Minimalize to Maximize

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how much has shifted in the last year, specifically when it comes to “stuff.” I have always wanted to be organized and live in a Pinterest dreamy world. In this world, everything would match in high-end elegance with a deep sense of approachability and laid back coziness. Real world looked like overstuffed drawers, crowded closets, and massive piles of random things. Neatly-ish tucked away but still very much clutter. For so long I yearned to change this “style” I cultivated (I think my husband would have appreciated this too 🙂 ).  I deeply wanted to be more organized on a consistent basis. It wasn’t until this year of adventure that I realized I didn’t need to be more organized. I just needed less stuff.

I’ve read books like the “Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” but nothing really shifted until we sold 80% of our belongings and just had less stuff. I’m not saying you have to downsize to that degree, but I do think it’s important to consider that bigger shifts DO lead to bigger changes towards a minimalist life. For example, we sold both of our cars in the fall of 2016 and paid cash for Poppyseed (our 2006 Honda Pilot). Not having a car payment has been huge for creating more financial freedom but also simplifying life. With only one car, we don’t go out for those extra Target runs while the other person is at a workout class. We either do things together (cue more time with loved ones), or we just adapted because there was no other option. Plain and simple.

It wasn’t always so simple and straightforward. I legit had deep anxiety about “not enough” for months prior to the trip (despite all the yoga + meditation!). Thoughts of not enough clothes, not enough shoes, and just not enough space. Space is a funny thing. We, myself included, often find the need to fill it up. So even though we traveled with 6 plastic Rubbermaid totes with all of our belongings, you can believe I packed those babies to the brim. That was until a few months in and I realized how ridiculous some things were. I mean, I had packed a pair of heels (just in case) when most of our days were spent walking miles in a city or on a hiking trail. There were a lot of items and products like this that I quickly realized we just didn’t need and they either got jettisoned along the way (pay it forward, yo) or sent to my mom’s house (thanks mom!). I could write a bajillion posts on what selling everything looked like for us, how we decided to keep things, and how we made it financially comfortable. PS: I promise it’s easier than you think.

Back to simplifying….I tell you about my struggles with minimalizing because I want you to know that it’s a practice. Or at least for me it was. I’m very much a homebody and the thought of getting rid of our belongings was painstakingly nerve-wracking at times. I was surprisingly more attached to possessions than I thought. But the question that keeps me on this minimalist path is…is it replaceable? Most of the time, I found the answer is yes. This objective perspective helps me rip the band-aid off, especially if something doesn’t bring me joy and I am not emotionally attached. Again, it’s a practice ya’ll!

BUT – it’s a practice I have seen and found to be rewarding beyond any wildest dreams. Minimalist living starts to shift SO much more focus onto the irreplaceable things including quality time with loved ones. When there’s less “stuff” around, it allows us to focus on the things and people that truly matter to us. Working towards a minimalist lifestyle offers up breathing room. So, it doesn’t mean and shouldn’t feel like sacrificing anything but rather enjoying and savoring the abundance that’s already there. It also means that you buy what you need and not what you want. This saves money (big time). That money can be used towards paying debt or saving for an epic trip (wink wink). Also, I’ve discovered that in general, we need less money to live. This has freed up a ton of time that would have been spent working to focus on other creative ventures and quality time.

Minimalism is absolutely a choice and I realize our current lifestyle is not for everyone. However, even with small changes, I’ve noticed some pretty awesome shifts towards more energetic freedom and less overall burdens. Honestly, it was these small changes that had me craving more, downsizing more, and {eventually} feeling at ease with all of our possessions inside of Poppyseed and in a bedroom at my mother-in-law’s. I feel much more detached to possessions these days and much more present in the moment. It’s a liberating feeling I encourage you to try out to some degree. …

You may be thinking, “That’s great! Where do I start?” or “I love my ____. I could never get rid of everything.” Well, lucky for you, I’ve provided a handy dandy worksheet. This worksheet or checklist is different than your daily to-do list. So, overachievers out there: you don’t have to cross everything off! This list provides more of a guide to 10 easy actionable items that I’ve personally found super helpful in changing my minimalist mindset aside from purging the usual suspects. Each action provides a bonus step that takes the concept a bit deeper. Bigger action, bigger change. I could have created a laundry list of actions to help simplify life, but I wanted to create something more do able than difficult. This is why you’ll find a lot of the items revolve around technology. I think technology and our phones have a place but they are also one of the biggest sources of noise and clutter. One last note, I’m offering this to you now because the Holidays and New Year’s Resolutions are here. Especially during this time of the year, I’m constantly challenged with this concept:

Why do we feel the need to add more “stuff” to our lives? Gifts. Social Events. Dinners. Decoration. Changes.

I’ll all about appreciating and expressing gratitude for all the amazing people and things in our lives but maybe to appreciate them on a deeper level it’s time to shift the framework and simplify.

Simplicity is freedom.

Minimalize List(pdf) – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: print it off and make it your actual worksheet checklist to help simplify and see what shifts.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your world.

Love and Hugs,

Morgan