Downsizing Your Life

As we age, we are often looking to downsize or eliminate clutter and excess. Many of us embrace the concept of living with fewer things to maintain and that tie us down. The reality is that actually releasing our things can be challenging.
Read More

Let’s face it. Over the decades, we accumulate a lot of stuff. Then, as we get older, our priorities and interests change. After carrying clothes, books, travel souvenirs and school projects around for years, it all gets a little tiring. The memories are wonderful, but, in our 60s and 70s, for many of us, our focus shifts from things to experiences. Read More

Maybe you’re still living in the house where you raised the children: Bedrooms remain unused. Closets are full of things accumulated over decades. Memories are in every corner. The garage is stuffed with who knows what. Read More

Simplifying, downsizing, decluttering… these topics seem to be very popular right now. Why is this such an issue for so many people? Read More

Cleaning out an apartment or house is a stressful process, regardless of the reason. It’s not much fun sorting through possessions when you’re moving or renovating. Read More

Over the weekend, I was riding my bike to one of my favorite coffee shops, which is only about 10 miles away, so it’s usually an easy ride.

But on this day, the wind was blowing “like spit,” as my grandmother used to say. (Do you ever think about things people said as you were growing up that you never thought much about, and then at some point, you begin to wonder “what on earth did that mean?”) Read More

How lightly do you travel? Since 2010, I’ve flown and holidayed with carry-on luggage only. That’s a handy seven kilograms of clothes, shoes and toiletries. Read More

I’m just one small person in a big world, but I am concerned about my responsibility for the wellbeing of the world around me. In the 1970s, we were minimalists and a bit ‘hippie-ish.’ We eschewed sugar for honey and whole wheat for white. We tried our hand at gardening organically. We limited our possessions. We lived in modest homes…

Talking to the other women in our community, I’m convinced that simplifying your life is one of the best things that you can do in your 60s. As we get older, we often find ourselves surrounded by years of accumulated possessions. Some of our possessions are connected to a beautiful memory, a special person, or a significant time or place. Other things are, well, just… things. Read More

Do you find yourself caught up in to-do lists that never end? Do you see problems all the time? Stress over little details and find drama in every situation? Read More