I have found that homemaking, managing your home, is easier when our home is simplified. Simplifying, or simple living, to me means to minimize the amount of stuff we have in our home. This past year, I really got “tough on our stuff”. I’ve de-cluttered before, just like we all do from time to time, but this time was different. I went beyond the obvious question, “Have I used this in the last year?”. I switched my mindset and changed the normal way of thinking. It wasn’t easy. It took time and energy. The task of simplifying can be time consuming and a bit overwhelming, so it helps to focus on how it could benefit your life. Below are seven reasons for simple living that I believe makes the process worth it. They are reasons for simple living to keep in mind as you consider starting or may be you’ve already started and need some motivation.
Reasons for Simple Living
- Know what you have and where it is: When you’re not having to spend the time searching for something, it saves time, energy, and your sanity. When someone in your household asks you where something is, you will be able to tell them exactly where it is or if you even have it in your home. It cuts out time and frustration for everyone involved. I love it when I can tell my husband the exact location of something and he finds it with out me helping him.
- Less to manage: To me that means, having less stuff to deal with, less to keep up with, and less to clean. It shortens the to do list and makes tiding up faster. It also makes it less likely for your home to become overwhelmingly messy. The stuff we own requires some sort of up keep or attetion. Even the stuff that is just being stored needs our attention eventutally. I think a big role that plays into having less to manage, is having certain systems in place. The key is starting with less, and then organizing into systems that keeo things functioning smoothly.
- Cut out the shuffling game: Do you find yourself moving things from place to place instead of dealing with it? Does it feel like a burden every time you come across it? Is it stuff you just don’t know what to do with with? That, my friend, is the shuffling game and not a fun one to play! Dealing with the stuff and never having to touch it or deal with it again brings freedom to your life.
- Everything gets used: We’re all guilty of keeping things because we think we might use it one day, right? The truth is, if we aren’t using it now we probably won’t. We feel like we can’t part with it because we spent money on it. Wouldn’t it be better to let someone else enjoy it or utilize it instead of letting it sit in a closet? There are exceptions to this, obviously, but when it comes to things we wear or use in the kitchen, for example, its time to let it go.
- More time to do other things: We all wish we had more time in a day, don’t we? Obviously, we can’t change that. The only thing we can change is how we use our time. Once you simplify, you will have more time to do the things you really want to do. Like I said above, systems can be a huge game changer in this as well.
- Less stress, more peace: Take a moment. Close your eyes. Picture what your home would look like with less stuff around you. Do you feel the stress melt away? Did you know that a cluttered home actually causes high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone? It’s actually better for your health to have a tidy, less cluttered home. What a gift you can give to your entire family!
- Save money: I can tell you from experience that simplifying has changed my mind set. My desire to buy things has decreased. I am not quick to go out and buy something. Instead, I try to find something I already have that will work. It also saves money when you don’t re-buy something you already have but can’t find it or forgot you had it.
I hope these reasons for simple living were helpful and resonate with you. I hope that they motivate you to get started or help you to keep going. It truly has changed our lives and has been worth the time and energy.
Simplifying Tip
One tip I will leave with you is this: If you feel like you don’t have the time, just start with one drawer or cabnet. Set a timer for five minutes or turn on your favorite song. You will be amazed at how much you can get done in just a couple minutes. Make sure to have a garbage bad handy and a box for donations. You can do this, friends!