Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.
This week, we have a lovely contribution from Dee, who tells us about her sweet family and simple life in small town Minnesota. What an inspiration!
Dee writes:
Growing up I learned more and bigger is obviously better. If you like a top for example, you must buy every color. If it’s on sale there is even more compulsion to buy. And if it’s from a thrift store every item should be considered. All this in a subconscious attempt to feel good, more complete and safe.
I moved out of the house at 18 years old with way too much stuff. I got married 2 years later to my childhood sweetheart and 4 1/2 years later we had a bouncing baby girl. In a frenzy to prepare for our baby I never thought I could have, I bought all the thrifted clothes, blankets and trinkets I could find. According to most families it didn’t seem like much as we didn’t have the large baby gear. But her closet told a different story. It didn’t feel right. Once she arrived I realized I had justified too much garage sale, on sale, thrifted, and ‘must have this’ items. I realised at this point I could of gotten a handful of nice outfits and things for her when she actually needed them, if she needed them. I felt wasteful and silly.
This is when we started getting rid of most of the things in our home. It took 2 years to make our 1,200 square foot home hit its clicking point. Since then we’ve moved to a 650 square foot townhome to our wonderful 850 square foot home, with a big back yard. I’ve learned enough really is enough. I don’t have to live in a poverty mindset, hoarding belongings for the unforeseeable future.
One month after moving into our new home we brought our sweet son home. Having a simple home made this an easier transition for everyone. Their combined closet is more tidy than my daughter’s was alone at birth. I am no longer swimming in baby things.
Choosing to live small has allowed us to be debt free besides our home. It has also helped give me the desire of my heart of being a stay at home mom and hopefully homeschool our children. We are engaged in our vibrant community almost daily. We have 5 parks and a library within walking distance, a membership at the YMCA and are active members at our local church. We also have time for building relationships with family and friends.
Life is better with room to breathe and space to let life happen. Whether it be in your schedule or in your home. It is so much easier to never let things you don’t need into your life, then have to figure out what to do with them after the fact. Boundaries are healthy in every area of life and I like that minimalism enforces this.
Our life still gets crazy but we like to hit the ‘RESET’ button often. This means we put everything back in its place. I just started a brand new Instagram account @cozycolorfulminimalist. Please join me as I share about everyday life as a minimalist family in small town Minnesota. The best is yet to come!
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or joining my email list.}
Enjoying outdoor spaces and being active on the community is very important. Enjoy the occasional resets. LOL.
I agree, being outside and with people is so important. Although not always easy. We actually like to reset rooms daily, just not usually the whole house at once ?.
Staying out of debt is the best thing you can do for yourselves. Live below your means. If you can, live well below your means.
I agree, thank you for the encouragement!
So cool that you realized all that while young.
Blessings to you and your family.
That was reall kind, thank you Sophie!
Sounds like you are creating a wonderful life for your family.
Wow that was so nice. I believe that’s what we all try to do ☺.
Loved this story. Especially the “reset button”. I feel this way often, but especially at the holidays! We are a family of 9 in a newly 1,300 sq feet. (As opposed to 1,000 sq ft) And this feels like the right amount of space, although it goes along with being continuously intentional about our things! Blessings on you and your family!
Being intentional about your things is key! Especially during the holidays ☺. Do you have a blog Mary? It sounds like I could learn from you, having 9 people in 1300 square feet and all ☺!
Dee really hit the nail on the head when she said she acquired things to feel complete and safe- add “good enough” and you have described me. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to read that you are slaying that dragon so young- thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you!!!
I had my husband read this tonight and he informed me our home is actually 750 square feet.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words Mary and splendidcakes! God bless you!
Yes Dee,
I blog at dutchrush.com We are in the process of adopting four children from foster care that we took last winter when our house was still 1,000 sq ft. Unfortunately, this has been the craziest year of my life, so I haven’t blogged much!
Congratulations Mary on your new 4 children! Thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ for those children. What an awesome blog! But don’t feel guilty you are doing the most important work of loving your family. May God’s joy fill your home this Christmas season.
Dee, Great story. Tried to find you on Instagram but it said no posts yet.
Another great and relatable story :)
When it comes to buying, I found that putting those items in a 30-day list really helps a lot. This way, it is off your mind for a moment. It is where you put items in a list for 30 days and figure out if you still need it after the 30-day timeframe. It works all the time.
I really needed the inspiration, I need to cut back on spending and take control of my family finances I have found these posts and feel they will inspire me to budget, save, be debt free and live better with less. it is all about choice, not being overwhelmed with stuff, having more security an time to enjoy what matters.Thank you
Living on very little enabled us to retire at 55 and 53. Save all you can and avoid debt. Encourage your kids to be responsible for their own “wants”.
A neighbor told me when my kids were little that I would have to spend more when my kids became teenagers. My son wanted $100 gym shoes in high school. I told him his father wore $35 shoes. He could pay the difference because his father wasn’t growing and he was. He got a part time job when he wanted “brand name” items or brand new items and he paid for them. Now he is 43 and buys clothes at thrift shops. So does my daughter. My younger son wears T shirts and hand me downs to work. He was wearing torn clothes until I told him not to.
I declutter all the time. My friend lost her brother and was dreading clearing out his condo. He had 5 television’s in a one bedroom condo. When one stopped working, he just bought another. So I said we should fill her car and take all the broken TV sets to the e-recycling. Then I opened the closets. I asked if she wanted me to check all the pockets.
I like to help people sort. If they offer to pay me, the money goes to charity. Most people have thousands of pieces of broken junk. My daughter has bags and bags of old pens and pencils. Periodically, I tell her to find twenty to give to the library for the kids to do their homework. I like the tins that imported cookies and candy come in. I especially like the small ones with odd shapes. I have five of them. I give away the big round ones and the big square ones.
I also like the small mint containers. I put money or gift cards in them when I need a gift for a child. Kids like the little boxes and people give them to me. I showed someone how to make a dress pattern out of newspaper. When I needed to make a costume for my son thirty years ago, I took newspaper and adjusted it and then cut up some cheap fabric. You can also put new pockets in a coat, or put new buttons on a sweater.