Getting Back to Simple

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com

As I mentioned in the previous post I am getting back into the groove of normal life after being out of town. After my trip I was fortunate enough to come home to a clean house! My husband gave the dog a bath, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, did laundry, vacuumed and even washed the couches. I wasn’t expecting it, but it is not surprising that he did it, because we both value living in a clean space.

In fact, when we got married he cleaned the entire house every Friday because it was his habit for him before we were married. On top of that he lived in a practically empty house. I am not exaggerating! He had a bed, desk (where he kept his tv), and a nightstand. No couches, no kitchen table, nothing in the second bedroom. He had only what he needed and he loved it! Not to mention that it made cleaning the entire house in one evening really easy.

Years of marriage and a child later, let’s just say we have more than 4 items in our home. I’ve never been one to go out and buy a lot of stuff, but if something ends up in my possession (sale, thrift store, hand me down) I tend to hold on to it. It’s usually because I feel like I can use it later or I have guilt about getting rid of it.

Well, for a number of reasons, the most important being my sanity, I have been getting rid of stuff like crazy! It first started with a major move we made, then a minor move, then nesting during my pregnancy. And now I am committed to getting us to a point of having just what we need, and a little of what we want.

It is definitely a process, especially when you have a toddler who grows out of his wardrobe every 3-4 months. But it is worth it! By living modestly, meaning only buying/having what we need and limiting things we want (like toys, gadgets, books, etc.), we benefit in the following ways:

1. Less time cleaning, which means more time being productive or spent with family.
2. My son learns to not place so much value in materialistic things.
3. We actually use the things we have.
4. We save money because we spend money intentionally (money that we can put towards experiences rather than things).

Yes, this process does result in my table being covered in things as I organize stuff, or things piled up by the door ready to be donated. But I keep the overall goal insight. And it feels good to only have clothes in my closet that I actually wear (capsule wardrobe), and for my son not to have more toys than he can play with spread out all over his room.

If this is something you think you would benefit from, give it a try! Get rid of something you haven’t used in months, clean under your bathroom sink, donate clothes or shoes you don’t wear anymore. It may take time to get there, but eventually you will!!

-Coach Nay