Hi Neighbor!
Recently I have talked – and written – quite a bit about purging, moving, and subsequently settling into a new home and a new life. It consumed the better part of my year, but as the settling phase really, well, settles in, I have made the same observation over and over again: I do not need so much “stuff.”
And by “stuff,” I mean clothes, knick-knacks, dishes, picture frames, furniture – you name it. I seemed to have excess, and I clearly did not need it all.
Sure, I have downsized, and that made a difference in how much “stuff” I could accommodate within my new walls. But with all of that said and acknowledged, I am living with less because I discovered I literally need less.
Without realizing it, I have become a bit of a minimalist. And it feels so good. Almost natural. Never saw it coming.
I found myself reaching for the same pair of shoes, pants, shirt, and coat each day. It became my uniform. Of course, I did laundry and swapped out shirts, socks, etc., but the realization was clear; I did not need all of the extra items taking up space in my closet. (Living out of boxes for several weeks while I unpacked probably had something to do with this pared down version of who I was morphing into…)
My lifestyle had changed so it would make sense that my clothing choices and habits and favorites would change as well.
With my minimalistic attitude came the realization that I had also adhered to a more comfortable, casual lifestyle as witnessed by my laundry basket. I was no longer running to the dry cleaner to attend to my finer articles of clothing but was laundering my athleisure-wear on repeat. Think: minimalist.
To be fair, I did not require much even before life altering events forced me to part with much of my “stuff,” but they were obviously items I no longer needed or had outgrown. It was a much-needed cleanse, and that’s okay too.
Yes, I have purchased new “stuff” to make my new home feel special, but for every one item that comes into the house, at least five things have gone out. Same with clothes. We all get bored with our closets; styles change, our size fluctuates, and when a new season rolls around, we want something fresh. I get it. But for each pair of shoes or new top I have purchased, bags – and I mean bags – of clothes have left the building.
I have become more particular because I do not want to look at clothes over and over again that I am simply not wearing. What is the point of the purchase if a blouse hangs limply in my closet, never being reached for? Everything that comes in must have a purpose, especially the clothes.
And I have also become more practical, only purchasing what I actually need, will wear, or can utilize in my new home. As a result, I have created a simpler mindset by paring down my choices for clothing and a sleeker home environment void of clutter.
Being a bit of a minimalist feels good, appropriate for this moment in my life. Just do not go up in my attic! Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
Living the simple life,
Jackie