Over the last month and a half, we sold off most of our furniture, many of our things, our house and our car, packed up the rest and drove across the country to Phoenix, Arizona.
Before we ramp up the next phase of Break the Twitch, I’d like to share the moving process and some things we learned along the way.
Even though we’ve decluttered so much stuff over the years, the whole packing and moving process was pretty stressful. It’s hard to imagine how much worse it would have been if we hadn’t started minimizing years earlier.
Everything that was left in our three bedroom, 2 bath home fit into a 12-foot moving truck (meant for a studio or one bedroom apartment). I was particularly glad we had a much smaller moving truck during one of the things that went wrong during the move.
See what went wrong with the moving process in this video, as well as what we learned along the way.
Minimalism reduces the impact of major disruptions
Minimalism can be seen as a way to live more of a dream life. While it can be, that’s not always the case. As I was moving our stuff from one truck to another, I realized minimalism definitely helped with reducing the impact of major disruptions. When it comes to those moments that can be stressful, difficult or painful, minimalism makes the situation less bad. Owning less stuff made our move so much easier than it would’ve been otherwise.
The intentional process of selling, donating and disposing of items takes time
If you think you might move in the next several months, just start selling and decluttering stuff now. When you begin a few months in advance, you’re not as much in a rush to sell things. Not only will you make more money, but you’ll have more time to intentionally decide how things will leave your home. Some things will be worth selling, others can be thoughtfully donated or responsibly discarded.
The in-between moments are what you will savor and remember
During major life changes like moving, it’s tempting to want to get through it as soon as possible. While it may feel like chaos in the moment, try to focus on the in-between moments and appreciate the process. With enough time, you’ll forget about the stressful moments. But you’ll definitely remember the little moments. Moments like sitting in backyard on a cool spring day, grilling out with friends or enjoying a meal at a favorite restaurant.
While the moving process may be a pain, minimalism definitely makes it less painful. Looking back, we’re so glad we began decluttering our lives back in 2014. Minimalism truly has opened up more possibilities for us that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise, and there are many more adventures to come.