When I began my journey of intentional minimalism, I had one thought it mind. “Get rid of junk before moving!”
I was expecting our first baby and sorting through the home, trying to get rid of as much as I could before moving to our new home. We weren’t hoarders by any means but the excess stuff we had accumulated between my husband and myself was just too much to deal with. As anyone who has moved house knows, you always have more stuff than you realised.
I have always been a minimalist at heart and preferred to live more lightly. I just didn’t know that there was a name for it! As I prepared for the move, I began to read books on decluttering and look for sites that could help. That’s when I came across the term ‘minimalism.’ It was exciting to me! Finally others understood my overwhelm and need to live with less. As I donated, recycled and trashed items, I felt a sense of relief. I was determined to make our move easier and continue to live simply afterward. That was my goal and purpose.
Do you have a clear purpose in mind?
As you can see, my purpose for decluttering was to get ready for our move and also be less stressed when our new baby arrived. Yet as my journey continued, my purpose and vision for simplifying changed. But that’s okay. The point is that I always had a reason for decluttering and simplifying my life. Without one, I would have given up at some point and not been able to experience the clear benefits of minimalist lifestyle.
Whenever I help someone at the beginning of their minimalist or decluttering journey, I ask them to write some things down beforehand. To make some sort of plan. Without a plan, it is too easy to give up along the way because you aren’t sure of why you are even doing this hard work and what the end result will be. Having a clear goal of vision lets you know when you have met your own sweet spot with decluttering. Not that minimalism has a clear end because I believe it is fluid. Your wants and needs will change with the seasons of life and so will your decluttering needs. But you will know what feels right for you. Just enough.
Here are some questions to ask and ways you can make a plan or define your purpose for decluttering.
- What is my vision for my home and life? (You may want to save pictures that reflect your desired outcome.) Is it clean, clutter-free, stress-free, inviting?
2. You may come up with a slogan or mantra that describes the feeling or goal for your home. E.g: One year mine was ‘a calm and orderly home’. Now it is ‘to live more lightly in my heart and home’. One of my readers has the word ‘serene.’
3. What are the benefits you expect to happen after you have cleared your home? Make a list. E.g. I will have less housework to do. More time to spend with the kids. Less stress in the family with less stuff to manage.
4. Reward yourself when you have reached certain goals. I.e, when the kid’s rooms are decluttered I will take them out for ice-cream. Or once the bathroom is decluttered I will treat myself to a relaxing aromatherapy bath. This will help you stay motivated and train yourself that decluttering is a good thing!
5. Stay flexible. As there are new seasons in life, I try to stay flexible with the changes and allow my purposes to adapt. Right now we are in lockdown and the house is kind of full with different work and projects going on. My home isn’t very orderly and that’s okay for now.
My purpose keeps me grounded when things change. When I remember what my purpose for living simply is, then I can get back on track without the feeling of overwhelm that I used to have.
I hope you have found this post useful and look forward to hearing your purpose for decluttering. Until next time!