I subscribe to half a dozen magazines (they are a secret pleasure!) Home design & cooking/travel magazines are my favorites. Sometimes I do not get to read them, so they stack up – but then I take them with me when I get on a flight and have time to unwind.
Recently, one of my magazines came with an ad for a new magazine called Magnolia Journal. With the ad was “Note From Jo” (written by Joanna Gaines*) and the title of her “note” was “The Complexity of Living a Simple Life”. This spoke to me on many levels; not the least of which is my company is called Simplified Lives!
The entire “note” was interesting and witty, but two ideas resonated with me:
- “Another thing that’s tricky about simplicity is that you don’t just make a onetime decision – I want to lead a simple life – and then there you have it; you’re good to go. Rather this requires day-by-day, moment-by-moment deciding…
- Don’t get me wrong. I love abundance in many forms, but not at the cost of a sound mind or peaceful home.”
It struck me how terribly hard it is to keep things decluttered – and simplified in my own home! I have a basket on a shelf by my entry and I throw items in there when I come home and do not know where to put them immediately; recently when I was cleaning out that basket, I thought to myself, “I just did this” – and I do not feel like going through all this stuff! Oh, and my stack of mail…need I say more?! I try so hard to declutter – but it is a constant battle!
And, I also “love abundance” – however, I am getting better at not having too many things that I am not using. I have just donated two boxes of Christmas decorations that I did not use this year, and I donated a big bag of wool blankets that I am not going to use (it breaks my heart to give away nice blankets but my guests prefer nonallergenic comforters). This past year, and in 2020, I am making myself use boxed stationery that I have already purchased; taking a pause in the purchase of those “oh-so-cute boxes of stationery”! Small steps to simplify!
So – February 2020 – a little more space opened up in my basement, office and in my attic! Having to adjust to the notion that I will always have to simplify and declutter – oh it IS a challenge!
