Minimalist Lifestyle???

A minimalist lifestyle sounds great to me - only the bare essentials, a space that is conducive to peace, order, thought and creativity.

The only problem I have is that I love stuff...I love pretty things, comfortable things, entertaining things, "wearing on your feet" things... And I have started a business where I have made it possible to accumulate more things - furniture, art, lamps, cushions, blankets, rugs, vases, bedding sets, beds...the list goes on... Don't get me wrong - it is not all out, cluttering up the place. Everything is neatly organized and incorporated in to actually "stage" the rooms we tend not to use as much.

You see, my husband and I believe in planning for the outcome we want - on this notion, we bought a 4 bedroom home when we moved to Manitoba, as we wanted to start filling these rooms with a couple of children, possibly a dog. Instead, these rooms are now filled with "things". A positive of our "familial delay" is that we haven't had to incur additional storage expenses when RSDR was started!

Along with all the positive aspects of our life - RSDR doing well and growing; my husband and I still laughing, supporting and having fun as we near our 5th anniversary; meeting new friends; being able to visit with "old" ones; getting involved in our new community...we have endured significant stress due to health issues, injuries, finances, fertility issues, and so on. We are at times, overwhelmed - a feeling I am sure that most people can relate to!

I have decided to strive for a more minimalist lifestyle in the upcoming months in order to bring a little more peace to our chaotic lives. Stay tuned as I share with you my plan as it unfolds. By sharing, my hope is that anything that works for me, may work for you as well!

PS - anyone out there that has achieved more peace through "minimalist" changes, please share your tips and experiences as I embark on this journey!