Okay, so something I feel passionate about (and is somewhat sacred to me) is my environment. The space where I spend my time and in which I function. I do believe that no matter the journey you are on, or the goals you want to achieve, the environment in which it’s going to start plays a major role in the outcome.

Small changes each day can create fertile ground for the cultivation of new habits and is a catalyst for growth.

It’s not a new thing. It’s been a topic that has been widely discussed and something I have tried to work on continuously in my own life.

For many, this is a daunting task and I must be honest, when it gets to photos and other memory trinkets, I find it hard to sort them and let them go. Not to even mention my art supply hoard!

When I started getting intrigued about Ma, I realised that one of the possible stumbling blocks will be my space and the way it is organised. It’s one of the systems James Clear (Atomic Habits) talks about. By optimising my space, small increments at a time, I am setting myself up for a smoother journey.

Where do you start?

• A little habit that seems to help me a lot is to sort one drawer (or one shelf in a cupboard) at a time. Knowing that you only need to sort out one little (digestible) piece of chaos for the day feels easy and in return energises you. The small wins over time add up and you do not only gain momentum towards your goal, you start enjoying the process more – in fact you’ll soon find yourself adding an extra shelf or drawer a day.
• Another easy win is to let something go each time you bring something new into your home. I like to make sure it’s a similar item. If I buy myself a new pair of shoes, I have to let an old pair go… Assuming that you already have (more than) enough shoes in your cupboard. This is EXTREMELY difficult when it gets to my art supplies… You’ll probably judge me when you visit my studio 🙂
• The best advice is probably not to buy stuff – at least not unnecessary things that just clutters your cupboards and house. Have you seen the movie Buy More? It made me rethink my buying habits. Before any purchase I ask myself:
  • Do I really need this?
  • Do I already own something similar that can do the job?
  • Do I really love this product and is it going to give me joy if I own it?
• Make your space practical and make it work for you. Is your dining room, for example, just another room that nobody uses, but is a place where clutter gathers? Flat areas, like tables, have a tendency to become a dumping ground of all sorts of crap if not in use. Why don’t you convert it into a study or mini library… Or anything else that will serve you and fit into your lifestyle. Why are we so stuck on the traditional configuration of our homes? Even if it doesn’t work for us? My husband and I love moving rooms around. Today’s dining room might be tomorrow’s living room. Not only makes it our home practical and a space that we fully use, it adds a positive energy to the whole place.
• Open the windows, clean your bathroom and make your bed first thing in the morning. I know this sounds silly, but it’s (Japanese) habits that really have an impact on your emotional wellbeing. Many successful people have spoken en wrote about some or all of these.

There’s probably many more habits and ideas we can add here, but I vowed (to myself) to keep these posts short – and hopefully valid.

If you want to explore more habits that will help you, here’s a great video by Gabe Bult… There’s wonderful ideas – even if you’re not into Minimalism.