The Benefits of Living with Less
Our family recently moved again! Twice in 2 years but we are happily settled in our new apartment now.
We relocated last year after living in Indonesia for over 8 years and I was tasked with the move preparations and logistics. This meant I had to declutter- sell items we no longer needed, give away those we thought our friends would like, and donate most items to centers that are in need. After this tedious process, we still ended up with a whopping 93 boxes for the move!
Due to the transition and other unexpected circumstances of our international move, we spent about 5 months living out of suitcases. We only packed what I deemed as “essential items”- my mobile phone and laptop (absolutely essential!), clothes, shoes and toiletries.
I realized that’s how little I needed. These days with technology, you have access to almost everything using just your smartphone. Downloading books and watching movies, connecting with family and friends. Of course, there’s always online shopping in case I forget to grab something on my list!
I was perfectly happy too that I was able to continue coaching using just my mobile or laptop, and a stable wifi connection regardless of my location. I continued to worked with my individual clients from Germany, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore. This “work from anywhere” setup was a dream I had while I was working office hours (and more) in my jobs before.
Here’s a photo of some of the boxes and some random items in our apartment.
While looking for an apartment in the new city last year, we lived in a hotel for almost a month. When we finally found the place we wanted, we lived in an empty unfurnished and curtain-less apartment for another month while waiting for our boxes to arrive. It was like camping in the city- we slept on a king-sized mattress that was plopped on the floor in an apartment overlooking the skyscrapers. We only had our essential items. It was uncomfortable but it made me realize it’s ok to experience discomfort sometimes because it made me appreciate what I have. These are definitely moments we keep in our memory bank and will be talking about as a family in the years to come.
My husband and I decided to take things slow when it came to adding more pieces into our apartment. Letting go of the many furniture pieces we had in Indonesia gave us a fresh opportunity to find ones that suit our new lifestyle. From living in a landed property in the suburbs of Indonesia to now staying in an apartment in another city, this meant any furniture that took up “prime property” in our home would be ones we really loved.
So what are the benefits of living with less?
1. More time
Well, actually you still have the same 24 hours a day. However, having less stuff means there are less things to clean and maintain, to tidy and put away. So you actually get more time to spend on doing the things you enjoy or what’s important, e.g. working on your finances, your hobbies, learning something new, etc.. There’s just more free time and you’re more present to make memories with friends and family.
2. More focus
Having less things means less distractions. I need a clean environment to thrive because when there are too many things around or out of place, my crazy brain keeps screaming the things I need to do e.g., fix it, clean it, put it away, repair it etc.
Less things around means my brain will be at peace and I can focus better on other tasks at hand.
3. You learn to get creative
An empty wine bottle can double up as a flower vase. An electric appliance box can be a make-shift desk. A free shopping tote can be used as a laundry basket. A refrigerator packaging is an empty canvas for art. I found these out in the last months living with less.
My daughter is definitely creative with the toys she had with her and in fact she played with them MORE than when she had all her toys with her at the same time.
4. More space
Less things around means that we have more space to dance around. A spacious environment makes you feel more comfortable, relaxed and elevated. Space is luxury!
5. You learn to appreciate what you have more and take better care of them
When you have less things, you learn to make do with what you have. Our trusty luggage has accompanied us on so many travels. It was well used with a dent and faulty wheels. My original intention was to throw it away once we had moved to Manila. However, the luggage continued to serve us as we moved within the city, from hotel to apartment. I decided to give it a new lease in life by sending it for repair. Just a little bit of tender loving care and now the luggage is rejuvenated and could possibly serve us for a few more years.
6. You realise the things that you value
When our boxes of belongings were finally sent to our apartment, there were mixed feelings of excitement and overwhelm. I was looking forward to using our kitchenware so that we can make meals at home again. I was happy to see the small furniture pieces that had been with us for years as well as some of my favourite books. My daughter was happy to get her drawing books back while my husband got his prized armoire- pieces that remind us of beautiful memories of our time in Indonesia.
The boxes of clothes and handbags that came didn’t make me happier. Neither did boxes of toys that my daughter thought she’d miss.
After living with less, you truly realise what’s important to you and what brings you joy.
7. Conscious spending
While waiting for our boxes to arrive, I made the decision to avoid adding unnecessary things into my life. What else could I possibly need when I already have 93 boxes of belongings that I’ve accumulated throughout the years?
Even though I'm living in the city with shopping malls all around, I am learning to consciously spend only on the essential items - items that I need and will use immediately.
Moving into a new country and a new home is indeed like being given a blank canvas to work on. While I am essentially still the same person, I am more mindful about what I bring into our space and focused on my short term goal - setting up a home for my family. I know for a fact that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to make a space cozy, we just need to get creative with what we already have.
8. More intentional about what you add to your life
Truly living with less is easier said than done as we’re living in such a material world and social media doesn’t help us curb our appetite for all things beautiful. However, in my case of having to declutter for a move, I was forced to re-evaluate my priorities and ask what I want to keep in my life. This experience has really given me a feeling of appreciation and contentment for the simple joys of life.
It starts by being mindful of what you bring in. Ask yourself - Does it “spark joy”? Is it something I will really use? Is it something I really want to spend on? or is it something that will just bring clutter to my home?
My minimalism journey has begun and I intend to try my best to keep at it! The good news is that for my most recent apartment move last month, I didn’t have to declutter much because I was so mindfully adding the past year. So much time and energy saved!
What so you think about minimalism or intentional spending? I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and minimalism tips in the comment box below or connect with me on my instagram @yourfinancemind!
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