The Benefits of Owning Less

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In today’s modern world, many of us own alot more stuff than we really need. By owning less stuff we can improve our mental health, financial well-being and our relationships with others. Here are the top benefits of owning less stuff.

  • More focus on quality over quantity.
    So I’m sure most of you can see the logic if you buy quality things they will most likely last longer so in the long run you save money.
  • More time & More freedom.
    Since you have less stuff there’s less to clean and care for. Therefore, you have more time for yourself to do the things you’d rather do than clean.
  • Easier to look after & ready for Visitors.
    You can welcome drop-in visitors without a worry as you have less stuff so it’s easier to keep your home looking neat and tidy
  • Increases productivity and efficiency.
    With less stuff in your home, it becomes easier to find things so our productivity increases and we work more efficiently instead of wasting time all day looking for things amid a load of clutter
  • Live in a smaller house and/or have more space.
    With fewer belongings, you could choose to live in a smaller house that would also help you save money on bills. Or you might just choose to stay in your larger home but with so much more space. Great for families with children or those with lots of friends and family dropping in.
  • Set a great example for your children and encourage gratitude.
    Speaking of families with children imagine how this impacts them. They can learn to appreciate the things they do have. They will also learn from your example that owning alot of possessions isn’t what creates happiness.
  • Start living in the present.
    With less stuff to look after and more space around you, it will be possible to clear your head and live in the NOW. You can also stop comparing yourself with those around you and stop worrying about keeping up with current trends
  • Better for the environment.
    Buying less and owning less means less junk going into landfills. No more cheap, flimsy products that don’t last.
  • Less Stress, more peace,
    Your mental health will improve as you live intentionally. You’ll feel less stressed out and will be overall happier.

So what’s stopping you? Look around you where you are now (assuming you are home) and choose something you can throw out that you won’t miss. Have you ever done a household declutter? How did that feel? Let’s chat in the comments.

36 responses to “The Benefits of Owning Less”

  1. lyndhurstlaura Avatar
    lyndhurstlaura

    We moved around a lot in the course of my husbands’s work, so every time we decluttered. Now we’ve settled, and have what I think a modest amount of possessions compared to many. We still regularly get rid of things however. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Sounds like you have a handle on your possessions, Laura. Moving alot does help with decluttering since you don’t want to waste time and energy packing up and moving stuff you’ll never miss. We moved alot while I was growing up too so there’s little in the way of keepsakes from my childhood but we have lots of photos and I love to reminisce over them.

      Roze

      Liked by 2 people

      1. lyndhurstlaura Avatar
        lyndhurstlaura

        Photos are the best keepsakes! 😊

        Liked by 2 people

  2. joannerambling Avatar
    joannerambling

    I am married to someone who likes to buy white elephants, hope you know what that means

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Yes Joanne I am familiar with the term. So you must have a very eclectic home. What is one of the strangest things he’s brought home?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. joannerambling Avatar
        joannerambling

        At the moment I can’t thing of the silliest thing he has bought but only recently he yet again bought something off Ebay without reading the description it was a cheaper version of those ring type doorbells and it doesn’t work like he thought but it does mostly what it says it will do in the description and he is having trouble trying to get his money back. He also bought a small safe off Ebay which is smaller then he expected again he didn’t read the description, it is so frustrating listening to him complain about something that is partially his fault.

        Liked by 2 people

  3. Kevin Avatar
    Kevin

    You make some very good points. Many of the items marketed to us are things that we simply don’t need.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Yes if you watch any of the advertisements or the shopping channel you will see item after item of unnecessary ‘stuff’. Many kitchen gadgets are redundant as a simple knife will do the same thing. That’s a question I sometimes ask myself before buying something – “Do I already own something that will do the same job?”

      Liked by 2 people

  4. Hilary Tan Avatar
    Hilary Tan

    It’s not me who owns too much stuff. Out of my family, I own the least amount of stuff. I struggle to declutter my kids’ stuff and my husband refuses to throw anything away. Our townhouse is small which doesn’t help with the abundance or stuff either. I find that smaller spaces tend to look messier compared to bigger spaces even if the clutter to space ratio is the same.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      You have a point there Hilary. It is harder to keep a small place neat and tidy. I’m sure you’ve seen all the life hacks on creative storage. With children, there is going to be more stuff but you can limit it to what can be stored in their own rooms.

      When my sister’s daughter was young and wanted to get some new toy or game my sister would always ask her “Where is it going to live?” If she could come up with an idea, whether that was a creative storage solution or getting rid of a toy she already owned, then she could have the new item.

      As adults we could use the same system with ourselves. Sorry, I have no advice on the husband issue though.

      Liked by 2 people

  5. AM Avatar
    AM

    I call myself a minimalist. I have way too little stuff! But I like having that. It’s simplified my life a lot.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      As long as you are happy as a minimalist and have what you genuinely need it can’t be ‘too little’. Enjoy your simple life; there are many of us who wish to be at the stage you’re at.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. AM Avatar
        AM

        Yeah, I’m very pleased. I never thought I’d get here, though. I’ve been almost a hoarder my entire life. Not really, but it sure has felt that way. This is so much better.

        Liked by 2 people

  6. isabellawolgoth Avatar
    isabellawolgoth

    Invaluable advice.
    *Looks over at the Star Wars collection in the living room*

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      LOL! Isabella, I see collections like yours as something different. It’s like a hobby. Even the experts say to keep the things that bring you joy or serve a purpose. I’m sure you find joy in your collection. I know I have a collection of books that are all well over 100 years old. I’ve checked into their value and they aren’t in good enough shape to be worth anything. Except to me! I love those books since many of them have inscriptions on the inside cover with names of my great-great grandfather and other long-gone family members. I’ve been moving them with me since I got them when I was 13 years old. Enjoy your collection. Look elsewhere to minimize.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. isabellawolgoth Avatar
        isabellawolgoth

        I feel better now, thanks. No way I’m parting with my Kylo Ren figures:) Also, you seem to have an amazing book collection there. I hope you keep adding to it. Of course, I know you will.:)

        Liked by 2 people

  7. Life By Wyetha Avatar
    Life By Wyetha

    I could do with a little less, it seems that I’m always purging. My stuff is like hydra, as I get rid of it more pops up. LOL

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Wyetha, isn’t that how it is though? LOL I know I have decluttered numerous times in my life. At this stage I feel like we’re always trying to minimize. It does get better over time. We’ve learned our lessons and spend our money on quality now instead of always buying things to fill a void inside. Also no longer having children living at home helps ALOT!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. thesimlux Avatar
    thesimlux

    Yes, minimizing is the way to go! Let’s get down to the heart of it! 😊

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      That’s right! Thanks for reading and commenting. Have a great day!

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Veselin Avatar
    Veselin

    Things you own end up owning you

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Isn’t that the truth? We end up spending so much time maintaining this stuff and often spend money to store it when we have too much. Thanks for the comment. Enjoy the rest of your day.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Veselin Avatar
        Veselin

        Cars, properties, boats, books, clothes, shoes

        Liked by 2 people

  10. Felicity Avatar
    Felicity

    This a great post! I like the practical applications you provide to living with less.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Thanks Felicity. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the post.

      Like

  11. usfman Avatar
    usfman

    I like to use the term meaningful clutter which include books, family memorabilia and important historic artifacts. After that, I am all in for downsizing as you so logically reason. Living in a condo, there’s just not much space to collect .

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      That term helps alot – meaningful clutter. I’ve always had trouble downsizing books and still refuse to downsize my collection of antique books all over 100 years old. I also have a trunk full of memorabilia that I wouldn’t ever downsize. Thanks for teaching me something I hadn’t thought of.

      Like

  12. Make Dough Avatar
    Make Dough

    I love this post. Especially because I live in a tiny apartment, and it really makes a difference how you feel about your space when you can keep it cleaner easier, faster, and have less stuff to make you feel squeezed or boxed in. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      You can tell when you’ve downsized enough (for now) when your space feels right. You make a good point.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. rabirius Avatar
    rabirius

    I think the question is usually what you need.
    A lot of people have more things than they really need for whatever reason.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      It’s true. Some people feel the ‘need’ for more stuff while others are content with much less. It’s all about what feels right for you. If you feel you have too much then it might be a good sign to downsize.

      Like

  14. Nora Avatar
    Nora

    Very good tips.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Razz N Roze Avatar
      Razz N Roze

      Thanks Nora!

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    Hubs and I have made six moves over the course of our 40+ year marriage. Each time, we’ve moved to a slightly smaller place and have decluttered via garage sales. Our rule is that nothing in a garage sale is allowed back in the house, so after the sales, we donate what’s left to organizations like the Diabetes Association or the Salvation Army which have second hand stores. There hasn’t been a time yet that I’ve remembered what’s gone and/or missed it. That’s very telling about “stuff”. Great post!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Charlie Bean Avatar
    Charlie Bean

    I really love the second point, haha. Instead of throwing the excess out though, I would attempt giving them away or recycling them. Better for the environment

    Liked by 2 people

  17. da-AL Avatar
    da-AL

    thanks much for visiting my site. I love anything to do with books & would be thrilled if you’d write a guest blog post for my site, which is for anyone who enjoys writing, or books, and all the arts. If you think it might be fun or helpful to have my followers (who total about 10k across my various social media) meet you, here’s the link for general guidelines:

    Call for Writers: Guest Blog Posts (with audio version)

    Liked by 1 person

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