Anyhow, let's just say I was shouting, yes, yes, yes throughout the whole documentary. I love their thoughts and comments on all the stuff we accumulate without really thinking about it. And I literally paused the movie in the middle of it and grabbed a garbage bag and started throwing things from my closet into it, coats I haven't worn in months, shoes that never touch my feet, clothes that never get put on my body, and the list went on.
And you guys, we have a small home, and somehow we still have stuff we don't use or wear and don't get me started on the stuff in the garage.
And if I'm honest, every time Peter talks about a bigger home, I find myself getting anxious. I love our tiny house. (You can read more about my love here!) Truly, I do. I love being on top of each other. I love how often I purge things. I love how it forces me to be a minimalist. I love the lack of clutter. I love that every single item has a home, even my boys know this.
So many of our things have purpose and I don't get attached to things easily. I am quick to let things go if they don't serve a purpose, which makes me think, when was the last time I used our waffle maker?
And the reality is, you can't take your stuff with you when you die!
So friends, I ask these questions.
How do you define success? Is it in your things?
Everyone wants meaning in their lives. And does your stuff give you meaning? Are you tied to your stuff?
Are you being deliberate with everything you do and everything you buy? Are the items you're buying adding value to your life?
Do you desire financial freedom? And if so, are you making steps toward that? What would you have to do in order to have more of it? What choices would you have to make? And are you willing to make them?
You may not have have control over how much you make, but you do have control over how you spend what you make. And this has been so true for us in this low income season. We have become so deliberate with the things we do and the things we buy - do we need it, do we not, if we get it, what should we get rid of, do we have space for it, etc.
And if I'm honest, that deliberation has truly provided us with so much financial freedom, freedom to not be stressed about finances during this season because we have slashed our expenses even more than we thought possible, so much so that we have just been spending what we earn, and we haven't really had to touch our savings, and it probably helps that our mortgage payment is just $1380 a month. And yes, our house is small, but right now, I'd rather have a smaller home, then a bigger mortgage.
This is your one and only life...consider how you want to live it? And make steps toward that. If that means downsizing, then downsize. If that means selling a car, then sell a car. If that means paying off debt, then do that. If that means not going out to eat or not buying that daily coffee fix or that lunch so that you can pay off the debt, then do that! If that means clearing your house out of unused stuff, then clear the house out! How many extra towels and extra bed sheets do you really need, right?? And don't get me started on all the toys we accumulate over time!
We make the choices and we build the life, and I know it's hard to unbuild it, in order to rebuild it, but it can be done. And don't let that stop you!
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