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This is going to be a very personal post from me on why minimalism is better for me at this time in my life. I may be very candid at some points but please understand that this is my perspective.
Many of you know from reading our blog, that I chose to turn to a minimal lifestyle after my daughter, Aly, introduced it to me. I am now 51 years young. It was such a breath of fresh air for me and I literally felt free. Since I’ve been following the minimalist path, everything in my life is much easier to maintain including my house, my finances, and my health. One wouldn’t think that minimalism would have such a profound effect, but it truly did for me and I’m grateful to my daughter for introducing it to me.
Now for this week’s post. We have a family member that is in the last stages of lung cancer. From us to you, if you are a smoker, please consider giving up this habit. Lung cancer has got to be one of the worst ways to leave this world. The commercials you see on TV do not begin to show the ravaging effects and how the cancer will take over your body. It is not a quick death either. Lung cancer will drag on 4 – 6 months, possibly longer, while in Stage 4.
As the family is preparing to go on without it’s matriarch, she is focused on what to do with all her possessions. 75+ years of possessions. I believe it helps her to keep her mind focused at this time, but most of the family does not appear to be interested in the possessions. I know my family is not. Each of my daughters want one small useful thing to remember their grandmother by – nothing further. Both girls have told me that their memories are much stronger and more important than stuff. I’m very proud of my girls.
Many people accumulate quite a bit during their lifetimes – often hanging onto items well past their use. Why? The reasons can be many. One that seems to come up quite often in those over 70 is that they lived through the depression. I remember my grandmother saving the twist ties and the bread bags from loaves of bread to be reused. Never mind that she had a drawer full of these items and that possibly she only needed a few to recycle – she saved them all. Drawers and drawers and drawers of stuff she saved for decades.
Many people buy and hold items because they “think that so and so would like it when I’m gone” – almost like an inheritance of sorts. The fact of the matter is that most of the items that people think others would want, really aren’t wanted at all. You may be a collector of dolls, but how many people right now in your family also collects dolls?
It is always sad when one of our loved ones moves on from this world. We can make it easier for them during the process by having our house in order. Even if minimalism is not your lifestyle, please take a moment and read through some of our posts and tips. The life you make easier will be those that you love.
For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
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