When Less is More: Choosing a Simpler Lifestyle

“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.” — Unknown 

It’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks – or so they say. Fortified with this nugget of hope and a handful of constructive guidelines on decluttering and creating a simpler lifestyle, my husband and I – now well into our sixties and seventies – decided to tackle the Gordian knot of habits, behaviors, and everyday life.

This awakening of sorts began with the realization that we were feeling weighed down by all the baggage we were carrying from day to day. At some point, we have to pause and assess what is worth keeping and what is worth casting away (Ecclesiastes 3:6). Otherwise, the weight of all we’re lugging will eventually overcome us.

Decluttering doesn’t necessarily involve a radical tossing of this or that. Rather, it’s an intentional sorting of what we’ve accumulated over the years with the intent of ridding our daily life of what doesn’t contribute to a healthy and content lifestyle. It’s establishing priorities in order to thrive within the boundaries and objectives we have set.

Before we go any further, let’s pause a moment to define the word. Clutter is the excess, the extraneous, that fills our home spaces (house, garage, storage building, etc.), our personal lives (financial, physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, etc.), our schedules, our relationships, and so on. Because clutter isn’t always visible, it often goes unnoticed.

As an author, I compare clutter to the concept of ‘filler.’ In literary terms, filler refers to dialogue, scenes, or excessively detailed descriptions that serve primarily to increase chapter length rather than enhance the narrative and advance the plot. Filler can distract and detract from the narrative. Authors are therefore advised to ‘write tight’ and remove any material that does not meaningfully contribute to the progression of the story.

Similarly, without even realizing it, we sometimes accumulate things that slow our pace. Let me share an example with you:

A couple of years ago, my son and I took a trip to England to visit relatives. On the way home, our flight out of Heathrow was delayed.

We seized the opportunity to buy a few mementos for friends and family back home. By the time we boarded the plane, both of our carry-ons were bursting at the seams.

Which is no big deal if your flight lands on time and your connecting flight is one or two gates over. This was the not the case for us and we found ourselves running from one end of O’Hare airport to the other end with carry-ons that were heavy and had to be screened more than once by airport security.

Because our bags were so full, their contents had to be removed, each item checked, then put back in a certain order just so the carry-on could be zipped closed. We caught our connecting flight with two minutes to spare.

Likewise, as you and I move through life, we pick up burdens that weigh us down, slow our progress and eventually harm our wellbeing. This ‘baggage’ isn’t limited to physical possessions—it’s also about relationships that restrict our growth, impulses that undermine our financial goals, over-scheduling to the point where we’re stretched thin, and habits that affect both our physical health and spiritual development.

There comes a time when we have to stop adding to our lives and assess what truly matters and what we wouldn’t even miss if we rid ourselves of it. Consider:

• Does this belong in my life?
• Does it add value to my life or detract from my life purpose?
• Am I in danger of mission my goals because I’m so weighed down?
• Am I impulsive rather than intentional in my decisions?
• Am I holding on so tightly to the past that I can’t move on?
• Are my social engagements beneficial or detrimental?
• Do my habits drive my day or does my day shape my habits?

If the clutter in your life has caused you to lose sight of what is truly important to you, to your family, and to God, then perhaps it’s time to consider a simpler lifestyle.

Join me next Wednesday as I delve into part I of When Less is More: Choosing a Simpler Lifestyle–Determine Your Goals.