Lately, I have felt that my entire family has not been content. We have all been talking about the next thing. The next thing we want to purchase. The next thing we want to do. The next season. The next, the next, the next. And honestly, this has been robbing us of joy. We were not able to look at all we have and be thankful for it. Our hearts were no longer in a place of gratitude but rather discontentment.
So, few months ago, I was drawn to a book that my friend was reading. Honestly, the title scared me. It was called “More than Enough – How One Family Cultivated a More Abundant Life Through a Year of Practical Minimalism”. And after really thinking about it, this is something that I desperately want for my family. I wanted all of us to realize that we have more than enough.
So I borrowed the book.
This book rocked me to the core. It was a book that really challenged me and changed the way I see things.
I began talking to my husband about it. At first, he thought I was crazy. Now, he didn’t just outright say it but I knew what he was thinking. This seems like such an overwhelming idea. Something so counter cultural. Something so unlike what we were currently doing.
After several months of me talking about it, he agreed that we could do this. We could try and do the minimalist challenge for 1 year beginning March 1.
Here is what we agreed upon (the first 3 are straight from the book):
WE WILL NOT BUY NON-CONSUMABLE GOODS
Non-consumable goods are things like clothing, shoes, art and decoration, furniture and linens, books, accessories, technology, sporting equipment, toys, etc.
WE WILL ONLY BUY CONSUMABLE GOODS AS NECESSARY
Consumable goods are things that are normally used up to completion like groceries, soap, printer paper, batteries, etc.
WHEN CONFRONTED WITH SOMETHING WE WANT OR NEED, WE WILL EITHER:
- Make it using supplies already on hand at home;
- Borrow it from a friend, family member, library, or another lending service
- Be patient and wait until the year is up.
Other things:
- No eating out
- Take a healthy lunch to school (you will need to prepare these ahead of time)
- Once a week school lunch
- Birthdays and Christmas – we will not be giving “things” or “toys”. We will more than likely give “experiences”. Other family members are still welcome to give things. The thing is – if you buy something with your own money or are given a gift, then you need to donate 1 thing for the 1 thing you get.
- The point of this is not just to save money, but to really develop values of gratitude and abundance.
Follow along as we go on this journey. From telling the kids to our first major decision we had to make, I will try my best to document ALL of it.
