simplify

[lizziebelle]

I read an interesting article yesterday that really resonated with me, about simplifying your life. This is something that I've been wanting/trying to do, and not just for financial reasons. I complain that my apartment is too small, but in truth it's that I have too much stuff. I know I need to seriously edit my stuff, as my brother calls it. I have been talking about doing it for ages. The problem is, how/where to start? It's so overwhelming.

The person featured in the above article has a blog, charmingly called Rowdy Kittens, and she has lots of great tips and links to get you on the path to simplicity.

One of the things from the article that I really liked was the emphasis on experiences over possessions. Taking a vacation with your family, say, instead of buying a fancy new car/large-screen TV/etc. We (as a society) are so deeply entrenched in consumer culture that we don't even notice it anymore. I really only started noticing my own tendencies when I didn't have the cash to do it anymore. I didn't think I was that much of a shopper, and compared to most people I know (coworkers, family, neighbors) I wasn't, but I did shop more than I needed to, and bought things I didn't really need, and haven't really used.

Yes, I am sick and tired of my wardrobe, but it's rather more than an awful lot of people have, and there's nothing really wrong with it. Sure, I could use some new shoes that aren't beat up/stained/worn, but the ones I have are serviceable. And so on.

I've been doing some inner work that nicely ties in with this, I think. I've been working on forgiveness. Forgiving everyone, and I mean everyone, both past and present, for anything they've done that has hurt me in any way. That's harder than I thought it would be, especially when someone continues to hurt me after I've forgiven them. Forgiving myself is just as difficult. But I have to, in order to move on. The rut I'm in is as much my own making as not. Probably more.

So, every day I will be doing something, anything, to reduce the clutter in my life. Start small, keep at it: that's my new motto.

Comments

[bettyw.livejournal.com]

I love Rowdy Kittens - did you see the link from their Friday roundup to how to learn to release books? I'm going to look into that after I get back from vacation.

I've been doing decluttering as part of recent inner work as well (you may have noticed in some of my FB posts). And that's my goal - at least one thing a day... though if I get rid of 5+ books at once I give myself a pass for one extra day :-)

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I sold a bunch of books last weekend at the Lammas Faire. If I had had the time, I would have brought more! :)

[firespirit1.livejournal.com]

What's the URL of the entry on how to release books? I really need to do that.

[bettyw.livejournal.com]

Breaking the Sentimental Attachment to Books

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

You might be interested in the minimising experiences of my friend darkemeralds - she has a 'project empty' tag.

I clicked through to the getting rid of books post (naturally I am drawn to anything about books) and found I couldn't take it seriously, not when she talks of her two bookcases and the revelation of ordering books by subject/author to better see what you have...that's not someone who lives with what I'd call many books.

I think we're very lucky in that we've reached a time and place in our lives where there's a reasonable match between what we have, what we want, and the space available to fit it all in. And we've always valued holidays and other experiences over stuff. That said, we've been in a bit of a decluttering phase recently, unplanned but not unwelcome. To balance that, I'm getting a little addicted to Freegle and collecting other people's discarded stuff :)

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'll check her out!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Good for you! That's an inspirational approach.

I like the idea of simplifying. I've really enjoyed using Bookins and BookMooch to find new homes for some of my books - and, for that matter, to "adopt" books from others.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea. Another of my LJ friends uses Bookmooch.

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I've sent 95 books out since I started!

If you join and want a friend, here I am. :)

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Cool! I just joined. You're my first friend there! :)

[writeonq.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed that article as well. Like yourself, my favorite part was about spending on experiences instead of goods. I've believed this for a while, but it's good to have a nice reminder.

I did a fairly huge clean-out last winter, but still have a ways to go. "Start small and keep at it" is a very good motto!

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

As with most things (for me, anyway), getting started is the hardest part. ;)

[writerjenn.livejournal.com]

I've been freecycling for a while to get rid of some of my stuff, but it's tough when nobody wants it and it's too good to throw out. I can't bring myself to throw out perfectly good stuff.

Then there's stuff I would love to get rid of, like paperwork, that I need for record-keeping purposes.

Books are not as much of a problem, since I give away a lot of them and constantly reread what I have, so they don't feel cluttery to me.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

A lot of the stuff I want to get rid of is small. Some of it I can give to Goodwill. Some I will just have to give away, or find someone to have a tag sale with.

[ami-1.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the inner work. It takes a lot of courage.

Sat Nam

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

And tenacity! ;)

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Hi. I'm here by way of lamentables, who pointed you to my Project Empty tagged series of posts a bit ago. I applaud your desire to simplify and I just thought I'd throw in my two cents' worth on the decluttering aspect of it: the best thing I did was take it in very small slices (one shelf feels like too much? How about just the lefthand end of one shelf?); and any area that I didn't declutter totally became a nexus for re-cluttering.

The places I decluttered 100% have remained completely clutter free for going on two years. So something fundamental changed in me in the process of doing it. It is truly one of the most powerful things I've ever done.

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I need all the inspiration I can get, and I look forward to reading your posts. :)

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

Yeah, forgiving myself tends to be vastly harder than forgiving others.