Home Sweet Home – Less is often more

We speak about relationships with people but I believe we all have a relationship with our home. Our immediate environment can lift us up or drain us. Our homes have the power to inspire us, rejuvenate us, make us feel comfortable and safe. On the flip side, they also have the power to zap our energy, lower our mood or even make us feel stressed out. Less is more means that having just the essential things is better than having too many things we don’t need or that disturb our peace. It allows us to focus on what matters.

Our homes have the power to inspire and rejuvenate us…

Over time our homes develop a ‘history’ – usually memories of good times if we’re lucky, but they can also remind us of difficulties – for me, a broken curtain rail was a constant reminder of a time not long after I moved here with my children, when my daughter got so cross she wrapped herself up in a curtain until the pole broke! I lived with it for a while but when I finally got it fixed the relief was immediate. I was no longer being invited to re-live that moment, including the regret of not being able to calm her down… or the guilty feeling of not having mended it yet! 🙈

Prioritise your home

During lockdown it feels more important than ever that we maintain a ‘healthy’ relationship with our homes. It feels like we are taking one step forward and two steps back at times. Home-schooling has been taking it’s toll… instead of working on my goals and keeping on top of the house work, I’m learning about fractions, black holes and crime in the middle ages … all while trying not to swear as the WiFi stalls for the 27th time!!! My house looks like a bomb’s gone off and small challenges feel intensified because of this lockdown life. (HELP!)

But it’s important to know and accept that things don’t always go our way. And that even when we have positive intentions, there will be days when things don’t go to plan.. days when things don’t make sense, and it seems like everything is conspiring against us. But don’t get overwhelmed. Click here for a related post about overwhelm

Time to stop, time to breathe. Time to remember how far you’ve come and be grateful for everything you are and have ✨ Which brings me on to awareness of what you HAVE versus what you actually NEED. There’s a difference. And this is why less is more because we actually need fewer things than we realise. And once we realise that happiness does not come from material possessions we can let some things go.

Focus on what you CAN control, not what you can’t

You got this ✨

Identify any improvements you could make

So while we are all faced with being in our houses almost 24/7 during lockdown, maybe use this time to identify what you can improve at home. Are there any areas or belongings that inspire negative feelings? Are there some things you could actually let go of? Whether it’s a closet full of clothes we don’t wear, a piece of furniture that’s seen better days, or a tap that drips, it’s time to realise how these things are holding us back. It’s about making sure we keep our space working for our lifestyle, both in lockdown and beyond. There’s one thing for sure, these are difficult and unpredictable times but the comfort of your own home should be a priority right now.

Declutter to discover!

Owning less helps us discover the best version of ourselves, it can even help us become better parents. It’s about revealing the space, time and freedom to think clearly and also pursue our passions. Decluttering is ultimately about alignment ✨ And to get in alignment we first need to discover our values. If you need some help discovering these then get in touch. I truly believe our environment can affect our values and vice versa. The places you spend time in, the people you hang around with.. these all have an influence on us.. for better or for worse. For a related post about values and self-confidence, click here.

If you want to transform who you are, transform your environment.

Give it a try!

Time for transformation

The goal of owning less isn’t just to have a clean home or more space in the garage. The goal of minimalism is to be free to pursue our greatest passions! If you want to transform who you are, transform your environment. It encourages greater intentionality and makes us think about the kind of life we want to be living. So identify which clutter in your home is not adding value to your life. What needs to get out of your way, because it’s distracting you and delaying you from the life you want. We all deserve a peaceful bedroom, a clutter-free living space and a kitchen that makes cooking easy and stress-free 😃

Less stuff equals more space and clarity

(Awesome, when can I start?)

Take control of clutter

Regularly decluttering, or better still – only acquiring things we really need (or love) gives us a sense of control that really is quite empowering. I’m not great at this myself, I have to push myself but I know the difference it can make. Getting rid of things we no longer require, or that are no longer serving us, will cleanse and rejuvenate not just our homes but also our minds ✨

I encourage you to give it a try. Let go of things you don’t need. These items only fog your brain and add to overwhelm. If it’s physical possessions, then MAKE the time – you’ll reap the rewards I promise – set aside some time to bag up those clothes for the charity shop, clear out your cupboards, give away the unwanted books/games/gifts, Ebay the gadgets you’ll never use (I’ve got a few!). It will be worth it – giving you more space and energy for what you DO want in your life ✨

Less is more!

And funnily enough, when you reach a certain age you realise that LESS is definitely MORE ✨ Your life experience has taught you what you really value and what you can do without. Keep the special things – the things you love (I’m a bit of a hoarder – I fight it, but anything with sentimental value stays – maybe just box it up and put it in the loft!)… then at least you know it’s there if you ever need to call upon it. I’m imagining being in my 80’s looking through my ‘box of memories’ because in the end, that’s all life leaves you with… or if you turn it around… that’s all you leave life with 🙃

I didn’t intend for this post to turn sentimental but I’m hoping you know what I mean? Live for the now ✨ but also cherish the important moments, past or present..💖 Keep them safe and your future self will thank you ✨ Your future self will also thank you for getting up off your arse and making a start at tidying!! Go!! 👊👊

Challenge for today!

Tidy your desk or the area you use for doing tasks. We all know that a bit of decluttering makes us feel better – life seems so much easier when there is less stuff to process, both visually and mentally. When we know that everything has a place and when we can strip it back to the essentials, we attain a sense of clarity and calm that carries us through our day or week… or even beyond! ✨

You can do it!

I believE in you ✨

I hope you found this post helpful, thanks for reading! If you’d like to hear more about how I can help you then visit my life coaching website here .

#styletheclutter #mindfulness #memories #tidying #lifelessons #lifegoals #clarity #mindset #rejuvenate