Voluntary Downsizing
Published: 29/01/2010 by Don Delyria
The tendency in any wealthy country is to want more and bigger. We must keep up with the Joneses, so to speak. So we go along accumulating ideas and activities and stuff and houses and more and more. After awhile, our lives are filled to the brim with activities and stuff. At a certain point, it gets to be no longer fun. We no longer own our stuff, it owns us.
Many people are perfectly happy living very busy lives filled with lots of stuff. That is perfectly fine. This article is for those who have discovered that their stuff no longer makes them happy, that perhaps it is a burden they no longer want to bear. In this article is offered a different way of doing things. It may not be a better way for some people, but many will find this way of living to be much more satisfying.
The concept is called voluntary downsizing. In other words, downsize on your own terms. There are many reasons why a person would want to downsize their life. They may simply be tired of the consuming lifestyle and want a better way. Maybe they want more personal freedom than a life jammed with stuff allows them. Or their children have all grown up and left home, so they no longer need as much as they have. Or loss of a job or illness may force some to downsize. Whatever the reason, here are some ways to do it.
First, sit down and honestly analyze all the activities and stuff in your life. Go through your budget and list all discretionary items, such as cable or satellite access. Be very honest about what is absolutely necessary. Even though a service is not absolutely necessary does not mean you can't keep it. But you must know what you can eliminate and what you can't.
Next, go through your utility bills and learn all the ways you can cut them down. For instance, replacing light bulbs with more efficient ones. Try turning off all unused lights. There are many ways to save money on utility bills. Do internet searches for tips to save on these bills. You will find hundreds of them. Not spending as much frees your assets up for other things.
Next, if you are into borrowing, STOP! Don't borrow any more money. Begin to pay off what debt you can pay off as fast as you can. Debt is the number one barrier to a life of freedom.
Then go through ALL your personal possessions and list what you do not need. Make a rule, such as if it has been packed away for years, get rid of it. I am not talking about family heirlooms here, just the plain stuff in your life. List it all and decide what you can do without.
Assess the house you are living in. If it is too large for a downsized life, downsize it. This is easier said than done, especially in this economic climate. But a smaller house will be less expensive in general. If you can't sell it, try trading it to someone who needs more space, maybe for their children or they may be caring for elderly parents. If you can not do anything about it, be content where you are. Getting rid of a lot of stuff may make the house more enjoyable for you.
Next, take the lists you made and get rid of all the activities and services and stuff that you don't truly need. When the process is finished, you will have more order and freedom in your life. Be very honest in these assessments and you will have lifted a burden from your back.
Don Delyria is a part time jeweler with twenty years of experience in small business. He also runs a small research center exploring sustainable gardening, alternative energy and wild food foraging and cooking.
e-mail: bridgemaster@verizon.net
Photo Gallery
