Our culture tells us we need more, more, MORE. We need the latest gadgets, the newest technology, the latest fashions, the newest trends, etc.
Sales offer buy one get one free, and so, despite the fact that we only needed one, we end up with two.
We don't want to limit ourselves to just one or two wardrobe color choices, so we buy the shirt in every color. And instead of choosing one base color to build our wardrobe around, we have pants, skirts, belts, shoes and boots in two or three base colors.
We give in to the temptation to buy all the cutesy holiday and seasonal decorations, towels, dishes, etc.
We buy every book we want to read instead of using the free public resource called the library. Then we display our books proudly as if showing others what we read makes us look better.
We sign our kids up for sports, music lessons, clubs and church activities - wanting to expose them to everything possible.
We keep every gift family and friends have given us so as not to offend them.
Through different seasons in life, as our body size changes, we hang on to the old size just in case we might be that size again.
And then we wear ourselves out trying to organize, sort, clean and store all our possessions.
What if we don't need more?
What if what we really need is less. Or just enough.
give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread
~ Proverbs 30:8
~ Proverbs 30:8
The title of this blog comes from the verse above. What would it look like to really just have our "daily bread"? I'm sure most of us have no idea or at least don't live that way on a day to day basis. I certainly don't.
Over the past 5 years I've given away (probably) half of my possessions. Half. And I still have way too much. Each month I am amazed that I find more and more things I can live without.
And you know what? I love it.
I love the freedom that comes with owning less. I have less stuff to organize and maintain, giving me more time to pursue my passions.
Stop believing the lie that you need more. Open yourself to the possibility that you already have enough. You might even have too much.
To see all the posts in this series, search by the label less is more or click on THIS PAGE.
Over the past 5 years I've given away (probably) half of my possessions. Half. And I still have way too much. Each month I am amazed that I find more and more things I can live without.
And you know what? I love it.
I love the freedom that comes with owning less. I have less stuff to organize and maintain, giving me more time to pursue my passions.
Stop believing the lie that you need more. Open yourself to the possibility that you already have enough. You might even have too much.
To see all the posts in this series, search by the label less is more or click on THIS PAGE.
Life certainly got easier for me when I whittled down my clothes to those I actually wear. The tricks I used were to turn my hangers backwards until I wore something and taking things out of my drawers and only putting back what came out of the laundry. Those things still on backwards hangers or not put away after a couple of weeks I donated. No more digging through closets and drawers trying to find the clothes I actually wanted.
ReplyDeleteThose are both excellent methods to see what you really wear. I will mention both when I write about wardrobes, specifically.
DeleteYou make so many good points in this post. I get so frustrated with so much of the clutter around my home, but I have no one to blame but myself.
ReplyDeleteWe can complain all we want about other people's clutter, but I know I don't have to look very far or very hard to see my own contributions!
DeleteI agree completely. Now to convince my dear, dear husband. :) Truthfully, though, it's way too easy to blame others for the surfeit of stuff in our home. There are definitely things I can do about it in my "domain" as well.
ReplyDeleteI have similar issues with my husband. When we got married, he was the minimalist and I was the packrat. Now our roles seem to have changed. I focus on my areas and every once in a while I notice how big of an influence my determination is having. Just this past weekend he did a major declutter and it made me so happy!
DeleteWe are a consumer society. New gadget out - must buy. New fad - must follow.
ReplyDeleteYet so many people have so little.
I am trying to move from too much to much less. I will get there.
Great post!
Thanks.
DeleteI think baby steps are the best kinds of steps to take... : )