Victoria DeCroce is a decluttering expert who transforms the mindset of individuals who want to ditch the physical, mental and emotional clutter. She is a wellness blogger and coach passionate about intentional living, sustainability, natural healing, creating calmness within the home, chemical free cleaning, simplicity and crafting the life you deserve to live.
With any decluttering routine I almost always check in on my clothing to perform some style of purge throughout the month. That’s because new trends may spark an interest and I update my minimalist wardrobe quite often.
In order to successfully purge clothing, I want you to select a time each and every day to look through your clothes to get into the habit of going more and more minimal.
This is a MINI closet purge so, take about 10 minutes daily to do this challenge.
The reason this is a mini challenge is because clothing and accessories can be one of our greatest collections. We want to make this a simple process that’s done overtime because sure, it’s super easy to declutter once a year but we’re not aiming for this kind of lifestyle. We need to commit each and everyday to owning only the clothes and items we absolutely need.
Take one small section of the closet (or drawers) and visualize what you want it to look like, then walk away
Come back in a few minutes and look again
Now take the action by removing clothing that you can honestly say, “I don’t want this anymore”
Toss in the donation bag or a trash bag to throw away
Do this until you get that small section done
Tomorrow I want you to do the same thing in the next section
Repeat until the month is over and see how far you have come
Small Closet Purging Leads To A Less Cluttered Lifestyle
Remain consistent and remember that habits lead to success. Do small sections at a time to prevent overwhelm.
Do NOT pull a bunch of clothes out to dig through. Avoid this at all costs. Simply look at what you’ve got and start pulling a few items from the closet or drawer that you don’t need or want anymore.
How To Prepare
Envision what you want your closet to look like by printing out some inspirational photos, making a vision board and really thinking about this project daily
Make a plan to revisit this space often to ask yourself if you really LOVE the item or not. I often like to hold onto something that I’m hesitant about getting rid of but by the following week I am so over looking at it. If you will never use or wear again, just donate
Train your brain to think someone else needs it more
Donate at least once every couple of weeks if you have a ton of clothes, accessories, handbags, shoes
Sort the clothing that you are DEFINITELY keeping by moving them to one side of the closet
Place the shoes you are keeping in some style of organizer or over the door rack. This frees up space
Adopt the “Don’t Think, Just Toss” mentality – this is something we like to do each time we ask ourselves if we want the piece or not. Give yourself a few seconds to think about it and that’s it. Maybe items can get shoved to a space for next weeks declutter. No items can go in donation or garbage. Yes items stay in the closet or drawer
When you’re ready to purge your closet mentally, you can then take action.
Taking Action
Pull any jeans that may be hanging and fold in a stack. Limit to 5 pairs. If this doesn’t happen this week, aim for the 5 jeans only goal over the next 3 months
Invest in a garment rack if you want to build your minimalist wardrobe. This helps you visually see what pieces of clothing you have and want to keep
Use same style of hangers. I purchased these wood hangers because they are aesthetically pleasing and make me happy each time I walk into my room to get dressed. They help the clothes stay hung and gives you something to look forward to each day. Somehow they increase productivity and a wellness that only you will be able to describe
Give yourself the freedom to walk into the closet and own the space. Be the boss and be honest with yourself. Ditch anything with a past vibe that you no longer want to hold onto, let go of the things that will never fit again and embrace the new you
Immediately toss or donate things you haven’t worn within 6 months- stop saving for a rainy day
Host a weekly sale on Poshmark to sell and make money for the things that hold value. This way you’re not regretting anything
Build off the commitment to living with less. You can do it
Be proud of yourself. This is not easy, I can attest. But the feeling of reward is indescribable for sure
Let’s check in-
Leave a comment when you are finished with any part of this process. Bonus points for sharing pics as well.
I love that you are here friends because this just solidifies your healthy living journey even further. Since going completely no tox with my cleaning routines I have noticed a big difference in how I feel and function. Not only that, it has made our home smell naturally fresh and we can breathe without headaches or feeling sick.
3 All Natural Cleaning Products That Will Clean Anything
My go to for just about anything is baking soda and castile soap. When Castile soap was introduced to me I didn’t know how to use it. It’s important to pick a brand that you like and explore the soap in different areas of your homes.
Castile Soap is a vegetable based mild cleaning soap that is typically found in the beauty section because many people use it to bathe with. However, it’s a lovely, fresh, all natural cleaning product that many people don’t get to reap the benefits because they know little about it.
Baking Soda is another simple and easy cleaning product that makes life so much easier. Just sprinkle, rinse and done (in a lot of cases). For more in depth cleaning just let it sit and mix in with a squirt of the castile soap to give sinks, tubs and toilets a deeper clean.
Water. Yes, good ol’ water. Now before you go believing this is a disgusting thing, it’s totally not. You’re able to clean your home rather quickly and easily when you use just water alone. Sometimes it can be a quick dab of water on a cloth and wipe that gets a surface clean (or at least cleaner than it was).
How To Clean With Basic Natural Products & Supplies
To be quite honest with you, it took me a long time to get used to this style of cleaning because, I too was so used to cleaning with chemicals. The greenwashing industry is also a trick magnet and makes you believe their labels are natural. They’re not. We’ll get into that in another section of the course but let’s just go over the basics.
Grab your favorite cloth and dab some warm/hot water on one end to quickly wipe the countertops, handles, hardware, and even dust with. This is a stress free way to eliminate any dust, stuck on food, etc
For bigger messes like food that won’t lift, use a dab of castile soap on it as well. Or mild soap (even dawn dish soap). The other thing I like to do is dab the soap on the spot and leave for a minute, come back and wipe clean.
You can use a spray bottle as well. I like to keep a spray bottle of just water, one with a drop of soap in it and one with just water, alcohol and lemongrass drops. These are fantastic, easy breezy cleaning tips.
The damp cloth technique is perfect for dusting. You can add a drop or two of lemon oil on it to keep the dust off longer. A simple wipe is all you need.
The floors just need soap and water, sometimes just water especially if you have luxury vinyl plank. Use a spray bottle and microfiber mop head to clean up quickly. Be sure to avoid more than 1 drop of soap into the bottle otherwise buildup will occur and your floors will get sticky. Less is more when washing the floors. Vacuum more often than mopping.
Use baking soda on the bathtub if soap isn’t cutting it. I like to wash the shower when I’m in the shower. I even use a squirt of shampoo if I’m lazy that day. These are my go to scrubby brushes. They fit perfectly in your hand and work on sinks, tubs, shower walls, etc.
Now Here’s Your Challenge:
Take a small bowl and leave it next to your kitchen sink with baking soda in it. When the sink is empty and it’s ready to be cleaned for the evening simply take a scoop and swish it around the sink. Add a drop or two of lemongrass oil or castile soap for a fresh, clean smell…get those funky odors out. Rinse and done. For a deeper clean just use the scrubby to get all areas before rinsing.
Do this every other night or daily until you get used to cleaning the sinks with baking soda, soap and water.
Fun Fact: lemongrass is an all natural antimicrobial, antifungal and antibacterial. It also fights funky odors and leaves your home smelling naturally fresh, clean and safe to breathe in.
Getting a decent amount of sleep each night certainly has it’s benefits but did you know that if you lack sleep your body and mind will diminish over time?
Benefits Of Sleep
Sleep is necessary but we aren’t always mindful of getting enough of it, which results in a downward spiral of health issues including stress and depression. To avoid the negative side effects of sleep deprivation let’s start prioritizing it once and for all.
Body Rejuvenates– our bodies are working hard at restoring all the energy, burning calories and repairing our muscles for the next days activities. It’s not only important for us to get sleep just to be able to function but to maintain a healthy weight, keep our brains from fogging and soothing all the aches and pains associated with our daily lifestyle.
benefits of sleep
Without a good nights rest our appearance, mood, and concentration are weakened. Healthy sleep is getting at least 7-9 hours every night undisturbed.
How Important Is Sleep
Some of us naturally have that fear of missing out mentality and therefore, lack sleep, sometimes only getting 3-5 hours per night. That’s not enough to replenish our minds and bodies. It’s important to turn off our brains in order to clonk out at a specific time each night.
In order for us to heal from essentially anything we must sleep. Trauma, chronic illness, depression, anxiety, disease and metal illness are on the rise due to sleep deprived individuals. It wasn’t until I had a major panic attack did I realize the damage I was doing to my entire body because of lack of sleep. My hormones weren’t allowing me to get a straight dose of 7 hours because I was waking up automatically after I fell asleep for an hour or two. The triggers in my body were:
Pain
Urination even after the smallest sip of water
Fear
Worry
Being uncomfortable
Mind not shutting off
Upset stomach
Varicose veins
Stunning Health Benefits Of Sleep
Mood is happy, calm, relaxed and full of zen. All the good feels derive from getting plenty of sleep each night. It’s crucial. Not only does this help improve your mood, it defeats the negative energy that comes in contact with us. Our minds are more apt to know how to react and react well when approached the wrong way!
Less pain– naturally pain wakes me throughout the night but if I sleep with a heating blanket I am able to get more sleep. Some other natural ways to fight pain is Turmeric, being comfortable in bed with the right pillows and blankets propping one against your side to hug while you sleep, green tea before bed, a warm compress, an essential oil diffuser in the room with lavender going.
You look good– We all know that beauty sleep is top notch self care. Your skin, eyes, and hair look amazing and in turn this makes you feel really good as well. If you notice your skin breaking out more, the wrinkles are noticeable, you may even develop some beauty marks; start sleeping.
The recommended daily dose of sleep is 7-9 hours. Anything more than that can make you feel groggy. Anything less than 7 can impair your health.
Make it a habit to craft a structured morning and evening routine. We promote this more than anything because it sets your entire life up for success. Waking at the same time and going to bed at the same time typically every single day really improves your well being.
Success Over Deprivation
It’s important to create your morning routine along with an evening one to set your entire day up for success. I’ve naturally been able to wake each day after 6-7 hours of sleep because my body knows when it’s time to get up. But if you rely heavily on an alarm clock then I would suggest this:
Set the alarm for the same time each day even if you’re ‘OFF’ for the day
Upon waking make your bed or at least ‘TIDY‘ it up
Gaining clarity and being able to think clear is a really nice benefit of beauty sleep. I would also suggest decluttering your entire bedroom in order to get quality sleep. It makes such a difference and the 3 piece furniture rule is a strict one of mine.
Clarity– this is a huge one especially if you’re taking our Mindset Minted course. To gain clarity on what it is that you want, you must be getting the proper vitamins, sleep and setting up your space to be able to actually think
You’re nicer– no one likes anyone who woke on the wrong side of the bed let alone someone who lacks sleep. You’re much nicer when you rest
Space is clean– getting sleep can actually result in your physical ability to clean up your space exactly the way you envision. To be motivated is one thing, to be energized is another…start sleeping
Less stroke risk– one of the things that really bothers me when I lack sleep are my headaches and migraines. But not only that, I can tell when my brain is on fire so to speak. The pain isn’t a normal headache or migraine attack. Those typically occur during the day and if you suffer from migraines such as I have in the past it’s crucial to be mindful of what you eat, toxic cleaning products and overly powering smells. Studies show that your lack of sleep can result in stroke, diabetes, heart attack and other underlying disease
Strive– empowerment is key and I would say that you need to empower yourself first. In order to strive at anything we need to sleep. It’s just non negotiable
How To Get Enough Sleep Each Night
So if you’re someone who struggles with sleeping because of the things we mentioned above, prepare your bedroom as a sanctuary to allow the sleep to occur successfully.
avoid sleeping during the day if you don’t work third shift
craft that morning and evening routine to a T
avoid caffeine after 3 pm
drink calming tea 1-2 hours before bed
use oil diffusers or make your DIY lavender spray to make the room drowsy
DIY LAVENDER ROOM SPRAY
1 PART WATER, 2 TBSP ALCOHOL, 12 DROPS LAVENDER OIL
It’s been a long journey of mine to reach a pure state of minimalism with my wardrobe. Our clothing has been something that defines who we are and, as I age I want nothing more than a simplified lifestyle. Curating a minimalist vibe with my pieces has been the one true thing that makes me really happy.
Curating A Minimalist Wardrobe Capsule
I’m not going to lie it actually took me 3 full years of decluttering my clothing pieces, (including accessories, shoes, purses, handbags and such) to get to a minimalist wardrobe capsule. Now that I’ve arrived at this stage in my life, it feels so beautiful. I hope that you will join me on this journey.
Let’s curate a minimalist closet for you today.
Each week I want you to work towards decluttering everything you own. It can be little pieces everyday that you wish to donate or toss.
What helps me initially is to stand there and observe what I own. I spent a good week doing this because it was hard for me to let go of clothes I thought I needed to wear one day down the road, or I had just not gotten enough use out of them.
Once you become more familiar with donating clothes you no longer want or need, put like clothes with likes (I place all of my yoga pants and shorts folded in a basket, keep my bras in one drawer and panties in another, fold jeans and place in basket, hang nice clothing)
Invest in a garment rack. These are the best hacks for going more minimal in your closet. Display the clothes you really enjoy wearing on the rack similar to this one
This doesn’t mean that you use this rack for even more clothing. It isn’t meant to be used for storage. It’s simply there to help you sort out what you want your capsule to look like. It defines who you become through the process. So for me, I removed all the clothing out of our main closet and made that my tiny office. There is nothing hanging in there. I do keep my baskets holding my jeans and yoga pants on the shelf in there but that’s it.
Tips To Help You Minimize Your Closet
Use the numbers game– when I had a lot more clothing than I do now, I simply said: narrow down to 10 within 6 months, then 6-8, then 5. So my jeans are 4 pairs right now. I cut out my lingerie completely and have only like 3-5 pairs of good panties, bras, and 2 nightgowns. My yoga pants are 3 and shorts 2
Do a walk through daily– sometimes all it takes to go more minimal is to do a walkthrough often. Not to remove anything but just to look, imagine what you want your wardrobe to look like and then think about how you’re going to eliminate
Just do it– this feels so good to me when I just do the act instead of thinking. I had already made up my mind that I wanted a minimalist wardrobe, so for me it was like, JUST DO IT. So I packed up the nice pieces, donated. Tossed what could have seen better days and then re-did my style. I went shopping for pieces that actually meant something to me and that I could enjoy not only wearing but looking at too
Buying New Clothing Pieces
Another thing that really inspired my capsule was going to boutiques to see what was on display. I thought if I did this enough I would really learn to know who I wanted to be and how I wanted to dress. We have so many chances to re-invent ourselves but often do we find the time to really slow down and just be in the moment of simplicity. Simple clothing, breezy hair accessories, neutral tones that allow us to be.
At the moment I was attracted to neutral, calm attire, so I went with a minimalist style that didn’t have patterns, or cause a lot of distraction. Plain and simple, nudes.
I learned that black was a neutral color.
Minimalist Wardrobe Ideas
I think you can still obtain a minimalist wardrobe with colors. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to take away your personality at all. If you choose to keep some color in your wardrobe, you are still minimizing and curating a clean, clutter free style of living.
Remove anything that doesn’t give you a feel good vibe.
Donate anything you haven’t worn in 6 months, including shoes, handbags, hats and jewelry.
Share items with your girlfriends, their growing kids, your neighbors who may need something.
Go through and get rid of at least 10 clothing pieces monthly if you have a ton.
Don’t overwhelm. The Uncluttered Project is designed for you to go at your own pace developing a love for living with less, not daunting household chores.
Learn to love to let go. A piece of you isn’t just letting go of something someone gifted you with or a shirt you really enjoyed wearing all of the time, it’s allowing yourself to make free choices without the guilt. No ifs, ands, or buts. When you allow it to go, you set yourself up for new abundant glories.
It’s super easy to get distracted with everyday busy life, so here’s 30 things you can start throwing away immediately. Don’t allow yourself to think too much about whether or not you want to keep something, just ask yourself…then get rid of it. Whether you donate or place in the garbage, the feeling afterwards is going to be soothing, and such a relief.
So much that you’re going to get addicted to this project. I like to do these mini challenges every month.
What Things Can You Declutter
Old Stained Clothing
Books that aren’t being read
Papers, magazines
Office and craft supplies
Handbags that have seen better days
Chipped dinnerware
Excess Mugs
Toxic beauty products
Bulky photo albums (switch photos into shadowbox, disc)
Old nasty towels, linens (donate to shelters)
Dingy pillows (invest in new ones because pillows can harbor toxins)
Bad Memories
Toxic people
Cleaning products with chemicals in them
Small appliances that never get used or need upgrading
Excessive silverware
Nasty shoes
Expired foods/medicine
High school memorabilia
Dvd’s, cd’s, gadgets
Cords that belong to nothing
Old tools, lightbulbs, toxic gardening items
Old Receipts/Taxes older than 5 years
Kitchen utensils that need to be updated
Things from past relationships
Bulky furniture/outdates
Extra plants, art and home decor
Collectibles that aren’t valuable
Candles (so toxic)
Email and phone declutter
Here’s The Challenge
Give yourself 1 week to declutter at least some of the items on your list. It doesn’t have to be exact things. You can obviously substitute the stuff to whatever fits your lifestyle. These are just ideas.
Come back here and comment with what you’ve gotten rid of after the week is up. Then continue on and take some before and after pics. Share your list with the group. If you’re not involved, join today.
We talk a lot about decluttering our homes but what about our entire lives? Today we are going to share the 3 basic categories of clearing out the clutter so that you can start 2023 off right. A declutter of one’s home is not that easy if you’ve never been accustom to this lifestyle. The hoarding mentality that I spoke about on IG is real. It’s often times that we don’t even acknowledge what we accumulate until it’s become overwhelming.
Declutter Your Entire Life
Our program is designed to help you combat the clutter in all areas of life so that you can break free from everything that has been holding you back from being true to who you naturally want to be. If you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, tired, just down right exhausted, it’s time for change. We’re going to get to work to bring authentic happiness and wellness back into your life.
This is just the beginning
Week One– Mindset: clearing the mind for peace, mental clarity and emotional breakthrough
Day 1Getting To Know Yourself
do something today that you’ve been meaning to do but keep pushing off
take extra slow moments to provide the self care that you normally would rush IE: take time in the shower really pampering yourself, thinking about yourself a little more, what you want and how you want to feel, eat a meal without any disruptions, taking walks, embracing nature leave the phone for about 15 minutes while you take time to sit quietly, close your eyes, relax your shoulders, think about/meditate on your desires, envision where you’d like to be in 6 months, breathe in and out slowly/deeply, calm your mind and truly hug yourself in this moment
make a positive list of all the things you feel about yourself, wish to improve, name some nice features about you
Day 2 Morning Routine
I talk a lot about creating structured routines and this is imperative in your growth.
create a morning routine that sets you up for everyday success. This starts with going to bed and waking at the same time generally speaking. Open the blinds, make the bed, express gratitude, do your tasks like getting coffee and/or breakfast in a slow living pattern
do not turn to your phone first thing in the morning. Start with a mini yoga/meditation/affirmations guide before getting ready for the day. Give yourself at least 2 hours to get ready before heading out. Whatever your day looks like always be sure your mornings aren’t rushed
make it a habit to tidy up your living space and declutter before leaving the home
A few moments is really all that is necessary to do little things each morning and evening. When you decide what works best for you and your schedule, form that habit that is going to help you create this style of living for future days ahead.
Wake up each day at the same time. If you have an automatic alarm clock that’s even better, but allowing yourself to wake at the same time typically every day allows us a better mindset and lifestyle that we desire to have.
If it helps to lie in bed for a few moments before you get up and express your gratitude then this checks off one thing already on your list.
Open the blinds to allow nature’s energy in, make the bed and tidy up your bedroom before heading out into the main living area.
Do tasks and self care routines in slower motion. Not rushing is a part of the slow living movement and will set you up for a successful mindset shift.
Say your affirmations and give yourself at least 15 minutes alone without the phone or any disruptions.
Eat a healthy meal, drink coffee and clean up your space by decluttering the countertops, floors and laundry.
How To Perform A Mindset Declutter
Day 3 Affirm
Affirmations are crucial in your mindset transformation. I want you to get used to saying these things over and over again every single day to remind yourself of how important this is to your overall well being. This all ties into your life’s purpose so dedicate time daily to incorporate this into your routines.
i am worthy i am healthy i am rich i am committed
i am beautiful
i am powerful
Now these don’t all have to be said in one day, pick your favorite one (or your own) that relates to what you want to change and then say them 30-50 times each day. Also, don’t just say these words, feel the emotion attached with it. [ I started crying on many occasions ].
Saying the positive words I AM______ transforms the mindset and allows the universe to hear us. Repeat the one saying 30-50 times (you can say a few different ones in the same setting IE: I AM WORTHY, I AM FREE, I AM DETERMINED or whatever relates to what you are trying to shift).
If your desire is to receive money then you would focus your affirmations on a wealthy saying/mindset: I AM WEALTHY, I DESERVE MONEY, I AM RICH. This trains your brain to believe you are already wealthy, and then you will receive the money/confidence/clean space. Do these daily.
Find a quiet space to say your affirmations. Write these down/journal what you want to shift.
Get the full version (all days and weeks of decluttering) here!
Be sure to download the Mindset Shifts in the link above.
Toss expired medicine, old products from the shower stall and under cabinets, donate any small appliances that you no longer use Towels = the amount of people using that bathroom X2 (4 people = 8 towels in the closet)
Empty trash daily
Donate/toss extra shower liners, curtains, rugs, linens and keep to a minimal
Go through drawers often to prevent pile up. Organize with space dividers
Days 10-18 include kitchen, laundry, exterior of home and more. Make sure you download that section of this declutter to finish the challenge. And no, this doesn’t have to be rushed. Pace yourselves and do in your own time. Share in our group.
Decluttering Challenges
I’d be lying if I told you that decluttering was a one time thing. It’s a lifestyle and I never recommend pushing these challenges off until a specific season hits. If you wait until spring or summer, it becomes overwhelming and we do not promote that here. It is our mission to keep things stress free and we do this by crafting everyday little projects until we get to a place of ‘feel good vibes.’
The 30 day challenge that you are downloading here is to assist you in creating the best habits to fit your lifestyle. Obviously everything and everyone is different, so make adjustments accordingly but follow a strict routine for the entire month.
In order to declutter your life you’ll need to raise your vibration each and every day by doing some of the things we already talked about like: gratitude, affirmations, eating healthier and creating structured routines.
Incorporate more positive thoughts to enhance your mood, attract wealthier experiences, more money and happiness.
Know, Discover Your Purpose
Having a purpose in life is one of the fundamental factors of happiness. Your life purpose consists of the core motivation of your life, the reasons why you get up in the morning.
When you pursue your purpose, your life becomes filled with direction and meaning.
Ditch The Tox
People who want to improve their quality of life will dedicate themselves to continuously eliminate any negative energy, toxic people and even the products they use.
Learn to say no, stop shopping in the chemical cleaning and beauty aisles, and do what feels best for you.
Believe You Are Someone That Does The Habit – James Clear
In order to achieve whatever it is you’re seeking out, you must believe you are someone that can and will do whatever it is that you wish to do.
IE: If I believe I am wealthy then I will be. If I believe I’m a clean person, then I will be. If I believe decluttering is healthy…then my home and life will be exactly the way I envision.
So believe you are the person that you want to be.
Progress Not Perfection
Rather than seeking out the perfection, seek out some progress. No one’s life or home or mind will ever be perfect. We have flaws and stuff accumulates all of the time. The secret is to do what you can when you’re feeling your best and be proud of little achievements.
Make a list of all the things you want to do but feel like it’s too much. Take a moment to do what you can even if it’s just a little thing and check it off. So instead of completely finishing it, do part of it and then add another check mark next to it each time you do that task until it’s complete.
The next 6 days can be finished when you download the last part of the ebook. It’s set up for an intentional 30 day declutter of your entire life but as I mentioned above, TAKE the time to create this lifestyle that goes deep into the new year and years to come.
Feel free to reach out, leave comments and share your journey in the group. If you haven’t joined yet, here’s how to gain access.
Xo- V
How often do you declutter? Mentally, physically and emotionally?
We are excited to be offering this option for those of you who enjoy telling a story that reflects the good, bad, ugly and sad. I mean a story doesn’t have to boast each of those characteristics in one letter but, we’re all on this decluttering journey together and it is my proud pleasure to be able to post yours here on our blog.
You can publish anonymously or publicly. The option is yours. This is a safe place to get your story out. The public version would link to any sites you’d like and mention your real names. Anonymous would just hide all the personal details of you like your name, etc. In either case, you WRITE the story and submit it here for publishing.
Writing is a natural way to heal. I recommend to all of my clients. What I love about having it out there on the internet is that you can reach a variety of people from all over the world. You never know who’s going to relate to your story, support you or connect with you on some type of level. Your chances of helping someone in need is far greater than writing in a paper journal. A blog is and can be your greatest online place to write. Public or privately.
How To Submit A Story
Must be over 1000 characters and typed out either in WordPad, email or something that can be easily transferred to our blog post
Pictures optional (we include stock photos if you don’t want to share any)
Email your story to victoriadecroce AT gmail DOT com with the subject line SUBMITTING A STORY
What We’re Looking For
Any story that is positive, uplifting even though there may have been struggles along the way.
Welcome to your 30 day decluttering challenge that can be done any time throughout the month. You’re free to unlock the clutter bug, downsize at a reasonable pace, ditch the hoarding mentality and break free from all the exhausting house cleaning chores.
Whether you’re a slow paced cleaner or a motivated, ambitious mama who gets a quick buzz from tidying up super quickly, go room by room with this challenge and guide that can easily be downloaded and printed from anywhere.
1.) Wake up and lie in bed for a few minutes without the urge to jump out and start doing your morning tasks. Just lie there and express gratitude. When you get out of bed, raise/open the blinds to let natures ray of light come in. Make it a daily habit to cozy up the bedding.
2.) Take your time. Brush your teeth in a slower motion. Shower longer. Do the dishes calmly and relax while loading them. Take your time vacuuming, organizing, putting clothes away. Remain mindful to take your time.
3.) Breathe properly. Sometimes we forget to take in the proper amount of air needed for our brains to get oxygen. Do some breathing exercises daily until you get more familiar with the slow living.
4.) Mindfulness needs to be practiced every minute of every waking day in order to remind ourselves to slow down. Once we start telling ourselves over and over again to slow down, wait a minute…we can then start feeling the impact it has on our overall wellness.
5.) Give the worry to the master, the universe. This was a hard one for me because I constantly worried about my kids, my career, my living situation and a lot of that worry derived from wanting a certain lifestyle to happen more quickly. But, the fact that I was rushing things and vibrating too fast, my energy with the universe resisted everything I wanted to happen. And, it wasn’t until I stopped worrying about literally everything that I started noticing change.
6.) Start walking without the phone or even doing a yoga session or something to get away from the busy, fast paced life of social media, emails, etc.
7.) Declutter little things every single day until you feel like your stuff isn’t smothering you. It is the only way to embrace slow living naturally. We must remove things in order to welcome new people, things and experiences again.
8.) Be very mindful with your self care routines. It wasn’t until my eldest started her career as an esthetician did I pamper myself like I deserved. It’s ever so crucial to take the time to provide proper self care to ourselves. Facials. Spas. Massages. Relaxation. Eating healthy. Proper exercise. Therapy. Exploring new places. Riding a bike. Bathing calmly. Creating the space that we like and want.
9.) Part of my slow living journey started when I stopped shopping for things I no longer had interest in. I just didn’t need any of it. Put yourself on a shopping ban for a few weeks and notice how different you feel. The old saying, shopping is therapy went out the door.
10.) Learn to say no. I wasn’t able to embrace my slow living journey until I did this. And you don’t have to say it out loud if you don’t wish. You can ignore people, places and toss the things that you just don’t like anymore.
