I am not a minimalist. Endeavoring to live with less is not an ambition that has never taken hold of me. I love big, open spaces and find beauty in homes that have room in which to spread out. Having less is not something that inspires me. The phrases in the Bible that capture my attention and creativity are the ones that talk about abundance and plenty. The idea that God fills the vast space between the beginning of time and eternity intrigues me. I find security in the abundance God provides.
Several of my friends have chosen to embrace a minimalistic lifestyle. Their intentionality for living with less and the planning they put into making it work is inspiring. Their organizational ability and creativity is truly remarkable. There is certainly beauty in simplicity in smaller spaces. As beautiful as this type of life appears at times, it is not a life I have ever desired.
Recently, due to various circumstances, our family of 4 moved out of a four bedroom, two bathroom home into a much smaller space. Our new living quarters is a two bedroom, one bath, 900 square foot duplex. Although, it is certainly a temporary arrangement, it has forced me to take a closer look at my beliefs about living with less. Truly, if it wasn't for my minimalist friends, I probably would have seen my current living situation as just a smaller space to live in and nothing more. The experiences provided by sweet people like the Cress family at Beginner Beans, the Petersons at Livin' Lightly, and the Lippincotts at Loving Simple Living have made me stop and reflect about what the space I live in can teach me.
Our Living Space
Living room and Dining Room
We've lived here for about a month and I have to admit the first few weeks were not so great. I was very irritable and felt cramped. The hot weather and lack of air conditioning probably added a lot to that. The weather is much cooler this week and I'm finding myself feeling more pleasant. Granted, we have not lived in "our small house" as my 3 year old son, Matthew calls it, for very long but I feel that I have learned a few things about living more simply.
Reflections on Living in a Smaller Space
1) I find myself putting things away soon after I use them instead of waiting to put them away later. Clutter doesn't spread out very well in a small space. Since open spaces are important to me, leaving clutter in an already small area makes it seem even smaller. This is motivation enough for me to put things away. This is something I've worked on for quite some time but never truly have mastered. Living in more confined quarters is teaching me the value and necessity of picking up after myself.
2) Small spaces get dirtier sooner because of frequency of use but are easier and faster to clean. I don't feel overwhelmed at the prospect of cleaning because I know it will be over soon. The quicker cleaning time leaves me more time to do other things.
3) I enjoy the simplicity of Matthew's room. His space is not overwhelmed with toys like before. When he's wondering where a specific toy is, it is much easier to find because there are less toys to navigate through.
4) We spend more time outside. I love the tree in the front yard! It's great for picnics, climbing, and quite enjoyable to just sit under. It truly does feel like an oasis. Sadly, I can't say the same for the backyard. Thanks to our neighbors dogs, it is infested with their droppings. No fence apparently is an open invitation for them to come over and leave their smelly blessings. Suffice it to say, we don't spend much time back there.
5) Having a smaller place means less living expenses. Our utility bill this month was a whopping $18. There is a sense of great satisfaction knowing that we are saving about $1000 each month from our housing expenses as a result of living where we do.
6) Living in a smaller space with two kids has given me confidence that it can be done. If we ever face hard financial times and have no choice but to downsize, I now know we can do it. I honestly think we could have three kids and live in a two bedroom apartment (not that I'm wanting to add more children...just saying it's possible :)
7) I'm learning that where you live doesn't make you happier if you are already unhappy. The state of your emotions and general satisfaction with life stays the same regardless of the size of home you own. Sure a bigger home adds some conveniences, but it is not necessary for overall life satisfaction. Who you are in a big home is still the same person you are in a small home.
After writing out this list, I'm wondering why I would want to go back to living in a bigger place. My minimalists friends are probably thinking the same thing! Even though there are many great aspects to living in smaller spaces, I can't say I've been converted to choosing to live a truly minimalist life.
Honestly, I'm excited to move out and live in a larger house. I want to have the conveniences that come with having a fenced yard, free of poop from neighbor dogs. I want the convenience of my own room. I want the convenience of a larger living room where I can host lots of people. I want more than one bathroom. I want a closet I can walk into. I realize that I don't truly 'need' any of these thing and can actually do without them. Despite my desire for more, living with less this last month has showed me the areas of my life in which I want to continue living more simply.
- I want to spend less time picking up clutter/cleaning the house and more time in relationship with others.
- I want my children to grow up appreciating the things they have and be satisfied with fewer material possessions.
- I want to be a better steward of money and more generous with others that may not have as much as me.
- I want to live a life where I am satisfied with having meaningful relationships and cease to find my identity in the things that I have and do.
I want to extend a BIG thank you to my minimalist friends who inspired me to reflect on the space that I call home. Without their perspective, I would have missed out on some key insights. Who knows, maybe one day I'll join the ranks of my minimalist compadres!
{Click here to read my most recent post simple living. I talk about this post and how I feel about it after moving out of our smaller space into a bigger house.}
{Click here to read my most recent post simple living. I talk about this post and how I feel about it after moving out of our smaller space into a bigger house.}
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