The Minimalist HomeSýnishorn

The Joys of Owning Less and Living More

I shake my head at those TV home makeover shows. Even though a house may look nicer, the homeowners typically wind up with just as much stuff as they had before, maybe even more. That’s all stuff that may be getting in the way of how they want to spend their days more than it’s contributing to the pursuit of their goals.

Most of us who have a house or apartment go through something similar with our own homes. We’ve spent a lot of money buying stuff for our home—and a lot of time organizing, cleaning, and maintaining that stuff. And nevertheless, in the rare times we have left to simply enjoy the home, it doesn’t feel like the place we really want to live in. What do we do then? We decide that we need more stuff or better stuff, with a different organizing and decorating plan. And when we take our best shot at making our living space better, it’s . . . well, it’s somewhat better in some ways, but it still doesn’t give fundamental satisfaction or kick off any lasting life change. 

What if the problem isn’t that we don’t own enough stuff or aren’t managing our stuff well enough? What if the problem is that we’re living in the homes that advertisers and retailers want us to have instead of the homes that deep down we really want and need? 

I’d like to suggest that what the huge majority of us need if we are going to start living more fulfilled lives is a minimalist makeover of our homes. As the Gospel of Luke tells us, our possessions can never give us life (Luke 12:15).

Are you willing to explore the idea that there is more joy to be found in owning less than we can ever find in accumulating more? I hope you are, because I know from years of experience that by getting rid of the excess stuff in every room, you can transform your home so that you feel not only free from the stress of so much clutter around you but also free to live a life focused on following God’s call, a life free to love and serve others as God intended.

When has preoccupation with something you own kept you from serving someone else?