Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.
There are many people writing about and talking about living a minimalist lifestyle. Now it’s not for everyone and, although not impossible, it is a lot more difficult for those of us with young children.
I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist. I still have a lot of things kicking around that I don’t use routinely. I still have things I’m hanging on to for sentimentality sake as well as things I don’t absolutely need. Over the past couple of years though I have been reducing the quantity of stuff I have around the house. I used to be an absolute sucker for the pretty things, the decorative things, nick knacks, dust collectors … call them what you will.
Having gotten rid of a lot of these things there are several benefits I’m seeing as a result of this lightening of the load.
1. Reduced panic. You know the feeling when you see your parents, siblings or a friend drive up the driveway? You take a quick look around and think “Oh Dear! I haven’t had time to clean.” Enter panic mode. Well with less stuff there is less to be out of place, fewer things to be cleaned, and fewer things to be put away. I used to invite people over and spend the entire day cleaning and making sure things were all put away or at least hidden in the closet. Not fun.
2. Less time cleaning. All of those nick knacks that I used to love to scatter around the house, well they took a lot of time to clean. To clean the surface they were on meant taking all the little bits and pieces down, dusting and then putting them back up. Now that I’ve gotten rid of nearly all of my small bits, cleaning is so much quicker. Just run a cloth over the clear surface and I’m done. Vacuuming no longer requires an initial run through of the place to get things up off the floor.
3. More open space. When I eventually parted ways with a lot of my stuff I was stunned at the amount of free space I had. I think it’s only natural, but I was very tempted to fill it with even more stuff. Over time that urge subsided and now I’m loving the space. Getting rid of stuff is addictive though. Consider yourself warned.
4. Appreciate what you have. Once you have purged a lot of the stuff you don’t need, use or like, all you should have left are things you really and truly want. I am trying really hard to get rid of things that I don’t feel a deep, meaningful attachment to (I know I shouldn’t be attached to anything but some habits are hard to break). My goal is to eventually not have anything in storage. My thought is that if it’s worth keeping it should be worth putting on display for me to see and enjoy everyday.
5. Packing for a move. As Leo mentioned a couple of weeks ago, packing up an entire house when preparing for a move is a massive project. Imagine how much easier, more pleasant and less expensive it would be if you had less to shift around. When my husband and I moved into our current home we got rid of a lot of our stuff. It was easier to pack and didn’t take nearly as long to move it around on moving day. Since being in our new home we’ve purged even more and I can’t imagine how much easier it would be now if we were to move again.
6. No need for organizing systems. On twitter last week Leo said: “Don’t organize. Simplify.” I totally agree. When we keep too much stuff there is a need for systems and processes to keep track of it all, a lot of which you don’t need. I think you’d be better off focusing your energy on reducing or simplifying as opposed to trying a number of organizing systems that may or may not work for you.
7. Easier to stay on top of things. With less clutter I find it’s easier to stay on top of things. Bills, library books and appointment slips are no longer forgotten about as a result of being buried beneath piles of magazines, mail or newspapers. I am also able to spend more time on things that really matter to me or interest me (family, businesses etc …) since I’m not cleaning or organizing.
There are a lot of benefits to living with less stuff. Minimalism may be an extreme for most, but for those who can legitimately pull it off my hat goes off to you! For the rest of us, start small, do a little bit at a time, and remember to be as critical as you can be when it comes to the items you are contemplating getting rid of.
When you reduce what you have around the house, what do you notice is a related benefit?
With two little ones and one on the way, we are certainly *not* minimalists. However, we do find ourselves occasionally (usually around twice per year) in major clean-out mode.
I think this usually starts as a small spark like my wife “needing” to find a particular pair of shoes. When conditions are right, it turns into a cleaning/organizing firestorm where entire closets and rooms are stripped back down to reasonable levels of stuff!
Our most recent cleaning storm yielded 12 *large* bags full of clothes and toys that we donated to Goodwill. So a big benefit for us is helping others through the donation of our *stuff* and of course receiving a nice tax deduction as well.
Hi Sherri – I agree with all your points, especially how it’s a lot easier to clean. SO true. Have a peaceful week.
I’m not a minimalist, but I agree with these points wholeheartedly. I made my own top 20 list this morning of reasons I’m glad I downsized, and several of them are similar to yours.
No. 4 is a big one for me. What I’ve chosen to keep is meaningful to me, and it’s no longer obscured by clutter. I really do appreciate what I have more, now that I have less of it!
Cheers,
Naomi @ Simpler Living
I like the warning “Getting rid of stuff is addictive” :) Sounds like a good addiction to me!
I finally had an “in” with my wife on becoming more minimalist when we initially put our house on the market. Since the floor space is less than most apartments, we really had to make the house look bigger on the inside. Through circumstances, we’re putting off selling the house for a year, but have all this open space to use! I’m looking around, and realizing that just having a simplified living room makes life feel less “noisy”….. once all the kids’ toys are put away.
With 4 kids & 2 dogs, we have so much “stuff” that it feels overwhelming at times. But we have taken the “don’t organize, simply” advice to heart.
This coming weekend is our annual community yard sale and once that is done, I will be almost completely down to keeping only what we love, what we use and what we need :)
jill
For a couple years after my husband died I was 180* opposite the zen simplicity we had lived for decades, (long story) and looking back on the two years I see someone who was depressed, lost and alone.
Then one day I awoke and told myself I hated how I felt and wanted to get back the lifestyle I once had with Ron. The lifestyle, which was simple and easier. It reminded me of why I love living near a small old fashioned, good grocer where we have fewer choices, but the ones we have are healthy and whole. And thats the key. Living a whole, healthy, less is more lifestyle. Which I got back.
I think what has been key in teaching my kids about simplicity is that it’s fine to desire novelty, but they can have it without owning it. For example, everyone in my family is an avid reader, and it’s not unusual for us to read a dozen or more titles a week together. If we bought all those books, it would be a financial burden, not to mention a massive storage problem. The library allows us to have that novelty without the long-term commitment. We can enjoy the books and then let them go. The concept applies to other aspects of our lives, too. The kids lend and borrow toys, while my spouse and I lend and borrow tools. I view public transportation and parks the same way. It’s not necessary for us to own something to enjoy it.
I think I need to print this post and hang it on my mirror and above my desk!
Great list!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/whats-on-your-mind/
Thanks Bernice, I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)
After 27 years of collecting “stuff” it’s really hard to get rid of said “stuff” in a very short time…but it is sooooo worth it!
I am trying to cut back on the stuff. I love the idea of just have things that are really useful or beautiful or particularly meaningful. I have a a 5 year plan – packrats in the family will have to adjust.
We have recently downsized from a big home 5 bedroom 5 bathroom home, to a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom house. Its smaller but roomy for the both of us, we’re in our late 20s, but some friends of ours have said we are being tacky and too extreme. I really don’t know how to respond to that. We downsized because its just easier, in our smaller home we have enough space without feeling crammed and without feeling like the home overwhelms us.
We have also gotten of many things that we didn’t use in the past. But its hurtful when others say we’re tacky and too extreme. We want an easier life and not be overwhelmed by our stuff. We went from owning too much to owning basic needs and basic wants. Do you think owning less stuff is too extreme? How do I deal with friends like these?