Minimalism is a Mindset

A person can donate all their possessions to charity and still end up with a cluttered home within a year unless they change their mindset.

I have had to give up most of my things several times in my life.  More than once, I’ve had to fit everything I owned into a carload.  I was good at finding things at good deals, so I’d always end up with twice as much stuff within a few months!  A lot of my security came from having stuff.

This started to change when I had to drive across several states with only the things I could fit on and in my Hyundai Elantra and it’s home made roof rack – including bedding, tent, sacks of dried rice and beans, clothes, spouse, and two cats.  After that I never wanted to have too much stuff again.

The stuff crept in again but not as quickly as before.  I started to focus on quality rather than quantity.  When I had to move one more time, I had better resources for moving everything but used that move as a reason to rid myself of more dross and replace it with more good quality items.

I can see the effect of my mindset changing – smaller spaces look larger as I have less furniture.  I have more time in my day because I don’t have to organize things.  I can find everything easily.  Once, I was famous for always losing things.  Now, I know where everything I need is, right away, and I find it the first time.

Life is a bit more satisfying as I move from plastic to glass and metal and get rid of disposable things around my home.  I feel more settled.  As the things I use grow fewer in number, but more beautiful, my life feels more like art rather than common drudgery.  I haven’t had to spend a lot more money to do this, but I have had to be intentional about my purchases and choose quality over convenience or quantity.  I still have a long way to go.  However, my changing mindset has brought peace to my life and home!

via Daily Prompt: Minimal

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/minimal/