Life is complicated and the only thing we can count on is change. There are more variables today than we’ve ever had to deal with. However, internal peace is not dependent on external situations. Clutter is often just a postponed decision. Simplicity is about eliminating the excess we get sucked into for a number of what may seem reasonable reasons. Clutter, like art, is subjective. Simplifying your life is dependent on your end goals and your level to tolerate. It is, however, too easy to fall into more is better thinking. The good news is you are in charge of your level of peace.
According to 30 Days to a Simpler Life, there are five types of simplifiers: The serene simplifier, the comfort-seeking simplifier, the downshifted simplifier, the elegant simplifier and the organized simplifier.
The Serene Simplifier likes their world quiet and peaceful. They prefer bare walls, oversized furnishings. They prefer sparingly used color and no ornamentation. Clean lines, things intentionally placed and every room to feel restful. She often asks before bringing anything home, “Do I need this? Is there a place for it?” She controls her material life. They are typically minimalists and would rather practice yoga than high energy situations. She’d rather read than watch T.V. and places high value on tranquil and low-keyed activities.
The Comfort -Seeking Simplifier values comfort before cost. She may buy her favorite comfortable couch without knowing where it will go, if it will fit or if she may need a chair or an end-table. All of her clothes are comfortable. She avoids clothes that pull, pinch, scratch or restricts movement. She avoids tight shoes, jackets, and waistbands. She likes comfort foods and desserts. She keeps a running list of simple pleasures. When she gets involved in a project, she dives in headfirst all in. Once completed, she’s on to the next thing. She’s not scattered and rarely has a pile of unfinished projects.
The Downshifted Simplifiers are typically found in the fast lane. This woman will leave a demanding job, sell their fancy house for a modest one, move to a small town and live on her equity in a slower, less demanding lifestyle. She takes excellent care of a few special things rather than owning lots of mediocre things. She’d rather trade, barter or create items from scratch to save money. Her home is usually open, airy, and bright. She’s informal and welcoming to all her friends.
The Elegant Simplifier is artistic, and she can easily discern between good, better and best. She prefers classic styles rather than trendy fads. She insists on quality and thinks like a wealthy woman even though her income may be modest. She’s more likely to recover a vintage couch rather than buy a new one. She feels a cluttered room reeks of a garage sale feel instead of elegance. She doesn’t own lots of trinkets or family photographs. Instead, you might see two large professional photos of a family celebration. She believes elegance should be understated.
The Organized Simplifier is always in motion. She has a demanding job and busy social schedule. She loves her busy life so save your breath trying to tell her to slow down. She is highly organized and designs clever systems for absolutely everything. She creates systems for cooking, laundry, finances, travel, you name it. Because of her systems of organization, she has a balanced life and time for passions, family, and friends as well as time to gather her thoughts.
She thrives on stimulation and is a vigilant gatekeeper who screens out unwanted intrusions such as junk mail and uninvited solicitations. She loves to experiment with new things and ideas. She’s a foodie and a health nut preferring natural to medications. Her cutting-edge lifestyle appeals to people who want to gain control of a very full life.
Understanding who you are will help you stop apologizing and understand how to bring peace into your life. Maybe you are one type of simplifier but desire to be another.
I’ve always said you can tell the state of a woman’s mind by looking through her purse. Is it crammed full of too many things, or can you find what you want with your eyes closed? A purse can be a fitting metaphor for a complicated or orderly life. Start today to keep only what you need, share or discard everything you don’t.
This week’s task is either #1 a drawer or #2 a bag. 1) clean the drawer (s) in your bathroom or 2) go through the house and fill the bag with items through out the house that you no longer need or are willing to gift somewhere else. First start with three piles…1)use it, 2) recycle or donate it, 3) throw away. The donate goes in the bag or a box you keep near the door to drop at your favorite donation site. The throw away gets thrown away right away. Living with less frees you to develop the calling on your life unique to you. Material possessions are a means, not an end. Know which ones you own and which ones own you.
Adding a new habit
Habit forming tips- focus on one new habit. Commit to 40 days. Anchor your new habit to an established routine. Focus on small changes for new habits. We are what we do repeatedly. Find an established habit you already do daily and anchor the new goal to it. For instance, I promised someone I’d pray for them during a crisis. I assigned my prayer time to water. Every time I washed my hands, showered, watered plants, washed clothes, and washed dishes, I remembered to pray for them. I anchored a new commitment to something I already do.
Once I used Diet Coke as a way to remind me to pray for a friend’s salvation. I’m addicted to Diet Coke, and I gave it up for this friend—so every time I wanted one (which was several times a day), I prayed instead. The Diet Coke has nothing to do with saving anyone, but it worked as a reminder for me to be praying. I lived this commitment for a year, until my friend did receive the Lord. 😊
This week’s challenge is to clean and declutter your bathroom drawers (or junk drawers). If you’re ambitious go through your kitchen drawers too. You don’t have to do all of them at once, but aim for by the end of the week to have all the bathroom drawers emptied and only things you use put back in. It sounds silly but starting small perpetuates your decluttering of your space.
Clean, decluttered drawers in the bathroom, although no one else sees, will begin to bring calm into your world. Trust me on this one…as we build, you’ll begin to feel the strength of less is more.
Then adopt this rule—never step over it. Pick it up and make a quick decision: are you putting it away, or throwing it away (or training the monsters who live in your home to do the same)? If the item is not yours, stand over it until the guilty party picks it up.
Peace in your heart is equally important to finding contentment and purpose. What does God have to say about decluttering in order to find peace?
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Psalm 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Philippians 4:8 Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Much of this was borrowed from 30 Days to a Simpler Life by Connie Cox and Cris Evatt
