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 delightful story from Kelly. After purging their excess possessions, she and her husband found themselves open to a wonderful new possibility: parenthood!
Kelly writes:
My minimalist adventure may have begun the day I first saw a picture of the Tumbleweed tiny homes. Those homes became like an adorable 3D puzzle to me. What do you really need and how can you make it all fit together? Eventually, I went on an organization ideas Pinterest bender. Then, I found Miss Minimalist and Marie Kondo. Do I use it, do I love it, is it beautiful, does it spark joy? With all these pieces of the puzzle finally coming together I set about to bringing my life in order.
One day a career opportunity knocked at our door that would have required us to pack up and move (potentially several times). Super excited I set about thinning things out. Purge purge purge. And then the opportunity fell through. It was a crushing disappointment one that left us in a huge vacuum. What now? Who are we? Where are we going? The slate was confoundingly blank and the lack of direction was disorienting. So I looked around at the treasures that hadn’t been purged. Bright colored treasures from our trips around the world full of cheer and whimsy. I looked at a bedroom that was now completely empty. What were we going to fill our life with? Was it finally time…? Was it finally our turn…? Could we really, maybe possibly, consider having a BABY??!!!?!?!!!!
And so we embarked on our next adventure…parenthood!
If we hadn’t cleaned out the things we didn’t need and that weren’t really even us anymore we might not have realized that our life could open up to an entirely different and truly much desired possibility.
The first website I peaked at while secretly considering pitching the baby idea to my husband was a minimalists guide to baby stuff. With all my new found open space I wasn’t super keen to fill it with junk and suffocate us. When the time came I carefully went about curating a baby registry. I would look at an item, think about it for a while, measure it, visualize where in my house I could keep it before adding it to my list. Now at the parenthood 7th month mark I can happily report that all the baby related items have a purpose, a place and are much loved. Now if only I can get over the sentimentality of wanting to save it all for eternity….
{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.}
That baby is the CUTENESS!!!
Awe thank you so much :)
How nice for your to approach parenthood with living with only meaningful things attitude. We help parents do the same with minimalistic design in nursery as part of the overall less is best in their homes. Always keeping in mind that minimalism starts with each of our own interpretation. Beautiful little one!-laurel
Hi Laurel, I’m so happy to be introduced to your website. Looking forward to enjoying your posts.
Kelly, you sound like such a smart, level-headed mom. I’m sorry that your job opportunity fell through, but it sounds like you’ve landed in an even more exciting place with parenthood. Your child will benefit from your minimalist lifestyle. SUPER cute baby, BTW!
Priscilla, you are right parenthood is the most exciting and wonderful place. I’m so glad the journey led here!
I remember when I started getting rid of baby things, after our third. It was bittersweet, but seeing my things go to others at a community rummage sale made it a bit easier. I’m currently reading (to tell my daughter about) Simplicity Parenting. Might interest you if you’re not already ahead of me. And, what an adorable baby!
Thank you so much for the tip!! That book has been popping up in my Amazon recommendations too. I just sent myself the free sample. I’ll get started on it right away. Looking forward to it :)
And thank you for the support in parting with the baby things.
What a wonderful baby!
Well done! :-)
Awe…thank you so much!
My kids are 43, 40 and 36. They took what they wanted out of my home. They bring me things they think I’ll like. My DH gets gadgets, I get books or exotic house plants. I save at most 6 of anything.
:)
Hi Tina. Are you saying that you save just 6 books, 6 pair of earrings, 6 games, 6 movies, etc?? That’s an interesting idea! Thanks!
Yay for fellow minimalist moms! I truly hope that our kiddos will take good things away from being the products of minimalist parents.
I’m all for anything we can do to make their life easier. Help them to be free and happy and wise.
“If we hadn’t cleaned out the things we didn’t need and that weren’t really even us anymore we might not have realized that our life could open up to an entirely different and truly much desired possibility.”
Yes, I believe that too much of our stuff keeps us rooted in the past, and we can miss opportunities by being overburdened with possessions. I have been slowly purging to just what I truly need and love, but for me, it is a process that needs to be done thoughtfully. And it is always a delight to find something to release that I had previously overlooked.
It is such an interesting experience to figure out what you truly need and love. And to watch yourself change. And I agree it is oddly delightful to find something else to let go.
My daughter moved back with us after 20 years away. She has gotten rid of so much junk. Our older son and younger son are married and settled down. My husband is finally going through his many boxes of photos. He is 72. We live in an age where things can be stored as electrical impulses and not take up physical space. I take a picture of something I want to save and keep it in my phone. I don’t xerox magazine articles or even year them out.