The Cozy Minimalism Podcast – Show Notes

Welcome to the Cozy Minimalism podcast, a bite-sized podcast that helps guide you along the path towards minimalism and creating a beautiful home that supports and nurtures you.

I advocate intentional home styling using what you already own and love; I help you create a truly unique space that becomes your place to relax, unwind and recharge. Your home becomes a source of blessings rather than burdens.

Each episode will be under 5 minutes and will include a mini-mission for you to do within your own home.

Hey, hey, hey, It’s Angie Kikstra of Cozy Minimalism. Today, we are going to talk about the difference between being caught in the clutter cycle (of constantly decluttering) vs. choosing simplicity and a path to minimalism. First, I’m going to introduce you to the concept of the clutter cycle and then we’ll get into how to move past it.

The Clutter Cycle:

If you declutter without changing the way you think about the stuff in your home, you’ll end up with a mass of items that you’ll need to declutter, again and again. This is what I call the Clutter Cycle and you’ll continue to go around the hamster wheel until you master these mindshifts. The thinking that got you here, won’t get you to minimalism.

First of all, let’s stop calling it decluttering and start calling it minimizing . Decluttering doesn’t have the impact on your brain the same way the word “minimizing” does. Decluttering can be construed as something that you do over and over again. Minimizing is in line with minimalism.

The Mindshifts:

• Quality over quantity
• Deal with it – clutter truly is unmade decisions. Rather then putting off an action, deal with it right away.
• Don’t organize more own less – this is one of the very first mindshifts I see in my clients.
• Clutter and excess are a lot of work
• A want and desire to live with less – I’m not here to reform anyone that doesn’t want to be a minimalist. This is the very first pre-requisite to the mindshifts to minimalism.
• It’s not about the stuff about the emotions that are attached to stuff
• You don’t need as much as you think you do
• Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without.
• People and experiences over things
• You are not what you own
• Tidy as you go

Your Mission:

Your mission this week is to choose one of the minimalism mind-shifts and apply it to your life for a week. Let me know which one you choose and keep me posted on how it impacts your life.

Stop by the Cozy Minimalism  facebook page and let me know what you did! You might just inspire someone else too.

Do you have intsa? I’m also there, sharing inspiring spaces and quotes.

Thanks for joining me… I look forward to next week, where I will cover Quality over Quantity. And if you have a pressing question, email me and I just might feature your question on this podcast!