The Benefits of Simplicity

At the behest of my boyfriend Ryan, I rid my world of many "trinkets." Of course, before we shared a home, my pre-Ryan bedrooms or apartments were cluttered with so much miscellany that one could have mistaken them for an odds-and-ends shop.

But then, he taught me the phrase "Less is more."

Granted, I was resistant at first. (And still tend to be; my bedside table is home to a candle, a photo, a small sacred heart tin, and a wooden angel figure my mom gave to me. And, I've still managed to scatter some of these trinkets throughout our apartment... a picture frame here, a vase there, two more wooden angel figurines over yonder.)

But I have learned that less truly is more.

Here is a short list of some of the advantages of decorating in my edited style.
1. Dusting is much, much easier. Before when I had to pick up between 20 and 50 things and replace them just to clean, I opted to leave them there. These days, despite living with a puppy in addition to a guy, everything stays cleaner because, well, it's just much easier to look at a desk and say, "all I have to pick up is that one thing and this will look beautiful again."
2. General sense of peace is no longer something reserved for meditation rooms or spas. Coming home to a simple, clean home makes all the difference in one's attitude.
3. Clutter can be wiped away quickly. We have implemented mail-sorting routines, and even though we fall down on the job often, it's easy to pick up and clean. A surprise visitor? No problem. The lack of clutter in our home makes it a breeze to snatch up what's not supposed to be there and hide it away until we have time to really clean.

Now, if only putting away laundry were as easy....

I hope to get back into regularly -scheduled posting. Tomorrow, I'll write about how to keep your creativity clean--and remain, well, creative!

Budget Girl, signing off.