4 Things You Gain When You Live With Less

When you are simplifying and choosing to live with less, it’s not really about what you’re getting rid of. The best part about simplifying your life is what you gain by letting go and choosing to live with less.

When you are willing to let go of the clutter, the distractions, the excess and the busyness, you stand to gain so much more: more time, more space, more freedom and ultimately more peace.

Shift your focus to what you’ll gain, not what you’re getting rid of

While you’re in the process of decluttering and simplifying, so much of the focus is on what you’re getting rid of.

You recognize your life is too full. There is too much stuff, too much clutter, too many commitments, too many distractions. And you’re taking action to do something about it.

You start getting rid of the clutter, the excess and the distractions. Even reducing your busyness by saying no to commitments that aren’t adding value to your life.

In this stage of the process, so much of your focus is on what you’re getting rid of. It’s easy to forget that the whole point of simplifying and choosing to live with less is about what you’re making room for more of.

What you gain when you live with less is more important than what you’re letting go of. The point of decluttering isn’t to have empty rooms.

Instead, you declutter your home and your life to give you the time, space and freedom to focus on what matters most to you. It’s about choosing to have less stuff, so you can have more life.

4 Things You Gain When You Live with Less

Today I want to share 4 things you can gain when you choose to simplify and live with less.

These 4 things are what make the simplifying journey worth it. They are what makes it worth the time and effort to remove the clutter and the distractions.

While you’re decluttering and simplifying, instead of focusing on what you’re getting rid of, letting go or giving up, keep your focus on what you’re gaining. It becomes so much easier to let go of the clutter and distractions when you focus on what you’ll gain by letting go.

Here are 4 awesome things you’ll gain when you live with less:

1. Time

Everything you own takes up some of your time. Some take more time than others, but everything in your home requires some of your time and energy.

First, you have to work to earn the money to buy something (or even accumulate debt because of it). Once you own it you have to pick it up, put it away, clean it, clean around it, organize it, maintain it, look for it, repair it, take care of it, etc.

The fewer things you own, the less of your time and energy are taken up managing your stuff.

When things add value to your life (because you use them regularly or love them) it’s ok when they take up some of your time and energy. The problem is things that add no value and are not worth the time and energy they require from you.

When you let go of the things that don’t add value to your life, you gain more time and energy to focus on what is most important to you and what you value most.

2. Space

As you get rid of the clutter and the excess from your home, you’ll create space in your home. Rooms will be less crowded and cluttered. Closets and cupboards will have space. You’ll add room to breathe to your home.

Where there was once clutter, you’ll gain space. Space you can use for living and enjoying what you value most, instead of storing clutter.

But beyond creating physical space in your home, you’ll also add space to other areas of your life.

Space in your schedule

You’ll also give yourself the opportunity to create space in your schedule.

Simplifying helps you recognize what activities, commitments and obligations add value to your life, and which just add clutter, distraction and busyness.

As you begin to say no to the things in your schedule that aren’t adding value, you create space in your schedule. Giving you more opportunities to say yes to the activities and commitments you love and add value to your life.

“Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.”

~ John C Maxwell

Space in your mind

A cluttered space and schedule can also lead to a cluttered mind.

Clutter, distractions and busyness mean your mind can’t rest, gain clarity or focus as well. Instead, your mind is constantly being pulled in many different directions, distracted and just trying to keep up.

Simplifying your home and your schedule allows you to clear some of the mental clutter and gain clarity. It also reduces your stress levels and gives your mind and body space to rest and recharge, without being bombarded by clutter and distractions.

3. Freedom

Choosing to live with less lets you take control of what fills your time and space.

Rather than allowing excess, clutter and distractions to take up your time and space, you make intentional choices about what fills your time and space. And you gain the freedom to spend your time and energy on what is most important to you.

You gain the freedom to create the life you want, instead of simply trying to keep up with managing all your stuff and obligations.

This could mean working fewer hours when you aren’t buying and spending as much. It could mean living in a smaller home once you get rid of the things you don’t use or love. Or more simply, it could mean having more time and energy for the people and activities you love. All because you spend less time and energy managing the things you own.

4. Peace

Finally, choosing to live with less gives you the potential to create a more peaceful life. 

You’re no longer frantically trying to keep up with life and managing all your stuff and commitments. Instead, you can intentionally focus on what is most important to you because you have the time, space and freedom to do so.

And that’s ultimately why simplifying, decluttering and minimalism are so great. You can let go of a cluttered, stressful, frantic and overly busy life, and instead create a calmer, more intentional, more peaceful life.

Decluttering, simplifying and choosing to live with less are about so much more than having a tidy home. Although that’s an awesome benefit as well!

Choosing to live with less is about making room for what you’ll gain when you get rid of the clutter and distractions. And that’s what it’s all about, choosing less stuff so you can have more life!

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What have you gained when you’ve made the choice to own less? If you’re still in the process of decluttering and simplifying, what are you most looking forward to having more of when you’re done?