Rich in What Matters - Decluttering for the Details

When asked why I decluttered our home, one of my go-to answers is that “I did it for the details.”

I'll usually clarify a bit, but the concept itself is rather clear:

When you remove the excess, trivial, and distracting stuff from your living environment, then you leave space for the details of your life to shine through. And, often, it's those details that matter—they are the subtleties that make life more meaningful and rich.

“Sometimes, it's the little things in life that mean the most,” says author Ellen Hopkins. In my experience, you can't fully grasp and appreciate those little things if you're journeying through life weighed down by clutter.

Truth is, the clutter in your home is not neutral. Consider the following:

Visual noise

When a visual stimulus is present, your eyes send a steady signal to your brain. This is known as “visual noise.” Imagine what happens to your brain when you're constantly surrounded by stuff—more physical clutter means more incoming signals. This incessant pinging dilutes our brain's ability to focus on life's details.

The silent “to-do list”

Every physical possession you own sends a message when seen—“wash me,” “pick me up,” “put me away.” Message after message creates a silent to-do list that fills your mind and keeps you from being present in your life. A preoccupied mind is more likely to miss life's details.

The solution

When I decided to “go minimalist” five years ago (by letting go of 75 percent of our stuff), I wanted to decrease visual noise and silent to-dos so I could hear and see what mattered.

And today, that's still what I want.

I want to drink in the details that each day has to offer. To notice—deeply—the small, lovely moments that grace my life. Because that is living.

Let me explain a bit more…

Read the full article here!

Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist whose teachings on minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living have reached over 1M people worldwide through her blog. Julia also practices what she preaches in her Kansas City home. She resides with her husband, two extremely lively young daughters, three-year-old son, and baby girl. You can also find her on Facebook.

BOOK UPDATE!

This past year, I've been working on writing and editing a book about decluttering with Zondervan Publishers. It went to production last week! (Which means the content is set, and I couldn't be

HAPPIER with how it's coming together!)

I can't wait to share the book's title and release date with you soon!

For a video update from me, click here!