On a very practical note, I have been decluttering my house. My goal is to declutter my entire house within two months. Last week, I thought I could do it in one month. But after seeing how much time it takes each day, I think it will take two months.
I watched a lot of videos by Dawn, the Minimalist Mom, and even more videos by Gabe Bult. I always thought that maybe I was just lazy because I used to live with other people, and they seemed to have things together. But I had never seen videos about decluttering, and nobody explained it the way these two people did.
It is so empowering to walk through your home and see clean counters and floors. Each bag of garbage or donated items is like an unwanted burden you let go. You know you don’t need it. You know you don’t want it. And just realizing that I was not lazy or a slob, like I thought, gives me such a boost in my self confidence. Maybe you are ignorant like I was. I couldn’t figure out how to keep it all clean by decluttering, and I wanted to, but it was just too much stuff.
All I’m saying is you should definitely check out these two YouTubers if you are a person who needs to hear the information. It’s life-changing if you’re not aware of the effect clutter and too much stuff has on your life. Both these people are really encouraging to listen to. They could really help you get started today. Or even tonight, well, if you’re reading this at night. On the other hand, maybe you shouldn’t get started tonight; maybe you should just go to sleep.
I know I’ve been talking a lot about personal experiences regarding my faith, but I thought it might be time to share the practical, physical side of homemaking.
Now My House Feels like a Home
The feeling I have when I walk out of my room and see nothing on the floor in the hallway, or when I go downstairs to the kitchen and see empty counters, is incomparable! Then I walk back into my room, and I see a completely empty floor, no stuff piled up waiting to be sorted and put away.
The whole concept of letting things go is incredible. I’ve tried selling things online, things that I owned that I didn’t want to give away, and most stuff people are just not interested in buying. I take, upload, and edit the pictures, type in the description, place it in the attic, promote the item, package it, drive it to UPS, then make a few dollars. After having done this a few times, I’m realizing it’s really not worth my time. I’d rather just get rid of all the stuff, clear out the attic, and have a clear space to work—maybe sew or create things, paint, or do something that I really enjoy doing. Or maybe I’ll sit up there and pray or study. Or maybe I could use that space to work on my blog and learn about ways to save and make money.
I don’t regret having taken any time to sell the items. I’m thankful for the experience. It’s just incredible to me how we, in America, have so much stuff. And it’s so easy for most of us to buy it that many of us fall into the trap of buying stuff we really don’t need. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not an impulse buyer or a collector. I don’t buy trinkets.
I’ve always hated clutter. I lived in a state of mind where I felt that I had to hold on to things because it was hard to get things. Now our lifestyle has shifted, and it isn’t that way anymore. Now I can let all the stuff go. I don’t need to hold on to it. I don’t need to save up all the baby clothes and kids’ clothes.
It’s just incredible to me what a different mindset I have now. I really feel sorry for people who will go for years wanting to have a very clean home, not wanting to hold on to clutter, wanting to have a peaceful, restful home, and they don’t. Their house is always a mess. They’re holding on to too much stuff. They don’t understand how to let things go. They just don’t get the concept because no one ever explained it. That’s how I was. But I hope that more people could get their hands on information like this, and they would not have to live that way, not be constantly living in a mess and surrounded by clutter and chaos.
One of my goals as a homemaker is to train my children and teach them about things that I didn’t learn when I was young… things that should have been taught. I realize the people around me didn’t know. That’s why they didn’t teach it. I really don’t want my kids to miss out on information that could change their lives… information such as decluttering and minimalism. Stuff doesn’t make you happy.
“The only way to have everything you want is to only want what you have.” — Unknown
How is decluttering and minimalism life-changing? Well, for me, it brought some peace to my home and took away a lot of chaos and stress. It gave me more confidence in myself, helps me enjoy my home more, and makes my home less distracting. My home is now less house, more home. And it helps me make time for the important things in my life—my family.
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I’m begging you to throw out your stuff by Gabe Bult
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPSs9a0MYGw
The Silent To Do List (is this hurting you & your home?) by The Minimal Mom
https://youtu.be/EXWz-E2FEcY
How to Declutter Your Kitchen TODAY! by The Minimal Mom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HPgMQX6yNc
Get my free How to Start Minimalism checklist here.