13 things I only own ONE of
minimizing with intentional space
If you didn't know, one of the motto's I live by is "the less I have the better".
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Mostly because I get decision paralysis with too many options.
Understandably, there are items where having multiples makes sense (dishes, clothes, furniture, to name a few).
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That said, I want to clarify a couple of things before we jump into the things I only own one of:
1) This post is not intended to say everyone should only have 1 of what I happen to own 1 of.
It's meant to encourage you to consider how you're getting the best use out of what you currently have, and maybe even discover a few cool new products. I'm pretty critical with what I spend my money on, so truly it's all good things here.
2) I live minimally, but that doesn't mean everyone else has to.
I obviously feel there's a lot to benefit from a minimalist mindset, but that doesn't mean everyone should feel the same way.
Many people own multiples of the items below and there's nothing wrong with that.
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In my experience, it's more about learning to be intentional about what I buy, which ends up helping life feel less cluttered, opening up more space and energy for things I actually need and care for, and it saves a lot of money (score, more to buy some burgers with).
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This concept is sort of why I do small purges in our house every few months.
Feels good, too, highly recommend not waiting for Spring cleaning season.
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And in all honesty, there are some things on this list I wouldn't hate having more of.
But at the end of the day, I prefer to have less options (decision paralysis is a common occurrence for me) and get as much use out of one thing as I can.
While reading the list, I really want to challenge you to question what it looks like for you to live intentionally (using what you have consistently) and to not feel led to consume "all the things" just because it's trendy, to fit in or fill some kind of void.
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And I own multiples of many other things - this just happens to be what I narrowed down to one.
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p.s. I certainly dabble in some retail therapy every now and then and I'm not mad about it.
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13 things I only own one of
Personal
This one might feel unsettling to some - either because there's a common belief that we should let our bra's "breathe" every other day, rotating with 3-5 different bras in the week. This is what works for me - also prevents all the research that goes into finding "the perfect bra". Okay, and I rotate it out with a couple sport bras.
The Aerie Real Free Padded Scoop Bralette comes pretty close to perfection, though, as it feels incredibly soft, supportive (keep in mind I'm small chested so my level of support is on a different level) and goes well with pretty much all of my tops.
I bought the Rachel Cross-body bag as a Mother's Day gift to myself in 2020 and it still feels new. I've never invested in a purse before this, since I just grabbed what I could find on sale: whatever carried my things well enough. As time passed, I noticed how quickly I would through purses I didn't even like because the quality wasn't holding up to the test of time. ​
This cross-body bag has internal pockets, enough space to hold my wallet, phone, keys, random items and snacks. All the necessities and more.
I don't feel like you need to have a purse for every outfit or different occassions, just one that does the job, you love how it feels, and it goes with everything.
That's right, one pair of sandals. I've definitely had multiple pairs of sandals, but they all ended up being too uncomfortable to even wear (also my feet just couldn't pull them off). Introducing, the leather Teva. Lasts such a long time (have had my current pair since 2015), has wonderful support and goes with everything. Seriously. If you're someone who likes to go on a lot of walks or hikes, they have a great variety!
I've talked about them before, and I'll talk about them for as long as they exist. These Live In Hoop Earrings (which come in 4 different sizes) are the only earrings I wear on a daily basis (I have one pair of "fun" earrings, that I wear for special occasions - lovely and gifted from a friend!).
5. Sunglasses - Costco
I wear prescription sunglasses, which is why I got them from Costco (plus they have a variety of well known brands which are great quality. For anyone who doesn't have a Costco membership, I highly recommend looking into investing into a good pair of sunglasses.
Beauty + Wellness
Having sensitive skin makes the hunt for a really good mask difficult (like, I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars just to make sure my face doesn't hate me, thanks). Then I tried this Whipped Exfoliating Mask from Dime Beauty and I don't see myself looking elsewhere anytime soon.
I don't paint my nails often, which is why I only have one nail polish, and of course it's from Olive & June. They make their polishes "7 free" (formulated without Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, Camphor, Ethyl tosylamide, Xylene). All the great look and feel without the toxicity.
This shade is vibrant and honestly when paired with some tinted sunscreen, mascara and eye brow gel, I'm ready to tackle the day.
Not sure many people have more than one yoga mat, but just in case here's a reminder you really only need one. I have the Heart in the Clouds Suede Vegan Yoga Mat and like any other, it needs to be cleaned every once in awhile. It's the right amount of cushion and actually stays in place (while also making me feel like I'm on cloud 9 as I'm in physical pain).
Home
How can I possibly only have 1 candle? First, I forget to light the dang thing. Second, I'm sensitive to strong scents, and only pick up something that won't give me a headache (and I work on burning one 100% before getting another one). So..I've had this Harvest scented candle since last Fall and it still has a good amount to go. Best Autumn scented candle in my opinion.
11. Notepad
Breaking news: there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing. With more than one notepad, I lose track of what I've written down, I have an excess amount of paper around creating clutter and it's just annoying. I got my current notepad from a local store. Once it's out of paper, on to the next one!
I put this here because we use our blender for anything that needs to be mixed: no processor, no hand mixer. Just this bad boy: and it does a pretty dang good job (and there's more counter and cabinet space, winning).
13. Decorative "Throw" Pillow
I have to give credit to my indecision making skills for the fact that I only have 1 throw pillow - really, it's a lumbar pillow that I thought would look decent on the couch, but now it resides on our bed. You don't need to have all the throw pillows for all the seasons all the time. Find something you love, that fits your homes style and go from there.
