Minimalist Tips to Create a Zen Living Space

Minimalist Tips to Create a Zen Living Space

Have you ever noticed how wonderful it feels to stay in a nice hotel or vacation rental? Two of the major reasons most people love to get away is the minimalistic décor, along with a bag packed with their favorite outfits and only a few necessary toiletries. You’re leaving all your burdens at home to sleep in a room as neat as a pin. Showering in a bath that has a vanity housing just what is needed is wonderful. This is what I call Zen Living. It gives our mind a rest from a home with piled up paperwork on the counter and all the books we intend to read piled up on the nightstand. It’s also a break from thinking about the loved ones we miss that are pictured in frames adorning our walls. Our suitcase is only filled with items we adore. Hotels offer an escape from clutter and burdens most people surround themselves with at home. This simple easy minimalistic feeling can be enjoyed 365 days a year for free in your own home. It takes a shift of mind and consistent action similar to your practice of a Protective Diet. I'm excited to teach you how to get started.

Lets clear out all the items that are not serving us and are bogging us down. If you've watched the PD-Ed Class #96, Kitchen Set-Up for Efficiency, and stocking Classes #32, 33 and 34,along with Class #87 to create a simple kitchen inventory system, you have probably created a Zen Kitchen already. My Zen living isn't limited to the kitchen alone. We covered how to create a Zen Bedroom that I call a Sleeping Sanctuary in class #37 Sleeping Like A Rock On A Protective Diet.

I want a life of ease and organization in every corner of my living space. Let me introduce you to some tips to roll out this practice though out your home. I call it treating myself right. I know that I am most productive and feel my best in an organized and clean space. Living in a small spaced filled with items of use vs. items filled with sentimental value allows me to save time and confusion in all aspects of my life. The average American spends eight hours a week cleaning and dealing with stuff. Stuff that is of no service to them. Moving it from here to there and never putting it to productive use. I want to help you eliminate some or, if it's up to me, all of the stuff in stages. We all deserve a Zen Home, and I'm going to teach you how to take action starting today to have one.

Here are a few of many helpful tips we will cover in tonight's PD-Ed Class #101, Learn Tips From A Minimalist - Letting go of what is holding you back

Box Sweep:
Pick up an empty box and walk in one room. Fill the box with items that are not serving you. Items that are cluttering up your Zen Space. Ask everyone in your household to do the same with their rooms. Do this practice once a week with the goal of three items per week. Continue this practice until you are left with items that you utilize and that offer a Zen feeling. We will review how to evaluate items to see whether they add to your joy or are a burden in your life, and what to do with them.

Letting Go of Sentimental Items That Do Not Fit In Your Living Space or Lifestyle:
Beautiful memories are not kept in material items. They are kept in your mind, always and forever. Taking digital photos can help ease letting go of sentimental items. If your grandmother knew her handmade afghans and china set didn't allow for your own personal style and room to live, she would be more upset than if you sold or donated them.

Keeping It Because It Was Expensive:
Expensive items that are no longer of use, such as designer clothes that are too big from your practice of a Protective Diet, are hard to let go. Many people hold onto electronic items that are outdated and have been replaced. These can evoke bad feelings of money wasted and can also clutter up your closets. Let them go, donate them, or sell them.

Adding New Items to Your Zen Home:
Whether it's for your fall wardrobe, a new kitchen gadget, or a living space item, imagine the item six months from now. Will you still love the item or have a need for it? Is it the best item for the job?If it is a better item to replace an existing item, donate or eliminate the item it is replacing.

Everything Has a Place and Everything In Its Place:
This is a system I gratefully learned from my father. He had a place or hook for everything. His logic was “when I go to get something, I'm not wasting any time looking for it.” If you have seen my kitchen cabinets, recycling bin, closets, key hooks, daily purse shelf, electronics/tool closet, remote basket, tea drawer, and bathroom drawers, you know all about this system. Once you designate a spot for all your items, it is very easy to stay organized in your Zen Home. I will review them in class tonight.

Follow-Through and Changing Behaviors:
When you use it, return it to its designated space. In the beginning weeks of your practice of Zen Living, you may stop short. My goal is to only handle an item I use once. When cooking, if I have a container to recycle, it goes straight into the bin. I do not set on the counter to recycle later. When I come in the door, keys are hung, bag goes into its designated place, shoes go in their spot and mail is recycled or filed. Groceries are put away and reusable bags are hung next to my purse to be returned to the car, making them handy for my next shopping trip. We will review how fantastic and simple life becomes once we get into a second nature habit of following through and changing your behaviors. It only takes about 27 days to form new organizational habits.

Finding Your Zen:
Use post-its to label items located in closed cabinets and drawers until you and your family get accustomed to your new placements. This will eliminate confusion and frustration during your transition to Zen Living.

Maintaining A Zen Home:
Set a timer and put things in their place. Have your family participate. This is good when inspiring a household to adopt Zen habits.

The gains of minimalism are far more valuable than the items keeping you from living this lifestyle. Minimalism means freedom to me. Mental freedom from having far less to manage, physical freedom from having more space, and mobile freedom by being able to easily pack a bag for travel or a moving truck to painlessly relocate.

Join PD-Ed for interactive support

This week's class subject:
Class #103 October 13, 8:00 CDT
Minimalist Tips to Create a Zen Living Space

How to start organizing and let go of what is holding you down

Special Events:

One-Day PD Intensive - San Diego
Sunday October 25^th or Saturday November 21^st
Jump start your practice with an intensive high-energy day of this lifestyle to shift your mind, body, spirit and daily practice to achieve optimal health. Enjoy personal attention that will guide you through the benefits that are yours for the taking with a motivational, concentrated day filled with educational examples. Jerry and Julie Marie will ignite the fire in you to successfully and progressively practice a full-time lifestyle of Nutritional Intervention. You will return home with renewed enthusiasm, clear direction, continued support, and motivation to follow through no matter what life serves you.
Click here for more information

Sunset PD Picnic Potluck at La Jolla Cove
Saturday October 24^th 5:00 PM PST
Cuvier Park, Cuvier St, La Jolla, CA 92037
Click here for a map and directions to Cuvier Park

What PD-Ed Students Are Cooking This Week
Celebrating "Souptober"

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Julie Marie Christensen is the Creator and Recipe Developer of the Protective Diet, Director and Educator at Protective Diet-Ed, Television Chef on Health Local, Cooking Instructor for Humana, Public Speaker, Creator of The Protective Diet 30 Day Whole Food Detox &Taste Bud Reprogramming and host of The Protective Mind & Body Retreat. Her creation of the Protective Diet has guided thousands of students to reverse disease and reach their ideal body weight. Julie specializes in eliminating obesity and food addictions with her innovative, original, oil, sugar, nut and additive free plant based recipes along with PD-Ed. PD-Ed is a live, interactive, weekly, webcast to make adopting this diet and lifestyle affordable, rewarding and sustainable ProtectiveDiet.com/PD-Ed

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