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Simple Living, Simple Sundays

Living Simply: Part 2

January 27, 2019

Hey friend! Last week we touched on how to begin with living simply and if it’s the kind of lifestyle that’s for you. Here it is in case you missed it: Living Simply: Part 1

Since then, I’ve been reflecting on why I love to live simply and want to continue to create a lifestyle with less overwhelm. Constantly reminding myself of this keeps the simple life in the forefront of my mind. I did a lot of organizing this week, condensed keepsake boxes, donated things to Goodwill and sold items for consignment. And it felt GOOD to do these things! I didn’t feel like doing that this week but when I thought about the end result and getting rid of more things, it was a no brainer and gave me enough motivation to get started.

If you did the exercise I mentioned last week: writing down the reasons why you would like to live more simply so that you have more time, more energy, less overwhelm, more space and more joy, I hope you found it to be valuable. Writing your thoughts on paper can make them more real to you and is the starting point of creating change. Were you able to decide what’s important to you and what needs to change to live this way? What will you do to get started?

Living simply doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes I wish I could just snap my fingers like Mary Poppins and everything is tidied up and the things we don’t need are out the door. But, it doesn’t happen that way. It’s a process and can take years to achieve. I know that it has for me. It’s a mindset that is constant and you’ll find yourself tweaking things here and there to create just the right rhythm for your days. Going through the process yourself though, rather than someone doing it for you, is a freeing feeling and it can cultivate and sharpen your character as you learn which things are the most important to you.

I like to think of living simply/slow living/minimalism as one and the same. They do have their differences but I believe they have the same common goal: it’s about creating the life that’s for you. A good start for me was going through our home and deciding what we needed and what we didn’t need. What was there that was just taking up space? I was tired of constantly organizing and cleaning because we owned too many things for the space we had. I knew that decluttering (even though we honestly didn’t have that much) was going to be the place to start for me.

Decluttering allows you to get rid of the things that are keeping you from the life you want to have so that you can actually enjoy your life. It’s not all about getting rid of stuff. It is, but only to the point that it works for you, not for how it works for anyone else. If you love to cook, of course you’re going to have more pots and pans and you’re going to use those things you love. It’s about the people that live in your home, so you have to think about what’s important for the people that live there. And when you start narrowing down, you get to the things that are important to you.

For decluttering, start in one room. Don’t allow yourself to start more than one project/room at a time. Focus on one room or one space, whether it be your master bedroom closet or your child’s room. Make piles: need, sentimental, don’t use/wear or donate. Depending on which room or space you’re starting with, the categories will be different. I think 3-4 different ones are best (the fewer the better) because then you will know exactly what to do with these piles when you’re done. It allows you to be more decisive and get through the process quicker.

I am very sentimental and like to keep almost every card that is given to me. Every few years though, I go through them and decide which ones I should really hold on to and which ones I need to let go. I don’t need boxes and boxes of cards down the road, especially if I don’t look at them often! I have ONE keepsake box that holds all of my sentimental cards, ticket stubs, or any paper keepsake. Photos are kept separate from this in their own boxes.

So again, where do you begin? The best thing you can do for yourself to make a change is to start. Don’t wait to feel motivated because if we all waited until we had the feeling to do something, a lot wouldn’t get done! Keep your list of why you want to live more simply close to you. Remind yourself of the life you want to have that will give you more space and margin in your days.

Most importantly, turn on your favorite music or Podcast while you work. I LOVE doing this and majority of things would not get done around our home if I didn’t have something playing in the background. Look at your calendar and block off 1 hour or 2, for three days this week. Scheduling the time to start decluttering, or to start whatever it is you need to change to live more simply, will help you actually do it. You won’t get anywhere just thinking about it. Plan it! Invite a friend to help you if that will help in holding yourself accountable.

Even more importantly, HAVE FUN! This is a joyful process. You are committing to creating a simpler life for you and your family! How beautiful is that?! So please, enjoy this process and look forward to the end result of learning more about yourself and what’s important to you.

I can’t wait to hear about your progress!

P.S. Has this been helpful to you? I would love to hear from you in the comments below. What else would you like to see me write about when it comes to simple living?

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