What I Seek To Accomplish (And What I Hope To Avoid)

Now that I've shared my main reasons for simplifying our home and our lives, I thought it may be helpful to outline my goals for this process.  I know that sometimes I can lose sight of the big picture while I'm working through something, so I'm hoping that this will help keep me from veering off track.

First, I think it's important to define what are not my goals, so that if/when I find myself going down this path, I will hopefully be able to catch myself.  It's also important because I want you to know what this blog will not be about.

NOT GOALS:
To purge my house of stuff.  I find that when I make a life change, I go one of two routes; I either hit it hard and furious and burn out, or I really focus on making it a way of life.  That's what I'm hoping to accomplish.  I don't want to be unrealistic in my expectations, and I don't want to think of this as a one time purge of my home.  We've all been there.  We overhaul some area of our life, then once the emergency response is no longer needed, we slip back into our previous habits.  I want this to be a lifestyle, something that is incorporated into how we live life.  Otherwise, you'll see me back here in six months with the same exact problem.

To become legalistic.  When I first started getting acquainted with minimalism, I kept thinking to myself, "but I don't want to get rid of my [xyz]."  I've heard that if it doesn't bring you joy, you get rid of it.  But I recently watched a documentary, and one of the things that really stood out to me was this idea that if something has value to you, by all means, don't get rid of it.  Sure, maybe those two things mean the same thing, but for me, this second way to describe it really changed it for me.  There is no right way to go about this process.  I need to find and implement what works for me.  And the same is true for you.  Don't take my process as gospel.  I've read a lot of blogs and articles that all have different ideas.  I'm working on synthesizing them in a way that it makes sense for our family and our life.

Getting rid of things only to repurchase them.  One key concept for simplifying and minimizing is to evaluate the usefulness of the item.  A good question to consider is when you last used/wore said item.  I know people of both extremes: those who are totally content getting rid of something, knowing that they may need to buy it again, and those who will hold onto the smallest paperclip "just in case."  I'd say that we fall somewhere in the middle.  At our stage in life, we don't know yet if we are done having kids, so there's a whole category of just-in-case items that we will not be getting rid of.  I also believe in the quality not quantity ideal, but that doesn't mean we will get rid of stuff just to buy something new and nicer.  I think this is going to be and has to be an ever-evolving process.

So, then, what are my goals?

GOALS:
Declutter the home.  While purposeful living goes beyond the material stuff, it really is a huge goal of mine to get rid of the excess in our home.  I recognize that we have far more than we really need or even use on a regular basis.  Even with the small amount of decluttering I've done so far, my husband and I have noticed a huge impact on how our house looks and the amount of effort it takes to keep on top of tidying.

Be intentional with family.  I know I keep saying it, but this is not just about getting rid of stuff.  It's about being intentional in all aspects of our lives.  For me, a huge part of that means being intentional with time.   It means choosing to spend our time together as a family doing things that bring value to our lives - spending time outdoors, going on adventures, and spending time with our extended family.

Rediscover my interests.  I understand that no matter how much simplifying and decluttering I do, I'm still going to have responsibilities.  As a wife, as a mom, as an adult.  But I fully anticipate that this process will bring about more "me" time.  There have been moments in our marriage where I have told my husband, "I used to enjoy doing things.  I used to have interests and hobbies, and I used to be good at some of them!"  I look forward to rediscovering some of those interests, and perhaps uncover some new ones.

I hope this helps you better understand what I really hope to accomplish.  Tell me, if you would like to simplify your life, what would be your goals?  Feel free to comment below!

I'm going to take a quick change of pace for my next post, and share an annual tradition that my husband and I started over 5 years ago.  It definitely ties into the concept of simplifying, and it may even help you jumpstart the process!

Kelly