Open Your Eyes

It’s so easy to forget all the things we have, allowing several things to serve zero purpose other than accumulating dust. This feels so wasteful when someone out there might find real joy with that very item you haven’t touched in a year. Moving emphasizes the benefit of minimalism and donating items that no longer spark joy. When you have to pack up your entire life into boxes, you start to realize just how much you have accumulated.

While living in our first tiny apartment and then in small spaces again after the wildfire that claimed our home, we learned to prioritize what we really needed, because whatever we owned we had to find a space for. Even though it’s only been five years since the fire purged our belongings on our behalf, we have still somehow managed to acquire much more than we really need or regularly enjoy. Thank goodness for our regular purge sessions.

Still, it shouldn’t require a big move for you to realize the benefits of clearing the clutter. Open your eyes to all you own and think about the last time you used or enjoyed each item. As your hand touches each one, consider whether you still feel the joy that you felt when you first obtained it. If you were moving, is it something you would be willing to spend the extra time and money required to pack, ship, and store it? Or are you willing to part with it so that someone else may enjoy it?

Clearing the Clutter & Chaos

Using the concept of minimalism, Lane and I encourage our daughters to periodically go through their toys and see which ones they are willing to part with, and we do the same with our own belongings. We remind them that someone else might really appreciate and love the toys that they no longer play with, giving them a better home than we could—a concept driven home with the help of the Toy Story movies.

We make it a family affair. Actively being a part of this process helps your kids stay focused and on task, and they will enjoy the quality time spent with you. First, we organize all their toys into a few large categories (like baby dolls and accessories, play kitchen and accessories, stuffed animals, etc.). Then, we go through one category at a time and they get to decide whether to keep or donate each item. During this process, we remind them that if it doesn’t spark joy, it’s time to let it go to someone who will find joy with it. We apply this same process and concept to our own belongings, organizing by category and taking it one step at time.

Take It Slow

If you haven’t purged in a while or maybe ever, you might feel overwhelmed with how to get started. I encourage you to choose one category or area to work on at a time. Break it down even more if it makes it easier for you to take on. For example, if you find yourself avoiding that hall closet, just focus on one shelf at a time. Slow progress is better than no progress, and once you get started, you may soon find yourself eagerly searching for more items to donate because you will experience firsthand how great it feels.

Trust me, when you have bagged up things to donate and your space is cleaner and tidier, you will wonder what took you so long to do it. Not only will you feel good about giving back to your community but you will also be able to keep things more organized, find specific items quicker and easier, and spend much less time cleaning. You may also be surprised to discover that you feel more relaxed in your home environment when you aren’t surrounded by chaos and clutter (cue deep breath here). All of this will give you more time for those quality experiences you dream of like family game night, your hobbies, reading a good book, and creating memories.

Ready?

Read the books (like the ones pictured at the top of this post), check out the blogs, listen to the podcasts, and watch the documentaries—whatever it takes to get you pumped up about minimalism. Then, take a deep breath and get started. Remember to tackle it little by little and celebrate your victories as you clear the clutter from your life and increase the time you have for the things you truly love. Remember, success doesn’t mean having an abundance of money or things. In fact, only you get to define success for yourself. To me, it means being happy, and minimalism feeds into that ultimate goal.