Sparrow and Roses

{minimalism}

My journey with minimalism has been a long time coming. Growing up, I would definitely be described as a hoarder, but I always wanted to live with less. It was hard for me to let go of things as I often attached sentiment to them. When I got married, I began to realize how much anxiety all of these material items were causing me. But there was so much stuff, I had no idea where to begin. And really I’m not sure where or when I began exactly. I stumbled upon several accounts on Instagram that I found very inspiring. I read books and articles on the subject. I talked often with my husband about it. All of these things provoked thoughts about what I wanted my home and life to look like. I knew that I wanted our home to feel peaceful. I knew I wanted our lives and our future children’s lives to be focused on experiences rather than things. I wanted our home to be purposeful.

Thinking on these things helped me to form a guideline on what was important to me. It helped me to see what material items held purpose and meaning for me.

I also wanted our home to have a cohesive feel to it. I saved lots of photos of homes I saw on Pinterest and Instagram and began to see the commonality between them. It became so much easier to identify what I wanted our home to look like which, in turn, made it so much easier to get rid of the things that didn’t fit or no longer served a purpose.

This all had sort of a domino effect. Thinking on my desires for our home not only affected what items I kept, but also what items I brought in. Now I think about and examine a purchase before I bring it into our home. I think about how and where it will fit within our house; what purpose will it have? Do I already have another item that can serve the same purpose? If it’s a home decor item, will it blend well with my other items? I feel so much more confident with my decision to purchase or leave an item behind now.

Minimizing has been a tool that God has used to help me begin to live more purposefully. It’s brought reflection on how I can be a better steward of not only the material things but, also, the time that God has given me. I pray that it would result in continual purposeful living.

{bedroom before/after}

I recently started re-painting our house, and, although I’m only two rooms in, I am loving how it is turning out! Minimalism has played a large part in the process, so I wanted to share some photos of the progress in this post. The rooms in our home are fairly small. I wanted to brighten them up, so I decided to go with a crisp white for the walls.

{before}

I’ve been searching for months for a new pair of nightstands and haven’t been able to find any that I absolutely loved. This was a situation where I really was able to put to use the question I talked about earlier of whether I already had something that served that purpose. I already had a great set of nightstands that fit my space perfectly, so there really was no need to purchase a new set. Instead, I was able to update the ones we had with a can of paint from Walmart for $20! I got an off white color and love how they turned out.

{after}

I de-cluttered the top of my nightstand by hanging a vintage accordion peg rack ($3 from a thrift store) on the wall to hang my jewelry from. I’m storing my rings, earrings, and any delicate necklaces/bracelets in my Gramma’s jewelry box that I keep on my nightstand. It’s one of my favorite possessions. I love incorporating family pieces into our decor.

{my Gramma’s jewelry box}