Fresh 2019: An Introduction to Minimalism (and how it applies to addiction!)

Minimalism teaches us to let go. Learning how to live with significantly less is a self-teaching method that will spill over into everything else in life. It doesn’t mean we cannot have things, it means that we keep what really matters and throw awa…

2019 is the year of FRESH for Grey Ministries. You may have noticed (but probably didn’t) that each year, I’ve adopted a new theme:

2016 was, “Be Still”
2017 was the year of hope
2018 was all about those boundaries
2019 is going to be FRESH! Not fresh like attitude, not the Fresh Prince of Bel Air (I mean, but our lives did get flip-twisted upside down) but fresh as in clean. Fresh air. Fresh smell. Fresh perspective.

I’ve written about minimalism before, but this is why I think it’s so great for women with loved ones who struggle with addiction:

Minimalism teaches us to let go. Learning how to live with significantly less is a self-teaching method that will spill over into everything else in life. It doesn’t mean we cannot have things, it means that we keep what really matters and throw away everything that doesn’t. We teach ourselves to let go physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
The last thing we need is more to do. They say that the state of one’s home is a picture of their emotional state- messy house, messy mind. I think it’s SO true. But sometimes, there is too much stuff to keep it clean and tidy! So we spend all our time cleaning, doing laundry, picking up after children, doing dishes- that’s not a life. Who wants to work all day and spend all night being a maid? Or spend all day being a maid and have to work at night? No. We have enough on our plates. Clutter doesn’t need to be another thing.
It gets us fresh. When we get rid of the old, we make room for the new. The same happens in our emotional lives; maybe that’s a new us, a new version of our loved ones, or a new start. Having everything around us clean and meaningful, it will really help us to feel stronger and more empowered.
It can free up money. Now, on this journey, I am probably going to recommend some very expensive things but hey, that’s alright. It’s not a journey to be thrifty, although a lot of minimalists are also sustainable fashion shoppers and thrifters which means they save a BUNDLE of money, but we are going to buy less. A lot less. Like, nothing, unless it adds value to our lives (or closets).
It’s excellent self-discipline. We can get very caught up in the chaos of our loved one’s addiction and teaching ourselves to be trained and disciplined like an emotional Bruce Lee will only help us in the long run. We need to practice being in control of ourselves and our lives but the only way we can do that is by focusing on ourselves and what we can manage first. In 2018 we learned that boundaries are about us and our needs, not about trying to get other people to do what we want.

As with all things I do (have you noticed I change gears a lot?!) this could change, but as of right now, I’m going to try and attack one subject per month to take you on my personal journey to clean out my life, and I hope you’ll do it with me! Yes, that means we’re going to clean out my closet together, I’m going to show you my messy attic where my cat hangs out for all the hours my children are awake and eventually, we will get to the emotional closets, too.

I heard from The Scandinavian Stylist on Instagram that you should always make yourself a minimalist before you go attacking your husband or children’s things, ahem, so I attempted to start with my own belongings and the baby’s (because what does she care!) first, but it didn’t happen.

Their closets were so much easier! Now, they’re all well-dressed and super cute. In the morning, they get ready in a flash because there are so few options and the laundry is (more) done than it ever has been. Me? Well, I’m currently sitting here with no makeup on, my hair three-days-dirty, nope, four, in my pajamas wearing pajama pants that I might have worn all day yesterday. Maybe. Don’t judge me. :)

I get asked a lot how I “do it all!” and the secret is: no one can do it all. One area, somewhere, always falls short.

Simplifying life for the busy mom, letting go of emotional baggage and bringing peace to the household? It’s a no-brainer.

Here’s the proposed Fresh 2019 schedule:

January: “Fresh Fashion” - We are going minimal with winter clothing, building capsule wardrobes and self-confidence.

February: “Fresh Face” - We’re going minimal in the bathroom with makeup and skincare and doing away with old perspectives.

March: “Fresh Feeling” - Going through our spring wardrobes and goal-setting for our year.

April: “Fresh Adventure” - We’re going minimal for vacation and letting ourselves dream (because I’m off to Europe!).

May: “Fresh Foodie” - Cleaning out food cupboards, cooking with less and addressing how food affects our health.

June: “Fresh Air” - Learning to love the simple things in life by going minimal in our garages, kid’s toys and outdoor activities

July: go minimal with the children’s gear & toys

August: go minimal with home decor

September: check-in with fall wardrobe from last year/wardrobe transition

October: go minimal with books and office supplies

November: go minimal and simplify Bible study and Christian habits (ah, we finally get there!)

December: go minimal with Christmas gifts and decorations

I started pre-recording videos in 2018, because life is crazy in my house, but I’ll be on Instagram and Facebook checking in on you as we go through this Fresh journey together!