I’ve recently been more interested in the idea of living minimalistically. Not to the point where I’m going to throw everything I own away, but really making sure that I truly love everything I have. My good friend wrote a blog post about her start to minimalistic living, and it really inspired me!
Related: Minimalism for a Girly Girl by KombiWithHaley.com
The “More, more, more” World We Live In
We live in a time where there’s always this pressure to want more. There’s always something “better” on the market than what you have. We think that if we keep buying and filling up our space with stuff, we will feel happy and fulfilled. What ends up happening, however, is we wake up one day in a sea of stuff that we don’t love.
Why is it so hard to get rid of it all?
Well, we are constantly having messages thrown at us that create urgency around consumption. I also believe we live in a time where the stigma around mental health is beginning to change, and more and more people are admitting to struggling with it. People who are hurting tend to hold onto things more, and a lot of us are hurting.
Why Declutter
In my experience, there are so many amazing things that happened when I started decluttering. It actually became addicting! I got rid of a box of clothes, went back and took away another half of my closet! I simply did not absolutely love everything I had.
When you go through your closet, makeup, books, kitchen, etc and get rid of everything that you either don’t love or don’t use, then you become surrounded only by things you love. You walk into your closet and feel amazing because you truly love everything you have.
Not only that, but you become more strict with what comes in. Your home becomes a place that fills you with joy and peace. Because of this, you’re less likely to go shop the sales and bring home “meh” items.
Where to Start
First, I highly recommend the book or audiobook, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
One thing she mentions in her book is to take each article of clothing, hold it in your hands, and notice how it makes you feel. Do you feel powerful, sexy, beautiful? Or are you making excuses to keep it? If it’s not something you absolutely love, then toss it in the donate pile.
P.S. If you’re donating clothing, check out Thread UP. They send you a bag in the mail, you fill it with clothes, and they pay you for everything they take. You can also choose to have them donate what you don’t want. Perfect for if you’re lazy like me and don’t feel like dropping everything off somewhere.
Have you been decluttering? Share your experience with me in the comments!
