The Mindset Shift and Mindful Decluttering

Hello Hive,

I noticed that living in a small space with limited storage compels one to be more strategic and purposeful.

Organized spaces motivate me and my procrastination tendencies stem from straightening things around before getting into actual work. I am guilty of re-adjusting an artwork while walking in a hotel corridor.

Clear space clear mind.

It was a habit formed many moons ago. Before working on projects, I wouldn't sit on the drafting table's ergonomic chair until the room was spick and span.

Needless to say, the kitchen sink was cleared and the dried tableware had all been placed in their rightful place before I started writing this post.

Purge regularly

Less stuff = fewer items to clean and clear

De-cluttering increases productivity and helps efficiency. It offers less distraction. Clutter subtly pesters our minds with visual stimuli that lead to mental overload, anxiety, and even guilt.

Whenever I have extra hours during the week, I slowly tackle de-cluttering projects one bite at a time the Kaizen way which some of you might have seen in the previous Bedroom Decluttering post.

Mindful Decluttering of The Home Entertainment Cabinet

I designed this TV cabinet and had it custom-made by a furniture manufacturer in the city when we moved to Cebu. It's multi-purpose storage for photo albums, memorabilia, AV equipment, and gadget-related items including DVDs, chargers, batteries, headsets, and the like.

When we moved to the tiny 70 sq meter 2 bedroom resort home, the function of this media cabinet changed. We let go of books and unnecessary items and the placement transformed into:

• a minibar on one side with wine glasses, bottle opener & corkscrew, and old musical pieces for the piano adjacent to it.

The Novellino sparkling red was a Christmas gift from Kim @ybanezkim26.
It's a pretty small wine cabinet compared to the stash we had during our previous life in the Middle East. The wine bottles had been replenished since. We prefer to have bottles of red in hand for out-of-the-blue dinner invites from friends.

• the right-hand side is used for school and office supplies some of which are stored inside re-used takeaway food containers.

• the central drawer contains smaller items, cables, and batteries
  
  

The paperclips, thumbtacks, and medicines were scattered all over the drawers in our previous home so these transparent mini containers allow anyone to easily and safely find them.

The above decluttering exercise was a literal approach to Before and After. If I were to share any aspect during the minimalist journey, the benefits and the differences in my personal growth and to answer the community topic for this week, "How has minimalism changed your life?

I humbly say that it may have started with objects but the practice transcended beyond tangible possessions. Profound questions started popping up with the mindset shift where we start seeing the world differently.

• Social Media

Social media encourages comparisons and one who indulges in it frequently is susceptible to envy and other negative emotions. Deactivating the FB account brought me zen when I realized that the absence of distractions and notifications saved me time. My sister quoted,"Ignorance is bliss" after deactivating her account for 5 years now.

• Disregard for Social Status and Keeping Up

I had encountered people who frowned upon certain social status suicide decisions I had made and still make because it didn't live up to their standards. This made me question without judgement the need to choose relationships that support one's authentic self. How liberating it is to be in the company of a friend who has our best interests at heart. Gone are the days when we had to walk on eggshells as well as eyebrow raises for accidentallly using a white wine glass to drink red wine.

"I am an old soul who simply loves coffee, who finds joy and beauty in both tangible and the unseen."

@discoveringarni

_{Curiosity and imagination lead to unexpected experiences. Interested in Nature, Places, Roads Less Traveled, Minimalism, Authentic Living, Anything French, and International Cuisine. Feel free to follow her, re-blog, and upvote if you enjoy her content.}