I’m A Terrible Minimalist

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I have an Earth Day confession. I’m a terrible minimalist. For as long as I can remember in my adult life, I’ve been “decluttering.” 

April and Earth Day are AMAZING right?! We’re all feeling good about volunteering or picking up litter or planting a tree… or maybe we do none of those things but give it the old college try with a Google on how to recycle those Capri Sun juice pouches or the waxed over juice cartons…?

(Bad news: foil-lined pouches aren’t currently recyclable in Franklin County per SWACO, but TerraCycle can help w/ that! The juice cartons that are like bone broth, or almond milk; those types ARE recyclable through Franklin County – Rumpke and SWACO… #mmk) 

Yet here I am, sitting in my house wondering why we’re still unpacking and DECLUTTERING boxes from our October 2017 move. I could use Marie Kondo rn but then I don’t want the guilt of knowing all these boxes went to the landfill. (Just learned Goodwill and other donation centers are swamped and can’t turn over or use all of the donations so they have a process for what they can’t use, such as donating textiles to be reused for housing insulation – cool!…) Now, whether it’s well-meaning relatives bringing too much into our house, or the societal pressures to buy all the things all the time – I’ve come to the realization that I don’t want to fight that battle anymore. My solution? Intentional purchases.

Grocery shopping has become an event that either happens only when I’m certain I’m not hangry (which inevitably leads to me buying the most random things?! Anything and everything sounds delicious when hangry at Giant Eagle).. or I do the pickup service. Whether we are buying birthday party gifts, or kids clothes because they’ve gone through yet another growth spurt: I’ve changed my perspective. 

Thrift shopping is fun again (hello, have you checked out the curated shops around town? Marigold Curated in Clintonville and there are others! They exist and they’re actually super cute!) I no longer shop for fun or to fill my time. I still find myself in autopilot sometimes, driving to Target for no reason. Yes, their cute inventory makes me OH SO HAPPY, but if I’m unlearning that bad habit. I’m going to prioritize my time and my family’s financial health. I don’t want to spend frivolously anymore to equal temporary happiness.

In short: I might have been a bad minimalist for the past two-plus decades, (lol whoops) but the future is looking much greener. Call it intentional, call it mindful, call it putting mama’s needs first, whatever you want to call it, but saying no never felt so good. As a mom we hear it all the time: “don’t lose yourself, you can’t take care of your family if you don’t take care of yourself first…” 

Well, I’m accomplishing multiple goals now with intentional purchasing. It is a domino effect. With all that green I’m saving, I can support important things like the arts (yasss Hamilton and Aladdin were amazing this season at the Ohio Theatre) which make me happy and in turn makes me a nicer mom and wife when I’m singing off key and having a silly dance party in the kitchen with my kids. They aren’t embarrassed by me YET so I’ve got to soak up all these moments while I still am able. 

“A whole new worrrrrld” 

“That would be enough…” 

“Don’t want to miss my shot…” 

Now I’ve got plenty of Broadway songs to get me through the day while I declutter these storage boxes and research local donation centers. Happy Earth Day!! 

 

About Christy Walters:

Christy is a Cincinnati native who met her husband (an Upper Arlington native) while they both attended Miami University – Go Redhawks!  When Christy isn’t running her new business, Reuse Revolution, she can be found cheering her two boys on at their tee ball, soccer, and flag football games, catching up with girlfriends at monthly Bunco, or obsessing over her ever-growing collection of succulents and plant babies.