"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary
so that the necessary may speak."
-Hans Hoffman
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What I love about dream boards (or vision boards) is that they create a space for our innermost wishes, some of which we are aware and others still waiting to be discovered.

As I continue to walk down the path of my 180-day journey, I'm taking more and more cues from my current dream board, not just in my professional endeavors, but my home life, too. One word continues to present itself when I look at my board: SIMPLICITY. From the image of a spacious, open, sparsely decorated yurt to the picture of a couple who gave away the majority of their possessions with the exception of a few limited "luxury" items (a surf board, lap top, ipod and ipod dock), each makes me reevaluate the items in my home and the role they play in my life.

Are the items necessary? Do they support who I am or what I want to become? Do they foster my creativity, or do they hinder it? Do they give me time or rob me of time? Do they make me feel happy and fulfilled or regretful that money spent wasn't put into the "Dream Fund" instead?

Over the past week or so, I've taken up a habit of keeping a box on the main floor of the house and a box in the basement. Each day I devote 5 minutes—or more if time allows—to decluttering my space. We're not talking major overhauls here or transformations. It's been as simple as seeing a shirt in my closet that I haven't worn in a year. Into the box it goes. Or, opening up my kitchen drawers while making dinner to see that I own six spatulas, two soup ladels and three vegetable peelers. Into the box goes the excess. And all of those CDs collecting dust on the bookshelf in the basement...why don't I import the songs that make me feel happy, alive and creative onto my laptop and sell the actual discs to the used book and music store. That extra bit of cash could go into the "Dream Fund," toward a workshop or purchase some fun new art supplies.

It's been an eye-opening experience. One that's led me to the conclusion that owning a lot of "stuff" only causes us to want even more "stuff." When my husband and I go camping, I'm in my most content state of being. And yet there are so few creature comforts surrounding me. Our stuff is not who we are. It only blocks that which we already are or want to become. When we learn to live on less stuff we open ourselves up to opportunity and serendipitous blessing.

That's why today's wishing prompt over at Jamie Ridler Studios couldn't be more appropriate: What do you wish for your home?

I wish for simplicity and space. I want to pare down my husband's and my home to the basics plus a few limited "luxuries" (my laptop, ipod and stacks of books would be on the list for sure) to make room for new dreams and new opportunities to enter our space.

I want us to have space to think, to dream and to create without distraction. I want us to have space to simply be.


Your One Step:

You've heard of the expression "take five" in reference to taking a break, right? Well, today I'm challenging you to "take five" from the clutter in your life that's stunting your creative growth. At some point during the day, set a timer for five minutes. During those five minutes look through your home, office or studio for five items that no longer bring you joy, fullfillment or creative inspiration. Get rid of them. You can gift these items to others who may have use for them, donate them to a second-hand store or find a way to recycle them. The only rule is you cannot hang on to them. You're challenge is to clear the space...then sit back and watch what this great big beautiful world has in store for you!
2/23/2011 03:46:50 am

You're so right. It can be very freeing to get rid of old stuff.

As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you as well.

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2/23/2011 04:33:01 am

Great questions! It is so liberating to get rid of your "junk"...been working on that myself.

As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you!

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2/23/2011 05:50:53 am

I have tried to get rid of stuff and just found myself overwhelmed... with the possibility of doubling the number of people living in my house in the next year, I'm really gonna need to make space for their things too... maybe if I did 5 mins a day it wouldn't overwhelm.

As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you as well...

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2/23/2011 08:25:43 am

My intention this week is to create space, so I have been doing very close to this, only on a several times a day routine. It makes a difference very quickly - I was shocked!

As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also....

I wish, I wish, I wish...

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2/23/2011 03:36:53 pm

thanks for sharing this ...as you wish for yourself i wish for you also x

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2/23/2011 07:45:40 pm

I've been moving into the beach castle and so have been able to rid myself of all clutter.
It's been very freeing.

As you wish for yourself I so lovingly wish this for you also. xx

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2/24/2011 04:30:07 am

Great challenge - I'm going to do that! As you wish for yourself, i wish for you also. xxx

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2/24/2011 10:03:15 pm

I love your parring down. I think I will try your box idea. As you wish for yourself, so I wish for you also.

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rosemary
2/25/2011 04:54:37 am

so enjoyed reading this... I just may take you up on the 5 min.

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