Having more hours of sunlight is one great reason to celebrate spring. But you can also use the occasion to help yourself and others by adopting a minimalist mindset.
Spring Forward
According to the Farmer’s Almanac online, the vernal equinox, also known as the first day of spring for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, will arrive on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
The word “vernal” translates to “new” and “fresh,” meaning that the first days of spring are a great time to think about new beginnings. Unlike a New Year’s resolution where a promise is made to better oneself over the course of the next 365 days, spring freshening is an opportunity to take immediate action. Some people like to refer to this as “spring cleaning.”
In the literal sense, spring cleaning can mean flinging open the doors and windows, allowing the fresh spring air in while you deep clean your dwelling. As part of that cleansing, it’s also an opportunity to take an inventory of your “stuff,” and decide what is a forever keepsake and what you probably don’t need anymore.
The Pareto Principle
Based on what is known as the Pareto principle (which is also known as the 80/20 rule, the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity), which states that for many outcomes, roughly 80 percent of consequences come from 20 percent of causes, a theory called “minimalism” was born.
Joshua Becker, of Becoming Minimalist, defines minimalism as “…the intentional promotion of the things that bring you joy and the removal of those that do not.” In other words, cut the clutter. Applying the Pareto principle to his own life, Becker notes that we wear about 20 percent of our clothing 80 percent of the time. So, why do we continue to store the 80 percent of clothes that we don’t wear?
Of course, there will be dress outfits you have for special occasions and “grunge wear” that you don for jobs like gardening or painting (or spring cleaning), but many people probably have more clothes than they need and should weed through them regularly, especially as new purchases come in. The theory goes beyond just clothing though.
Going Minimal
Anthony Ongaro breaks the process down a little further in his post titled, “What is Minimalism? A Practical Guide to a Minimalist Lifestyle.” Ongaro states that minimalism does not mean getting rid of your favorite collection of books, shoes, or music, or that you need to live in a stark-looking home barren of warmth and charm. “In the end,” he states, “minimalism is less about owning fewer items and more about actively making choices on what kind of things truly matter to you.”
Some people like to use the rule of thumb, “if you haven’t used an item in a year and it has no real meaning for you, it might be time to let it go.” That doesn’t mean you should get rid of your toolbox if you haven’t turned a screw or hammered a nail in a while. But it does mean taking a good, hard look at things in your home that you might have once loved, but now consider clutter.
One other thing to keep in mind is that living a minimalist lifestyle does not happen overnight. It’s a process that can take weeks or even months before you arrive at a place that works well for you.
Helping Others, Too
Here’s the best part…there are a lot of people out there who can use the items you may no longer want or need. Located at 2860 Annandale Road in Falls Church, the Clock Tower Thrift Shop is a special program of Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) that happily accepts donations that can be sold in the thrift store at a lower cost to the broader community. The money raised from those sales helps to support the impactful work that NVFS is doing across Northern Virginia and beyond. Last year, NVFS had a positive impact on the lives of more than 40,000 people in our community.
Don’t let the “thrift” moniker sway you though. Through generous contributions of quality goods, Clock Tower is able to offer unique items for sale to a wide range of clients, from collectors to savvy shoppers. They accept a variety of items, including clothing and accessories (shoes, purses, jewelry), kitchen items, toys, small electronics, books, and tools, as well as vintage items and collectibles. For their full guidelines on what is accepted, visit https://www.nvfs.org/support/thrift-shops/donation-guidelines/.
So, are you ready to make a difference in your life and help someone else out at the same time? Donations are accepted at the Donations Door located at the rear of the Clock Tower building. They do not offer donation pickup services. Donations are accepted from when the store opens until two hours prior to closing.
Clock Tower Thrift Shop is closed on Mondays, but open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Please give them a call at 703.237.1910 or email thrift4good@nvfs.org if you have questions.
