Epilogue: Simplicity

Guys, I feel like simplicity (having less stuff, buying less stuff, hanging on to less stuff, and in general, valuing stuff less) is the next step for me, and for our family.  A friend mentioned it after I wrote the first blog post in this series on money, and my soul was like... YES.  Yes, please.  Yes, I think simplicity sounds incredibly freeing.  Even as I have boxes and boxes of "stuff" cluttering my house to be sold or given away or... [we're in full declutter mode over here at Casa del Douthit].  But this is going to be an incredibly short post, because the honest truth is that I have no idea how to do simplicity well.

One of the things that I've noticed, is that when we look to money for security, identity, status - and also feel like money is "never enough"- we somehow seem to accumulate stuff (LOTS AND LOTS OF STUFF) at the same time.  Not stuff that we "need" but stuff that we "might need" or "that has memories" or "is still in great condition" or that "we can't bear to get rid of."  There are (good?) reasons for this parallel of accumulations and feeling of financial lacking - if you don't have "enough" money, you can't easily replace things if you get rid of them now, so you hold on, hoard, store, accumulate for the hypothetical future need.   

But as with all things clinging to money, things, people - it rarely leads to the freedom that we hope that it will.  Rather, at least in our case, and I suspect potentially yours, it means that we are often overflowing with, and bogged down by, things that we might someday need, but don't actually need right now. And dread moving ever for exactly that reason.  Our space for life, and real living, is literally made smaller by all the "stuff" that we hold on to.  Anyone with me? Can you resonate?

Ask me about the full-size (awesome!) bed that we stored in our dining room for over a year, because I couldn't bear to get rid of it - and the huge freedom that came from actually selling it to someone who could use it.  I occasionally think about it.  But haven't missed it yet.

So simplicity.  Decluttering.  But with wisdom.  I don't know how to do this, friends, and so all I'm going to do is show you pictures of my hoarding clutter.  Because, I can. This is by no means comprehensive, just a lil sampling. You're welcome.  Someone please tell me that I'm not alone...

Toddler not included in clutter, but certainly contributes to it!

Closet door is not open all the way, because, well, it can't.  Or the chaos will overflow.
Suitcases, and beach chairs, galore.  Also, Christmas decorations and a pair of never used skis.

Also, this.  I think this is a great picture of living well, but with simplicity and not excess.  It feels non sequitur but I don't know where else to put it.

Right now, we're (1) decluttering - getting rid of excess - (2) trying to have a "spend free" month, where we don't buy anything that is not needed or in budget, (3) trying to stick very strictly to budget to reset our priorities this month, and (4) trying to invest more in experiences and activities together than things.  And I feel like we're still swimming in STUFF.  But maybe making small dents...

But I'd love to hear from you - how do you do this?
How do you keep from accumulating stuff, while not becoming miserly, and still being wise?
What have you learned about simplicity along the way?
How do you teach your kids this?

Someone please teach me - how do you think about simplicity wisely?