Just Relaxed Blog

Tag: home organization

  • The Time I Tried to Be a Minimalist and Failed Miserably

    The Time I Tried to Be a Minimalist and Failed Miserably




    The Time I Tried to Be a Minimalist and Failed Miserably


    My Closet of Broken Dreams (and Way Too Many Shoes)

    We’ve all seen those aspirational photos, haven’t we? The ones with the pristine white walls, a single plant, and a wardrobe consisting of precisely seven items (all in neutral tones, of course). I, my friends, am not one of those people. My ideal aesthetic is less “serene sanctuary” and more “eclectic vintage shop exploded.” But, like any good millennial with an internet connection, I decided to give minimalism a try.

    minimalist havens I’d seen online. And then reality set in.

    Turns out, I actually use most of my stuff. That “random assortment of buttons” I almost tossed? Yeah, those came in handy when a favorite cardigan lost a button. And those paint-splattered sweatpants? They’re perfect for my new artistic hobby (which, ironically, involves creating maximalist collages).

    Minimalism: Is It Really All It’s Cracked Up To Be?

    My minimalist experiment crashed and burned faster than you can say “spark joy.” I realized that while I admire the discipline and intentionality of minimalism, it’s just not for me. I like my quirky collections, my colorful wardrobe, and yes, even my random assortment of buttons.

    Here’s what I did learn though:

    • Decluttering feels amazing – even if you don’t go full minimalist.
    • It’s okay to keep things that bring you joy, even if they’re not “practical.”
    • There’s a big difference between minimalism as an aesthetic and minimalism as a lifestyle. You can appreciate the former without subscribing to the latter.
  • Why My Phone Charger Is My Arch Nemesis (And Other Tales of Domestic Frustration)

    Why My Phone Charger Is My Arch Nemesis (And Other Tales of Domestic Frustration)



    The Case of the Vanishing Charger

    Picture this: It’s 2:00 AM. I wake up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. No, it’s not a sinister figure lurking in the shadows, nor the sudden realization that I forgot to pay my electricity bill (though that nightmare comes often enough). It’s the low battery notification on my phone pulsing ominously in the darkness. Frantically, I pat around my nightstand, desperation mounting. Where is it? WHERE IS IT?!

    My phone charger. That slippery, elusive fiend. Always playing hide-and-seek when I need it most. Finally, after what feels like an eternity (and probably looks like a deranged interpretive dance in the dark), my fingers brush against the familiar plastic. Relief floods through me, quickly followed by a familiar surge of frustration.

    Why, oh why, is this such a recurring saga in my life? Is it me? Is it cursed? Is there a secret society of phone chargers plotting against us all? The answer, my friends, is still out there. But one thing’s for sure – I’m not alone in this domestic struggle.

    The Mystery of the Missing Socks

    Speaking of mysteries worthy of Sherlock Holmes, let’s talk about the curious case of the disappearing socks. We’ve all been there. You toss a perfectly matched pair into the laundry abyss, only to pull out a lone ranger, doomed to wander the land of unmatched socks forevermore.

  • The Time I Tried to Live Like a Minimalist (and Failed Spectacularly)

    The Time I Tried to Live Like a Minimalist (and Failed Spectacularly)




    The Time I Tried to Live Like a Minimalist (and Failed Spectacularly)


    The Great Decluttering Disaster of 2023

    It all started, as these things often do, with an Instagram rabbit hole. One minute I was admiring a travel blogger’s envy-inducing feed, filled with pristine beaches and minimalist bungalows, the next I was knee-deep in articles about capsule wardrobes and the life-changing magic of tidying up. “I could do that,” I thought, gazing around my apartment that more closely resembled a hoarder’s paradise than a serene sanctuary.

    Armed with nothing but good intentions (and maybe a touch of delusion), I embarked on my minimalist journey. What could possibly go wrong?

    The Case of the Missing Spatula (and Other Kitchen Nightmares)

    My first target? The kitchen. I ruthlessly purged expired spices, donated mismatched mugs I’d been inexplicably hoarding, and even parted ways with my beloved garlic press (minimalists apparently don’t believe in single-use gadgets). The result? A beautifully organized, sparkling clean kitchen… that was missing a spatula.

    You see, in my zeal to embrace minimalism, I’d mistakenly thrown out my only spatula, mistaking it for a superfluous utensil. I mean, who needs a spatula when you have a wooden spoon, right? (Spoiler alert: everyone). The next morning, as I desperately tried to flip my morning omelet with a fork, I realized the error of my ways.