Three Mindsets for Living with Less (but Better) in 2023

Happy 2023! One personal resolution this year is to live better by paring down and living with less stuff. It is hard to make that happen regularly, admittedly, with the parade of activity and responsibilities. But as the days roll by, there are three mindsets that I'd like to share that make it easier to create ease and calm everyday. It doesn't require a large investment, just a certain frame of mind.

1. Buy less, but better.  Buying less but better means buying for longevity. Products that last are those made from premium materials, are often artisan or small-batch produced, and with a focus on utility. Living with products like this means you don't have to replace, rebuy and generally participate in the treadmill of consumerism. Think about the head space, time, and stress that would simply vanish. What would you do with all that free time? What would you do with all the money you were saving over time? How nice it would be to have a cleaner, less cluttered home. All of this can come from a simple mindset of buying less, but buying better. 

2. Live only with what you love. This is really an extension of the first. With a mindset to buy less, but better, there is a beautiful window that opens up. An opportunity presents itself to buy what you love, no matter what. If you buy less, then what you purchase will have more meaning to you and importance in the home.I often hear people say that a home is a collection of memories, stories, and experiences reflected in the products and objects in the space. And the space is so meaningful because of this. Living with what you love gives you a deeply personal home.

3. Clean as you go. Space is at a premium in our home. Over the years, the clean as you go strategy has kept home life organized and clutter free. This approach is all about doing now instead of later. Open and process the mail when it arrives. Re-cycle magazines and newspapers as soon as they are read. Do the dishes right after dinner. Sweep daily. Things like that, so the home while not perfectly clean, feels dealt with and cared for. This create less clutter and less stuff to do later. I have found that significant head space opens up with the "clean or do as you go" strategy.

Do you have any tricks for living better with less? I would love to know. In the meantime, enjoy your coveted time at home.