Minimalism. What is it? Why have I chosen to take this step? Will it help my life?
We shall see.
What is the definition of Minimalism: Living without clutter. Living with the essentials and getting rid of the extra unneeded items around you. Getting rid of things in your life that are holding you down and not letting you reach your full potential.
Sounds super "Hippie", right? I never thought of myself as someone who would jump on a bandwagon for anything, but I feel like this is more than just getting rid of some unwanted shoes, it's literally freeing up so much clutter in my life, that I don't need, and actually doing things with my family, going on adventures, saving money, realizing what's important in life and finding happiness with less stuff around me.
How did I get here?
Why do I have so much stuff in the first place?
I think, for me, there are three reasons why I have so much stuff. Throughout the years I just accumulate stuff and the amount that was entering the house was matching what was leaving. More and more and more stuff came into my life and not much was leaving. The three reason I think I hold on to stuff is this:
1. Sentimental value. I don't want to get rid of it. Someone gave it to me or it reminds me of some memory. Or, I bought it (Clothing) and someday I may perhaps wear it or need it, even though I haven't needed it in the past 5 years.
2. Guilt. When someone gives me a gift, I feel like I have to hold on to it, even if I can't use it, it's not my style, or it's just something that would get shoved to the back of the closet. And, that's just what happens. I feel too guilty to throw it away, donate it, or re-gift it, that I hold onto an item that means nothing to me and just takes up space.
3. Laziness. Let's be honest. This is a big one. I don't want to take the time or energy to actually go through everything, load it in my car and donate it. I will get it in a box. The box will sit in a corner for a year and the unwanted items will go NO WHERE!
I'm feeling held down by stuff. With three kids, I am constantly cleaning and rearranging. And, partly that is because we have way too much stuff. Toys that aren't played with, movies we will never watch, books that will never be read, blankets that are shoved in a closet, appliances that go unused for years. I'm overwhelmed by STUFF! And, I'm ready for change.
So, this is my journey. I'm going from clutter to minimalism.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not moving my family into a tiny house or only having 2 pairs of underwear, but I'm getting down to the basics. The things we need to live. My kids don't need ALL those toys. I don't need ALL those clothes. I'm freeing myself from all this clutter and stuff and giving myself and my family more freedom for adventures and experiences rather than spending time, money and energy on stuff.
Keep up with my journey, if you would like. It may be a bumpy one, but I think in the end, I will be a calmer, less anxious, freed-from-clutter person!
To learn more about minimalism, check out this website.
http://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/
I watched their documentary on Netflix and was ready for change. Obviously, not to the extreme of some of these people, but enough to free me from clutter.
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