Downsized

No, I’m not talking about the movie that’s hit the theatres this season. I’m talking about the real deal — again.

After actually selling nearly all our belongings in the estate sale, and finally letting go of boxes upon boxes of things that once belonged to each of our mothers, including items we had as children, I continue to be amazed at how freeing it has been since then.

“Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life’s important things—which actually aren’t things at all.” –Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus (The Minimalists)

I hadn’t realized just how much emotional weight all those ‘things’ had on my well being. The moment I was finished setting everything aside that was to be either donated or sold, a lightness came over me. That lightness has blossomed into a constant feeling of freedom that makes me happy all the time. Despite being in a home that is half the size, not only does everything fit but every item has a true purpose. I know where I can find everything. My life is not only simpler by having less, but it’s life-changing — in the best way.

There are times in a day when I’m walking from one room to another that a feeling of deep comfort within my surroundings wraps around me in the same way a comfy sweater is welcome on a chilly day. Sure we’re in a newer home but it’s far more than that. Everything we now have has a purpose and has its place, nothing is piled anywhere, there aren’t years of accumulated miscellany that I know need sorting or otherwise is needing to be dealt with (weighing me down emotionally), and I’ve embraced the KonMari method of folding to maintain order and space in drawers & cupboards. It feels like a fresh breath of air rather than a home filled with emotional smog. With all the unnecessary ‘stuff’ removed it’s much easier to focus on what matters most. Can you tell I’m a convert to living more simply and in a minimalist way?

As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, our home is not bare nor does it have a feeling of emptiness. It’s now very welcoming, tidy and comfortable, and there is a feeling of serenity within. Why on earth did I not do this decades ago?

“Too many people nowadays know the stores in their mall better than the people in their neighbourhood.” This quote I discovered at Becoming Minimalist . If perhaps you are interested, for a great eleven minute (11 minutes well spent) video my recommendation would be The Art of Letting Go (one of the TED Talks). But the main reason for writing this post is because I cannot believe how much of a positive change it has made in my life so I wanted to share with you my newfound joy of simplicity.

May your week ahead be filled with fresh air, open spaces, and time with friends and family.