Wait, you might say. That title doesn't make any sense! Keeping up with the "Jones" is acquiring more stuff, and simplfying is getting rid of stuff. Yes, it is different, but the mentality can become the same.
Hear me out.
When we get caught up in keeping up with the Jones's, it usually involves buying a fancier car, newer bigger house, and whatever shiny doodad is in style (Iwhatevers). I know. I have been caught in that storm before. "I should have a coach purse. and Uggs boots. Not some dumb other purse".
Most people (if you live in the United States) can benefit from getting rid of stuff. But, you can become too focused on the goal of getting rid of stuff as well.
I was in the process of decluttering when this thought occured to me,
"Why should I get rid of something I use just so I can have less?"
So why am I saying simplfying can become like "keeping up with the Jone's "? Well, sometimes getting rid of stuff, I feel I have to keep simplfying. Until I eventually "arrive". I think it's the same feeling that we get when getting caught in the keeping up mentality. When we acquire those shiny doodads, suddenly we will "arrive". We will be happy.
But I realized, once again, my simplfying was becoming focused just on the stuff itself. When I reexamine the reasons of why I want to live simply, it has nothing to do with stuff and things. I want to live simply so I don't have to work tons of hours. I want to have time to spend with my family. I want to live simply so I have the time to develop meaningful relationships. I want to give back.
Because it is not about what you acquire (or what you get rid of). In the end it's about developing the relationships in your life. It is about being able to give more.
Do you ever get caught up in things? Caught up in the perfection and lose sight of the actual goal?
I know I do. I'm working on it.
Katid
I like people who see decluttering as also getting rid of time sucks, and relationships that don't serve your soul etc. And by evaluating all that, it's about more than stuff. it's about keeping only the best, most meaningful things in your life.
ReplyDeleteI think you never get to 'decluttered' some areas will never be as I hope (and see in hotels or magazines... scrap that magazines are often now cluttered with pretty 'styling'). But I also want a functional kitchen, so I will end up with more than bare minimums. But if I don't use it, then it can go. Or I have too many to use. I suppose in some categories I feel like I've reached a destination - I do not own a CD case, and have one book of CDs. I own the books I have, and don't plan to add any without a trip to a Jewish museum outside Australia. I don't own any DVDs, and one VHS, and that's all. So these categories feel 'done' to me. But I continue to buy and weed clothes. And consumables. As enjoyable as finishing a bottle of something in the bathroom is, I still need the bare minimums I regularly use at the very least (so good to be on the last hotel bottle of shampoo to use up!)