Lessons From COVID-19: Maybe It’s Time To Embrace Minimalism

Anyone else sick of hearing, “these are uncertain times”?

I know I am. But unfortunately, it’s true.

Roughly 6 months ago, your world was turned upside-down. It seems almost surreal looking back. 

One day you were going about your life, sending your kids to school, going to work, going to restaurants, and shopping for groceries without a second thought.

Then suddenly you were asked to stay at home. It was kind of fun at first—like unexpected snow days, in March.

You had extra time to tackle a project or two around the house. You watched movies and played with your kids. You did your part to flatten the curve.

But then, 15 days turned into 30 days, turned into 3 months, turned into a realization . . . this is not going away.

Your Home, Your Sanctuary

There are so many things out of your control in a COVID world.

Jobs have changed. Incomes have changed. Vacation plans have changed. Your kids’ education has changed. The way you shop, what you do for entertainment, the amount of time you spend in your home . . .

But there is one thing we can, and should control: our home environment.

With so much uncertainty and so much more time being spent at home, it has never been more important to make sure your home is a sanctuary and a refuge. Not a source of increased stress.

If you read yesterday’s blog post, you know that science has shown a direct connection between clutter in our homes and heightened cortisol, ie, STRESS.

Minimalism in the Time of COVID

COVID may have brought you face-to-face with the reality of your life and home.

When activities and busyness suddenly shut down, home was all you had. And maybe you realized home wasn’t a sanctuary. Home was actually completely overwhelming.

Sadly, most Americans are burdened by stuff. We don’t own our stuff, our stuff owns us.

Here’s a little taste of our waste:

• Every year Americans spend $1.2 trillion - that's trillion with a T - on items they don’t need. 
• More is spent on accessories (jewelry, shoes, watches) in the United States than on higher education.
• The average American has more than 300,000 items in their home.
• 1 in every 10 American households rents a storage unit to contain the overflow of stuff.

And this doesn’t even touch the statistics on how much we throw away, how in debt we are, and how little we save for our futures.

Our homes have a clutter problem, which means our homes have a stress problem. This is not the way we are designed to live. 

>>> What's Really Overwhelming You?
How Decluttering Can Save Your Sanity.

How Minimalism Can Make a COVID World Manageable

Minimalism is not going to save you from every problem that COVID has created. 

But minimalism will help you focus on what’s truly important. It can eliminate the stress caused by our clutter.

When you determine to de-clutter and dedicate your efforts to living minimally, you create a sense of calm and comfort in your home.

And when your home is calm, when your focus is on what is truly important, it’s a whole lot easier to manage the surprises a COVID world keeps throwing your way.

Baby Steps To Minimalism

Our “new normal” might feel uncertain and sometimes, out of control. 

But you can start taking back control of your home and create a true sanctuary for your family by determining to minimize.

De-cluttering won’t happen overnight. And it doesn’t have to.

Reduce and control the amount of clutter you allow in your home, one step at a time, one day at a time. 

Even if you dedicate just 10 minutes a day to tackling clutter, you'll be surprised at how much you will accomplish and how much your stress levels will drop.

How To Get Started De-cluttering Today

It’s a step-by-step, manageable start. A way to start creating a refuge in the midst of chaos.

Remember, we can’t always control our circumstances, but we can control our reaction to our circumstances. Let’s react to COVID in a way that creates calm for ourselves and our families.

Get the FREE guide: The 3 C Method for De-cluttering