Minimalism is a deliberately chosen lifestyle with fewer possessions that you use and need. If you feel overwhelmed living in a cluttered home with little time to enjoy your life, then living with less may be the right choice for you.
A few years ago, a young professional couple hired me to declutter their six-bedroom house, which they inherited from one of their moms. Once the house was organized, they decided to sell. With the money, they bought a small rancher with large property.
They sold their cars and bought bikes, totally adopting a healthy lifestyle. Their new lifestyle allowed them to travel the world, helping unprivileged people and donating their time and skills to sick children.
The outcome of embracing minimalism might lead you to a life of passion and purpose. Isn’t that what all of us are looking for?
Completely revamping your life, home and how you live requires time, effort, planning and patience. But the results of doing so are very much worth it. Here are five benefits of minimalism:
More leisure time
The more you own, the harder you have to work to keep the never-enough lifestyle; every item you own takes time and energy to maintain. Some things take up more than others, but they all take some. If you have items that bring you happiness and pleasant memories, they are worth taking care of.
Less mental clutter
A cluttered home often leads to a cluttered mind. Your outward and visible state is often a reflection and mirror of your internal condition. You feel overwhelmed, unfocused and unable to concentrate in a space full of clutter. When you reduce the clutter, you create a more comforting environment, which is needed in the chaotic world we live in.
More freedom and flexibility
Another reason to love minimalism is that owning less gives you so much more freedom and flexibility to do what you like. You simply become relieved from being buried in your possessions. You start to recognize what adds value to your life, and what isn’t worth the price of owning it.
More space for things you like
Naturally, the less stuff you fill your house with, the more space you will have for your family, friends and pets. Some people are buying bigger homes with more space, bigger closets and more storage space.
A bigger home requires more time, energy and money to upkeep. That could create more stress and less enjoyment in your home. One day, many of us discover that we have more than enough space, we just had too much stuff!
Decide on a lifestyle
If you don’t like your existing lifestyle, then you owe it to yourself to find the life you would be happier with. In time, you might come to the understanding that having a house full of stuff doesn’t add to your happiness. If anything, it diminishes your ability to relax and enjoy your home.
People who spend money on experiences instead of material things tend to enjoy greater happiness.
“There must be more to life than having everything.” ~ Maurice Sendak (author of Where the Wild Things Are).
Ranka Burzan owns a professional organizing company based in Powell River and has written several books on reducing clutter and becoming more organized. For information, go to solutionsorganizing.com
