How To Be Happy With Less Stuff
It’s time to rethink – what exactly do those material possessions mean to you?
Researched, written by 
Amber & The Team
Updated on December 16, 2022
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How to be happy with less stuff? Here are some tips to help you make peace with the number of things you already own.
First, you need to understand where the urge to collect more and more possessions comes from. Some common triggers include:
- Insecurity;
- Struggle with comparison;
- Deeply held beliefs about success.
Once you understand where you get these impulses from, you can rethink what exactly those material possessions mean to you. In the process, you might even find yourself wanting less.
Why It’s Good To Live With Less Stuff?
Aside from being more free of clutter, living with less stuff means you have more time to relax and do the things you want to do. It can also lead to more money and time to spend doing what you love. Moreover, a minimalist lifestyle is better for the environment because it reduces your carbon footprint and eliminates unnecessary waste. By adopting a minimalist lifestyle, you can be happier and more content than ever before.
Having less stuff is also a great way to increase happiness and decrease stress. Having less stuff means fewer thoughts about it! And by having only what you need, you’ll be able to enjoy your life and enjoy everything else more.
It also reduces time spent comparing yourself to others and competing with them.
Living with less stuff also means fewer tasks. You’ll have more free time for other things that truly matter to you. Plus, you’ll find yourself having fewer regrets about hoarding after you get rid of all your excess possessions. By choosing a simple and minimalist lifestyle, you can achieve all of these goals while saving money and time.
How To Be Happy With Less
Less stuff means less stress because having more stuff requires more thought. By limiting yourself to having only what you need, you can live a peaceful life. You’ll also feel happier with fewer possessions. Your anxiety levels will drop. It’s all worth the sacrifice – so, how to be happy with less?
1. Say Goodbye To Materialism
Rejecting materialistic thoughts is an important step toward becoming happier with less. Keeping fewer things will allow you to enjoy less stress and more time. Having a smaller life means that you won’t have to worry about what other people think. A life without excess stuff will feel much simpler and less stressful. You’ll also have more money to spend on other pursuits. If you can resist these temptations, you’ll be happier.
To gradually get away from the materialistic lifestyle and be happy with less, it can be helpful to:
- Make a decision to change;
- Get informed about the best ways to transit to a simpler lifestyle (books really do help here!);
- Talk to your family and friends to let them know your intentions.
2. Clean Up Your Life
If want to be happy with less, you’ll definitely benefit from a good clean-up in your life. Deciding to let go of things that you don’t need will help you feel happier. It will help you be more content and will reduce your stress levels. It will also allow you to be more comfortable and will increase your overall quality of life. By letting go of things you don’t need, you’ll have more time to spend on other activities.
- Donate everything that feels “extra”;
- Run a garage sale;
- Gift items you don’t use;
- Replace separate tools with multi-purpose tools where possible.
3. Work On Keeping Your New Lifestyle
Reframing your attachment to things will help you avoid living a lifestyle of excess in the future. It’s a good lifestyle to follow long-term, if not your whole life. Besides being happier, living with less can be even good for your health. However, there will be many situations that will try to hinder your progress. You’ll be tempted to purchase that flashy new thing you saw on the TV. You may overspend in the grocery store just because there’s a huge sale. Things like that happen, but it’s a good idea to evaluate each occurrence of such behavior (so you can avoid it next time).
If you’re looking for more happiness, live with less and be happier! It’s easy to be happy with less. However, be aware of your priorities and values. Be especially aware of the people you live with – it would be a bad idea to force a minimalistic lifestyle on someone who is not interested in that. Other than that, a minimalistic lifestyle fits just perfectly into the modern, holistic way of living.
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