The Rewards of Adopting a Minimalist Lifestyle

I've begun to realize this in the last few years as I've been buying and cleaning out abandoned self-storage units full of other people's possessions. Big stuff, little stuff, old stuff, new stuff. Too much stuff. So much stuff that it won't all fit into our homes and we stick it in a storage unit, because although we're not using our stuff, we can't bear to part with it.

I often wonder why we feel we must have so much stuff. Perhaps we are trying to fill empty space within us. Will our possessions bring us peace, contentment, and happiness?

I think not. In fact, the opposite is often true. We are swamped with material possessions and drowning in the illusion that our stuff makes us happy, when true happiness can only come from within us. Do we really need much more than the bare essentials, food, shelter, clothing, to have a satisfying life, or do we just surround ourselves with material possessions so that we may have a sense of security?

Our greatest satisfaction in life should come from our relationships with God and family. Happiness might be found in what we own, but true joy is found in what we love. There is no material possession more beautiful than a newborn baby, colorful flowers blooming in the spring, or the orange-red glow of the sunset. No tunes from a CD player compare with the music of rushing water or the choruses of birds.

Over the years we accumulate great piles of belongings, when we really only need a few quality possessions to take care of. I admire my friend Suzanne, who lives a minimalist lifestyle, only having as much as she can take with her. She's free to move between Indiana, where her family lives, and Colorado, where she has friends, on a whim. When wanderlust strikes her, she hits the road without the weight of material possessions to hold her back.

Perhaps Suzanne's vagabond lifestyle isn't for everybody, although it's starting to sound pretty inviting to me! As a young woman, I thought I would be satisfied living in a teepee and weaving rugs for a living. Now that I am reaching the half-century mark I'd like to believe I still could be content with such a simple life but the truth is I'm spoiled for modern conveniences.

We don't have to live out of a backpack to live a minimalist lifestyle. We can continue to enjoy having a permanent roof over our head, and may appreciate it even more when all the excessive and unnecessary clutter is removed. Studies show that clutter can produce stress, and our home should be our refuge from stress, not add to it! When we can't find our favorite sweater in a closet stuffed with clothing, the family room becomes an obstacle course of toys, or we can't get the car in the garage because we're using it for storage of household possessions, it's time to start clearing away the clutter.

The first step in creating a minimalist home is to get rid of all the unnecessary clutter. Find places for the possessions you do need and love, and keep them there when you aren't using them. Get rid of anything you don't really need or use by donating those items to a charity or holding a yard sale. Keep from adding more clutter by adopting the "one in, one out" rule, and when you add something new to your home, get rid of one old possession.

A minimalist home is sparsely decorated, but not bare and uninviting. Choose quality over quantity. A handsome coffee table of real wood is more impressive than a room full of tables made of particle board. A curio cabinet filled with geegaws and knickknacks doesn't allow you to appreciate the beauty of the individual objects. Choose only a few of your most unique and interesting decor items to display. Take down the myriad wall hangings and pictures and choose one or two exquisite pieces to accent the room.

Homes with children are especially prone to clutter! It can be difficult to help children adopt a minimalist attitude when they've always received all the latest toys, electronic gadgets, and clothing that all the other kids have. Even though you may not buy them a lot of things yourself, they are always receiving gifts from friends and relatives for holidays and birthdays. Encourage your children to keep their most prized possessions and donate the rest to a charity. One is never too young to learn to give, and to consider the welfare of others less fortunate. Ask gift-givers to give presents of experiences (a movie date, a pool party, other fun activities, or a donation to a favorite charity in the child's name) instead of more material possessions that your child doesn't really need.

Once we give up our desire for the mass accumulation of consumer goods, and are unburdened of their daily care and maintenance, we will find our reward in building the relationships we have with others, and with our God. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21