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Becoming Minimalist

Own less. Live more. Finding minimalism in a world of consumerism.

6 Lies that Keep Our Homes and Lives Cluttered

Written by guest · 122 Comments

Note: This is a guest post from Rachel Jones of Nourishing Minimalism.

This change in our lives, eliminating the unnecessary so we can focus more on what really matters, has caused me to evaluate my own thoughts and beliefs.

Whenever we decide to embrace a major change in life, we are forced to evaluate our thoughts and beliefs. Major changes—whether chosen or unchosen—compel us to pay attention to what is happening in our mind.

We look deep to determine truth from myth.

And let’s face it: all of us have lies that we tell ourselves—even without noticing. Most of these mistruths are unintentionally believed (rarely do we purposefully believe a lie). But regardless, these lies impact the way we live, the decisions we make, how we communicate with others, and yes, even the state of our home.

Six years ago, my family discovered the joy of owning less when we decided to remove 2008 items in 2008. We enjoyed it so much, we also removed 2009 items in 2009, 2010 items in 2010, and have continued every year including this one (with 8 people in the house, stuff seems to seep in through the cracks!).

This change in our lives, eliminating the unnecessary so we can focus more on what really matters, has caused me to evaluate my own thoughts and beliefs. As I did, I began to recognize some of the specific lies that were keeping my home and life cluttered.

Surely, we each have our own versions, but I have found six that are particularly common. See if any of these are keeping you from experiencing greater simplicity in your life.

Lie #1: If I limit my wardrobe, my clothes will be boring.

Truth: Having a smaller amount of clothes allows us to invest in quality items that fit well and coordinate, so no matter what you pull out to wear, you look great. Your clothes do not have to be boring.

A capsule wardrobe can include any items you want! It doesn’t have to be neutral.

People will notice how great and “put together” you look all the time. You can spice up outfits with different accessories to add variety and include your own special touch. If you like hats, a few different hats can be your statement pieces. The same can go for belts, scarves, heels, or even boots.

Lie #2: If I leave the work for later, I will be more motivated to finish it.

Truth: Whenever we procrastinate little projects around our home, a running to-do list begins forming in the back of our mind. And this makes it difficult to truly enjoy other things. As a result, not only is the work not finished, it has also become an annoyance to us.

To alleviate this stress, get into the habit of putting something away when you are done using it. Most small jobs take less than 5 minutes. Finish them right away and then revel in your accomplishment. Put the baking supplies away when you are done. Do the dishes after you eat. Fold and put away the current load of laundry when the dryer is done. Sort the mail as soon as you bring it in the house. Or reset the living room before you even leave. Your home will stay uncluttered—and so will your mind.

If you accomplish little things throughout the day, you won’t need to set aside time to clean. You’re creating a habit of tidiness rather than using all your energy catching up on what you’ve been putting off.

Lie #3: If I get rid of something, I’ll regret it later.

Truth: Most of the stuff we keep, we don’t actually need. And often times, when we do keep something around “just in case” and get to the point where we do need it, we can’t find it. So we end up borrowing one or purchasing a new one. So why keep it in the first place?

Or perhaps we keep things out of guilt—sentimental items where we feel like we’re betraying the person who gave it to us. We’re not getting rid of the people or the memory, we’re just getting rid of an item. If the item is sitting in storage, it’s not serving its useful purpose anyway. Allow yourself to find freedom by releasing it. Or allow the item to serve a purpose by giving it a new home.

Lie #4: If I throw out papers, I will toss something important.

Truth: We don’t need nearly as many physical records as we keep. Most likely, if you choose to tackle your pile of papers and sort it all over a trash can, a full 80% of it will be junk mail, receipts that you don’t need, bills that have already been paid, or other documents that are accessible online.  The remaining 20% or less can fit in a small filing box.

Exceptions: If you own a business, get legal advice from your accountant on what you need to keep and how to best organize papers and receipts. If you have settled a debt with a company, keep the statement saying that it was paid. If you file for any financial assistance, you may need a couple months worth of bills, bank statements, and pay stubs—though many of those are available to print online.

Lie #5: If it’s going to get done right, I need to do it myself.

Truth: When we fail to delegate, we harm ourselves with overwork and burnout. Even more, we steal the opportunity of growth from others. Requiring perfectionism is often just another form of procrastination. It really doesn’t matter how a job gets done, as long as it gets done.

Perhaps the work will not be done exactly as you would do it, but delegation is important, especially as we teach our children the value of hard work and how to be a contributing member of society.  Start with tasks that will bother you the least if they’re done ‘incorrectly’ and then work from there. Many children can break down boxes, take out the trash, and choose 20 items they want to donate from their toys.  Your spouse can tackle one room while you do another.

Lie #6: If my closet and drawers are cluttered, I need better organization tools.

Truth: We can’t organize excess. Maybe the solution isn’t that you need a better organization tool, maybe the problem is that you own too much stuff. Courtney Carver says it this way: “If you need to buy more stuff to organize all your stuff, maybe you own too much stuff.”

Purchasing organizational tools is just feeding into the consumer philosophy. To organize excess is to spend even more time sorting and taking care of stuff, when we could just be rid of it once and for all and spend more time doing the things that are truly important to us.

***

Rachel Jones blogs at Nourishing Minimalism where she helps people clear the clutter, invite calmness into their homes, and enjoy the time they spend together. Also, you will enjoy her Facebook page.

Comments

  1. Marko Kostelac says

    December 26, 2022 at 3:45 PM

    Ummmm please what the ***** lies lies and more lies you are faaaaaaaaaaaar too agressive . One’s desire to own less harms the planet , creates guilt and/or emotional trauma . Some pepole want physical memories . Collecting gives one pourpse in life , I don’t give a ***** about this junk . Want to know what is the real clutter , our very existance . You never know why a person is hoarding so please quit your shenanagins and discrimination of hoarders . Learn some empathy before you critisize.

    Reply
    • Margaret Turner says

      December 28, 2022 at 10:58 AM

      Whoa! Chilax, Marco.

      Reply
  2. Pushpa Amin says

    July 20, 2022 at 12:31 PM

    Thank You So Much. This article has motivated me to really get down to business, And Start clearing unused items lying in my kitchen And wardrobes. Very very. Motivational. ?❤️?

    Reply
  3. Sharon says

    March 11, 2022 at 1:20 PM

    Thank you Joshua for this post.

    Rachel blogs speak to me and help to have all in check. I have joined the Declutter-A-Thon for MARCH 12, 2022 and am very excited to start… there is no cost to sign up it is really optional.

    Reply
  4. Emily says

    March 10, 2022 at 3:24 PM

    The one that held me back for a long time is that decluttering needs to be done all at once. I have been doing areas I am in the mood for over the year, and now my books, paperwork, “junk drawers”, shoes etc. are minimized and organized. And it never felt like a burden. On to fabric and yarn! (eek.)

    Reply
  5. Claudia says

    October 10, 2021 at 7:33 PM

    It’s been awhile and I decide to begin to donate my clothes and winter coats. I have more than I need. This is helping me and help me save on moving . We are selling the house and go southern to retire.

    Reply
  6. Marcia says

    November 22, 2020 at 8:47 AM

    I have been following you for some time and have been decluttering for several years now. The peace and joy I have when I look at the decluttered home, drawers, basement, my life, etc. brings such a good feeling to my soul. God continues to show me things that I may to share with others if it is through giving direct, donating etc. Thank you for continuing to share your wisdom with those of us who need it.

    Reply
    • Marko Kostelac says

      December 26, 2022 at 3:50 PM

      Unfourtanetly that felling is a lie some hoarders feel like it is true but still minimalists are lying , your felling are lying , your brain is lying . How does one get any satisfaction from having a house with just the same old stuff .

      Reply
  7. Sarah Vogels says

    July 2, 2020 at 7:55 PM

    Each one of these spoke to me, especially #1, 2 and 3…. Question: Do you have anything left in your house? 2008 and 2009 items! Wow, that’s incredible!!

    Reply
  8. Mattie says

    July 2, 2020 at 8:35 AM

    #6 has some truth in it. Spending on organizing tools has cost me much more . What I needed is finding it in what is like clearing out, weeding, tossing other than buying more so that I can spend on more. It is a vicious circle.

    Reply
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