How Choosing Less Changed My Life for the Better

“When you are overwhelmed, tired or stressed, the solution is almost always…less. Get rid of something. Lots of somethings.” -Courtney Carver

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CHOOSING TO SIMPLIFY

My story of simplifying our home began over 10 years ago.  I don’t think I’d even heard of minimalism or read any blogs on the subject, but I did read a book called, “Organized Simplicity : The Clutterfree Approach to Intentional Living“.   At the time, I had three small children (all five years old and under) and I was overwhelmed with trying to take care of them while also keeping up with our home and the daily tasks of cooking, cleaning, picking up toys, and washing clothes. So at the time, this book really resonated with me and helped me see how things could be different in my life.

Just like most new parents, we had accumulated all the extra stuff that comes with kids. I had never given it much thought.  I just assumed we needed all the books, flashy toys, and cute clothes, so we bought them. I don’t think it was a huge amount of stuff, but it was more than we needed and I just couldn’t manage it all. I longed for more simplicity in our home and less clutter and stress.

PURGING OUR THINGS

 When the house would turn into a wreck (like everyday!), it stressed me out. I know there are people that aren’t bothered by the messes, but I’m not that way.  I don’t function well when my house is out of order. So something had to go. And since getting rid of any of the kids wasn’t an option (ha!), I started getting rid of our extra stuff.

I remember filling up the back of our pickup truck with a giant load of stuff to donate. It felt so good to see it all go.  And I didn’t miss any of it. After that, I just continued to declutter our home whenever things started to feel overwhelming.  And the more I decluttered, the better our home felt and the easier it was to manage.  Life with kids often felt chaotic and out of control in those days (and honestly, it still does!), but simplifying our things and choosing less made our home run smoother and feel calmer.

SEEING THE BENEFITS

It’s been many years since then, but I’ve continued on the journey towards keeping a simpler home because I’ve seen the benefits it brings to our family.  Less clutter means that I don’t get quite so overwhelmed with my home.  My kids, like most kids, can be wild and loud and messy, so simplifying our home and stuff is a way for me to calm our surroundings.  It brings a little peace into the chaos.  I realize that so much of what happens in this life is out of my control, but I can control the stuff that occupies my time, attention, and energy.

What about you?  Do you ever feel stressed out by messes and too much stuff?  What do you do to help alleviate the stress of a busy house with kids?

Two books that have really helped me with the process of decluttering are:

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Clutterfree with Kids

Simple step : Grab a box and put it in a convenient location like a closet, laundry room, or garage. Then when you come across an item that you don’t need, use, or want, immediately toss it in the box.  When the box is full, donate it.  And then find another box!