Discovering Simplicity: How Embracing Minimalism Has Empowered our Family of Seven to Save Money

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**Simple Living and Saving Money in a Big Family**

In an average home, there might be hundreds of thousands of items. It sounds outrageous, but it’s true. Including the stuff we store in storage units, it can seem almost ludicrous. Here’s the kicker: on a normal day, you’ll likely use fewer than 100 items.

That might sound impossible, but think about it. Do you use 100 different items every day? Probably not. So we can safely say, most of the stuff we own, we never use. And yet, we keep buying more, right?

Well, my family discovered a way to cut back on this and start saving more money, by adopting a minimalist lifestyle. And before you panic, don’t worry. It doesn’t have to be drastic. Think of it more as a journey towards owning less and living more.

We stumbled upon this idea when we were packing to move to Italy. With five kids, we had a lot of stuff, and we came to the realization that downsizing was necessary. We went from a 2,000 sq ft home in Oklahoma to a 1,100 sq ft place in Italy, all thanks to embracing minimalism. We looked at everything we owned, thoughtfully, and then worked to reduce our possessions by about half.

Minimalism can be tricky, especially letting go of things because we think we might need them later, or because we’re sentimentally attached, or because we paid a lot for them. Guess what? Those aren’t good reasons to live cluttered lives. If we really need something, we can usually replace it easily and affordably.

Memories aren’t tied to things, they’re tied to people and experiences. If you’re sentimental about something, take a photo of it before letting it go. The idea here is to own things intentionally, with purpose.

A surprising upside is the amount of money we save. Think about it: if you decide to buy fewer things, you spend less overall. You also have the chance to make some money by selling items you no longer need or use. Even moving to a smaller house could save you money, just like it did us.

You might be wondering where to start. Here’s what worked for us:

1. Begin with the no-brainer stuff, like the storage unit you haven’t visited in forever.
2. Then declutter inside your home, starting with books you won’t read again and other items you don’t use regularly.
3. Take time to examine each item individually, to make sure you’re not missing anything you don’t need.
4. Keep it simple: use boxes for sorting your stuff into keep, sell, donate, trash, and unsure categories.
5. Expand this decluttering process into your digital life by cutting down on distracting apps and games.

Remember, this isn’t a one-time operation, it’s a journey. Embrace a practice of owning things intentionally. You’ll find that life can be easier, and quite possibly, richer, when there is less clutter. You just need to start with five boxes.

So let’s bring simplicity to every area of life. Who knows, this approach might help you save more money and live with a lighter heart.