If you haven’t been talking to me, you probably haven’t heard what I’ve dived into this year — minimalism.  My roommate and I have been downsizing our things, getting rid of unnecessary objects, living with less, and finding more freedom.  :)

For me it’s been an identity check.  I’ve been getting rid of mostly DVD’s, books, and clothes, and I’ve been catching myself wanting to be tied to those things.  We as sinful human beings CRAVE ownership.  We want to feel “in control”, yet life is so much more than owning and controlling material things.  Let me ask this – what kind of person would you be without all of your possessions?  Yes – your car, your phone, your dvd collection, your books, your favorite items, your favorite clothes?  I’m not saying you should get rid of all of your favorite things, but at least – check your heart.  What do you treasure?

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  ~ Mathew 6:19-21

Practically, what does this look like for my roommate and I and what could it look like for you:

• Start by getting rid of everything you don’t want.  That’s easy.  Throw it, sell it, or give it away.  
• Get rid of the things that are collecting dust – the things you never or rarely use.  When is the last time you wore that item of clothing?  Last year?  6 months ago?  Get rid of it.  Why keep it?  (Granted, if it’s seasonal, there are some things you’ll want to keep.)
• When I got rid of most of my stuff – it didn’t affect me negatively, but positively.  Why?  Because I rarely used the things.  And now my life is more free of things I don’t use or aren’t practical.
• Clothes – instead of buying them for their “status”, buy them for their “use”.  Do I like fashionable clothes, yes.  But you can get very practical clothing that can be fashionable at the same time.  I got rid of loads of clothes, and I’m still looking at getting rid of more.  “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” ~ Will Rogers
• Books – they are meant to be read once, maybe twice.  There are some books that I’ve kept because I plan to read them in the future, and know they will be of benefit to me.  I gave some away and donated many.
• DVD’s – same thing as books.  Most movies you’ll see once or twice.  Why keep DVD’s that you won’t watch again?  I sold most of my DVD collection.
• Music – unlike books and DVD’s, music is made to be listened to multiple times.  I’d recommend converting everything to digital.  I now no longer have any CD’s except burned ones for playing in my car.  Now everything is on my computer, flash drive, hard drive, or phone.
• Pictures – I might get knocked down for this (since I’m a photographer), but I took pictures of pictures to have them digitally, and then got rid of many of my pictures that took up space.
• Souvenirs – haha.  We want a piece of our vacation to remember.  Why not just remember the vacation?  I would think most souvenirs get thrown in a box anyway.  Mine were at least.  :P  I’d say chuck em.  But everyone is different.  Ask yourself if you’ll use it?

My roommate and I’s goal for the amount of stuff we have is to be able to fit everything in a car, so when moving comes, it’s a breeze.  Who likes moving boxes of things that never get touched anyway?  More stress and less time – no thanks.  Beds and furniture – that’s another story.

So far, I’ve done a rough estimate of how many things I have.  I think it’s under 300 items.  I’m hoping to get it lower.  :)  Talk about less stress, less cleaning, less looking for things, and more time for the things that matter!

Remember, this may not be easy for most.  It takes time, thought, prayer, and discipline.  Also know that I don’t expect everyone to live like this.  However I do think there are some very weighty things that all of us should think about and consider when it comes to how we live.

The flip side of minimalism is this – don’t let it become your idol.  “The central point for the discipline of simplicity is to seek the kingdom of God and the righteousness of His kingdom first–and then everything necessary will come in it’s proper order.”  ~ Richard Foster (“Celebration of Discipline”)  

May we fix our eyes on Jesus more and more, so that the things of this world become less and less.

P.S.  If you want to read more about minimalism, I’d recommend checking out The Minimalists.  These two guys are the guys that inspired me.  Also check out the benefits of minimalism!