Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

I have a friend (I'll call her Becca) who really wants to declutter.  Becca grew up with a hoarder, and she has a slight tendency in that direction herself, but has reached the point where she knows she'll be calmer, happier, and better able to handle the details of life if she gets clutter-free. But whenever I visit, there's no discernable progress.  She'll say again how depressing she finds her cluttered house, how much she wants to make a change, but cites busyness at work and a subsequent lack of energy to get anything done. I'm not writing this post to judge or criticize my friend or anyone like her!  If I had experienced Becca's past or her current circumstances, I might be in the same situation.  And knowing the stamina and constant decision-making that decluttering can require, I too feel daunted by the idea of tackling her home. So my intention in this post is to be as empathetic and inspiring as possible as I share one mindset that is making it harder ...

I've loved reading since I was six, when my bright yellow hardcover copy of Key to the Treasure * was one of my most precious possessions.  Even before that, when Mama read a fairy tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland , I was smitten by the magic world of books. For many years, I was a constant reader.  I would dive into books, often devouring one or two each week.  I visited the library every ten days or so, and a bookstore about once a month. * This blog is reader-supported, with NO ADS.  If you make a purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission. Something changed. Then COVID closed libraries and bookstores, and even when things opened again, my county chose to remodel the library, so it remained closed for over a year. However, the real knife to the heart of my reading habit was probably my smart phone.  For a long time, I resisted, but eventually scrolling and clicking trained me to get information in tiny, unre...

There may be more important things than a perfectly decluttered home or office.  We could do other things with our time.  Minimalism doesn't have to be repressive or anal, but it's possible to become a harridan about the tiniest stash of extras, and live a joyless life in a bare white cell. Yet I do love a clean and clutter-free home.  I thrive in one.   When the house is messy, I feel messy.  To me, cluttered houses feel dark and heavy, oppressive and depressing.  If I had to live in one, I'd want to get away as often as possible. It's true that some of us are more bothered by clutter than others.  I jokingly say that my son-in-law is "clutter blind," seemingly unaware of piles of papers and bunches of boxes.  And you should see my husband's classroom.  He's just starting to realize the big decluttering job he needs to do before his retirement in June. In the scope of a happy life, a messy desk or an overstuffed coat closet is a trivial thi...

Benjamin Franklin said it long ago.  The Poor Richard's Almanack of 1746 counseled "Dost thou love life?  Then do not squander Time, for that's the Stuff Life is made of."  That's right – almost 300 years ago, Franklin was pointing out how dangerous it is to use time unwisely. There truly is nothing new under the sun.  Most of us complain that we're too busy.  We want more time with loved ones.  We want more time for exercise, hobbies, even for work.  We want more time to travel, and more time to learn.  And we desperately want more time to sleep!  Yet we rarely make changes that will ease our time crunch.  We complain about our situations as we let the days, weeks, and years slip past. I make no claim to perfection in this area.  But I have worked at it, and tried to prioritize what I think is most important, instead of just trying to keep more balls in the air as my time-juggling becomes more frantic and out of control. Minimalis...

I know not all of you share my Christian faith, and I respect that.  This site isn't about religion, although for me, minimalism and gratitude illuminate and enhance my spiritual beliefs.  Maybe they do the same for you. But the strength of any community includes its diversity.  Different perspectives teach us, challenge us, and help us see things in a clearer, more well-rounded way.  All of us can benefit from a broader outlook that lets us see aspects and ideas we wouldn't come up with by ourselves. So when I write about Easter, I don't expect everyone to receive it in the same way.  Still, I think there are some universal lessons we can draw from this season, regardless of our spiritual backgrounds or beliefs. The promise of Easter Easter, for Christians, should more correctly be called Resurrection Sunday.  It celebrates Jesus' return to life after his crucifixion, which is remembered on Good Friday. It's not about eggs or bunnies.  At its heart, E...

I like happiness.  I like to feel it, and I like to write about it .*  You probably like to read about it, too.  But sadness is a fact of life.  I happens to all of us, sometimes in small ways, and sometimes in heart-breaking, life-changing ways.  And this is a problem not just because of the awful events themselves, but because most of us have almost no idea how to handle our feelings about them. * This blog is supported by readers, not by ads.  If you make a purchase through my links, I may earn a small commission. Reacting to sadness Many of us are so dedicated to the pursuit of happiness that we almost develop a phobia about feeling sad.  One of my friends became a widow last November, and every time I speak to her about her husband (who I sang with for over 20 years) and how she's coping, she can't wait to change the subject.  She's "fine."  She's "adjusting."  She's "trying to be happy." I get it.  I'm prone to look for the si...