When pairing back gets hard, I want you to come re-read this list — 10 Benefits of The Simple Life that Everyone Should Experience. Let what you’re gaining through the process wash over you again, instead of focusing on what you're giving up. —Erica Layne, The Life on Purpose Movement
. . .
We were standing in my garage when my friend asked—
"Excuse my language, but where do you keep all your CRAP?"
I looked around and shrugged. "I don't know... I guess we don't have that much crap?"
The next thing I knew I was showing my friend every nook and cranny of our house—the pantry, the laundry room, the linen closet, the kids' closets, and my own. She was curious about living with less, and strangely, I appreciated the experience of seeing every inch of my house through someone else's eyes.
I laughed, with only a twinge of nerves, as we climbed the stairs, reminding her that I hadn't straightened anything before our walk-through, so who knew whose underwear would be lying on the floor. (I'm looking at you, kids.)
How would you feel if someone wanted a no-holds-barred tour of your house right now? How would you feel opening every closet and drawer—poking into every forgotten corner—with an audience?
It's a happy perk of living simply, I realized on our impromptu tour, not fearing what someone will see when you open your doors.
But obviously, this isn't the only perk to living a simple life. Not even close. And the benefits range from relatively inconsequential (like a guest-ready home) to much more profound.
When Paring Back Gets Hard
But sometimes... Sometimes when you're in the middle of your journey toward a streamlined life, it can start to feel like you’re giving a lot up. The wedding china you just dropped off at Goodwill, the wedges you never wear (but are so pretty), the opportunities that—while great—would complicate your life if you didn't say no.
"Simplicity does not one day suddenly arrive. You must minimize now, remove what is unused and unnecessary, seek nothing more but a deeper connection with what is here." Brendon Burchard
It’s during times like these that I want you to come re-read this list—and let what you’re gaining through the process wash over you again. (Instead of focusing on what you're giving up.)
10 Perks of Living The Simple Life
1. You can welcome unexpected guests without frantically cleaning up.
And in that vein, fewer belongings (and often, a smaller home) translates to less time spent on cleaning in general, which is a big plus in my book!
2. You experience less indecision—in all areas of your life.
What a simple life really means is knowing your values and living by them. When you do this, decision making becomes so much easier, because anything that falls outside of your values falls... to the side.
3. It's easier to get dressed every morning—and to stay on top of laundry!
You know the indecision we talked about above? Style indecision is considerably relieved when your wardrobe is a third the size of most people's. This also helps tremendously with keeping up on the laundry for your whole household! Fewer clothes to wash may mean more frequent loads, but those loads take very little time to put away.
4. You have less stuff to manage.
Do you remember how much time you used to spend shuttling stuff from room to room, floor to floor, car to kitchen and back again? When you own less, you shuttle less. Simple as that.
5. You have more financial freedom.
I think most people who journey toward simplicity find that material goods provide far less satisfaction than they ever realized. A new purchase may give us a boost for a couple of days, but the luster wears off incredibly quickly. When you contrast that with the peace of mind that comes from having extra savings in the bank or passive income streams supplementing your paycheck... There's no comparison.
Additionally, with that financial freedom, you'll likely find that you're able to use your means for things that matter to you, like trips to see long-distance family or to experience parts of the world you've never seen.
6. Your family can enjoy unstructured play together.
In my mind, this is one of the most powerful benefits kids gain from an unbusy life, but it really applies to all of us. As families, we need time to shoot the breeze—to do nothing, to laugh, to get bored and then get creative.
While spending your weekends bouncing from one structured kid activity to the next may be right for you in certain seasons, in other seasons it feels amazing to be able to talk a family walk, go on a hike, try out a new restaurant, or spontaneously join in on a community event.
7. You stop holding grudges. You give people room to be human.
The thing about a simple life that you might not have seen coming is THIS: You learn that a lot of things just don't matter.
You know the friend who said something unflattering about you behind your back? You know the tone your sibling took with you last week on the phone? When you're living in line with your values, somehow—miraculously—the small stuff seems so much smaller. People are human, you realize. We're all just trying our best.
8. You find yourself with more time and mental space for self-care and personal interests.
When I'm busy, my interests are the first the first thing to go, which only makes me feel even more unhappy and out of balance. (No more!)
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 24 self-care practices for moms. Do it for yourself; do it for your daughter.
9. You can say YES to plans you’re excited about!
Sure, you said no (tactfully) to nine things last week. That was a little uncomfortable, but it also means you can say YES when the right thing comes along! The thing you really cared about in the first place.
10. More time to connect with your family and close friends.
More connection is really what it all boils down to, right?
“We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, be loved, and to belong." Brené Brown
--
The next day, after the spur-of-the-moment house tour, my friend told me she'd filled three bags for donation and had them loaded in her car.
What I didn't say then (but I'm saying now) is that the stuff is only the first step. The first part of an equation that I think can bring more life satisfaction than you ever saw coming.
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