Minimalist Habits to Make Life Enjoyable

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[@hannas6407]

I'm glad you mentioned letting go of perfectionism. I've been working towards a more minimalist mindset for the past few years of my life. At some point I was getting stressed and frustrated because I felt like I was the only one trying to maintain a clean look at home. I finally came to realize that everyone doesn't have to feel the same way about tidiness and that I don't have to be affected about every little thing that is left out of place. It feels good to declutter perfectionism!😁

[@allieblank5992]

Well said. 🙂

[@luna7453]

@@allieblank5992 totally agree :) well said :) I love the " feel good to declutter perfectionism ! :) i totally needed to read that right now :) thank you Shannon to remind and inspire us and allow a lovely community where it is felt safe to share in a respectful mature way :) people in your community are so respectful . I love it. a lovely person gather around her lovely people :) (sorry for my English if it is weird. not native speaker :) love from France ;)

[@YVR-f9p]

I completely agree! Especially when it comes to kids… kids need to be kids! I think it’s important to let them enjoy their space in their own way. Love this video!

[@KC-hd3wi]

Amen

[@moneybee]

Having dirty dishes pile up in the sink that you know your future self will have to clean later is awful! I love your emphasis on washing the dishes right when you're done to make the house feel clean, put together, and not create a future chore for your future self. Great video Shannon! 😊

[@marthaosborne9625]

I love you use a meal ordering option!! No waste of food and no storing lots of spices, etc. that you won’t need to use very often. I like that you have just what you need for the meal. It makes it more likely that you will try a variety of interesting dishes since you don’t have to buy lots of different ingredients that you will likely only use once. Great idea!!

[@jessicakoppers1121]

Yes 🙌 I do a lot of these habits and I agree with letting things go so hard but so true! For me keeping the kitchen and bathroom sinks and counters clean, 5 minute tidy pick up at the end of the night, making my bed and being present in the moment (putting phone down when with others) are all habits I practice daily and love about being minimal 🥰💖

[@kimberlyheinz4490]

I do all laundry in 1 day also. It works well for our family. I also do a nightly tidy on my kitchen where everything is put away and the counters are wiped down. I also started putting anything away that was left out when I see it and walk by. Our home stays very tidy. I don't put my kids stuff away, I bring it to their attention.

[@michelekuhne9179]

I like washing dishes as I go along when I am cooking or baking. That way, when the food is done, the kitchen is basically clean.

[@anitabudgets131]

Those are all good tips. I like to divide my house into zones and deep clean one zone a day so like that it’s not overwhelming and I don’t have to be cleaning on the weekends

[@christinenicholls07]

Thank you for sharing your daily habits. I find joy in the small things like washing my two dog’s bowls as soon they are done eating. This makes me happy because it means I have two dogs in my life. I was them slow and dry them slow. I also fold the living room blankets used from the night before which reminds me of a cozy night spent with my family.

[@jjjks5]

I love when you were talking about how minimalism LOOKS different for everyone, so true! My kid’s rooms are colorful and have plenty of toys too. The rest of the house is mostly tidy and decluttered, but having 3 kids means my house won’t look like every other minimalist out there. Also, my hubs leaves his flip flops out everyday too lol. 😉 I stopped doing laundry everyday also, I try to limit it to 3 days a week and that includes sheets and towels.

[@cherylwiemann5863]

Shannon I agree with letting go of the perfectionism. I want my house to be as uncluttered as I can have it while still being cozy and lived in. I love to watch your videos they are inspirational to me.

[@DemetriPanici]

I like the art work in your living room!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you!

[@leoren2685]

I think minimalism to me is having the things I like around and being organized and able to use them. I like being organized and tidy, but I have a way to go as I am trying to sell or give away things I no longer want to keep, and am trying to process through the things I took from my mother's belongings when she passed away in early 2020. I don't like dumping things at Goodwill, as good things end up in the landfill, so it is taking me quite some time to list and sell things or give them away to places that will give them to people who need items for their homes. We have local charities that let people "shop" for things when they are setting up a new home after homelessness, etc. The ideas of minimalism have helped a lot to figure out what I want to keep, what I want to have around me, and what I want to spend my time on. One idea is to integrate family "treasures" into everyday life rather than keep them in boxes. Have them out and accessible-use the dishes or the old 1950s sugar canister, have photo albums accessible rather than in a box in the basement, etc. Still a long process, but I've found your videos very helpful and fun to watch both!

[@jessicaleslie-byrn8008]

Don't forget about my neighbor in need. It's a store people who are starting over can go for free household items

[@auntpurl5325]

Years ago I made a mental shift. I now see the time I spend washing the supper dishes and cleaning up the kitchen as a time "relax and reset." I put in earbuds and some favorite music or a podcast and just take pleasure in turning a messy space back into a tidy one. My husband and now grown kids know to just leave me to it, and they know I don't resent them or the task. After the kitchen's clean, that's also my cue to sit and read or play a game with the family (attaching this follow up reward has cemented the habit).

[@kfjastad]

The minimalist habit that I need to do more often is to put things away that I have taken out for a project. Everything has a place, so it's not like I don't know where to put them, but, I leave stuff out thinking that I'm going to do the project. Before I know it I have stuff covering my desk and tables. I just need to take stuff out when I'm going to do it, then put it away immediately. I'll work on that!

[@olivemaycards]

Cass from Clutterbug talks about the psychology of that - I do the same thing because if I don't see it I'm worried I won't do it, and I don't want to put things away halfway through a project and not know where I was in the process. If I put things away I don't finish it and start something new, and so now I have an organized bin of half-finished projects. It's a struggle!

[@acgallan]

We now shop our house before buying something new for example I want to get a command centre for our household planning, homework, etc. instead of shopping online and ordering it quickly, I looked around to see what we had that we could repurpose and ended up making a really great command center. We are also minimizing Christmas this year. Focusing instead on practical things. Gifts that can be used quickly or easily such as a gift card to her favourite coffee shop or restaurant or activity. Someone recently said that Christmas decoration doesn’t have to be outrageous. Instead you can decorate with the five senses. The smell of Christmas trees and baked goods, the taste of special items we savour at Christmas. The touch of soft blankets and comfort items the sound of Christmas music, the site of coloursThat remind us of the season. They also said that it makes more sense to decorate for the season adding in these senses and then just adding a few Christmas decor items when you would normally decorate for Christmas. That way you end up decorating for the season with just a few decor updates for Christmas

[@shannontorrens1]

What a great way to decorate!

[@carolynmarcum2461]

Your doing good! I liked your comment about the work making your house enjoyable & beautiful

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you so much!

[@saminashahid8712]

Your amazing person love your motivation how u be super organize makes me happy to see u

[@praiseHim1962]

Thanks for sharing! Looove your sweet green kitchen tile! I’ve been maintaining some quick pick-up habits and keeping up with dishes and it’s made a huge difference. You’re right about perfectionism too. Having our farming/grass fed beef business and a soap business, I had gotten lax about keeping things separated as far as home and business, but have been working on that as well. Thanks and God bless! ❤️

[@paulinaarchambault9115]

Congratulations for another baby! I'm happy for you!

[@shannontorrens1]

Thank you so much!!

[@olivemaycards]

Batching laundry to do on one or two days a week is also much more efficient for me. The dryer runs while the next load is washing so 4 loads takes 5 hours instead of each load taking 2 hours start to finish if I do them on different days. I also can't find a whole load of laundry to do each day with only 2 of us here, and our front load washer works better with full loads.

[@jenniferjanes1589]

I love your home. Even though you are minimal, your home has a very cozy feel. You look beautiful, you are not swollen or gaining a lot of weight. Have a healthy pregnancy.

[@FaithandFlour]

So good Shannon!!! Yay for Laundry Day! I'm glad I'm not alone in wanting to just get laundry done for the week.☑️😂💛

[@janjentz1053]

Top of the list is to not over schedule; did the same many years ago with our kids too. I am another do all the laundry in one day gal. Meal planning and grocery shopping for several days makes more time.

[@judyellen4412]

I think you have mentioned many things in this video to have a more calm environment as well as a more calm mind. I try to do a lot of the cleaning as you go things you mentioned. When my kids were small I did the same with their activities so weren’t over booked and running around constantly. I think your suggestions are very helpful for young families and make the important things the priority. Very helpful.

[@kimberleybenschop4785]

Your saying on cleaning a room to make it ready for the next activity finally clicked for me. I constantly cleaning as I go, only to think, why since it will become messy again. And Yes it will become messy again, but now I think " at least we start the next messy task on a clean page. Thankyou

[@shannontorrens1]

Yes! This habit makes life so much easier!

[@acelestialwitch8512]

I think I realise that my kitchen Is a lot smaller and has very little storage so I have to be ruthless in de cluttering there, I also have to wash up and tidy the kitchen at least twice a day as I do not have room for a dish washer so realising things like that means I have to lower my expectations for myself to de clutter as it is just me trying so hard with a house and two kids ! Xx

[@joannehopesLife_After_40]

I have found that, like dirty dishes piled up, dirty piles of laundry makes me feel bad. I painted my laundry room and now that it is somewhat of a prettier area, I want to do my laundry more. ✔️👍

[@shannontorrens1]

Great tip!

[@shadegarden7375]

Yay mama! Not having the kids so busy in too many outside activities!! We did the same way… one outside activity other than our church activities, family time most important!

[@tgayer1]

I love having a simplified home. Thanks for your inspiring content!

[@KnottyMaker]

I do all my laundry in one day as well! And I will end with towels because I don't mind folding them. So it forces me to fold and put away all other laundry first 😆😊

[@glendagai]

Thank you so much for giving a different view of minimalism i am starting a campaign of decluttering too much stuff. Minimalism where a person only has 3 plates scares me to death1!

[@shannontorrens1]

If minimalism makes life harder than I don't see the point. If we don't have enough plates when people come over then it's just annoying =)

[@Ripplesinthewaters]

I used to feel the same way about laundry, but as I’ve simplified my wardrobe, it’s easier for my family to run small loads each day. I appreciate not running out of clothes and that they haven’t been sitting so long and getting smelly. Like you said, every family has their own way of doing things. :)

[@moneybee]

Yes Kristin! That's awesome, it's so fun finding (and enjoying) the benefits of simplifying! Glad it's working well for you😊

[@KatWrangler]

We area family of 5. I have run a load or two each day. Rather than once a week. Once a week we do bedding. I can't imaging adding on a week of clothes, towels etc. It would be exhausting. But each family is different.

[@dougjackson9703]

I pray I can do this....Rosanne

[@OurSimpleLyfe]

Happy New Year Shannon. I have so much to catch up on. 🤗😘

[@cindynielson4231]

I really like the clean as you go habit. I have had to relax my need to have everything perfect. TFS 👍🎄🎅

[@ginarivera1881]

Cleaning counters off! I love less visual clutter. I don’t cook so I have make it slightly harder for my husband who does but we both enjoy the counters being completely clear

[@katlynnlachance1834]

I recall you mentioning a future kitchen remodeling but have you thought to regrout the kitchen counter tile? I love the backsplash color against your white cabinets wonder if painting the same color over the yellow would be a small change ?

[@raymondmonaghan4112]

Hi Shannon I always tidy up as go make sure you take time for yourself MERRY Christmas to you and your family love from Eugenie your friend xxx

[@ShoppingwithRina]

Very nice

[@jessicaleslie-byrn8008]

Green chef sounds better then hello fresh. Is it actually organic. I'm going to check this out

[@LoveThemWell]

New subscriber!! Excited to watch your channel!

[@lennyburdick3192]

“Do or do not. There’s no try.” -Yoda

[@angieserdar]

Yes to all of those tips, 💯agree 🤗

[@JenniferatHome]

Fabulous suggestions. 😁👏👏❤️

[@lionsnotsheep8144]

I love OHIO!!ONLY HANDLE IT ONCE!!😇💜

[@nataliesutherland1018]

You go girl

[@Watchoutforsnakez]

Nice house.

[@user-ks6jn6zv1q]

I love how the minimalist did more expenditure with ordering instead of making her own meals

[@shannontorrens1]

These meals don't really cost more, they are cheaper than if we went out to dinner plus healthier. Also minimalism for us is about the amount of stuff in our lives, not the amount of money spent. =)

[@michelehice8338]

Great tips...( I think you missed the wet spots on the one twin bed)) ooppssss some one had a accident 😉

[@shannontorrens1]

No I didn't miss them LOL. My son got very sick one night and that is now stained. I have washed it many times, but I am in no rush to go out and buy a new one because it still works just fine. Some day we will replace it but for now it is just another stained kids item LOL.

[@cltinturkey]

Happy New Year! Where and how do you store your silicon baking mats? I find it hard to store them out of the way in my tiny kitchen. I'd appreciate any and all tips. Thank you!

[@shannontorrens1]

I rolled them together and put them along side my baking pans.

[@cltinturkey]

@@shannontorrens1 Thanks!

[@Cazzie4ever]

I wish I could be more like you, but I'm working on it. Thanks for a very helpful video. You rock!

[@pinayinuk]

Very good

[@cynthia6055]

Great video Shannon.........excellent habits I do as well. Less is more and easier and organization is everything!

[@emilybell7416]

Great tips, thank you. You could try the trick of smiling while you're talking, to add a warmer tone to your voice.

[@shannontorrens1]

I think my voice is fine =)

[@punjabseth260]

👌

[@lulujenkins77]

While these are good tidy habits, I fail to see what makes them minimalist habits…

[@shannontorrens1]

Minimalism is about keeping everything simple for us and not overbooking my life so for me that is what makes these habits minimalist. A lot of people have these habits, but it's so they can cram more into their lives via stuff or commitments. I guess that is what is making these habits minimalist for me. If you don't see them as minimalist that is fine too! We all view things differently. =)

[@gabriellecontino5176]

You are being sensitive to the needs and wishes of your family.