Living Simply

We have all heard the phrase less is more.  For years I heard the catch phrase but the meaning did not resonate with me.  But this year I am really using “less is more” as a personal motto and applying it to my daily life.

Here is how adopting this way of living has been beneficial for me. Have you ever noticed that the more cluttered your environment the more stressed you were? Try decluttering and see what happens. You will probably find that the less you have the more piece of mind you gain. Seriously, when I am struggling to figure out where to put something. I take a moment and decide if I need it or could someone else benefit from it more. Rarely, has my decision to get rid of an item affected me negatively. In fact just the other day my husband and I were discussing a particular religion and I told him oh honey I have the perfect book for you to read. It was a book that broke down all the different religions in America.  Unfortunately I recently gave the book away so I could not share it with my husband. I was bummed for about fifteen seconds but quickly got over it and moved on.

In the past, I have held on to the excess stuff in my life for far too long wondering what if the day comes that I need this random object and I don’t have it. Guess what if the day ever comes it’s not so bad.   You’ll live I promise.

Its very comforting to enter a space that is clutter free and thoughtfully decorated.  What a joy for me to walk into a room and actually see the straight lines and the perfectly placed picture. I’m more relaxed, and can think clearly in this type of space.  Thankfully, I was bold enough to walk on the wild side and give less is more a try. If you find that you are struggling with the desire to hold on to everything here are a few pointers that you may find helpful.

• Start with one area.  Perhaps you have a coat closet, desk or counter top that is filled with clutter.  Spend 15 minutes a day in that one area until its free and clear of clutter.  If you need modules for storage in that area purchase them.  But the purpose behind decluttering is not to create extra space for your stuff it’s to get rid of it.
• Resist the urge to hop around when decluttering. Start in one place and don’t stop until that area is complete.  You will be encouraged to tackle another area once you can see your progress from your first project. 
• Once you have collected all the things that can be donated.  Take them to their drop off location a.s.a.p..  You don’t want your items sitting around in a box or trash bag for months waiting to be removed from your house. 
• When you purchase something new get rid of something old.  I know this is a hard teaching but we can’t take any of this stuff with us when were gone so just let it go. 
• Don’t fill up every corner of your home with something.  Enjoy the empty space.
• If there are things that have sentimental value put them in a labeled box.  For example each of my boys has a labeled box and I have chosen to keep several special items in each of their boxes.  Once they leave home they can take that box with them.  Everything else is donated or trashed. 
• I could go on and on for days but hopefully, this is enough to get you started.

Here’s to living with less stuff and more peace of mind.