I wouldn't say I am a minimalist, but I like to only own things that I LOVE. I don't like to own lots of similar type things when one or two of them would be sufficient (kitchen comes to mind here). It has been a long process of getting to where I am now even and I tend to purge things every few months. I find it hard to be a continual declutterer though, so I do like to put things in a drawer for reassessing at some later stage. Usually it's a burst of energy that comes on at 9pm!
I read a thread on a message board last year (with a link to a blog) that got me really inspired to do a massive overhaul of my home. Here is the blog about the home (including a photo tour) that changed my views on why I previously thought my average 3 bedroom home would be too small for our family long term. For some reason I was sucked into the whole idea that families need a lot of space and within 5yrs we'd need to upgrade. We have quite large living rooms and kitchen space which is more than enough space for our family of four. Once I got my head around all of this, I realised that I *am* content where we are. I like the community neighbourhood, I like the feel of our house, I like the large backyard (as yet unused, but now has a plan ;)) - so really why would I want a bigger house?
The contentment that I felt after reading the thread and blog has just made me feel so much more settled - in fact I guess this realisation was really what led to my desire to live a sustainable lifestyle and that our current property is perfect for doing just that!
Here are a few pics of my living areas post-declutter (although they mostly looked like this anyway, I was looking at it with new eyes). I did have one of my lounge, but has been lost somewhere between my two laptops breaking down and some data was lost.
Looking down hallway towards bedrooms from dining room.
Standing near my kitchen entry looking across my dining room to my front door - very open and exposed, no privacy. Ideally I'd like to extend out down the porch and enclose a portion that will create a foyer-type room. Our small dining table is to the right of the photo (this room used to be the original entire living room of the house which used to be a beach bach).
Dining room
My kitchen from standing in the dining room.
Lounge
Bathroom
Laundry
Bedroom
I am also focusing on making really conscious purchases when I go shopping. I find it so easy to just see something and justify a need for it (and that goes for buying 2nd hand stuff as well). I have been stopping myself by asking "did have this need before I saw it?". So far that has worked and I have walked away.
Maybe that will be further discussion for another time. Voluntary Simplicity.
2 comments:
Good on you Nikki for not falling into the trap of 'never enough' that so many people in our culture seem unable to avoid.
At 70, I can remember back to a time when there wasn't this mad desire for bigger and better everything and five bedroomed, three bathroomed houses. Nobody was any less happy back then. (And there was a whole lot less cleaning to do!).
I wish you all the very best on your journey of simplifying and sustainable living. I can just see that veggie garden of yours spreading to fill the whole space eventually, with a nice mix of fruit and flowers and a range of organically grown veggies. How lovely that your children will not grow up thinking, as so many do, that food originates in the supermarket instead of in the earth.(I'm glad you're an unschooler too. So is my daughter. It's the way to go.)
Many blessings,Marian Van Eyk
McCain
Oh, Nikki, I love your colors and your decluttered surfaces! Any flat surface in my home becomes an instant mess due to papers, books, and miscellaneous stuff that doesn't make its way to its proper home. Ugh.
We do try to use the love it or lose it rule but in our latest round of decluttering we discovered something interesting. We've grown accustomed to seeing some of our artwork and doodads. And become neutral about them. They are outta here!
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