Day 327 Not too many not too few ~ 23 Nov 2010
Each person’s goal when it come to minimalism is very individual. I, for one, cannot ever see myself living with only 100 things as some minimalists suggest. In fact at this point in my journey I have no idea how many more items will leave my home before I am satisfied with the end result. It may be that as time goes by my embrace on this lifestyle could strengthen and I may detach myself from even more of my belongings than I ever considered when I started. Who knows?
Being comfortable in the here and now with what is too many and what is too few is all I concern myself with. I want to keep working on weeding out the things in the too many category while not getting carried away and ending up with too few for my needs.
Find you own balance
Just as we may have ended up with too much stuff while trying to keep up with the “Have all†Joneses. We could now take it to the opposite extreme by trying to outdo the minimalist Joneses. My advice is to gather all the wisdom you can from all the sources you subscribe to on the subject of minimalism, simplicity and decluttering but keep true to yourself. Don’t look at it as some kind of competition or feel obliged to get rid of your treasured possessions. Just learn as you go and evolve naturally to the level you are comfortable with. No one is keeping score.
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A year and a half has gome by since I started my declutter mission and seven months since I wrote the above post and yet every word written there stays true for me. I still am by no means what you would consider a minimalist but I sure am enjoying my much decluttered home and am still not to a point where I am satisfied that my home is as decluttered as I would like. I don’t think either that I have moved the goal posts because really there never were any. My intension was to learn as I go and declutter certain items when I was ready to let go and that is still happening. It is not only happening for me but also for my family members which makes this job even easier and more satisfying.
I still have some areas of my home that have been on my radar right from the start that I either need to revisit or I haven’t even touched yet. I am quite content with that because it has been a continuous effort and I will get to them or back to them when I am good and ready. The changes in my home have been wonderful and I will continue to enjoy the process and the progress.
Today’s Declutter Item
The only time I ever use this electric knife is at Christmas when we buy a leg of ham. I am sure we could manage the task with an ordinary carving knife that doesn’t take up this much room. Off to the thrift store with you old faithful once a year clutter.
Electric Knife
Something To Be Grateful For
When decluttering your home never look back. Be grateful that you had the means by which to accumulate all the clutter you have, think how much money you will save in the future by adopting better spending habits and be happy with each items that leaves your home. Guilt and sadness are of no use to you except maybe to remind you to be more selective in the future, just be grateful of the new beginning.
Loved every word in this post…especially – “just be grateful of the new begining”.
Thanks, as always, for your continued inspiration!
Hi Annabelle,
I for one know you have come a long way over the time that you have been commenting here at 365 Less Things. Sometimes it is the psychological lessons we need to learn the most and then things just fall into place.
Guilt and sadness are of no use to you
Xxxx thank-you for that. I give myself permission to kick both of those feelings toward my clutter into touch
Hi Cathryn,
absolutely, kick those useless feeling out the door and be grateful for a new beginning. As the saying goes ~ Today is the first day of the rest of your life. ~ Begin again and again if necessary until you are satisfied with the direction in which you are going. Live and learn.
What a great message here. I love your common sense, Colleen!
Thanks Jo.