Why we are minimalist
Read this even if you’re not a so-called minimalist and just need decluttering tips. My long story short comes down to 2 main points why I became minimalist:
- In my conversion from atheist to believer a few years back, The Most High convicted me of my vanity and worship of the creation more than the creator,
- Our lifestyle has no room for clutter. We have as much as we can pack in 3 suitcases and 3 backpacks in 2-7 days!
Enough of that as you can read more about our story in:
My testimony
Why we moved from US
Homeschool over the years
Let’s get to it!
5 Decluttering Rules and Guide
1. Thrifting
Thriftiness and purchasing items second-hand means getting rid or reselling things will be easier for you, why? You will have less value on it since you spent less! Therefore getting rid of it to declutter will be that much easier. Some things are non-negotiable to buy brand new, like a mattress or certain attire you don’t want used eeek! Other than that this is a top rule for me. Whenever we move we find buy/sell/trade groups on FB and checkout what they have to buy and use the same platforms to sell when we leave. I have even seen people create Thrifing accounts on Instagram, like Nicole’s Shop Vintage Bliss Thrift.
2. Buy one give one rule
Each time you purchase something, either before or after you buy it, pick one similar item in your home to sell/gift or trash! I do this the most with my children’s clothes. To make room in their drawers for new clothes, we get rid of clothes that don’t fit, or have holes, or they don’t wear often anymore. Which leads me to point number three…
3. Involve children
My children don’t have a tough time getting rid of things! Why??? Because we have always included them in decluttering and do it all together. At times they help me think of who they want to gift toys or clothing to and often ask me if they can throw something away that’s broken. They do have toys that are broken, as long as they’re still playing with the headless superhero’s, they can stay!
4. Reduce sentimental value:
This is a question that comes in A TON when we are decluttering before a move! For example, traveling with my VITAMIX to China was a no because
1. It can be replaced
2. It’s not one of a kind.
It has sentimental value because my brother gifted it to me and we had lugged it to many different countries buuuuuut…. the voltage in China plus weight restrictions meant it was not necessary to keep. Can you think of things that fit the bill? Time to sell, trash or give away!
5. How many times have you USED it?
I touched on this in reference to toys, but we can all see a thing or two laying around our home that’s doing just that, laying around! That real estate it is taking up is worth more than it’s making you just sitting there, time to make use of it or BYEEEEEE.
Resources
My top book on this topic especially for parents with a toy stock Toys R Us will be jealous of is the Book Simplicity Parenting ! Highly recommend!
Still not fully convicted my Christian Sister? Well here are some verses to heal the wounds you’re licking:
Bible verses: vanity, extras, prudence
The main one I can think of and that I was inspired to name this website after:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:19-21
And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Luke 12:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1 John 2:15-17
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