Break out the cake and bubbly! Today is my 7th blogiversary!
Seven years ago today, I started this blog on a whim, as a little side hobby.
It was 2012. A friend had just introduced to minimalism and I was in the midst of reading my first minimalist book. I could feel the freedom of open space blossoming in my life and I had the crazy urge to share that with the world. So I sat down at my dining room table and started a blog called Clutter Free Mom of 3. (Oh, the rhyming! I thought I was so clever!) While the name of blog has changed over the years (thank goodness!), the ideas and purpose behind it haven’t.
I still get excited about the freedom that comes with letting go of your excess stuff and I still have the crazy urge to share that with the world.
And little did I know that, as a result of that first post, so many things in my life would change, including…
- I left my teaching career.
- I started a business.
- I wrote a book!
- I gave a TED talk. (Word on the street is that it will be available online soon!)
- I learned how to do all sorts of crazy tech things, like create an online course and make Zaps and send emails to thousands of people at once.
- I was on the news a few times.
- I got interviewed on NPR.
- I spent more time with my husband and kids.
- I stepped more fully into the person I’m meant to be. 🙂
But hey, I bet you’re wondering what I wrote on that fateful day seven years ago, aren’t you? Well, I shall keep you in suspense no longer.
So, in my best Casey Kasem voice… Let’s travel all the way back to January 2, 2012, to a little blog post titled, “NEW YEAR, NEW SPACE.” Enjoy!
January 2, 2012
I am not starting this blog as a New Year’s Resolution, although it has coincided with the start of 2012. As a mom of three kids, I face a daily problem shared by moms the world over: clutter. When my husband and I bought our “starter” house five years ago, we did not anticipate two things: 1) the birth of our triplets, and 2) the crash of the real estate market. Thus, we are stuck, along with our kids and live-in nanny, in a charming, 3-bedroom cape cod until the market rises again.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my house and I feel blessed to have a roof over my head. But when I visit my friends who have the luxuries of finished basements, play rooms that don’t double as both a living and dining room, and unshared bedrooms, I often sigh and start thinking about how I could somehow expand my space.
I’ve fantasized about building an extension, taking a financial hit and just moving into a larger house, or moving my husband and his Star Wars collection into the garage. But one thing never occurred to me until recently, when a good friend of mine introduced me to the idea of minimalism: have less stuff. It’s simple, really, ridiculously simple. Why didn’t I think of this? Instead of adding more space, create more by removing things I don’t use. Genius!
This blog will chronicle my journey toward a more minimalist lifestyle. And when I say “minimalist,” please realize I’m taking a practical approach. I’m a mom of three toddlers who teaches full-time. I will never fit all my belongings into a duffel bag, and I am not the kind of lady who can survive with merely two pairs of shoes. But I do know I can live with less stuff, and ultimately, less stress. Please join me on my journey!
I want to thank all of you who DID join me on that journey, whether you’ve been here for 7 years or 7 days, I’m so thankful for each and every one of you who has encouraged me, supported me, and made me feel like my little blog is actually making a difference in the world.
So cheers to a 2019 with less stuff and more open spaces!
PS Does your group need some minimalist inspiration in 2019? I’m booking speaking gigs for 2019 and they’re filling up fast! Contact me to learn more about how I can inspire your group to live happier, freer lives with less stuff!
