Minimalism- An Unexpected Gift

When I tell people I love minimalism, the way they look at me makes me think that they picture me living in a bare house, with no joy, no furniture, no toys- sterile and devoid of life. Oh, and everything’s greige.

Well if you’ve seen where I live, it’s the opposite of that. And we are happy with it! Finding our family’s version of minimalism has been a journey that keeps on winding.

Minimalism speaks to me because I want how I spend my time to align more fully with what is most important to me. I want to find meaning in activities I enjoy instead of cleaning up fruitlessly during all of my free time. Before minimalism, I felt like I was spending my time taking care of stuff instead of taking care of people. I felt like I spent my time and energy doing laundry, dishes, cleaning up messes everywhere… Yet we still lived in a mess. It felt hopeless, always cleaning and never living in a clean space. I craved the rejuvenation that comes from playing with my kids on the floor, reading my scriptures on a clean couch, and eating a meal at a clear table. I wanted to improve my relationship with God through more time spent pondering, praying, and reading my scriptures.  I wanted to show God that these precious children He had entrusted me with were most important to me by spending more time nurturing them, listening to them, and teaching them- in addition to giving them a clean place to live, clean clothes, and healthy meals. 

The Christian Minimalist put it best - “Minimalism is so much more than buying and owning less material possessions. It’s about refocusing life and gaining the freedom of more time, more energy, and more financial resources to focus on what matters most.” 

“I am come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Jesus Christ came so that we might have abundant life, not abundant stuff. He didn’t come so that we could get lost in the whirlwind of stuff, but so that we could come unto Him, invite others to come to Him, and serve and love people along our way.

Life is about relationships, not things. Our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, ourselves, our spouses, children, families, friends, and strangers are all infinitely more valuable than any material thing on this Earth. We are here to develop relationships, make covenants with Him, serve other people as He would, and have joy! “Men are that they might have joy!” (2 Nephi 2:25) Over the years, I’ve realized that very few possessions, if any, bring me true joy, and most of my possessions actually diminished it. 

If my stuff wasn’t bringing me true joy, and was getting in the way of having more time for my relationships, then the solution was simple: get rid of a lot of my stuff to make room for what mattered most to me.

Thus began my path to focus on what matters most in life, and intentionally remove everything else. 1

Minimalism came to me unexpectedly. I think of it as a divine gift to me from a loving Heavenly Father and an incredible book-loving Grandma. When my husband’s grandmother (who I consider one of my own) passed away, we were invited to go through her books and see if there were any we wanted. I saw her copy of the Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker and thought it looked interesting to learn more about. 

Little did I know the life-changing journey it was about to take me on. 

Near the beginning of the book, Becker encourages readers right then to grab one garbage bag and collect a few items they would like to donate or otherwise get rid of. This got me off the couch and looking more carefully around the house. I found it really easy to get a whole bag of clothes, toys, and other things that I honestly didn’t like, never used, and would be happy to never see (or clean up!) again. As I read the book I gained momentum as Becker thoughtfully took me through my house and helped me let go of items that were taking more resources than they were worth. One thing he talked about that really stood out to me was that most families have a system for bringing stuff into their home (birthdays, Christmas, shopping) but they don’t have a specific system for taking stuff out of their home. I’ve tried to change this and be very intentional about what comes and goes in my home. 

During the first few months, we got rid of over 50 garbage bags full of stuff. These we donated, gave away, or they were actual garbage that had been hiding in our drawers and closets. 

Now, as we continually work to keep our home minimalized, it has become something we think about before we bring anything in. If I can imagine myself happily using it and putting it back where it goes when I am done, I will purchase it. If I picture myself having to decide in a couple months if it’s worth keeping or not, I don’t buy it. The easiest way to let an item go is to never bring it home in the first place. 2

I have come to see stuff more as tools for different seasons of my life than representations of myself or who I am. Pete the Cat and his 4 groovy buttons by Eric Litwin has helped more than I ever thought a children’s book would … “Buttons come and buttons go, but do we cry? Goodness, no” This helps me remember that stuff is just stuff and that it has seasons in our lives. It comes and goes. 

As I’ve worked to lessen my attachment to material things, I have found joy in refocusing and simplifying my life. When I was in High School, one January my Dad came up with our family theme of the year: “Simplify.” With that one word came a bunch of groaning and eye rolls from teenage girls. Now, I see the wisdom in it. 

I find joy in the new space and time that minimalism gives me, no longer shoving clothes in drawers unable to fully close, or picking up hundreds of toys that my kids had dumped out because they used to have more fun dumping than actually playing with any of the toys. I have a much better system now for laundry, dishes, and keeping our home a clean place where the Spirit can reside. I have more time to serve people in my neighborhood and do things I enjoy. I no longer feel like a “stuff manager,” but a loving, nurturing mother. Most importantly, I have more time to dedicate to my relationships in life, specifically with my Father in Heaven, my husband, and the sweet children I get to raise. I’m forever grateful for Minimalism - an unexpected gift- that came into my life. 

If you would like to learn more about minimalism, here are some of my favorite resources:

The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

Declutter your Heart and your Home by Julia Ubbenga

Rich in What Matters Instagram Profile

Pete the Cat and his 4 Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Sources:

1. Why Christian minimalism?. Christian Minimalism. (2018, August 22). https://christianminimalism.com/why-christian-minimalism/ 

2. The Minimalists. (n.d.). https://www.theminimalists.com/