The Four Benefits of Minimalism

When I first started out with my journey, my closet was the first step I took. Since then however, I've decluttered more of what I've found wasn't necessary to me personally. Obviously minimalism is going to look different for everyone, but what I want to share today is four ways that make life easier because of this.

1. Less to clean and organize. Cleaning for me isn't the most fun thing to do, but I don't like to complain either. With me owning less stuff to move around or reorganize, I don't have worry about the task taking more than an hour. In fact, I'd say it takes a little less than an hour for me to clean and dust my bedroom and bathroom alone.

2. Less stress. Sometimes when you have too much stuff, that can lead to a sense of overwhelm, and the reason for that is simply because the clutter we have is a representation of any delayed decisions we've made. If you can simply schedule in the time to declutter at least one section of your home (whether if it's a counter top, desk drawer or closet), you'll notice the benefit of less stress right away. Now of course, decluttering is always a good first step, but in order to stay on top of that, you also have to maintain and control the amount of clutter you bring in afterwards.

3. More time for what actually matters. With the way life is sometimes, it can be a little chaotic and unpredictable, but when you come home after a busy day, would you rather enter a home that's clutter free, or a home that's messy and disorganized? I personally feel that our homes should be a calm and inviting space so that we're not distracted and more focused on the people in our lives. In the end, life shouldn't be about "hoarding" or saving up stuff for the rest of our lives, but more about living in the present moment and appreciating the relationships we have. This is something that has resonated with me in the last couple months, and I honestly value this a lot more now than I did in my earlier 20's.

4. More time in general. When you learn to say no to what doesn't add value or spark joy in your life, you can automatically gain more time to yourself. One thing I've learned is that while nobody in this world is perfect, it is okay to put some distance between whichever relationships are negative or not beneficial to you. The same can obviously be said for clutter. Our lives are not infinite, but at the same time, we shouldn't have to spend copious amounts of time worrying about things that won't get us anywhere, or about certain people who drain our energy. Spending your time in a way that matters to you and makes you feel good is what's most important, so once you've gained that extra down time after the detox process, it honestly makes a big difference.