Think deeply! What do you REALLY need? Like actually, truly NEED?

Shelter, food, clothing! Right?

Obviously, we all want a bit more than just the basics. We can always want bigger and better, but honing in on all that ‘want’ can be an actual real life, life-saver! Life-saver in terms of money, space, and really, even sanity!

A roof over your head and some walls to keep you warm are clearly the top need. Protection from the elements comes pretty high in my book – even when camping!

Some clothing would be useful, especially underwear, am I right?? But in reality, if you could put together 10 outfits, you would likely have enough clothing. You could even add 5 workout outfits, 2 beachwear outfits, and maybe 1 dress that you can dress up or dress down. A hat is useful too, and maybe sunglasses! A pair of sandals and a pair of running shoes, and depending on where you live, a pair of winter boots!

Think about any packing list you have ever created for a week long trip. If you’re not a list person, think about any suitcases you have packed. Either the list or the suitcase contains, basically, everything you need! Reference those lists or those suitcase memories next time you are shopping for clothes. You don’t need a closet full!

In terms of dishes, it’s great to have a couple of sets to accommodate guests for dinner, but is it really a need? You could get away with a plate, bowl, cup, and a cutlery set per person in the household. You could have two per person. That way, there is something for some number of guests. If the gathering is bigger than that, serve finger foods with napkins!

When it comes to actually preparing the foods, pick a couple of multitasking rockstar appliances that you love. Pick a large and small pan. Pick a few cooking utensils. But that’s really it! That’s all you NEED. You can make a pretty good meal with minimal supplies.

Personal hygiene is one of those things that you can have a bit more stuff. I mean, you’ll need towels, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and some body lotion. A toothbrush and toothpaste is for sure necessary! A brush may come in handy depending on your hair type. A minimal amount of makeup might be preferred.

In terms of fun, have a few books, some boardgames, a puzzle or two, a deck of cards, a couple baby toys if your kids are really young, a device for each person, and a charging station to charge them all. Again, that’s likely it!! Maybe a TV for some streaming content! Fun is fun. Sometimes, it’s better to pay for great memory-making excursions and day trips than it is to stock the house with a million things to do!

If you have pets, think about their basic needs! A food bowl, water bowl, a couple toys and things for mental stimulation, and a comfy bed! A carrier or leash, depending on your pet, may come in handy, too, for vet trips.

What I am getting at is that we store and keep so many non-essential things. It can be great to have the stuff! It can get us out of a bind if we need to jerry-rig something or make a special fix-it type of solution for something. In life, we’ll need to buy birthday gifts, so having some gift options on hand can be a huge time and money saver! But all of these are actually luxury items! They would likely not make a packing list!

If you want to really focus of getting rid of stuff in the house, start by creating a packing list of what you REALLY need. Keep pairing stuff down until you are comfortable and feel a sense of freedom with your time! Don’t let all of your luxury items or save for later items steal the life you want to be living! When you think you are done decluttering and organizing a space, try to redo it again the next week or month. Chances are, you will be able to get rid of more stuff that, after some time has gone by, you may realize you actually no longer need – even though just last week you THOUGHT you needed it!

If you don’t REALLY need it, just get rid of it for now.

Thanks for coming home!