Over the weekend, our 14 year old Volvo was donated and picked up as it was time to let it go. One of my goals is to use my car less and less and walk more often. That old car and all the miles of memories gone in an instant. One less car.
Tell me one thing that you are finding that you use less and less? Take one thing out of your day or off your list and see if it frees up your life for more room to live.
26 comments:
Oh I want to live with less clutter and baggage too... but I am afraid I am too much of a pack rat that I simply cannot let go of some things from my past. So I need lots of storage.
We've been living with less meat these days - trying to not pack on the pounds as the weather cools! It frees up our plate for more vegetables!
xxoo
P.S. Love that image - something about it's cool collectedness really enchants me!
I've been trying to do this a lot lately. I think moving and being without a lot of my stuff for two years taught me to let go of stuff. I'm trying to not shop for clothes and wear what I have and same with food make it go farther and use my storage.
Right now, as we prepare for the reno, I am all about "letting things go". My car is loaded with lovely items for our church thrift store, which gives the proceeds to local charities.
And, yes...I really must walk more. With town so close by, I have no excuse.
I seem to breathe easier with less stuff!!! Here's to letting go!
xoxo Elizabeth
i so admire this. after our recent move {and merging of our lives}, we're both struggling with all of the material things we need to let go of so that our life is less filled with clutter. easier said than done!
For years now i've not let myself develop a 'stocked' pantry. I find myself going to the grocery store 3x a week because of that and I eat more fresh and delicious food! Plus I walk (Whole foods is 3 blocks away) so the exercise is nice!
I want so much to live with less. Oh I am such a pack rat!
I love the lesson of less! What a terrific (and healthy) goal to drive less and walk more. I've been trying to live with less sugar in my diet, not giving up completely, but seeing it as a treat, not an everyday indulgence. We'll see if I can stick to it once the Halloween candy comes out!
Love that image! I did just clean out our pantry but it isn't that zen.
How strange that I am reading this as I prepare to give about 30 cookbooks to hopefully, a local community college culinary school library!
Yes, I think a lot of people are feeling this way lately...at least in the blog world. Living with less is sort of a habit and I like that. I really enjoy a much simpler way of living and avoiding all the clutter. I agree with you on walking more...I wish I could get by without a car....I really would have been the perfect NYC girl.
We have moved and I suppose down sized to be more central. So had to let things go and its great with less clutter, just the essentials.
Bigger is better has been a mindset for decades. Look at the houses lived in, the big vehicles driven and the size of businesses.
Those who find less is better open up a whole new avenue of life, reducing stress and worry.
I moved from the big monster city to a small town of less then a 1000 people. Everything is within walking distance. It is so nice.
Very cute open storage!
I gave up my car in 1999 and turned my "side of the garage" into my garden shed/workshop. Most days I don't miss a car at all! I can walk to the grocery, hardware, and bookstores. I save my across town jaunts for the weekend. Works for me. And, like you I am going through a kitchen remodel, and only the things I really use and love will be going back in. Enough is enough.
I love decluttering and the idea of living with less. My husband and I will probably be moving several times in the future before we buy a house and settle down, so I want to make those moves as easy as possible.
Some resources I found helpful for decluttering are:
"Makeunder my Life" http://makeundermylife.com
"Unclutterer" http://unclutterer.com/
And the book "It's All Too Much!" by Peter Walsh.
I am a crafter, so I tend to keep too many pretty ribbons, sheets of paper, buttons..you get the point.
So I recently cleaned out a bunch of old craft things I haven't used. Now I have space to hoard new craft things...ugh! Just kidding. I feel much better with less "stuff"!
What a great image to go with your post! It's so true, once it's gone, it feels so freeing. I pared down my house this summer and it felt so great!
xo Mary Jo
oh my life is full of editing... and editing... and
hope you are well darling friend... xo
After being sick the past several years I realized I could do without a lot and have been letting things go and trying to make things simple and easy.
It was almost like a second move considering the amount if stuff I hauled out of her while unpacking. So freeing letting go. Plus, it makes room for the Universe to bring new things into your life, per Oprah :)
I have recently been following the marvelous blog The Zero Waste Home and it has been such an inspiration to me with regards to living with less...less waste in particular. I live in the Middle East and I am always astounded at the waste and excess that seems part and parcel of life here and I am now consciously trying to reduce "stuff"in my life and particularly plastic.....they still wrap everything in plastic here and I do mean EVERYTHING!!! It is such a terrible waste! Other than that, I am trying to reduce clutter in my home generally and trying to simplify life ....not as easy as it seems!
YES! I am so with you. The urge to shop has vanished. Of course, I do buy a piece here and there, but overall I am done. Same with so many items in our home. Would love to go without a car, but alas we live far out from everything.
I've been making less trash. In January, I started raising chickens and composting...no more food down the disposal. Then I finally started taking plastic bags to the grocery store to be recycled. Finally, I ordered a recycle bin from the trash co. Now, all I throw away is plastic wrap and foil...looking for ways to do without those too!
Thanks to each of you for your kind comments.
Zero Waste is such an inspiring blog.
Letting go, reusing, reducing seems to be here to stay.
I love it.
pve
Your post inspires me. I started to clear out books last week - the hardest of all. But, really SOuthern Living Christmas 1998? Must let go! What will I let go of today? You've inspired me to make it BIG!
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