Instagram and Pinterest are full of minimalist lifestyle accounts. Although that fact isn’t surprising—living sustainably is important—minimalism is not new. In fact, other cultures have practiced this way of life for years.

Real minimalism is diverse

A recent piece in the Pacific Standard presents the fact that most Insta-famous modern minimalists are white or East Asian. However, this is quite a strange reality, considering that “various communities of color fashion a lifestyle off of living with few possessions,” reports the Standard.

In addition to its cultural limitations, pop minimalism often makes this traditionally poverty-based lifestyle look glamorous. So, the Standard points out that, essentially, the main thing that differs between the modern minimalist movement and historical minimalism is choice.

“Though people of color have been practicing core principles of minimalism for generations, their lifestyle often resulted from poverty, classism, and racism,” reports the Standard.

“In the U.S., redlining helped create communities colloquially called ‘ghettos’. With nowhere else to live, communities of color, and particularly black people, had no choice but to reside in communities that were significantly underdeveloped compared to the housing communities that white families lived in.”

Diverse modern minimalists to follow

The following people practice the minimalist lifestyle for various reasons. Some of them grew up minimalist homes. And others chose to live in a minimalist manner to help better their lives.

Milana Perepyolkina

Milana Perepyolkina, author, explains that her experience with minimalism stems from her culture; she’s Romani. “I moved to the U.S. from Russia to study in college with two bags. My pillow was in the first bag. [And] a cup with a spoon, a dictionary, and some clothes in the second,” says Perepyolkina.

“Romani have traveled in a small wagon for centuries. All family possessions were in this small wagon. Every possession mattered and had a history.”

Lillian Daniels

Lillian Daniels, founder of The Bali Bead Necklace, says her brand of minimalism focuses on having a high concentration of a few things that fuel her joy and vitality. “This may be different from person to person,” says Daniels, “[but] to me, [it] is managing key resources.” She adds that she truly values and is influenced by her family, friends, good health, and being a woman.

So, Daniels creation, The Bali Bead Necklace, is a physical manifestation of minimalism. “It can be worn with anything and allows you [the wearer] to truly be the multifaceted person you are.”

Roe Cummings and E Johnson

Roe Cummings, a creative intentional-living advocate, and E Johnson live in a small home—it’s 800-square-feet—in the Bay Area.

Cummings began living small after recognizing that her low-self esteem and confused self-identity were fueling her buying binge cycles. E Johnson says he’s always lived a minimalist lifestyle; he grew up poor. So, “his background has added to the richness of how he and Cummings interact with the [minimalism] movement and interpret it for their own lives,” reports the Standard.

Nneka Okona

Nneka Okona, a food and travel writer, chose to embrace minimalism after a move from America to Madrid in 2013. So, for the move, Okona could only fit her possessions in a few suitcases.

After reducing her things, she felt much better. “I see minimalism as a journey into releasing past baggage and attachments in order to feel freer and lighter,” adds Okona.

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Simplify the capsule wardrobe process with Cladwell, an app designed to take the clothing you already own and present new outfit possibilities.

Flinging open my closet doors reveals an army of clothes, diligently waiting like good little soldiers, stacked tightly side-by-side in my tiny reach-in closet, waiting for me to choose. Except, the seemingly endless supply of tops and bottoms means that many of those pieces will be waiting, and waiting, and waiting for their turn. That’s because a once-over of my closet usually leaves me feeling overwhelmed by the variety, causing me to continuously wear the same things, or spend too much time working really hard at putting together a “special” outfit.

With a solid 100 articles of clothing in my closet, and at least 20 pairs of shoes, I’m what you might call the “perfect candidate” for adopting a capsule wardrobe using the Cladwell app.

Whether you’re baffled with the challenges of wardrobe decision-making, overcome with closet clutter, trying to cut down on needless spending, or just looking for a way to create a more conscious collection of clothes, then a capsule wardrobe is the way to go. And if the thought of decluttering your closet by paring down the selection to a scant 30 to 40 or so pieces scares you, you’re not alone. The anxiety that accompanies taking the capsule wardrobe plunge is completely natural, but with Cladwell you’re actually able to track what you wear the most, so you don’t accidentally banish treasured pieces.

A personal fashion crisis, coupled with his affinity for the Mint.com financial app, served as Blake Smith’s inspiration for creating Cladwell. The hedge fund analyst turned entertainment recruiter turned minimalist fashion expert arrived at his destination somewhat serendipitously after spending a lot of time traveling for his former career. The demanding schedule, coupled with hotel hopping and the pressure to look his best when meeting with Hollywood clients, meant his travel wardrobe needed to be tip-top. That’s when he remembered the ease of the Mint.com app and longed for a comparable personal stylist app that took the decision making and guesswork out of the fashion conundrum equation.

Similar to the Cladwell app, Smith’s approach to being interviewed is rhetorical in style, often using his words to make a statement, as opposed to funneling information in a meaningless way. Straight and to the point, when asked what it is about a capsule wardrobe that he likes so much, Smith responded, “What is it about overconsumption that our world likes so much?” Believing it’s important to search within when it comes to assembling a capsule wardrobe, he went on to point out that the ideas “How do I live? And how do I dress for how I live?” are two very important self-reflection questions required to be successful when transforming one’s closet.

Smith believes Cladwell is ideal for the young professional whose “appearance matters in their work life, as well as in their social life,” pointing out that “the average woman spends 15 minutes deciding what to wear.” For a busy working person, whether the demands come from school, family, or professional avenues, spending that kind of time on just choosing an outfit (I know I can easily go beyond that), is totally wasteful. With Cladwell, the time and frustration (oh, hello bazillions of hangers and clothes now strewn all over my bed) can be drastically reduced.

To those who are shopping and fast-fashion addicted, there’s hope for you yet! You see, even Smith knows there’s a way to appeal to serial shoppers, and that’s with novelty. By posing the question, “Hey, have you ever thought about wearing that item in a different way?” Cladwell is capable of competing with the “sense of novelty,” as Smith puts it, by offering daily inspiration for its users.

After signing up and subscribing for a nominal (totally worth it) fee, sifting through the app’s clothing selection, and choosing the items that look similar to those you already own, Cladwell sends you push notifications every morning with outfit suggestions based on what you have in your closet, what you’ve already worn, and the local weather. As for wearing the same thing many different ways, it’s as simple as selecting the item from the menu, like a t-shirt or blazer, and a variety of exhaustive styling options will be at your fingertips.

These aren’t just random ideas thrown together, either. Cladwell’s team of stylists work behind the scenes to create realistic and fashion-forward options for maintaining a capsule wardrobe. Additionally, when you are ready to shop, the app helps you make responsible purchases, by allowing you to test what you might purchase against what you already own.

Currently, the app is only available for iOS users, but when asked about the possibility of an android compatible app, Smith replied, “I’m not supposed to make promises on this, but it is one of the next things on our roadmap, so I would expect that in the coming year we will have android live, as well.”

Well, Blake, I’m holding you to it, because I’m more than ready to cut back on clutter and take the guesswork out of what to wear. Until then, my closet and I will be patiently waiting.

Related on EcoSalon

5 Modern Minimalist Fashion Looks: Friday Finds
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The Capsule Wardrobe Movement: Should You Wear the Same Thing Every Day?

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Minimalist fashion is all about combining simplicity with style. These looks may rely on basics, but the clean lines, modern silhouettes, and fashion-forward ideals are always on trend.

Great for those who like to keep their appearance clean, fuss-free, and interchangeable, these pieces will meet all of those needs and more. Whether you adhere to casual minimalism all the time, or you prefer to dabble in less-is-more and mix up your style every now and then, this list has universal appeal.

1. Gauzy Knotted Tunic

This must-have spring and summer layering piece will take you from day to night in a snap. There are several ways this versatile tunic can be worn, including in business casual work settings. The sheer, gauzy style is perfect for layering over a bikini or one piece while poolside, or for hitting up a beachside lounge with a pair of heels and a body slip tucked underneath. Or, knot the front of the tunic and pair it with sleek slacks and a solid tank for the office. Priced at $88.

2. Sleek V-Wire Bodysuit

Bodysuits are a minimalist’s dream. Throw on one of these babies and some bottoms and you’re ready to head out the door. Heck, you don’t even need a pair of undies! This bodysuit in particular is sleek, chic, and follows some of today’s popular trends. The cold shoulder feature and the V-front notch are subtle, yet sexy, details that bring this bodysuit into the 21st century. Pair with shorts, skirts, jeans, and trousers for plenty of simple mix-and-match looks. Priced at $44.

3. Casual Hooded Romper

Sporty and laid-back, this casual romper is super cool. Pair with your favorite sneakers or flatforms and a tank, bandeau top, sports bra, or t-shirt, and you’ve got the perfect outfit for warm weather lounging. You could even throw this piece on over a bathing suit for an impromptu swim in the pool. The hoodie and pockets add enough interesting detail without destroying the simplicity of the overall look. This is definitely casual minimalist fashion at its best! Priced at $98.

4. Cool Linen Shirtdress

Linen should be the fabric mascot for spring and summer. Lightweight, breathable, washable, and flattering, like this simple shirtdress, linen has a lot going for it. Combining the two creates a super wardrobe staple that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without. This dress is perfect for casual outings and weekend jaunts. The lived-in blue goes with so much, while the length and cut are just right. Pair with open-toe mules, aviators, and a sleek, low bun for the perfect minimalist fashion look. Priced at $69.

5. Simple Drawstring Playsuit

Looking for a casual piece that you’ll practically live in all spring and summer? This playsuit (that also happens to be sustainable) is definitely the answer. Great for tossing on over a bikini and a pair of sandals, or for wearing with a cardigan and wedge espadrilles, you’ll find many uses for this romper. Whether you wear it out, or around the house, this one piece you won’t want to take off anytime soon. Priced at $58.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

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Do we really believe in minimalist living or do we just like how cool the concept looks?

A friend forwarded me an image recently that someone had pinned on Pinterest. The caption read: “Cute shack!”

The image was in fact a shack. Like a Depression-era Hooverville shack. The kind that someone, somewhere in the world probably lives in, with very little money and very little access to the necessities for living. But on a blank, white background, removed from the realities of its actual setting it could only be one thing: cute. Quaint. Rustic. The perfect setting for a photo shoot with neutral colored clothing and models holding steaming mugs of coffee while wrapped in wool blankets.

In an oversized world, we have tried (often forced) to downsize, and our efforts are commendable; McMansions are simply ridiculous any way you look at them. But we’ve also come to over-romanticize small and minimalist living, the majority of us continuing to live in multi-thousand square foot homes where the only thing minimal about our space is the design magazine that lies on the coffee table. We love minimalist living for the image and the image only.

Tell me: how many “Check Out This Gorgeous Tiny Kitchen!” articles have you seen lately? Our minimalist living obsession is at an all time high. But while the obsession is there, the practice isn’t. We hoard. We buy more stuff. In an effort to downsize, we buy a new couch and rug and tell ourselves it will help de-clutter our space.

Our connection to minimalist living has gone haywire, in which small spaces are idealized but no one has them, and shabby chic makes the well-off yearn for a second (or third) home (it’s ok because it’s small!) that someone in a different socio-economic status would be happy to call their primary address.

The reality of small living: it’s really hard. It takes work. It means sacrificing certain things. Like a couch.

I have a lot of respect for people who live in tiny houses. Have you ever tried to have your living, eating, sleeping and work space essentially all in the same area? Your college dorm room doesn’t count.

Some people live in small spaces by choice, and some people live in small spaces because it’s their only option. Both of them should be reminders that we can live with less. A reminder that we should take to heart, not just take a photo of and put it on our mood board for inspiration.

I read an article in a lifestyle magazine (I won’t say which one) about downsizing. It profiled a couple that went from a very large house to a slightly smaller loft space. A loft space with high ceilings and a floor plan to make anyone drool. Now granted, choosing this loft space certainly made the couple give up some square footage. They had to get rid of a few things. But ultimately, this was nowhere near small living.

What do we do about our problematic obsession? Change it from obsession to action.

If we want to truly downsize and live lifestyles where we consume less, then we actually have to downsize. Talk does not cook rice and pinning small kitchens on Pinterest does not make you a tiny space dweller. You don’t need an interior decorator to tell you how to maximize your space. You just need to do it.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: cjuneau

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Small kitchen? No problem. 

Table covered in mixing bowls, two pots boiling, one thing on the verge of burning in the oven, a dish almost just tipped over and fell into the sink, and how the hell did all of the counter space get covered in vegetable peelings? Sound familiar?

If you are cooking in a small kitchen you are not alone.

If we are to believe the glossies, everyone except for ourselves is working in a thousand square feet of clean granite and aluminum bliss. Oh, and they have professional stoves too. Not that crappy electric thing from the late ’80s that your landlord installed to save money. But don’t feel bad, despite what the food blogs might have you think, not everyone is cooking in a glamorous kitchen.

In fact, you can cook on something as simple as a camp stove, which makes the excuse “I don’t have the right set up” a moot point. Forget the creme brulee torch and the bread maker, as the food savvy Mark Bittman puts it, the essentials for a kitchen really are, “a stove, a sink, a refrigerator, some pots and pans, a knife and some serving spoons.”

Succeeding in a small kitchen space just takes a little work.

1. Do Your Dishes

I have found that the main trick to feeling good about cooking in a small space after all the cooking has taken place, is that your surroundings are still fairly organized. This takes practice. In preparing a brunch for four people recently where there was only one main dish, I did the dishes three times. Mixing bowls, measuring spoons, graters, utensils used to stir… don’t leave it until the cooking is all finished.

2. Get Rid of What You Don’t Need

Your wardrobe isn’t the only place you should be minimizing. Take stock of what you own and what’s just excess. That tray your grandmother gave is a nice vintage item, but when was the last time you actually used it? If it’s not something you use regularly, or at least on nice occasions (we all have the right to some fancier champagne glasses, even in a tiny space) then get rid of it.

3. Invest in Quality

It may sound like the advice of your mother, but there really is something to be said for having quality tools on hand in your cooking space. Build up a core stock of kitchen utensils that you know will last and serve you well. Think twice before buying new things for the kitchen. Can you do more than one thing with it? A cast iron frying pan can be used for more than just omelets. And a Cuisinart may just change your life.

4. Get Creative

That cutting board? Also works great as a cheese platter. The cheese grater? Perfect for when you don’t own a garlic press. Just like basic food items can be multipurpose, so can most of the stuff in your kitchen. If you don’t have the exact dish or item you think you need, look around, there’s probably something that will work instead.

5. Plan Before You Cook

If you are cooking in a small space, the term “think before you act” is well worth some contemplation. Just like cooking a good meal takes some planning, cooking a meal in a tiny space takes even more. Think about how to maximize on your dishes, where you can do two jobs at once, and what order will minimize dishes, vegetable peelings, and stress.

Image: Anton Novoselov

The post Tiny Kitchen Living: 5 Tips for Cooking in a Small Space appeared first on EcoSalon.

At New York Fashion Week, Suzanne Rae presents a new, minimalistic take on feminine beauty.

Initially inspired by Francesca Woodman’s photography, Suzanne Rae‘s collection for spring/summer 2013 “explores a woman’s curious ability to be both delicate and strong.”

“Pairing this with minimalism, which often carries masculine overtones” the designer says, “the collection seeks a balance, reflecting a more progressive and less conventional expression of femininity.”

The collection, which premiered during New York Fashion Week yesterday, at the Philippine Center in Manhattan, seems to be a return to basics for Suzanne Rae. The color palette was restrained and featured low-key neutrals, like we’ve seen in the collections of many other designers this fashion week. Soft hues of light and dark gray, off-white and khaki were complemented with gorgeously nuanced shades of gold and blue. It all seemed to signal a return to beauty in fashion.

Materials ranging from soft silks and knits to stiff cotton and linen were mixed to create textural interest while maintaining a long and flowy silhouette. The show was styled by Lotte Sindahl, with bold accessories by WXYZ Jewelry (including amazing Egyptian inspired collar necklaces) and shows by Solestruck and Ma Petit Shoe.

In all, the collection represented a return to wearable basics in beautiful colors and materials.

We also took a peek backstage after the show:

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A round-up of what we’re reading right now. 

Because you should never be without a to-go cup: now you can make your own from a mason jar. Just make sure you use a reusable straw. [Via Fine and Feathered]

It’s back-to-school season, but what does education look like in the rest of the world? This portrait slideshow takes us into classrooms from around the globe. [Via Brain Pickings]

Summer isn’t over until the fall equinox, and this healthy Mint Mojito Smoothie might just be the afternoon reminder that you need to embrace the late season. [Via Well+Good NYC]

Movies can be educational, which is why someone came up with this list of Lifetime movies for Republicans who don’t understand rape. [Via The Cut]

Minimalism is on trend right now. Even for Kuwaitis. [Via Dezeen]

Your drinking habits depend on the shape of your glass. [Via The Atlantic]

Our new dream house? A converted barn in France. [Via The Style Files]

On average, Americans eat 200 pounds of meat a year. That’s not just bad for our health, it’s also fueling the water crisis. [Via Mother Jones]

Trying to figure out how to live better in small spaces? You need the Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Feng Shui. [Via Greatist]

Image: Fine and Feathered

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Mid-century modern gets minimized.

Before going any further, a disclaimer: we are not on the verge of writing about dollhouses. These are mini modernist manses and mid-century inspired miniatures we’re blogging about here, a tribute to those of us who cannot afford and/or agree with our spouses on acquiring the full-size Saarinen we love so dear.

Thanks to the internet, we’ve been able to tap into the minds, closets and, okay, “dollhouses” of a different sort of design devotee to bring you 20 examples of mini-modernism at its most minimal (in stature), divided into two sections: architecture and furnishings. But remember, these are not dollhouses in the traditional sense. The mini-modernists that build and most probably obsess over them favor clean lines over opulent Victorian and streamlined interiors to stately Tudor. They strive to bring the Vitra back, put some Le Corbusier into it and infuse a little Eames into the drab of everyday.

For that we say, play on.

Architecture:

The Kaleidoscope House (also pictured above)

For mini-modernists, this out-of-issue toy house from the now-defunct Bozart Toys is, like, Graceland. Designed by architect Peter Wheelwright and artist Laurie Simmons in 2001, the collector’s item now sells for up to thousands of dollars.

The Edward House

Also covetable, the Edward House from brinca dada inspired by Neutra’s Kaufmann House and Gary Cooper’s home designed by A. Quincy Jones. Features glass corners, minimalist cut stone fireplace, hardwood floors, open floor plan and floor-to-ceiling windows. It bears mentioning that the mini-modernist abode is crafted with eco-friendly woods and non-toxic, lead-free paints.

The Bennett House

A truly tricked out miniature dream house that was influenced by the De Stijl movement of the early 20th century. The Bennett House is also a tribute to the Rietveld’s Schröder House. Referencing the iconic dutch structure, Architect Tim Boyle, who designed the mini-house, explains: “Townhouses are typically a stack of floors with a few windows on each floor, and no inside/outside relationship. I prefer architecture that reveals structure and engineering, hence windows extend past floors to show the weight and thickness of the structure.”

The Dylan House

For over twenty years, the Vitra Design Museum’s Miniatures Collection has been creating mini replicas of milestones in furniture design, so it is only appropriate that we kick off our itty bitty interiors with the most iconic piece of furniture of all time: the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman in 1:6 scale. Yours for just $630, a fraction of the grown up cost.

The Zig Zag Stoel

Also from the Vitra Design Museum, the Zig zag stoel by Gerrit T. Rietveld. We’ll let the museum explain: “Rietveld takes up Mart Stam’s idea for a cantilevered chair (1926) and makes formal references to the Sitzgeiststuhl of the brothers Heinz and Bodo Rasch (1927).” Admired as a synthesis of form, function and construction, the Zig zag stoel is a mini-must for the serious collector.

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Today’s consumer is playing striptease with their packaging: how minimal can you go?

Trending right now in package design is minimalism: clean, simple, graphic-free, often recyclable packaging for our daily essentials. By virtue of being minimalist – listing only the need-to-know basics – a new generation of designers is recognizing that the less distraction they put on the outside of a product gives consumers greater license to become more engaged with what’s on the inside.

Brands that rely on minimalism to sell their wares assume the best about us: that we can make informed decisions without the influence of swirling rainbows and fairy dust. Here are seven household brands and concepts that use the simple kind of straightforward, minimalist packaging we can’t wait to see on a shelf near us.

NEVET (Hebrew for “sprout”) is a conceptual company that manufactures DIY home growing hydroponic kits, the idea being that you can grow your own edible plants when the going gets tough, or the produce gets too expensive. The concept and minimalist packaging was designed by Israeli college student Or Smarli.

Egg Box recreates the egg crate in as minimalist of a way as possible without compromising functionality, by Budapest-based designer Otília Andrea Erdélyi.

The packaging for BluePrintJuice (check for availability here) was designed by Doubleday and Cartwright, listing simply the ingredients in a boldly contrasting font offset against (you got it) blue print. Minimalist food packaging at its best.

The Origami Food Box, designed by Michealle Lee for an eatery in Manila, Philippines called Guactruck, is meant to resemble a bud that blossoms into a flower. The minimalist packaging uses only one piece of paperboard with no glue or plastic.

Red or White was designed by Peter Bankov and Julia Nevstrueva of Design Depot to take the guesswork out of distinguishing between French, Italian or Spanish wine, whittling the choice down to a Good White or Good Red.

Designed by Australian student Lesley Morris for a conceptual boutique tissue, toilet paper and sanitary product company called dryer*, the packaging itself is meant to create brand desirability particularly for the fashion conscious consumer or perfect minimalist out to spruce up a gray palette.

UK designer Ruth Pearson came up with this packaging concept for Tesco, for when a bean is really just a bean.

Image: Antrepo

The post Pared Down Packaging for the Minimalist Obsessed appeared first on EcoSalon.

A place for everything and everything in its place…really?

An interesting tidbit: not only is containerize a verb (to pack in containers or ship by containerization, of course) but it’s a mid-century word possibly invented to meet the growing popularity of the suburban Tupperware party.

Many promises were made during the heyday of the Tupperware business model of the 50s and 60s: airtight freshness, careers for women, organization for life. In subsequent decades, though, two factors burst Tupperware’s hermetically burpable seal: first, the party scheme was responsible for ushering in the Mary Kay get-together and Amway pyramid (for some, everything is for sale…even friendship); secondly, the myth that the key to familial bliss was an organized cupboard.

The myth is not dead, of course, even in light of today’s marriage statistics. Rather, it has evolved (and multiplied) – out of the cupboard and into our living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, medicine cabinets, underwear drawers, and beyond. Perpetuated by the likes of HGTV, the Container Store and Peter Walsh, here are seven myths we’ve come to believe about a containerized lifestyle.

Are you drinking the Kool-Aid? More importantly, is it labeled and color-coordinated?

Myth #1: A New Bin Will Fix…Everything!

Clear plastic or neon bins carry with them the prospect of an organized life, one in which the bills are always paid on time and days unfold in containable, sterilized batches of predictability. If only our sanity could be containerized like storage.

Remember: acquiring more bins than you need will leave you “Bin Laden” and we all know how that story ends.

Myth #2: I Don’t Have Enough Room

Now you’re just being negative. Before overpopulating the housing market in a bid to acquire even more storage space, source out underused nooks and crannys in the house you’ve already got.

Plastic bins aren’t always the answer; consider shelving in your future.

Myth #3: Storage $olutions Don’t Come Cheap

This is why you spend so much money at Target. You could look for cheaper storage solutions at the dollar store (the threat of becoming Bin Laden lurks here too). Or containerize responsibly with reused containers and baskets.

Who says storage has to be transparent, neon or pretty? It just has to function.

Myth #4: My Space is Too Full

So…what: you need more storage?

This brand of optimism is best reserved for glasses of water. When your physical environs spill over into “full” that’s probably because you have too much stuff. Being the optimist that you are, you might have purchased this excess stuff optimistically from HSN.

A garlic dicer will not simplify your life, it will clutter it. The same goes for more storage.

Myth #5: Containerizing Will Lead to a Debt Free Lifestyle

This is related to #4 above, except that you either learned this on a morning talk show or read it in the grocery check-out line. Did you notice the advertisements between the pages and during the commercial breaks?

Avoiding the Container Store will lead to a debt free lifestyle. Buying less stuff will guarantee it.

Myth #6: I’ll Become More Efficient if I Containerize

Stores like Staples and Office Depot exist solely for the purpose of perpetuating this myth. The reason you haven’t written your first novel is not for lack of desktop organization. It’s because Office Max is selling you too many writing blocks (and paperweights, pencil holders, folders, etc.).

Myth #7: Containerizing Will Make My Space a Cleaner Place

Au contraire: containerizing according to any of the myths above will not make your life more organized, efficient, successful, full – not even clean and/or sterilized.

Instead it will turn you into your worst nightmare: a hoarder.

Images: Rubbermaid Products; Baby Center; Krissy Venosdale; Matthew Moss

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