Just Call Me "Miss Minimalist"

Ok, not quite yet.  I'm still working on earning that title!

I came across a list of the top 10 benefits to being a minimalist, courtesy of Francine Jay and her book "Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify."  I thought it was a good topic for a blog entry, and I wanted to share the list with you:

1.  Less stuff = less stress.  You don't have to worry about maintaining, repairing, or paying for things you don't have.

2.  Less stuff = more freedom.  You can take advantage of going off on an adventure if you have fewer things at home to worry about.

3.  Less stuff = more time.  You don't have to spend as much time maintaining and organizing your things if you have fewer of them.  You don't have to spend time buying but can use that time for enjoying life.

4.  Less stuff = more money.  The less you buy, the more money you save.

5.  Less stuff = less pressure to consume.  When people know you're a minimalist, they're less likely to expect you to have the latest and greatest in status symbols.  This one saves you money too!

6.  Less stuff = less cleaning.  Your house is more likely to look clean when people stop over unexpectedly, and it takes less time to prepare for when you invite people over.

7.  Less stuff = more opportunity to be creative & resourceful.  It's a fun challenge to complete a project without buying anything "extra."

8.  Less stuff = a greener planet.  The less you buy, the less packaging you throw away.

9.  Less stuff for me = more for others.  Resources are finite in this world; having less means more is available for the next generations.

10.  Less stuff = more joy.  Having less helps you appreciate what you have more, especially people in your life.

I am certainly entertained by the prospect of #4.  Money not spent on things that are not needed is money in the bank for a rainy day purchase or emergency.  In my endeavors to become a minimalist, I have used benefit #9 to my advantage.  I have given away certain items that gave me joy at one time to others who need them and can get new joy:  accessories from our wedding, clothing & linens, crafting items, to name a few.  In the process, I've (selfishly?) felt good from the giving aspect and felt good from the space it's created in our home.  For example, instead of housing the accessories from our wedding on a bookshelf, I've converted it to a shelf of pictures of us from the wedding using those accessories.  Less to clean (#6) and much more fun to look at (#10).

Am I close to being a minimalist?  No, of course not!  I have much more to streamline.  Along the way, I've discovered #1 and #7, too.  I am an avid "up-cycler" now.  I reuse things that I would have never thought could be changed into something else with just a little paint or paper (for lots of ideas, check out www.Pinterest.com).  I toss or give away anything that hasn't been used in a year.  I'm well on my way to loving the minimalist lifestyle, and I bet you could do it, too!

Just for fun:  "Today's housekeeping tip:  Always keep several get-well cards on the mantel.  That way, if unexpected guests arrive, they'll think you've been sick and unable to clean."