Minimalism begins with a desire to respect your space. You can’t respect the place where you rest your head at night if you’re not happy with the amount of stuff in it or indeed- the types of things that you own. The two don’t go hand in hand.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Respect can only be reached when you are content with all the pieces in your home and you are able to keep on top of it.
Once you reach your minimalist sweet spot- it’s about perpetuating that admiration for where you live and the place you call home.
Here are just seven reasons to keep the need for respect at the forefront of your mind while you are decluttering so you can reach your goals.
- Respect for your body: Having respect for your space stems from and inevitably leads to having respect for yourself too. You don’t have to live among dangerous clutter that threatens to trip you up or catch your skin as you’re passing by it. There’s no need to have outdated food in your pantry that could make you ill. Once you admit that you deserve to live in a carefully curated home- your health will surely follow.
- Respect for your mind: A cluttered home leads to a cluttered mind. How can you possibly work from home effectively, enjoy some downtime or engage with those you live with if stuff is competing for your attention? Simply put- you can’t. Reducing your possessions down to the ‘right amount’ (which is personal to you) means you can do everything else more intentionally because your things aren’t distracting you.
- Respect for your finances: If you admire your space, your finances will naturally fall in line too. The less you bring into your home, the more you think about the things that you need or want to let cross the threshold- the greater respect you will have for your income, your savings and your budgets.
- Respect for your family: If you hold your home in high regard, it simultaneously demonstrates respect for your family or housemates too. No one wants to argue over belongings, no one should be endangered by too many things getting in the way- nor should their mental health take a toll because of superfluous items. You want to keep a clean and tidy home, not just for yourself but for them also- to protect them and to help them focus on what really matters.
- Respect for your time: Having respect for your home shows that you are considerate about your time and how you spend it. While people get joy from decluttering and organising- no one wants to be enslaved by their belongings. The less stuff you own, the more time you have, so making the conscious decision to minimise shows that carving time for other things is crucial to your happiness.
- Respect for your future: Making the choice early on to resist bringing unnecessary things into your home, will leave more of your disposable income available to you. While you may choose to spend this on experiences, there is a good chance you will have enough to do this and be able to put some money to one side for your future. Having the forethought to protect yourself in your later years begins with a respect for your space by limiting your impulse purchases and living with less.
- Respect for your legacy: People don’t want to be remembered for the things they leave behind- especially if those items cause relatives a great deal of grief to sort through, sell, store or trash. People want to be respected for their kindness, their generosity, their talents and their friendships- among many other positive traits that don’t involve the physical things they can’t take with them. To respect your space helps you to invest in you because you are more than your things and therefore you will be remembered fondly by those who matter.
RELATED: Review: Minimalism Room By Room by Elizabeth Enright Phillips
This beginner’s guide to minimalism promises to take you through each room of your house with step by step instructions of how to minimise each space so if you are starting from scratch- this is the ideal book to delve into to help you navigate your way around your home. The benefits don’t stop there either- the book also provides you with practical tips and tricks to save money and live more sustainably. The most relevant section for me however was how to change your attitude towards stuff- and more importantly- your attitude towards other people’s stuff. I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting other people in my household to follow suit but there’s still resistance- and navigating that can be tricky so having advice around this was invaluable...
Tagged in Minimalism Minimalist