or Nothing or Slow and Steady

[00:02:22] In my opinion, these are the only two types of personality when it comes to decluttering. The All or Nothing type needs immediate gratification. So if you're that type, you're going to want to choose and purge smaller areas.

[00:02:36] If you're the slow and steady type, you're probably a very disciplined and methodical person. This means you can choose entire rooms at a time which will allow you to consistently chip away at the clutter. Number 3. Know the Benefits and Obstacles

[00:02:54] You're convinced and excited about the plan to minimize and declutter in the new year, and that's awesome! Keep in mind there will be plenty of benefits to look forward to, but be prepared for obstacles that might arise.

[00:03:07] The reason I mention this is that like all New Year's resolutions, there will come a time where it's difficult. Knowing what's to come will allow you to navigate the obstacles and continue your pursuit of a minimalist lifestyle. Number 4. Keep Reading or Listening

[00:03:24] One of my favorite ways to stay motivated is to read about the subject I'm pursuing. There are some really great blogs and books about minimalism. Read or listen to one post or one chapter a day to keep your mindset and grow on this

[00:03:39] journey. Number 5. Invite a Friend to Join You There are so many benefits of going on this journey with someone. You can keep one another accountable, help each other when you're stuck, bounce around new ideas, and laugh through funny

[00:03:55] moments. Extra points if you get your spouse or roommate on board a journey towards minimalism. Number 6. Write About It My whole life, I've kept a journal in one way or another. Whether you keep a personal notebook

[00:04:11] or decide to blog about your minimizing, it's fun to look back and see the progress you've made and the things you've learned. Number 7. Give Yourself Reminders If you've been on my Facebook page, you may have noticed I love quotes

[00:04:26] and have mastered the art of creating quote images. These can help you stay motivated, inspire your readers, and give them something interesting to share. Number 8. Cultivate the Inner Journey of Minimalism Shortly after I started decluttering my home, I realized it was more than just

[00:04:45] clearing out things. I felt a pull to simplify my mind and heart. Getting to the root, enhance the journey, and help me stay even more committed. I solidified the desire to minimize and turn a habit into a lifestyle. Number 9. Join a Community

[00:05:04] There are many Facebook groups out there for you to join. This allows you to ask questions and seek advice from other like-minded people. Some of the more active pages provide community, as well as through the posts and commenting. In addition, there are a number of great

[00:05:20] courses offered to help you simplify. Many of them include Facebook groups, which provide an additional layer of encouragement and accountability for your journey. Occasionally, there are conferences and workshops you can look for as well. You could even consider starting a book club through friends and acquaintances

[00:05:38] who may want to learn more about simple living. Number 10. The Usual Resolution and Goal Keeping Tips Quote, A goal without a plan is just a wish. And one day, Santa Xupri. Goal tracking, habit forming, success measuring. All of these are helpful to keep you on track with

[00:06:00] any goal. Don't overload on them, but there are some great tips out there which are helpful no matter what the resolution. Depending on your level of attention and need for detail,

[00:06:11] focus on just a few of these. Be sure to pick the ones you feel might be most helpful and beneficial to you and put them in place. You just listened to the post titled,

[00:06:25] Simplifying Your New Year by Robin Schlockhaar with NoSidebar.com and I'll be right back with my commentary. Thank you to Robin, a guest writer on NoSidebar. This podcast has been through many

[00:06:39] new years. I think this is the ninth. And a common theme is that New Year's resolutions tend to not work. We hear this a lot both on this show and also on my brothers, that's optimal health

[00:06:51] daily. But it is the time when we see the most new listeners coming in and following our shows and I get why, but that follow through and persisting, that's what really matters. If you started listening consistently since around the first of the year, that means you've been

[00:07:06] consistent for what two weeks now. So you're probably ahead of the curve, which is great. But do you think you can continue the good habits into February and beyond? I hope so.

[00:07:18] Probably one of the biggest traps is trying to take on too much or giving up if one day or two or three is missed. But it's bound to happen, that's just how life works. So hopefully you

[00:07:30] can remember that and continue to take steps forward even when things get difficult. And I'll be here supporting you. And with that, thank you for being here. Have a great rest of your day and start your week. And I'll be back tomorrow reading to you where your optimal

[00:07:45] life awaits.