Have you ever felt unbelievably closed in by things?
I know for me at my desk when it is over whelmed with stacks and stuff I can’t think straight. If I bother to clear the space it does amazing things for clearing my mind.
It’s a proven fact that clutter is a huge stumbling block to productivity and yet we are a nation of hoarders. Your “stuff” could also be a huge stumbling block in your financial productivity. We have more clothes than we can wear in a month; we have kitchen items that have been used one time (If that!) that we hold onto for years.
(I still have never made popovers. I’m not even sure what in the world a popover is. AND I cook. A lot.) We hold onto shoes that are worn out and sleeping bags with holes.
There was a point in my life that I was very interested in buying cheap things. (Which in my mind was solely focused on the financial meaning?) Unfortunately, the cheap as in quality meaning also happened to be true.
That meant I magically ended up with a lot of crap. Crap that was broken. Crap that didn’t fit right after 3 washings. Crap that didn’t do anything close to what it claimed to do on the package. But then instead of getting rid of the crap, I just went and got myself some more crap. More purses that fell apart. More kitchen gadgets I really, really needed that never really worked. More…….well crap.
So where is the payoff? And how can we continue to ignore the long term consequence of not investing properly in the beginning.
It’s time to get a little claustrophobic of your stuff.
How much money do we waste buying one inferior gadget for every need if we can in actuality buy one gadget that fills almost every need? How much attention do we waste on needing more things? Shopping for more things? Finding a place to put more things?
When you are surrounded by stuff, you are reminded of stuff. When you think about stuff human instinct is to need more stuff.
But the cycle can be stopped.
Once you stop. Once you start shedding, you feel the lightening. Your stuff, even if there is not debt associated with it, brings weight. Getting rid of your stuff does have the power to free your mind.
Living a minimalistic life isn’t about deprivation, it’s about freedom.
It isn’t about not having things you want. It’s about choosing things that make a difference and matter in your life.
It’s about deciding you don’t have room in your life or your mind for crap.
The four blankets in my hall closet that haven’t been taken out since we moved in 7 years ago don’t benefit my life. But they could benefit some ones.
Making my own laundry soap that lasts 6 months is financially freeing since it costs a few dollars to make a six month supply, but it is also mind freeing. I don’t have to think about laundry soap. I don’t have to think about trying to get a good deal on laundry soap. I don’t have to plan for laundry soap in my budget. My mind is free to focus on important things.
I think it’s time to start incorporating that into multiple other areas of my life. Starting with that hall closet…….
Do you feel like you could benefit from a more minimalistic lifestyle? Leave a comment on what you want to shed…..
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