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A Fresh Start on a Budget

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24 reasons why having less stuff can make you a happier person

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  14. You can still have the memories

You don’t have to hold on to the stuff. I understand the impulse of wanting to keep things for sentimental and emotional reasons. We have things that remind you of people who are no longer with us, who we don’t see enough and of memories that we love.

I would never say don’t have any sentimental things because I will always keep a few treasured things. It’s just a matter of being more selective with what and how much you keep. You love your grandma who passed and you want to have something to remember her. I get it but do you need 10,20 even 50 things to remember her by. No,  you don’t so it’s time to choose what really matters and what you can let go of.

15. The stuff you have will be better quality:

When you are not buying as much when you do need something you will want to make sure it lasts. So it will be of better quality because it is meant to last and not be as disposable.

Instead of buying a new shirt for $10-$12 once a month that will last 6 months or so you can save up and buy a much nicer top for $40 or $50 that will last the year and beyond. The same goes for furniture and decor. What you buy will be more expensive because you want it to last a long time. Not be something you can easily replace every few months.

16.Less fights with your family or roommates

I’ve never lived with roommates but I know people who do and I know that just like when you live with your spouse and children that issues of cleaning and clutter can cause major disagreements and fighting.

When you make the commitment to have less stuff and downsize your belongings to a more manageable amount then you will have less clutter. Which will mean less to argue and fight about with the people you live with. If you can get them to live with less as well then it will be a much more peaceful home life.

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17. It will get easier to have less:

Not right away but over time you will start to break the bad habits you’ve created in your life of overbuying and having too much stuff. Eventually, it will be a habit to think twice before purchasing something new and to actually make shopping lists that you stick too.

It will become easier as you start to see the positive changes that take place in your life as you buy less and get rid of things you don’t need. I can now actually stop myself from throwing things I don’t need into my cart at Target. I ask myself will this be used or just end up as clutter. If I know it will just be clutter I can pass on it. Not always but most of the time. 

18. You will have more money to save:

Do you find yourself struggling to have enough in savings? Most families, mine included do not have enough saved up for when an emergency happens. We all know the emergencies will happen but we aren’t financially prepared.

19.Less stuff can help ease anxiety:

I have suffered from anxiety for a few years now and since I started having issues with it I’ve been looking for ways to help lessen it and to hopefully someday eliminate.

Having less clutter and less stuff helps me to better relax and feel less anxious. I think it’s a combination of not constantly being surrounded by things I need to get done and just a peaceful feeling that having a tidy house gives me. It’s not the only thing I do to help my anxiety but it helps quite a bit.

20.The stuff you get rid of can help someone else.

Like the saying goes one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The stuff you have around your home that is of no use to you or your family anymore can be of great use to someone else. You can either sell the things you no longer need on Craigslist or in a yard sale or donate them to a local thrift shop.

If you sell things you get to make a little of your money spent back. So I tend to do this with larger items that we no longer need. We also tend to do a yard sale every couple of years. Even though you don’t make any money donating you get the good feeling of giving things you no longer need to people who can use them and you have less clutter and stuff around.

21.Spending less on stuff can give you more to spend on experiences.

This took me years to learn as a parent but it is such a valuable lesson. It is so much better for your child to spend less money on stuff as gifts for birthdays and holidays.

Instead, put that money towards experiences and family outings. That’s what they will remember when they grow up. The trips to the beach or amusement park, not the dolls and legos.  

22. Your kids will remember the memories, not the stuff:

Especially now as my daughter is getting older. She will be ten in two months How did that happen!? I can start to see what she remembers from being younger and what she values. She still has way too much stuff!

I do try to give her more experiences and to encourage our family to give gifts like passes to places or having her visit. Those are the things she remembers and appreciates more. The toys just sit in her room most of the time.

23.You will sleep better:

Have you ever noticed you sleep better in a hotel? Unless the bed is bad, which is a totally different issue. I noticed though that if I was in a hotel or staying somewhere else I seemed to fall asleep easier and sleep better.

I came to realize it’s because in a hotel there is no clutter, piles of stuff out, things that you should be taking care of. You just lay down and get to relax. This wasn’t happening at home and it was making going to sleep harder.

So I make an effort to keep my nightstand cleared off especially. Also to try and stay on top of laundry, which I hate doing. That way things are clear by my bed and I don’t see all this laundry that I should get to. I’m not perfect at it but I know that when I do these things I sleep better so it’s more of a priority.  

24.Less stuff means less to move:

We use to move every year or so the first 5 years of our marriage. Every time I was shocked that although we had purged a lot during our last move a year before we somehow had so much more to move the next time.

Now we have been in our home for six years and I know that when we eventually move we will have so much to take with us. That is motivation for me to try and have less stuff. That way there is less that we need to move to a new home.  

So there you have it. 24 reasons why this is the right time for you to start having less stuff in your life. It won’t be easy and probably take you awhile but eventually, it will just be so worth it. Your home will become a more peaceful place and you will be under less stress. So start small and begin getting rid of a few things a week. Also, make the effort to stop buying things you don’t really need. 

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  3. Sheila says

    This is a great article. Stuff can also keep you captive ! Americans spend more on storage space than any other country in the world. If you need to rent space for longer than a year for your ‘Stuff” just give it away. I live in Maryland and for an average size storage space is is $390.00! Do the math it is almost $5000.00 a year. If you haven’t used it, worn it or missed it I guess you don’t need it. 🙂 You have inspired a blog post for me. 🙂

    Reply

  4. Megan says

    Spot on! We waste so much of our time and energy on clutter. It’s hard to let go of all the stuff but it feels so good when it’s gone

    Reply

  8. Lindsey at Blog Me Lovely says

    Totally makes you feel better and less stressed because there is less mess!

    I have had stacks of magazines that I kept telling myself that I will get to. Well some have been sitting there for about 2 years. This weekend I just threw all of them into recycling. Feel better already because I know that if I haven’t gotten to them by now, I never will!

    Reply

  9. Arlene Jackson says

    Absolutely so! Great post…… I discovered this when I travelled for 18 months, living out of a tent and backpack! However, then settling back into a suburban life, running business, having a family (all the sport gear accumulated over years) …. well, life became incredibly cluttered again. It took a concerted focus to de-clutter and the freeing of the mind is so wonderful. It truly frees one to focus on where we want to go and how we want to be.

    Reply

  15. Brittany says

    I’ve been working on this for the past year as well and to say that it is a PROCESS is an understatement. Thanks for the reminders. They keep me motivated!!

    Reply

  16. Margaret says

    I agree with less-is-more. We are finishing getting rid of 99% of 42 years of accumulation so we can live full time in our RV and become missionaries. One thing I recommend, do it while you’re young and make it a habit!

    Reply

  17. Gina says

    These are all great reasons to have less stuff. I recently got rid of a lot of stuff and was surprised by how calm I felt afterwards. I didn’t have to jump up and put a million things away. No more hunting for that thing I was sure I had. I could just come home from work, sit down and have a cup of tea. No tidying needed! I love having less stuff!
    Gina recently posted…What Dream Gardens Awake Your Passion?My Profile

    Reply

      • Lydia Bruno says

        To first start out i made a promise to not bring anything new into my home unless i got rid of something else. Also, when shopping and i see something i think i “need” I ask myself, “”will this enrich my life?” more often than not, the answer is “no” lol and i leave it in the store. Oh, one more! when you run into a store to grab something, do not instantly grab a cart. You are more likely to throw things in without really thinking-since you are not carrying them and seeing them…just sayin! good luck!

        Reply

  19. Reuven says

    This is a terrific post. You raise so many good points and practical suggestions. My wife and I are on a clearing spree right now and this is definitely giving us more ideas for a less complicated, happier, more spontaneous home life. Thank you.

    Reply

  22. Sheila says

    I have also found when I have less stuff the more creative I am. Whether it is in doing different combinations of clothes or art projects and it makes me feel great to use that part of my brain. Great post!

    Reply

  24. Megan says

    Love all of the reasons listed here. I’ve slowly begun working on a de-clutter as well, and while it can definitely be difficult to part with material possessions at times, it DOES feel so good! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!

    Reply

  29. Marie says

    I agree with every single one of these! I have been trying to purge our house of a ton of our stuff. We have reached a point that I just feel like it is suffocating us instead of enriching our lives. Thanks for sharing your awesome list with us at Merry Monday this week!

    Reply

  30. Lindsay says

    I’ve started buying less stuff since we moved into a little house and it is great. I didn’t realize how much worthless junk we had accumulated and don’t need! I am much more relaxed with less knick-knacks everywhere.

    Reply

  34. Michelle @ Who Says What says

    It’s crazy how much transitioning into a minimalistic way of life has changed the quality of my life! I agree 100% with your points – living with less stuff is JUST BETTER! My favorite thing to have less of, is clothes!! It takes me a fraction of the time to get ready each morning!

    Reply

  36. Jo says

    So true! Especially with laundry! It is so hard when you have kids- they always seem to bring home toys and crafts that accumulate over time. I need to implement some of these!

    Reply

  37. Charlene Maugeri says

    Yes to all of these! Especially the laundry and cleaning ones! But also just the peace it brings. I’ve been decluttering a lot lately and it’s so freeing. It’s like lifting weights off my shoulders.

    Reply

  38. LuLu B - Calabrisella Mia says

    When I moved to Italy, I had taken only the essentials with me because I wasn’t sure how long I would be there. Every time I went back to Toronto, I downsized more and more. When we sold our family home, I had to really “let go” of a lot of things that I thought would devastate me to lose. But, in the end, it wasn’t as bad as I imagined. Here in my place in Italy, I don’t have a lot of storage or space, so I only buy and keep what is necessary. Makes things MUCH easier and allows me to spend my money on experiences, which for me, leave a much stronger mark! 🙂

    Reply

  42. Loretta says

    I love having less stuff! We lived 6 people in a really small space for quite a while, so having less stuff was a necessity. And even though we have a bigger space now, we still don’t have a lot of stuff. Thank goodness. We’re not super minimalist, but we do try to keep it mostly minimal. When the day comes that all the kids have moved out into their own places, I’ll probably get rid of even MORE stuff 😉

    Reply

  43. Jo E. says

    I just found your site and I am loving it. Especially the classes and challenges. I am getting ready to start the “Declutter on 7 day” challenge. I fell in August and had shoulder surgery in Sept. It was so bad the Dr hasnt even let me start therapy. That will probably start in the middle of the month. That will probably last 6 months or more. My stuff (even the regular stuff) is driving me absolutely insane. I have had to family come help me and help me with cleaning. Oh my gosh! My sister gave me a wonderful tip tho that I would like to share. Laundry!
    She retired about 4 years ago and doesn’t need all the clothes she had. Anyway, she has only kept 2 weeks of clothes. Yes of course she kept appropriate weather clothing as well. But she limited everything. She said you dont keep 2 weeks of dresses, Jean’s, etc. But keep a limited variety. If she sees something she really wants to buy then she has to let something go at home. If you think about, most of us really only wear about 2 weeks worth of our clothes anyway. lol. That way you really dont NEED to wash but every 2 weeks. I realize it will be harder with a young child but I think it will be doable. If I get.more details I will repost them
    Good luck and I’m getting started too.

    Reply

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  1. […] 24 Reasons Why Having Less Can Make You a Happier Person by A Fresh Start On a Budget – I love this! While I still have a lot of decluttering left to do in my home, I try not to buy as much anymore. Partly for budget reasons and part because I want to reduce the amount of things, not add to them. Great read! […]

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