Side Effects of Minimalism
“Does this bring me joy?” I hear that’s what you’re supposed to ask yourself about an object as you declutter your home. But becoming minimalists for us is just a side effect of sailing away. As we spend our weekends getting our house ready to list, donating items, and having “Sale for Sail”, we are getting rid of so many items that absolutely still bring us joy. However, we understand that we need to let these things go so that we can embrace a life change and find new experiences that bring us joy. And it’s unexpectedly freeing to do so.
So maybe “Does this bring me joy?” is the wrong question for those on this trendy minimalism kick. Maybe ask yourself, “What lifestyle change could I make room for if I didn’t own this item?” If one of your life goals is having a clean, organized kitchen so that you can host weekly dinners with friends, this would bring you more happiness than having drawers full of kitchen gadgets. You realize that cooking doesn’t matter. Spending time with your friends in your home matters. Even if that pineapple corer brings you joy that one time you use it for a summer BBQ, it will bring you more joy not to own it.
For us, if our dream is to sail around the world, then it’s time to let, say, our bicycles go even though we love them and would continue to ride if we weren’t making this change. The closer we get to becoming nomads, checking items off of our to-do list, and selling what we thought was important to us, the more freeing it feels. We are realizing that joy has nothing to do with our possessions. What can you clear out of your life to make room for your dreams?
Recent Comments