Intrigued by Minimalism

Yesterday I started listening to the audiobook version of Minimalist Living: Decluttering for Joy, Health, and Creativity. I've become interested in practicing a measure of minimalism after realizing I simply have too much stuff. My clutter is basically all over the house, and I'm stuck in the cycle of taming it when my dad insists I clean it up, without going to the root of the issue, which is that I simply have more than I need. So my clutter grows like kudzu, and instead of taking control over it, I simply manage it.

Stuff is fun to have. One can even argue that acquiring stuff is good, and I agree... to a certain extent. I will never be an ultra minimalist, pairing down my belongings to 100 (or even fewer!) items. I don't care how many different belongings I have, as long as they don't run my life or get lost in storage. According to the author of the book mentioned above, my feelings toward stuff is a valid minimalist ideal. The key is acting upon my feelings.

One person that embodies some of the aspects of minimalism is my grandmother. She makes her home a reflection of her and Granddad. She doesn't really care what people think, or about "keeping up with the Joneses," or having the latest technology--unless she or Grandad really wanted something. Grandma's and Granddad's attitude of making their belongings work for them instead of working to maintain too many things, and otherwise making good choices, allows them to enjoy retirement and follow some of their passions. Grandma likes to read when she's not keeping house. And although she spends most of her day with chores, her load is much less because she has no clutter. This way of living also frees them financially because they only have to pay to maintain the things they need, instead of, perhaps, maintaining extra gadgets and belongings that they don't use or don't even really want. In this way, while they are not rich, they live richly.

I think my grandparents' positive example of minimalism is something for me to strive for. I can live my dream and live it well, and deal with whatever life has thrown at me, if I minimize my ties to stuff.

Some benefits of practicing minimalism, as it applies to my life:

• More room in the house
• Fewer boxes to rummage through when looking for something
• Knowing that at least most of my clothes fit
• When I move out on my own, less stuff to bring with me
• When preparing to move out, less stuff to discard at one time
• Easier to clean
• Possibly, fewer allergies
• Financially, making my dollars count
• Preparing me for life on my own and with my own family, when I may have to live with less out of necessity or love
• Less to lose and have to replace, if something happens and I lose everything.

Back to the subject of the book I'm listening to; the author often makes two things clear: one must act on what he learns in her book--the book itself is not magic; and that one must make minimalism work for them.

Here is the link to buy Minimalist Living on Amazon, available in Kindle, paperback, and Audible versions:

http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Living-Decluttering-Health-Creativity-ebook/dp/B00H9J8C64/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432156191&sr=1-1&keywords=minimalist+living

I am not gaining anything from you following the link and purchasing the book.

I end this post by asking my readers to pray for me as I try to actually implement my own version of minimalism. I often find it difficult to find the energy or motivation to actually clean (as to the reason why... that's another blog post).

Until next time, God bless and have a great day!