Living in a loft with a toddler and having no closets can translate to a lot of different things for people. Usually, the first reaction is horror and “Where do you put all your stuff?!” is usually the first question we get. And  I usually start by answering with “we don’t have a lot of stuff, or at least we are trying not to have too much.”  We are in a state of purging the things we don’t love, and keeping the things we do. Like, really really really do. But as much as we purge, there’s still so much! It amazes me how much crap 2.5 people can accumulate.

The purging  started with our bedroom, specifically our clothes. Since we use racks and everything is visual, keeping that area simple and clean is very important to the overall energy of our room.  We hired a feng shui specialist* for this process, and it is worth every penny.  She’s wonderful!

I also came across a concept of having a wardrobe capsule which is basically owning 37 items (for everyday use so not work out clothes, fancy dresses, or undergarments) for each season. I’m not too strict with it and try to keep by the philosophy more than exact numbers. The challenge is to not shop in those three months. I think I did a pretty good job with Spring, though it was hard at times and I did do a shopping run here or there, because well, spring in New York can also mean winter on some days and summer on other days. But all in all I’m proud of what I accomplished and really enjoy this idea so I’m going to try to apply the same capsule wardrobe for my daughter. I try to apply it not just to her clothes but also to her toys. Who says kids need a massive amount of toys and clothes? They don’t. It’s a misconception that just because you have kids, it means you have to have toys everywhereeee. Why? How many of those toys do they actually learn from, engage with, and develop skills from?

I understand that it’s a challenge and it’s easy to buy more  because we live in a society of consumption and consumerism, the images to BUY and BUY are everywhere. Society is always trying to sell us the new thing we absolutely need to have and the signs for it are everywhere. Well, when you don’t have the space to store all of it, you’re forced to think about it and really be honest with yourself about what you really need. It’s a conscious choice to give thought to what items bring you actual joy and love and which ones are you keeping just ’cause. I hope I can raise my daughter with this awareness, I hope that she’ll see birthdays and holidays not as ways of gaining more stuff but as windows to new experiences and memories with loved ones. Raising her in America, honestly, will make this very difficult because the “more more more” mentality is everywhere, but I want her to know B A L A N C E and that starts with me.

More to come on this. But for now, in an effort to have less, we also got rid of our coffee table! What do you think? We are getting rid of that shelf too and either creating a plant or gallery wall, whatever makes it feel less noisy. Lastly, meet our newest addition, Fiona, our beloved Fiddle Leaf Fig tree which makes me sooo happy. Honestly, it’s the most beautiful indoor plant I’ve ever seen and I hope I can keep her healthy. The little corner where we have her brings me peace. Any tips on how to keep her thriving? I know sunlight is super important for this plant, getting enough sunlight but not too much of it is crucial. What else?

X,

L

*Feng Shui designer: Ashley Peacock | https://ashleypeacockfengshui.com/