Simplicity

Most of you know, I love organising, decluttering + tidying.

Last month I started with my wardrobe + personal style, and it ended up flowing into pretty much every area of my life.

I cleanse + clear throughout the year – not just in spring.
But this one felt different.

I was able to take a step back + actually look at cycles I’ve been deeply in.

One of the revelations was that I might tick many boxes of being a minimalist…
but I’m actually just very good at letting go of stuff.

The problem lies in consuming again to fill the space.

If I hadn’t been doing these regular clear-outs, the amount I’ve consumed over the years would be a LOT.

What I’ve been clearing out

Wardrobe
I cleared out about 80% of my wardrobe. During the sorting phase, I told myself I’d need to buy lots of things to fill the gaps…
but when I finished, I really didn’t.

And when I did buy things (after lots of thought), I ended up returning most of them.

Camera roll
When we used film, we were more intentional. Now we take 20 photos of the same thing.
I deleted duplicates and stopped taking photos I wouldn’t actually want to print.

Subscriptions + content
I’ve unfollowed and unsubscribed from brands. I know where to find them – I don’t need to be sold to every single day (and now even via text).

Spotify + podcasts
So many half-listened audiobooks, podcast episodes, endless recommendations…
We can only read + listen to one thing at a time.
I got so overstimulated I didn’t want to listen to anything.

The realisation

It brought me to this bigger idea…

We’re not just consuming “stuff”.
We’re consuming in all areas of our lives.

Content.
Information.
Opinions.
Noise.

And it’s constant.

A bit of honesty

I’ve always seen myself as organised, tidy, minimal.

But looking underneath that…

I’ve still been over-consuming.
Just in a quieter way.

Clearing, decluttering, resetting…
and then buying more to replace it.

Maintaining the feeling of minimalism – while still being in the cycle.

And honestly, I feel like I tricked myself a little.

Responsibility

This also made me reflect on my role in my business.

The content I’ve created.
The ways I may have contributed to consumption – without even realising.

Even when something isn’t directly “selling”, it can still influence us to want more, buy more, feel like we need more.

So I’ve made changes.

I’ve removed brand pages from my website.
Deleted content that contributed to that noise.
Stopped vlogging.

Not from regret – but from responsibility.

Modern life + consumption

It feels like this has slowly crept up on us.

I find myself reminiscing about simpler times…
fewer choices, fewer inputs.

Now it’s constant.

And it’s not just consumption.
It’s the volume.

Instagram now feels like QVC.
Brands, influencers, “you need this” videos constantly.

$1600 morning routines…yes, these videos exist!

Your morning routine doesn’t need to cost anything to be impactful.

It’s overwhelming

Before we’ve even tried something, we feel like we need to buy something to do it “properly”.

Journaling is a good example.

We don’t need a £20 journal to begin.
A piece of paper has always been enough.

But now there are so many options, it becomes overwhelming… and sometimes we don’t begin at all.

The cost

Life has become expensive to maintain.

Not just financially –
but energetically, mentally, emotionally.

And also environmentally.

This level of consumption comes with hidden costs.
To the environment.
To people – through labour and working conditions.

It’s easy to feel disconnected from that…
but it’s all part of the same cycle.

If it costs your peace, it’s too expensive.

So what’s the shift?

Simplifying.

Coming back to basics.
Uncomplicating what we’ve unintentionally made complicated.

What I’m practising

– Systems to reduce overconsumption (otherwise we stay in the cycle)
– Being aware of when I’m being sold to
– De-influencing content (this has genuinely changed my mindset)
– Practising non-attachment (aparigraha)
– Clearing + learning from what I release (saucha)
– Meditation to create space + pause
– Journaling: why am I reaching for more?
– Tracking spending, time, energy (including phone use)
– Reflecting on “regret buys” (without judgement)
– Simplifying routines – the basics are often enough

A few reframes

Cheap things can still be expensive.
Free things can still be expensive.

Because everything has a cost –
your time, your energy, your attention, your peace.

Coming back to enough

Stuff doesn’t equal abundance.

Look around your life – there are likely things you once really wanted.

When we reconnect with that…
we reconnect with a sense of enough.

(Not to stay stuck in what doesn’t serve you – but to recognise what does.)

Uncomplicating

I’ve even found myself simplifying things inside the Inspired Club this month.

Coming back to the basics.
Simple flows, grounding practices, space to pause.

There’s something really powerful in the simplicity of a Sun Salutation.
In resting with your legs up the wall for a meditation.

There’s something really beautiful about not overcomplicating it.

Closing

Maybe it’s not that we need more.

Maybe we’ve just been given too much.

Simplicity isn’t about taking everything away.

It’s about creating space.
Reducing the noise.
Choosing what actually matters.

And coming back to enough.