![\"essentialism](\"http:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/41qANxacOkL-1.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nessentialism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
by Greg Mckeown<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u23f1 14 minutes reading time<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\ud83c\udfa7 Audio version available<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Buy on Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n While you might think that something that’s cluttering up your home is just junk, to someone else, it might be a piece of treasure. You never know how valuable your unwanted belongings are to someone else, which is one of the top reasons to give away items you don’t use any longer. Even if you don’t have a family member or friend you could gift something to, think about donating to charity after clearing out your home. You’ll find that other people will be so grateful for your donations, making you feel good about starting the decluttering process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more belongings we have in our home, the more time we spend cleaning up and organizing our stuff. All of us are looking for ways to get back our precious time, and you’ll find that decluttering is one of the easiest ways to do that. So if you are always complaining that you don’t have the time for the things you love, remove some of the obstacles in your way to start focusing on what’s really important in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The items we surround ourselves with should align with our values in life. If you find that you have items that no longer suit your lifestyle and current living situation, it\u2019s not worth hanging on to them for any longer. Many of us keep belongings as we aspire to a different type of life, where we exercise every day or have a unique fashion sense. If you don’t need or use those items currently, focus on keeping hold of those that align with your current values and needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most common excuses we hear for avoiding decluttering is that the items in our homes hold our memories. While this can certainly be true for some things, for the most part, our memories are stored deep inside of us. If you are struggling to get rid of an item, for this reason, try to take a photo of the item instead to remember that moment in time. You’ll find that the people in your life are so much more valuable than items, and you\u2019ll never remove the memories of a time just by giving something away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly everything in your home can be repurchased almost immediately if you need to. When decluttering, we encourage you to adopt a rule in regards to repurchasing belongings. The Minimalists came up with a rule entitled the 20\/20 rule. If your item can be replaced for less than $20 and within 20 minutes of your home, you’ll find that now is an excellent time to get rid of the item. Over 90% of the time, you\u2019ll find that you never need that item again, freeing up space for the belongings you really love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’ve received gifts from family members or friends and you no longer use them, you might feel highly guilty about giving them away. One thing to keep in mind is that your belongings don\u2019t reflect your relationships<\/a> with a person. So if you are no longer using something, your friend or family member would rather it be passed on than left to gather dust in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of us go through a major declutter during a time of change. For example, if you are about to welcome a new baby or move in with your partner, this is a compelling reason to start giving anything you don\u2019t use away. Remember, when you get rid of one thing, it makes space for something else that will support your new lifestyle. Keep this in mind when working towards an exciting life change, and you\u2019ll find decluttering to be so much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Time equals money, so the more time you spend on maintaining items in your home, the more money you’ll also be spending. Think of decluttering as a money-saving exercise, and you’ll soon find you are far more motivated during the process. You could even consider holding a garage sale or selling old belongings online. There’s no better motivation than making money, so fall back on this if you are struggling to clear out your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you ever walk around your home looking for something you used just yesterday? If the answer is yes to this question, you undoubtedly know how frustrating this process can be. We would all love to live a more organized and stress-free life, and we encourage you to think about this when you are next tidying up your home. Then, you’ll no longer waste hours each week searching for items or tidying up after them, and instead, you can reconnect with what’s important in your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are so many compelling arguments for giving away belongings you no longer use, and these are just a few of the best ones we recommend you keep in mind. While you might feel some guilt when you first begin this process, you’ll find that you feel more in control of your life<\/a> in time. We don’t have to hold onto everything we’ve ever been given to show someone else we care. Your time and energy are so much more valuable, and your family and friends will appreciate that you are less stressed and have more time to spend with them in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the Snapreads app, you get the key insights from the best nonfiction books in minutes, not hours or days. Our experts transform these books into quick, memorable, easy-to-understand insights you can read when you have the time or listen to them on the go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYour Belongings Could Help Someone Else Out<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll Have More Time To Enjoy Your Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Align With Your Values<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Memories Aren\u2019t Stored in Our Belongings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You Can Always Repurchase Most Items<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Your Belongings Don\u2019t Reflect Your Relationships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Free Up Space for the Future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll Be Saving Yourself Money<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A More Organized Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat Is Snapreads?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/snapreads.com\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/2-1.png\")
<\/figure><\/center>\n\n\n\n