Free Simple: 30 Ways to Declutter Your Life by Beth Jones

Chapter 1:
Why Simple?
     
    Simple living.
     
    It seems to be all the rage, doesn't it?
     
    If you've been active online at all in recent years, you've probably heard a lot about minimalism, decluttering, and simple living.
     
    What does it all mean , though?
     
    And why are these ideas important?
     
    If you're a busy parent or just a busy person in general, chances are that you've stared at your living room before and wondered where everything came from. How did you manage to accumulate so much junk? And what do you do with the items that aren't junk but that still take up a lot of space?
     
    Many blogs and self-help books urge readers to buy new organizational items. Spend a thousand dollars on bookshelves! Then you'll be organized. Invest in beds with storage drawers! Then you'll be organized.
     
    But what about those of us who can't afford to spend a ton of money on new furniture? What about those of us who want to simplify our lives without spending a fortune?
     
    That's where this book comes in.
     
    I'm a mom. I'm the mother of two little boys who love to make messes. Nothing makes my 4-year-old happier than dumping out his box of Lego bricks in the middle of the living room floor. My 7-year-old loves to do the same thing with stuffed animals. If I'm not careful, my living room quickly becomes a Pokemon center for injured Pokemon. It then transforms into Lego village: a world where Lego bricks come to life and marry Barbie dolls and stuffed animals. When that's finished, the room turns into a movie theater, complete with popcorn.
     
    Did I mention that none of the toys were put away?
     
    Did I mention that when you step on a Lego in the middle of the night, it hurts really bad?             
     
    Parenting is challenging for many reasons, but one of the most difficult parts of managing a household can simply be finding ways to keep your home organized even when you have children.
     
    Fortunately, there are many ways that you can start getting your house organized. I'm not going to promise you that you'll never have messes or that your house is going to stay spotless. I'm not going to promise you that you'll never feel stressed out again or that you're never going to have to clean.
     
    What I can promise you is that you'll learn 30 ways you can start simplifying your home, minimizing clutter, downsizing your junk, and creating a more relaxing, more livable space for you and your family.
    If you're tired of feeling embarrassed every time someone comes to visit, if you're tired of rushing to straighten up the house before company arrives, and if you're tired of feeling anxious every time you see the "problem areas" in your home, then it's time to get started.
     
    First off, let's talk about some key terms we're going to be using in this book and why they matter. Once we've gotten that out of the way, we'll jump into each room of your home and find out some simple, easy ways to start cleaning up.
     

What is minimalism?
     
    Minimalism.
     
    You've heard the term before. You've seen the Facebook pictures. You've seen the pristine closets that must be staged.
     
    But what exactly is minimalism?
     
    Simply put, minimalism is living with what you need and not much more than that. Some people argue that minimalists live with less than 100 personal items. Some self-proclaimed minimalists say you have to give up your car, or the size of your house, or anything special or important in order to be a minimalist.
     
    None of this is true.
     
    In reality, a minimalist is simply someone who tries to live simply. A minimalist is someone who doesn't want clutter in their homes or their lives, someone who makes an effort to keep their home simple, and someone who realizes that there is more to life than accumulating "stuff."
     
    This book isn't going to turn you into a 100-items-or-less minimalist. That's not the goal. Whether or not you decide to take up a minimalist lifestyle is up to you. This book is