Less is more. We’ve all heard this at some time or another, but what about when it comes to our things? Is living with less really living with more?
Decluttering can be challenging. Maintaining a decluttered space takes time and effort, even for those who live minimally. With the way of the world these days, we are all fighting against being sold items that are bigger, better, newer, and will solve all our problems! We are constantly being fed advertisements as we see them while driving, getting them in our mailboxes and our emails, and watching them on TV…not to mention being constantly bombarded with ads on every social media platform. No wonder we live in such clutter; we can hardly escape it!
So, back to the question, how will decluttering your space and living with less help you live with more? The answer is layered and needs to be looked at in a few different ways. It all comes down to the fact that living with less will help you live more physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
The physical benefits of living with less seem apparent initially, but let’s dive a little deeper into it for a sec. Of course, when you declutter items in your space, you are not only getting rid of things that no longer serve you, but you’re freeing up the physical space for things that serve you.
For example, think about the clothes in your wardrobe. Have you got clothes that you never wear? Clothes that don’t fit properly or are no longer your style? When it’s time to get dressed, do you open your wardrobe only to wade through the clothes you don’t like or don’t fit while trying to find your favourite go-to outfits?
If you can declutter the clothes that no longer serve you, you free up space to calmly get dressed for the day without juggling the tower of shoe boxes and shoving clothes to the side. Instead, you can look through the items of clothing you know you love and fit you, and it’s a much better start to the day. So physically, living with less stuff lets you live in more space and freedom.
The mental benefits of living with less are astounding. Watching an episode of the latest extreme clutter show is enough to see how some cases of clutter easily lead to anxiety, depression, and a whole slew of other issues. But even less extreme amounts of clutter can lead to the same results of negative mental impacts. Clutter can bring out stress in people. Are you managing the house (and everything inside it)? Talk about STRESS. If you have less stuff to care for, you have less stuff to stress about. If everything in your space has a home, tidying up becomes quick and easy.
Decluttering the excess and living a more minimal life will help you feel more in control, which will help you feel more calm and happy. Here at Curious Freedom, we like to say that clearing out mental clutter is like closing tabs in your mind. Having too many
tabs open on your computer browser can quickly become overwhelming; the same is for your mind! Declutter your space, declutter your mind, and find freedom mentally. The less you live with, the more mental energy you have to focus on being productive, resting, and having fun!
Living with less can lead to you living with more emotionally. There will be less time being frustrated by the mess. Have you ever found a gift card that has expired and shamed yourself for losing it in the first place? Do you sometimes stumble across things that bring up painful memories from hard times and wish you had already dealt with those items? Do you ever get frustrated at those you love when it is you that you are frustrated with; they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Maintaining a decluttered space can be a helpful tool in dealing with emotions, especially negative ones. If your home is clutter-free and you’re living with less, you can make room for more happiness, calm, and time to process your emotions healthily.
Finally, living with less allows you to live with more financially. Think about all the times you’ve been at the shops without a list, and you buy something “just in case” because you’re unsure if you have it. And then, sure enough, when you come home and put that item away, you discover that you did have that item (and probably several backups). If you live with less, you can quickly know what is in your home, so you’re not overbuying and saving money. If you live with less, you’re also not likely to need a storage unit, and those monthly rent prices are high. Major financial savings! Maybe when you decide to live with less and begin decluttering, you’ll find bills that need paying, and you can get that taken care of to avoid late fees that build up. Maybe when you’re decluttering, you’ll find that cash you stashed away and forgot about! Perhaps you can gather up items to sell online and make some money. There are endless ways that decluttering and living with less will be a guaranteed way of living with more financially.
Even though living in this world is driven by having the newest and best thing, fighting against the clutter and finding freedom is entirely worth the effort. Living with LESS is living with more physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.
