The best way to keep your home peaceful and free from clutter is to prevent things you don’t need from ever coming into your house in the first place.
I know, easier said than done, right? But it is possible. If you want to learn how to accumulate less stuff, try employing one or all of the following techniques.
- Shop Less. We live in an age of rampant consumerism, where companies spend millions marketing their products, and we’re constantly encouraged to buy more. One easy way to avoid the pressure? Spend less time in stores. The fewer opportunities you have to impulse shop, the fewer unnecessary items you’re likely to bring into your home.
- Follow the “one in, one out rule.” When you want to bring something new into your house, be sure to get rid of something old first. Don’t buy new clothes until you’ve donated or sold some that you no longer wear. Help your children choose which toys they no longer want before buying or opening new ones.
- Choose experiences, not things. It’s tempting to spend our disposable income on tangible possessions, and to feel constant pressure to buy things as gifts. But tickets to shows or baseball games or local museums also make great purchases that can create special family memories while keeping your home clutter-free.
- Consider hosting gift-free birthday parties. My seven year-old was recently invited to a birthday party where she was asked not to bring a gift. Unusual, yes, but I love the idea of teaching our children that parties should be more about celebrating with friends than greedily awaiting the gifts they may bring us.
- Live in a smaller home. I’m not suggesting that you should pick up and move, or that you can’t be happy in a big house. But a smaller home forces you to consider your possessions more carefully since storage space is at a premium. And as an added bonus there are fewer bathrooms to clean!
Do you shop more often than necessary, or live beyond your means because you feel constantly pressured to buy? How do you avoid accumulating possessions you don’t need? And what do you think about gift-free birthday parties? I would love to hear your personal stories and opinions!
