Flat Surfaces Are Not Storage Spots - The Bookcase reveal

Remember this mess...



It has now magically morphed into this...



And this...


In case you are wondering what I decided to leave on top of the bookcase, it is the highest award I earned in the U.S. Coast Guard - The Meritorious Service Medal, and some Challenge Coins for special service to some units and individuals.



On the other bookcase I chose to place a small Buddhist prayer bell that was a gift from my son. I felt this was a symbol of my desire to minimize and live a more Zen life.

While I know most of the books will probably go as I continue down the path of minimizing the "stuff" in my life, just coming into the office now feels liberating. I was somewhat stunned by the items I uncovered on the desk and on the bookshelf. I kept thinking, Seriously, you held onto this? For what?

Some of it was literally garbage, but other items were papers or things - a sewing kit, a camera memory card, undeveloped film - that I knew was good but I never made a decision about what to do with it. This miscellaneous "stuff" just got laid aside, forgotten, and became part of the overall clutter.

So what I have learned so far is this... don't just lay stuff down. It will be forgotten and it will become a magnet for more stuff.

To clean up an area like a desk, nightstand, or any flat surface follow these steps:

1. Think about what the surface is for and what you want it to look like in the end.,

2. get a garbage bin and a box to hold stuff.

3. Quickly remove EVERYTHING from the surface.

4. Clean the surface.

5. Put back only the items that contribute to the purpose of the surface as defined in Step 1.

6. The excess stuff needs to go someplace (garbage, donation box, or where it actually belongs).

Cleaning is Not Minimizing

e·piph·a·ny   [ih-pif-uh-nee]

A sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

Today was the first day of my quest to become a minimalist and I had an epiphany. As noted above I had this epiphany while doing a simple, commonplace task: minimizing/cleaning my living room.

First, let me say that I am committed to figuring this minimalist thing out and embracing it. For starters I decided that I need to minimize the things in my house.

Okay, acknowledging you have a problem is the first step. So far so good. Second, get the significant other (now known as "wife" on board). This was easy as she volunteered. She hates all the "stuff" we have cluttering the place up. More than once I have seen her angrily throwing things off her desk in search of a missing bill or Macy's coupon that is about to expire. Every time I need to get something out of the garage she stands behind me muttering things like, "I hate the garage... I hate all this shit!" Thus, she is on board for minimizing.

Great, so we both acknowledge there is a problem and we are both motivated to change. Now what?

Small changes, right? Do one thing at a time, right? Yesterday I cleaned up my nightstand and it felt great. I did it in small steps:

1. Remove everything onto the bed.

2. Clean the surface.

3. Put back only the essential things that I really want there (watch, jewelry I wear, my Kindle and my journal and a lamp.)

This worked great, so I figured I would start on the living room. I went in with the same basic plan. I moved furniture out, cleaned the floor and the shelves and the tables, and then started placing things back into the room. It looks great, only one thing... nothing went bye bye. Sure, it's cleaner, more organized, but all the same stuff is still in the house. No minimization happened.

This is not what I am after.

Obviously, I need a plan for actually getting rid of excess stuff, and I need to realize that minimizing is a process that will take some time and thought. Although a big fire is not entirely off the table.

Tomorrow... The basic plan!