Do you have too much stuff in your home leaving you feel overwhelmed? Are you attached to keepsakes such as kids toys and gifts leaving you feel guilty and unable to part with them? Here are 10 benefits of having less stuff to inspire you to take the plunge and let go.
1. Easier to clean
Having less stuff means there is less stuff to dust, (or less stuff to dust around) and less stuff to pick up before vacuuming or less stuff to vacuum around saving you time and frustration.
2. Easier to find things
Finding things is much easier if you have less stuff. Too much stuff can lead to you loosing your favourite shirt under a pile of dirty clothes or your favourite ear-rings in a jumbled jewellery box.
3. Less weight on your shoulders.
Brian Gardiner on nosidebar.com. says “Decluttering helps people breathe…. you will be letting go of things you were holding onto. This will give freedom and will make it easier for you to breathe without the burdens of the past weighing you down.”
4. Less to manage
It’s far easier to manage and maintain 4 tubs of kids toys rather than a collection that has taken over the whole house. Less clothes, less food in the pantry and less paperwork is all easier to manage.
5. Greater productivity
A recent article in Forbes magazine by Neil Patel, titled “How I Get More Done 2 Days Than Most People Do In 2 Weeks” says “I’ve engineered my life to be incredibly simple. Everything in my life helps me to achieve my purpose and goals. For that reason, I’ve stripped away everything that doesn’t help me towards that end”.
6. Less makes you happy
The Minimalists via theminimalists.com say “By incorporating minimalism into our lives, we’ve finally been able to find lasting happiness—and that’s what we’re all looking for, isn’t it? We all want to be happy. Minimalists search for happiness not through things, but through life itself; thus, it’s up to you to determine what is necessary and what is superfluous in your life”. What a fabulous sentiment! It’s certainly worth a go at having less in the pursuit of happiness.
7. Appreciation for what you have
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” Hans Hoffman. Having less allows you to appreciate and be grateful what you have rather than looking for the next thing to “make you happy.”
8. More money
In the long run having less will save you money. Theoretically you could live in a smaller, less expensive house,. You could enjoy the clothes you have and learn to mix and match to create a new look rather than heading to the shops. How much money would you save if you decided to own less stuff?
9. More time with yourself
With less stuff to wrangle you can spend more time with yourself and discover your true passions and interests rather than doing what the advertising agencies are telling you to buy or do. Create a bucket list and get out there and try some new things and get to know yourself.
10. More spare time
For all of the above reasons, you’ll end up with more time on your hands if you have less stuff.
Next steps?
Do you want to take the plunge and let go of some items? Here some articles that will help you on your way:
How to let go of kids keepsakes
Clear goals make priority setting easy
Still need help?
Who is Julie Cliff, Professional Organiser at Space and Time?
The working mother juggle isn’t easy and can make life feel overly busy, stressful and overwhelming. Space and Time is a professional organising consultancy which helps busy working mothers live easier, far less stressful lives through simple, easy to implement organising systems to clear the clutter- both mentally and physically.