If you’ve read or listened to anything about simplicity you have probably heard the saying: Less is More. And as much as it sounds cliche and overused and redundant, I’ve seen it ring true. Doing with Less or the Less is More concept has transformed our family: moving from living life as overwhelmed consumers to living life with less stuff in our homes and on our calendar.
Doing with Less is a mindset shift that affects almost every area of our lives. It’s a shift in thinking: I want this or I think I need this to Can I do without it? It’s having less inventory in our homes so we can spend more time with the people in them. It’s keeping things that bring us joy on the calendar and letting go of the rest so we can spend more time doing the things we actually want to do with the people we want to do them with. It’s getting down to the basics so life can be more abundant and intentional.
We were never meant to live life accumulating stuff. We were meant to live simply enjoying the experiences of life, the people of life, and the journey of life – not the things of life.
Joshua Becker
Doing with Less
Our family has been on a slow journey towards Doing with Less the past 8 or so years. It’s something I began when I was feeling bored and overwhelmed as a mom with littles (can both those things be true at the same time?). The past several years my simplicity journey has changed me, challenged me, stretched me, and given our family a life I never dreamed possible.
With God in the lead, my husband and I have slowly created a life we love. Although our lifestyle is specific to us and our values and preferences might not be for everyone, it is exactly the life we have hoped to live. Simplicity has allowed us to travel extensively with our four kids. It’s allowed us to homeschool. Simplicity has given us the freedom to focus on the things most important to us: our faith and each other. There is less stuff in the way of the things that matter to us. Doing with less has given us more life.
Why do we Do with Less?
Our family tries to Do with Less because it allows us to be good stewards of our resources and use them for the things most important to us. When our house is (mostly) clear of clutter, it requires less cleaning, less pick up, which in turn gives us more time to do the things that matter. It also removes visual clutter which can lead to unnecessary stress. Less clutter in our homes leads to more time and more life. When we aren’t constantly purchasing items or looking for items to purchase, we have more to give and more resources to go towards living our dream of traveling with our family.
What does Doing with Less look like for us?
For our family, Doing with Less is a mindset.
Instead of thinking: I need to keep this item, just in case. We think: Can I do without this item?
Instead of thinking: There’s no harm in keeping it, we have the room. We think: Could someone else get value from it instead of it sitting in a cabinet somewhere collecting dust?
Instead of thinking: Can I afford this new thing or when can I buy this new thing? We think: Will this new thing truly add value to our lives?
Instead of thinking: I’m not sure I want to do this thing, but I should. We think: Do I want to do this thing? Am I being called to do this thing? Will this thing be using my gifts to bring value to my family, my community, or the world?
We are human and we mess up and make mistakes. Even though Doing with Less has become almost automated, we still get caught up in our consumer driven world. However, there is grace and we do the best we can to be intentional about Doing with Less.
Take Action
Now that you’ve heard what Doing with Less looks like for our family, is it something you want to try? Your lifestyle will, of course, look different than our’s because everyone has different values and preferences. But if you want to Do with Less, here are a few action steps you can take to move in that direction.
Action Step #1: Name your why.
Get clear on why you want to Do with Less. Is it more time? More money? Is it more specific? Maybe you want more time to serve your favorite nonprofit or more money to save for your kids’ college? Maybe you just want to be able to breathe a little easier in your home because you feel overwhelmed with the stuff inside it. Or maybe you want to be present more and your stuff and commitments are getting in the way. Whatever the reason for wanting to Do with Less, get clear on it now. When we know and name our why, it will help us stay on the path to Doing with Less, especially when things get hard.
Action Step #2: Choose one way to do with less.
Choose one way to Do with Less. Maybe it’s decluttering your home or maybe it’s decluttering your calendar. Choose a mindset shift to go with it. Create a question or value statement to help you navigate.
If your mindset shift is decluttering or simplifying your home, questions could be: Does this item bring me joy? Can I do without this item? Does this item add value to my life? Use your chosen question(s) to navigate decluttering a drawer, a room, or your entire home.
If your mindset shift is decluttering your calendar it could be: Does this event bring our family connection? Does this commitment use our gifts to serve others well? Does this event or commitment add value to our lives? Every event or commitment on the calendar can go through one or all of these questions to see if it needs to stay or if it’s something to let go.
Choose one way to Do with Less.
Action Step #3: Get started.
Doing with Less is a journey. Our family has been on it for a long while and we are still walking it. Make a decision to take the first step.
If you’re choosing to declutter your home, start with a drawer, the bathroom, or your car. Or maybe you are super motivated and want to begin with one room. Go you!
If you’re choosing to declutter the calendar, begin by taking one activity or commitment off the calendar this summer. Or take it a step further and decide to say ‘no’ to every request for one month until you can get clear on what matters and where you want to spend your time.
Simply start. It will require action and some hard work, but getting started is the hardest part. Once you dig in and get moving, your progress will propel you forward.
Doing with Less is not something that will happen overnight. It will require small changes, tweaks, and edits. But in my experience, the journey is worth the work. Doing with less will give you more time, money, and energy for the things that matter to you and your family. What is one step you can take today to Do with Less?