As I clear away the clutter from my small apartment, I have been having deep discussions with my husband about what our goals are and if we can make more adjustments to meet those goals. One idea that I've been seeing with minimalists is the move from a one bedroom or two bedroom apartment down to a studio apartment. I can picture ourselves in a little studio apartment and have thought hard about what it would to get there. The following are some of the thoughts I've had as I'm purging all of these items from our lives.
1. The stuff that I'm letting go of is just stuff. My mother was always sentimental and I remember finding dozens of wedding announcements, birthday cards, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, etc! I always thought that I would never do that, but as I pulled down some bins in the closet, I realized I was heading down the same path. I'll always have the memories of the events and people that had given me these things, so why keep lugging these physical mementos around anymore?
2. I really don't need 50 shirts. Although I have been frugal when purchasing new clothing, too many trips to Goodwill and thrift stores have still wreaked havoc in my closet. They may only cost one dollar, but all of those one dollar bills add up, and it's just not necessary. After I started tossing shirts into a Goodwill bag, my husband wandered in the closet and started doing the same.
3. Out of 5 pairs of jeans, I only loved 3. The other couple of pair would loosen up throughout the day or didn't have the right cut for my body. Why keep hanging on to something that doesn't look amazing on you? There's just no reason. I know it's fun to go out and buy new stuff, but I just can't justify it anymore.
4. I've been filling my life with things instead of making room for new experiences. As I mentioned before, I grew up with the women in family shopping. On the weekends, trips were made into the big city of Houston to take advantage of the latest deal and weren't complete without eating dinner out. While I go through all of my things, I have to remember what brought me here and how I can reverse this behavior and end the cycle of consumption.
5. We're living beyond our means. I often think of my husband's student loans and they bother me. Just the thought of this big red number over our heads makes me nervous. I've heard different reactions from everyone I encounter who also have the same debt, if not more. Almost everyone tells me to not worry about it and that I have years to pay it off. The thing is, Kendan and I don't like that idea. We've made a pact to end the unnecessary spending and dedicate more of our income to his student loans.
Looking to embrace a minimalist lifestyle? Check out my posts below!
Cutting the Clutter: The 5 C's to More Happiness
5 Lessons I've Learned by Decluttering
Cutting the Clutter: Kitchen Revamp
Sell your crap. Pay off your debt. Do what you love.
Embracing a Minimalist Lifestyle
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