Drowning in a Sea of Things

In my blog description I say we are moving to the farm to lead a "simpler" life. By no means do I think simpler equals easier. In fact, in many ways, it will be much more difficult than our life in L.A. We will have land and gardens and livestock. We may have to renovate our home. We will have to be more careful with our spending and live a more frugal life. So, that being said, in what way will it be a simpler life?

One thing we have decided to do to "simplify" is to own fewer things. Chris has introduced me to the tiny house movement. Check out http://tinyhouseswoon.com/

We are not tiny people by any means, and its doubtful we would ever be comfortable in a true tiny house, but the idea of living with only what you need really appeals to us. Maybe in part because of how much that contrasts with our current lifestyle. 

It is amazing how much stuff we have. I am constantly shifting piles of stuff and trying to find a home for each thing that we own. I am drowning in an ocean of things we may or may not need, but have become accustomed to having. Here are some examples of how we are stuffed:

This is my "nightstand" full of stuff. And the corner? Piled with purses and blankets and stuff. And on top of the shelves: more stuff. The next picture is my hat, scarf, and swimsuit shelf. It's Southern Cali. How many scarves do I actually need here? Not that many, for sure. Just had a thought... why do I own about a dozen scarves and only two swimsuits when I live just twenty minutes from the beach? I blame the body image driven SoCal culture. But that's another blog post entirely.

Now I am faced with the overwhelming task of sorting, selling, giving away, and packing all this stuff. It's daunting, that's for sure! Just look at the garage:

I decided to begin in the kitchen. Here's what the cabinets looked afterward:

Here's what I decided we could live without:

We are slowly chipping away at our stuff. It's not easy to let go of things, but it is very freeing. It's also easier to keep clean. At least that's what they tell me. I'll let you know whether it's true. 

We'll probably never live in a "tiny house". Nor will we be minimalists. I believe we will, however, learn to have only things we love and use and have a place in which to keep them. 

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