Minimalism is Hard Work

Minimalism is hard work – When it comes to getting there, it is a Lot of hard work. At the beginning, those questions we ask ourselves over and over again, such as “How did we get here?” are haunting in our minds as we stare at the cluttered mess we have made for ourselves.

Until now, every purchase we ever made, and every gift we have ever received, has led to this point. Yet there is no one to blame. While we ponder, we dig in. We begin the process of purging boxes, sorting donations, making trips to the dump, and making the difficult decisions about what is worth keeping.

Early on, days go by. Then weeks. Eventually, months. As we continue, the satisfaction builds as the piles shrink. We begin to experience the joy found in more time and less stuff. Minimalism is hard work, and hard work eventually pays off.

There is a season for everything in life. Even the hard work of minimalising.

Seasons

We found ourselves at this threshold this past autumn. As the leaves were changing, our life was about to change, too. Out of the blue, the decision came to move out of our house, and move into our RV for a season of adventure.

You should know, this is not our family’s first move. Since I know exactly how much work is involved, the daunting task of moving out was looming over us.  The shocking part – we had only 1 week’s notice.

One Week?!?! Yes. One week. We had a 3000 square foot house that needed to be moved out of in seven days. Maybe all that hard work will pay off.

In the video, you will get to see what our move was like. While we were moving boxes, we took a huge load to the dump. Almost 5,000 lbs.

While we were doing that, we donated our bikes to an organization who sends them to third world countries and gives them to people there.  Less in the landfill. More helping those in need.

At the same time, we took so many loads to the donation center, I completely lost track.

As much as we don’t want to admit it, it is apparent that at the end of the move, we still have too much stuff. Much like all of you, we are on a journey of minimalism. I am not sure we will ever truly arrive.

Minimalism is Hard Work. Will it pay off with the slower pace of life we desire?

The Payoff

So how does the work pay off? After our week of moving out, we made it. Finally, we were living on the road with a fraction of our belongings. After all that hard work, we were enjoying the freedom of not having to put mountains of toys away each night. My favorite – there was no longer a large kitchen with a dishwasher running 24/7.

We were beginning to breathe.

Minimalism is hard work. Finally, I am looking forward to the journey ahead, and sharing with you more about if it is worth it or not. While we are gone, will you come along with us?

If you haven’t seen how our moving days began, you could check it out here.

We hang out a lot on YouTube, and would love if you would share your thoughts and connect with us on our videos over there.