The Minimalists came up with this question for their books and their podcast and ask it regularly of their readers and listeners.
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It's an important and valid question we should all ask ourselves if we are feeling discontent. Let me ask it again...how might your life be better with less?
Ask yourself this question and seriously consider what would change in your world if you were to remove the excess. The Minimalists are very much about the ‘why’ when it comes to paring down- the how is the easy part- it’s the ‘why’ that really matters as this will keep you driven through the decluttering process but also help you to find meaning once you reach the other side.
Too many people have decluttered and then asked- now what? Having the ‘why’ firmly in place as you begin can help you massively once you reach the end of your purge. Here are just some examples of how your life might look with less…
More time for your family?: Imagine a world where you weren’t constantly shovelling laundry from one machine to another because you have less clothes to wash and dry. Or a room that takes ten minutes to tidy up instead of an hour. What could you do with this time? You could spend it with those you live with watching a movie, talking over a coffee or reading a book together… there are so many activities you could enjoy together if you weren’t doing these stuff orientated tasks.
More time for your hobbies?: Perhaps you have a burning desire to write a book or read before bed but the problem is- your desk is covered in so much detritus you can’t find a clear surface to rest your notebook or laptop on and your books are in such chaos that you can’t run you finger along the spines on a bookcase and select the on you want to read. What if all that clutter was gone and you had the space for a writing nook or an organised place for your library of books?
More time for your relationship?: Stuff is one of the most common causes of arguments between partners. Items that aren’t put back in their rightful home, too much of one thing and not enough money to buy others. But what if you didn’t have to bring this topic up in conversation? Imagine if this wasn’t a taboo subject because it wasn’t even a factor anymore. What if you and your partner were free to talk about literally anything else and do something other than get mad at each other over junk?
More money?: If you were to buy less to fill your home- what could you do with the money instead? Save it? Have a holiday? Enjoy a bunch of experiences? Put fuel in the car and take a road trip? Whatever your heart desires- you will get there faster if you spend less on the things- the little bits here and there might not seem like much but mount up to vast amounts of your income when you gather them altogether. And what have you got to show for it? A bunch of items that hold little or no significance.
More time for you?: If all you are looking for is some more time to invest in yourself- could you do this if you weren’t moving, cleaning, maintaining or getting rid of stuff? You might be able to take long baths, write in your journal, do some gardening or yoga- whatever it might be- if you want it- you can have it with less.
Meaningful mealtimes?: If your dining room table wasn’t covered in piles of paper to be filed or shredded, homework and junk mail- could you enjoy a home cooked meal with your family instead of another TV dinner or eating in separate rooms of the home?
More time for your health?: Consider for a moment a weekend where you can go out for a bike ride, a walk or a run or cook a healthy meal rather than taking things to the tip, shopping for things you don’t need or grabbing a take away. Would you enjoy this weekend more than what you normally do?
Do all of these things sound better than the life you currently lead? If so, remove the items that are getting in the way of these opportunities and give yourself the chance to find out what more there is to life.
How might your life be better with less?
RELATED: Minimalism: Seven types of hidden clutter to address today
You may think that minimalism only refers to the clutter in your home- the stuff that clogs up your space, but there are some very different types of clutter that threaten to overwhelm you that you can’t even see- this hidden clutter. So here we delve into each one and discuss ways you can try and dissipate some of that junk so you can feel freer and lighter... to read more click HERE
