Hi friends,
Amazon Prime Day was last week, and my dad was thrilled. He found his favorite pickleballs on sale - just $2 a ball, which is a huge savings. But there was a catch: to get that price, you had to buy 100 of them.
I said, “Dad, that’s amazing. You should totally get them!”
He paused and said, “Monica… you literally write a newsletter about not buying too much stuff.”
Touché.
But here’s the thing: that’s not really what I write about.
Yes, I talk a lot about minimums and maximums, clearing out clutter, and setting limits. But it’s not about having less for the sake of it. It’s about making space. For ease. For calm. For better decision-making. For joy.
And sometimes? That means giving yourself permission to buy 100 pickleballs.
Why We Set Maximums (It's Not Just About Control)
In the supply chain world, setting a “maximum” level for inventory isn’t about being strict - it’s about being strategic. When your house is overflowing with old parts, dusty promo swag, or broken returns you “might fix someday,” you’re losing visibility and control. You can’t see what you actually need, let alone find room for new and useful things.
A clear shelf isn’t empty - it’s available.
Whether you’re running a warehouse or a household, the principle is the same. When you know your limits and clear out what’s no longer serving you, you can confidently say yes to the things that do.
Buy in bulk? Sure - if you’ve made space for it.
So What Does “Making Space” Look Like?
Here are some other real-world examples that echo the 100-pickleball mindset:
Pantry wins: You finally toss those expired cans of coconut milk, and now there’s space to stock up on your go-to pasta sauce when it goes on sale.
Closet clarity: You donate those jeans that never quite fit and make room for five identical black T-shirts that you actually wear.
Toolbox logic: You get rid of the half-dead power tools and invest in a top-quality drill set - even if it means buying a full kit you’ll grow into.
Digital detox: You archive that old Google Drive clutter and finally sign up for the online course you’ve been eyeing, knowing you’ll have the mental bandwidth to actually finish it.
Business backend: You automate and clean up old workflows, so you can finally say yes to a new client project without dreading the admin pile-up.
Making Room is the Real Goal
It’s easy to think that being “organized” means having less. But the real magic happens when you have room - room to move, to change your mind, to chase an idea, or just to breathe.
So yes, go ahead. Set maximums. Clear out the old stuff. But remember why you’re doing it: to make space for the stuff that matters - the stuff you love.
Even if that means a hundred bright yellow pickleballs rolling around the garage.
