Less is more: how much do you really need?

I’ve spoken about the less-is-more concept before on my blog here and here.

Every day I become even more aware of how little of our stuff we actually need.

Do I really need 6 different pots? Nope, just 2 perfect sized pots. And wooden spoons? How many things do I really cook at once?

Oh and sweaters…the most under-utilized garment for me. Not sure why, but my sweaters hardly get any wear. Yet why do I have so many? And high heel shoes? I had several clients who had over 40 pairs of high heel shoes that never left the house.

I’m at the point in my life where I’ve been de-cluttering for 2-3 years and slowly decreasing what I own. It feels so much better than having all this stuff lollygaggling around. The turning point was when a broker suggested I get a storage unit to beautify my place before renting it out. And I just thought to myself… ‘or I could just get rid of stuff’. I don’t really ever want a storage unit. Doesn’t make sense to me.

Why not just start over? I wonder what it is emotionally that gets us attached to our stuff.

I’ve noticed when I’m having trouble getting rid of something sentimental that I don’t use or wear anymore, I box it up and put it to the side for a bit of time. Not seeing it hanging actually cures my desire to own it and makes it so much easier to get out of my house.

Milestones like every 2, 5, 10 years are great opportunities to re-assess your needs and clear what isn’t serving you. Why not make your own checklist of what you really need? I could make a generic one for you, but it wouldn’t be tailored to you and your life.  Don’t let someone else tell you you have to have 7 pairs of shorts if you hate shorts (that’s me actually –  I hate shorts). Determine how much clothing you need based on how often you do laundry. For example, if you do laundry every two weeks, you need 14 days of outfits. And think about your weekly, monthly, and seasonal clothing requirements. Work wear, workout wear, downtime, playtime, going out with friends? Try to look at your life from a bird’s eye perspective and design your own requirements.

What is it in your life that you don’t really need? I’d love to hear from you in the comments down below.

And if the process of editing your closet seems overwhelming, why not check out my program Closet Clarity which will take you step by step through the process?More info here>> GET CLOSET CLARITY NOW

Creative Commons photo posted to Flickr by Rubbermaid Products