My Experience in Decluttering Chapter 1

I’ve been making a lot of changes. I had started reading The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify by Francine Jay about a month ago; this book hit me with the truth.  I’ve been reading a lot of self-help/improvement books and this one has really resonated with me. I’ve been looking for ways to live a life that is not so focused on accumulating and hoarding an excess of material possessions.

I’m going to leap forward and say, that I have adopted a minimalist mindset and I have actively begun to implement the rudimentary steps it takes to live a minimalist lifestyle. Before I talk about what I’ve done, I want to say that minimalism is different for everyone. I know there are a collection of people who live in sparse all white homes with a couch and kitchen table and seeming not much else; many have adopted a muted uniform like wardrobe and such a literal Black and White example is a turn off. However, minimalism is simply what you make of it in terms of who you are and what kind of life you do or want to live.

As for me, I started this journey long before I picked up Francine Jay’s book. The book just help me to gain a better understanding and what minimalism truly means and it outlines the steps I need to make in order to really make it a way of living. I started by giving away and throwing away items that I no longer needed. I gave away a dress I hadn’t worn in almost 4 years. I got rid of some old ratty sweaters and anything else no longer useful or of purpose. And I want to tress that I only did this with my things. I didn’t get crazed and start making decisions about my husbands things. He is not on this journey as I am so I was mindful to respect where he is and pray that I set a good example.