Owning Less Stuff Is So Freeing That You’ll Want To Be Rid Of Even More

The process of owning less stuff is addictive and will have you coming back for more.  The paradox of owning less, and wanting more of less, is compelling.

A number of years ago I noticed that my thinking seemed to be consistently pulled to imagining the things I wanted.  So, much so, that I spent much time in turmoil of how this stuff could make my life easier and save me time.  The irony was that I was spending too much time researching, thinking of how I could raise the money to buy it, then searching for this ideal item.  I had fallen exactly into the trap set by marketing intended to relieve me of my hard-earned money on their cleverly, crafted solutions to my imagined problems.  Now, the thrill of the hunt for the ideal item has become the thrill of the hunt to find the next thing to be rid of.

When we have a new home, whether owned or rented, we want to make our stamp upon it to reflect who we are or who we aspire to be.  The problem is we continue to make our stamp on it and don’t pass on of what we already have.  Our homes become cluttered with all these versions of ourselves and plus of the different versions of others we live with.

Recently, I completed another room-by-room declutter (link at the bottom of this page) and found two more boxfuls of my own clutter that I no longer use.  As I have been through this process a number of times before, it has become easier and easier with each sweep through the house.  As they say, practice makes perfect.

As a result of this regular maintenance, I’ve created more space, freedom, time, money and savings, energy to do other things, less stress, and improved my concentration through less distraction.

With less to maintain and clean I have more opportunity to pursue my lifelong interests and passions.  There is no way that I would return to the hungry consumer I once was, and I will continue to reduce what I own even further.

A couple of weeks back, I went for a walk with a friend who lives close by. She was telling me how she was having a local real estate agent over to value her house as she was thinking of moving to a smaller place.  Recently, she had seen a little Victorian cottage that she’d fallen in love with for its cosy character and pretty garden. “It’s so beautiful Andrew,” she said, “it’s my dream house!”

However, she had found herself in a bit of a dilemma.

“I’m so embarrassed by the state of my place,” she told me, “here I am wanting to move to a smaller home while the stuff in my current house could fill it three times over; yet I still find myself in shops looking for more.”

The valuer would be coming into her house that week and she’d been doing her best to create some space and improve the impression of her house by moving things into her garage, but it had made little impact.

I said I would help in whatever way that I could, and it would be a positive step forward.  Now that she realised she owned too much, the first and most important step had already been taken. She would feel relieved once she’d shifted many of her possessions as she has a beautiful home hidden beneath her possessions. Her house would be quickly snapped up by a buyer once the spaces were clear of the clutter.

When I caught up with her a week later, she said that the estate agent had visited and suggested she clear most of her things if she wanted to make a positive impression on potential buyers viewing her place.  Determined to buy and move to her new home, she had already begun advertising most of her things for sale, and had started the process of donating as well.

It made me realise that I never wanted to get back to this state again, and I was even more determined to help others untie their physical and mental tethers to material things.  It takes time to get rid of all you’ve accumulated, but once you’ve done so, you never want to go back.

My life has changed so much for the better.  It all started as a physical process of decluttering and then became a mental process of decluttering the thoughts that no longer served me as well.

I own less and I want less.  I am no longer so beholden to social media and marketing on how I should live my life.  I am freed of comparing my stuff and life with others.  I am no longer bound to the pursuit of more money and stuff at the expense of my health and stress. I am content and resourceful with the things that I currently own. I pursue what really matters and help others to do the same.

Owning less makes you want to get rid of even more.

If you would like to declutter your home room-by-room, please read my blog: The Ultimate Spring Cleaning and Decluttering Guide: Room-by-Room