Minimalism is back in the news … and it can seem like a useful method to help you clear out the clutter … in theory.

But here’s the thing. Your stuff isn’t your problem—you are.

How you think about, feel about and interact with stuff is where the issue is … not the stuff itself.

So even if you got rid of everything you owned, you know what would still be in your life? YOU would be.

So the stuff would be gone—and the problem would still be there.

While I teach people to declutter their spaces, you want to let things go mindfully… so you can find a simplicity that’s aligned with your values.

During decluttering, you should consider how the items you own are serving you. Do they make your life more comfortable, convenient or beautiful?

Only the things that add value to your life need to actually be in your life.

Often, minimalism is more about deprivation and dogma. It just becomes one more set of rules you need to live your life by. Don’t we have enough of those already?

Stripping away things and then limiting your possessions to a finite number works for some people … and for others, it just becomes a strait jacket and one more thing to worry about.

When you opt for simplicity, there are no rules about how many things you can own.

Simplicity and decluttering should be qualitative rather than quantitative—so you can focus on how you feel in your space, not on keeping score.

Adopting a minimalist lifestyle and then forcing yourself to constantly edit, trying to own X number of things or fewer, means that you’re STILL spending more time with stuff than you need to.

I would rather you be focused on experiences and relationships… rather than inanimate objects.

Find out what matters to you, what YOU consider essential and what you have room for, and start your journey there.

Here’s to more love and less stuff,

Ready for a partner on the journey to a clutter-free life?

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