4179: 7 Helpful Ideas to Declutter on a Busy Schedule by Joshua Becker on Minimalism

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_02] Pink Pantheress here. Coach and Spotify are teaming up to bring music and style together, and they want you to be part of it. Grab your friends and head to the Tabby Tour, hitting cities around the country with live performances from special artists, exclusive experiences, and personalized products. And discover custom playlists on Spotify, built just for you based on who you are and how you listen. Live your story with Coach. Learn more at Coach.com

[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_01] This episode is brought to you by Palmolive. Family time isn't just the big moments, it's weeknight dinners, sitting around the table, everyone talking all at once. So when the plates are empty and the sink is full, use Palmolive Ultra. Palmolive's most powerful formula removes up to 99.9% of grease, leaving your dishes sparkling clean. And the new convenient pump makes cleaning even easier, so you can spend less time tackling dishes and more time together. Shop now at Palmolive.com.

[00:00:58] [SPEAKER_00] It's a Minimalist Monday edition of Optimal Living Daily. Seven helpful ideas to declutter on a busy schedule by Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com. And I'm Justin Malik. Happy Monday. Welcome back to Optimal Living Daily, where I read to you with permission from the authors. We'll get right to our Minimalist Monday post as we optimize your life. Seven helpful ideas to declutter on a busy schedule by Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00] For every minute spent minimizing possessions, an hour is earned. People live busy lives, sometimes by choice, sometimes by circumstance. Nevertheless, it is a reality of the world we live in. As a result, there are many who wish to minimize their possessions, but can't find the margin to do so.

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_00] If that's you, this blog post is for you. First, to provide encouragement. Second, to issue a challenge. And third, to offer practical ideas on some ways to find time for decluttering your stuff and enjoying more of the benefits of owning less.

[00:02:06] [SPEAKER_00] First, some encouragement. As you declutter, you will almost magically find more time in your schedule. Our possessions are more of a distraction and drain on our time and lives than most people realize. As you move through lived-in spaces removing items you no longer need, you'll be surprised how quickly time seems to come back to you.

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_00] Your effort is an investment. Accomplish a minute of work, receive an hour of freedom on the other side. Minimalism always works that way. Time spent removing possessions is never wasted. But there is an important reality I need to issue here as a challenge. Each person needs to make minimalism a priority in their own lives. Possessions won't remove themselves. We need to find the time to push through the initial investment that is required to accomplish this in our homes and lives.

[00:02:57] [SPEAKER_00] There's an off-cited proverb that goes like this, quote, A person being too busy is a myth. People will always make time for the things that are really important to them, end quote. There is truth in that statement. Any busy person who wants to declutter their home must be willing to make it a priority. How then can we find the time to experience these benefits? Here are seven ways to declutter on a busy schedule. Find one or two that work for you.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_00] Number one, wake up early or stay up late. When I first started minimizing, there was a two-week stretch when I woke up every morning at 5 a.m. accomplishing 45 minutes of decluttering before my day even started. I didn't necessarily like getting up early, but I knew for a short period of time, I could do it, especially for such an important cause. If you are more of a night person, choosing to stay up later for a period of time is also an option.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_00] Number two, turn off the television and internet browsing. The statistics concerning our screen time are really quite unbelievable. Nearly 10 hours a day. Reclaim control over your life and home by choosing to set aside your electronic device for just 45 minutes per day. Again, this doesn't need to be a permanent change, though you may like it more than you think. But for a period of time, it can provide the extra time needed to declutter your home on a busy schedule.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00] Number three, make it family time. One reason finding time to minimize our possessions can be difficult is because we value the time we spend with family. After being away all day, spending time with our loved ones is important to us and them. Rather than seeing the minimizing of a room as isolating yourself, bring them along and do it together. I realize, of course, this may be easier said than done,

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_00] but don't you think these are important skills you want to pass on to your children and maybe spouse? Number four, postpone one hobby. Hobbies are important. They energize us, educate us, and provide a valuable distraction that allows us to re-engage our responsibilities with a fresh mind and body. Make minimalism your hobby.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00] This does not mean you have to give up painting, reading, gardening, mountain biking, golfing, quilting, baking, or woodworking forever. However, it simply means you're postponing that hobby briefly to craft a new life where you can enjoy them more in the future. Number five, take a staycation. Rather than leaving town for your next week or long weekend vacation, decide you're going to stay home and minimize instead.

[00:05:40] [SPEAKER_00] You'll save money in more ways than one. You'll be able to almost entirely reinvent your life. You can still enjoy fun and unique outings in your own hometown. And most importantly, it may be the most life-changing vacation you ever take. Number six, send the kids away for a short time. Removing the day-to-day parenting responsibilities for a period of time will likely supply you with the needed hours to accomplish much toward minimalism.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00] On a grand scale, see if the grandparents would be willing to host the grandkids or coordinate summer camps. If neither of those options are possible, don't discount the amount of work you can accomplish by sending the kids out for an evening alone with your husband or wife. And number seven, pass off one responsibility. This is not always possible in every situation or relationship, but it may be in yours.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00] If you and your partner are in sync about your need to own less and take back control of your lives, passing off one responsibility for a period of time is something to consider. Could your spouse commit for a few weeks to handle the meals, the laundry, the bedtime routine, the mowing, or cleaning up in the kitchen in the evening? Just be sure to use your newfound time efficiently and wisely if he or she agrees.

[00:07:00] [SPEAKER_00] Minimalism is not an easy change to make. If you've been accumulating possessions in your home for the last several decades, it's going to take more than one evening to remove them. But as you progress, you'll find caring for your home becomes much easier and less time-consuming, resulting in more space in your schedule to minimize other places. For tips on getting started, begin your journey with easy steps, focusing on the most lived-in rooms in your home.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_00] You'll notice the results and experience the life-giving benefits quicker. You just listened to the post titled, Seven Helpful Ideas to Declutter on a Busy Schedule by Joshua Becker of BecomingMinimalist.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_02] Pink Pantheress here. Coach and Spotify are teaming up to bring music and style together, and they want you to be part of it. Grab your friends and head to the Tabby Tour, hitting cities around the country with live performances from special artists, exclusive experiences, and personalized products. And discover custom playlists on Spotify, built just for you based on who you are and how you listen. Live your story with Coach.

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_01] Learn more at Coach.com. This episode is brought to you by Palmolive. Family time isn't just the big moments. It's weeknight dinners, sitting around the table, everyone talking all at once. So when the plates are empty and the sink is full, use Palmolive Ultra. Palmolive's most powerful formula removes up to 99.9% of grease, leaving your dishes sparkling clean.

[00:08:37] [SPEAKER_01] And the new convenient pump makes cleaning even easier, so you can spend less time tackling dishes and more time together. Shop now at palmolive.com.

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_00] Thank you to Joshua. I could definitely relate to the idea that no matter how busy we are, we always somehow make time for the things that are really important to us. I don't know about you, but I can look back at a time where things were really busy and just marvel at the fact that everything somehow got done. You hear this often with parents of newborns. They somehow make everything work despite having to care for a human 24-7. It's an amazing thing.

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_00] And yes, certain things go away, a certain number of hours of sleep or leisurely activities, for example. But as Joshua said in this article, that's because those other things become less of a priority. We usually have to do something like postponing a hobby in order to make room for something else. It's the same for healthy habits, like working out or preparing meals, to decluttering, learning a new language, spending time with others, you name it.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_00] It's a trade-off, and recognizing if that hour on social media is the trade you're willing to make is important. And totally fine if you consciously choose to do that. But most important is first realizing that it really is within your control. Something to think about as we start the week. And for Minimalist Monday, have a great start to your week, and I'll catch you tomorrow with another article where your optimal life awaits. To be able to keep things on social media and make it possible. This has got lots of motivational videos and lots of questions.

[00:10:11] You can wait to read it at all. So let's see if it's not got any of the ideas. On the cost of this point. It's a product that starts dancing. You can't do it. Thank you.