Why You Shouldn't Wait to Simplify Your Life

Is decluttering on your resolution list? Today I’m sharing several reasons you shouldn’t wait to simplify your life. Start today!

Have you made your resolutions yet? I used to always set resolutions. Last year I set out on a mission to simplify our home. I started slowly decluttering things that were extras, like unused picture frames, throw pillows, etc., and it quickly snowballed into pursuing minimalism. Nearly a year later, I’m enjoying some majorly unexpected benefits of simplifying our home and I’m sharing a few reasons why you shouldn’t wait to simplify.

10 Reasons to Start Simplifying Now

Simplifying your stuff brings peace to your home and life. I can’t explain how much different our home feels now compared to this time last year. The only difference is about 60% of our belongings are gone. Don’t wait until new year to start making your home a peaceful haven. Do it now.
Simplifying is contagious. Maybe this doesn’t seem like a great reason to start, BUT I’ve learned once you do you won’t want to quit. Seeing the difference decluttering can make in a cabinet or a closet is contagious. You’ll find yourself hopping from one cabinet to the next in pursuit of less.
Simplifying makes you realize how much you really use. We buy so much. We are constantly being told by various advertisers that if we have their product, life will be better. Once I started really looking at our possessions, I realized that we didn’t use most of the things in our home. How wasteful to have a home full of things we don’t need. Donate those to someone who can!
Simplifying saves money. If you’re like me, emptying your closets and cabinets of things you don’t use or need makes you realize how much money you waste buying things you don’t use or need. My spending has reduced dramatically since I’ve simplified our lives. I think you’ll find you do too.
Simplifying makes more time for the things that matter most. Want to spend more time playing with your kids? Simplify. Want to have more one-on-one time with your spouse? Simplify. Want more time to pursue hobbies, or further your education? Simplify.
Simplifying creates more space. Obviously when you remove excess furniture and unused items, you free up physical space. Freeing up physical space brings a visual peace that money cannot buy!
Simplifying your home makes things easier to find. When there’s less clutter to sort through it’s easier to be more organized and find important items quickly.
Simplifying your home makes it ready for visitors quickly. If there’s less clutter, there’s less to tidy before company drops by. This has been one of the biggest benefits for me!
Simplifying your home makes you more thankful for what you have. I’ve learned that when we’re constantly buying new things we aren’t nearly as thankful for the stuff we already have. Once we started reducing our belongings, I really learned to appreciate the things I need. I’ve especially noticed this in our children!
Simplifying your home makes you more efficient and productive. Having less means I waste less time searching for missing items or trying to catch up on laundry. Less clothes, less laundry, more efficient!

This is the first year that I’ve waited until December 28th to take down our Christmas decorations. Why? Because my rooms weren’t stuffed full with excess that the decorations were in the way.

I was sipping my coffee early this morning looking over my agenda for the day, and “Take down Christmas decorations” was at the top of the list in big, bold letters. Reading it made me just a tiny bit sad. Why? I realized that this is the very first time in my whole married life that I enjoyed the decorations because my rooms weren’t busting with other things. I didn’t have to shove a tree in a corner, or squeeze furniture together to make the decorations fit. Since I’ve highly simplified our home, I had ample room for the Christmas trees. Really, simplifying made all the difference.

Don’t wait to Simplify!

Here’s the thing though, having a decluttered home can’t be the end goal. Why? Because if it IS the end goal, the house will just fill back up again. The end goal has to be something you’re passionate about. Something that ensures that your house will stay uncluttered because it’s THAT important to you. For me, it’s my family. Simplifying our home has created more margin in my day. More margin means more time with my husband and kids. That’s my end goal. Life is short, and I don’t want to spend my days shoving things in already full closets or feeling stressed over the kitchen countertops being a mess. I want the house to be a breeze to manage so I have more time with the people who matter most.

This is the last blog post I’ll write in the year 2021. I want to leave you with this thought, where could you be this time next year if you start today? I know this much, you’ll better off than if you waited. Don’t wait to January 1st, or a Monday, or a new month. Start right now, where you are, with what you have. I promise you, whatever it is, you CAN do it. I believe in you.

Don’t wait to simplify your home! Here are a few blog posts to help you get started: