Is your life simple or are you feeling a bit overwhelmed?
Is your home or office full of things you no longer use?
Does your family enjoy meals together or do you mostly see each other only in hurried passing?
I cannot emphasize enough the value and beauty of living a simple, uncluttered life.
I have always lived a fairly simple life. Over the years though I've learned even more about paring down the material items and increasing my time for things I want to be doing. I've witnessed over and over again how much time and energy is sucked away by useless "stuff"*. It's crazy.
It has been amazing what a difference it made when I started doing fewer things I thought I had to do and when I reduced the amount of "stuff" in my life. My clients have taught me this too. I have observed for many years now how "stuff" negatively affects individuals and families. What I have also observed is the positive transformation that takes place when a decision to live a more simple life is made.
When I take on a new client, one of the first things we look at is how their life can be simplified and how they can declutter their homes, offices, lives. A fresh perspective is sometimes all it takes. Too often, people think that the process is too difficult and don't even bother getting started. The fresh perspective and offering of some easy ideas to get started can make all the difference!
In recent years, more and more people are waking up to the idea of living simpler lives with fewer things and recycling as much as possible. A trend I've been predicting since starting my business over 8 years ago. :) I firmly believe (and I know some of you will strongly disagree) that eventually our society is going to hit a tipping point. The overload of technology, useless junk trinkets and gadgets, QVC (don't even get me started on this one) and other "stuff" is going to simply be too much for many of us to easily manage and maintain. It already is for me in some areas.
I don't have a Smartphone. I still use a paper calendar. And while I thought an iPad would be great, I discovered it was just another gadget I didn't really need now. Do I feel like I'm missing out on anything? Perhaps .9% of the time I do, but the other 99.1% I feel like I'm in total control of my life and can choose how I spend my time and energy. I have found what works uniquely works for me. This is key.
Many have said to me "But you own a business, you should have email with you all the time." My response is a resounding "NO, I shouldn't!"
I teach people how to simplify by knowing when to disconnect, set boundaries for themselves and increase their quality of life. I practice what I preach.
Granted, my service is not for everyone. It is for those looking for a bigger purpose in life. It's for those tired of dusting useless knick knacks, tripping over toys no longer played with, spending more than a minute looking for the scissors (or any other household item), and those craving time
to do a few things that bring them pure joy or happiness.
A few years ago, I spent an interesting 30 days living out of a backpack in the Philippines. While visiting, I very much noticed how happy Filipinos seemed to be every, single day. Yet, they had so little in terms of material stuff which in the West we believe we must have to be happy.
I wondered if they had any idea of just how much stuff we had in our American homes.
It certainly was a wake up call to not only appreciate what privileged lives we lead, but also realize just how much superfluous our possessions really are.
At the same time, it was sad to see that in some of the villages and cities there is now a growing desire to consume and collect stuff, so as to be like the "enlightened" West.
It just doesn't make any sense to me to buy, collect and squirrel away things we don't really need and are not likely to use.
So often we keep things in case one day they are useful. I bet right now you can easily think of at least two things in your home for this very reason.
We all keep things for "someday" - and that day never comes.
Today, I am going to urge all of you to start simplifying your life - and start decluttering.
Sometimes it feels as if I am on a crusade to create a simpler world, but believe me that once you have begun to de-clutter your life, you will begin to notice amazing shifts in your energy and your thinking.
Clutter is not just those physical things hoarded for years. It includes relationships, time commitments and other things that use up more of your energy than you can afford to give.
Here are 20 questions that will transform your life. Forever.
The idea is to answer 'NO' to as many questions as possible.
'YES' is an area for further contemplation and/or improvement:
1. Do you hang on to clothes that no longer fit you?
2. Do you have in your wardrobe items bought years ago and not worn since?
3. Do you own shoes that hurt your feet?
4. Do you own glasses with old prescriptions?
5. Do you have toiletries or cosmetics that have dried up or are half finished?
6. Do you have a pile of papers /unopened mail/junk mail waiting action or filing?
7. Do you have a bulletin board with more than one layer of paper on it?
8. Do you keep old newspapers or magazines for one article you want to read?
9. Do you have so many books that shelves are overflowing or there are piles on the floor?
10. Do you own gadgets you never use?
11. Do you have a drawer/cabinet stuffed full with plastic shopping bags?
12. Do you have half finished projects stashed around the house?
13. Do you have hundreds of photos in boxes, unfiled or not put together in some order?
14. Do you have old medicines stored in a cupboard?
15. Do you have things needing repairs for months?
16. Do you keep things purely because they were a gift?
17. Do you keep things in case one day they will come in handy?
18. Do things fall out of your cupboards/closets when you open the doors?
19. Do you have problems finding things in about 5 seconds or less?
20. Do you any items in cupboards or fridge/freezer past their use by dates?
If you said 'YES' you may want to consider ways in which you can improve these areas and start living the life you want.
Stop maintaining the madness!!!
Start clearing out that area today, even if you get rid of just one item. Even if you just do a teeny tiny thing today to declutter your life, it will make a huge difference to you - and eventually the world.
How will you begin to simplify your life today?
*"Stuff" can refer not only to material items, but also appointments, friends, activities, etc.
