Of Mixing Bowls and Measuring Cups

I have been traveling towards Minimalism for some time now. I find it freeing.

Let me tell you about my "Baking Center Cupboard" (the cupboard below my mixer where I store my mixing bowls and everything associated with baking. Mixes and ingredients are in the small cupboard above the mixer.)

I was reading an article about Minimizing and Simplifying. The author recommended you picture what you want your living room to look like and then make it look that way.

That was way more than I could handle at that moment, picturing what my living room should look like.

So I thought about my lower baking cupboard instead; two little shelves.

I closed my eyes and pictured what the perfect baking center confined to that space would look like.

Shelf 1: My favorite, clear, glass mixing bowl set stacked neatly inside of each other with their lids in size order underneath them (I only have one bowl that actually works in my mixer and it belongs with it on the counter.)

The funnels behind these, and the rolling pins next to them (yes, I actually do need two rolling pins. Most people simply don't, but when you are making cookies with nine children two is a necessity: However, neither is used often, so behind the mixing bowls is fine.)

Shelf 2: Glass mixing cups neatly stacked in size order with the attachments for my mixer that don't fit in the drawers behind that.

That's it.

This picture was so beautiful and freeing that I immediately got up and took the other three sets of mixing bowls, all the spares, and everything else not in my picture out to the car to donate to a charity thrift store nearby.

That was 2 1/2 years ago.

...and that is still what that cupboard looks like.

I have never missed the bowls or anything else I got rid of.

(I will note I was given a set of metal bowls that I put in my craft stuff. The kids now know very clearly what they can use for crafts and mud pies and whatever, and what is only to be used for cooking.)

And the Interesting Thing...

I was walking through a store the other day and there was this adorable set of mixing bowls. I looked at them and smiled, enjoying the sight of them on the shelf.

Then I passed them by without a second thought. It never seriously entered my head to get them.

I am satisfied with what I have. The urge to buy baking stuff is gone. I am satisfied and happy.

Contented.

So, here is my advice for simplifying:

Picture what you want your end product to look like, whether is is a closet, room, shelf or your calendar.

Then go remove everything that is not in that picture.

Most of the time, that is it. Most of us have all we need and want and more in every area.

We just have too much junk in the way to know that.

We want to buy more because we are unsatisfied, when what will really satisfy is to simply get rid of the junk so we can get to the lovely things we already own and love.




(If you find you do need to purchase something, as I still do with my living room, you won't be nearly as tempted to just buy stuff to fill a spot. Because you know what you really, really want, it is easier to wait until the exactly right thing comes along. Everything else is just stuff.)