Joshua Becker's Blog, page 36

7 Quotes that Forever Changed My View of Money

There are many conversations that can be had on the topic of money—probably the two most common are “how to make more” and “how to spend less.” Neither are unimportant.

But there is more to money than simple 1’s and 0’s. There is also the effect it has on our lives and psyche—both positively and negatively. As well as how it impacts the way we live.

According to the Things That Matter Survey, 69% of Americans say their desire for acquiring more money influences their daily decisions.

How we think about money matters.

With that in mind, I thought it would be helpful (both personally and corporately) to sit down and write out the seven quotes about money that changed my view of it—or, at least, the seven quotes that have been the most impactful over the last ten years of my life.

Here they are:

7 Quotes that Forever Changed My View of Money

1. 90% of Americans experience financial-related stress. —Source

This statistic, without a doubt, was the first one to send me into deeper thinking about the topic of money.

I remember thinking immediately, “America is the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. And yet, 90% of us are still stressed about money? How can this be?”

Certainly, just like in every society, there are some who do not have enough. But that number is not 90%—it’s not even close to 90%. So why are 9 out of every 10 people, in the wealthiest country in the world, stressed about money?

It’s not because they don’t have enough. There must be other reasons—probably because we keep looking to money to provide something it is never able to provide.

2. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.” —Will Rogers

If you’ve been reading about minimalism or the intentional pursuit of owning less for any period of time, you have likely seen this quote. It was one of the earliest mind-shifting realizations that I read as my family began owning less.

The connection between consumer debt and/or not being able to get ahead financially is closely tied to our spending habits. And Will Rogers drives home that connection quite succinctly with this powerful thought.

3. “You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.” —Charles Spurgeon

I first read this quote early in my journey to minimalism and immediately applied it to physical possessions. Our life’s discontent is evidenced in our excess possessions. Why else would we continue to purchase and accumulate physical possessions that we do not need unless trying to satisfy some level of discontent in our lives believing that next purchase will bring happiness, comfort, or luxury to our lives?

I could recognize that Spurgeon was right. If I was not content with the physical possessions that I owned (which were already well-above most people in the world), why would I think owning more would somehow result in contentment?

Quickly I began to recognize this thought could equally be applied to money. Is there a magic number where we suddenly become content because we have enough money? I certainly haven’t found that to be the case as I look at my own life and the lives of others.

4. “Money won’t make you happy, but everyone wants to find out for themselves.” —Zig Ziglar

There is a similar quote by Jim Carrey that I occasionally post on social media that goes like this, “I wish everyone could get rich and famous so they can see that’s not the answer.”

The quote is immediately met by a thousand similar-sounding replies that go like this, “That’s sure easy for Jim Carrey to say. He’s worth $200 million.”

Of course, the only people who could tell us that money isn’t the answer is someone who has achieved money. And the only people who can tell us that money won’t make you happy are people who have acquired money. But, just like Zig Ziglar said, “Everybody wants to find out for themselves.”

Wise is the man or woman who can recognize money won’t make you happy before wasting their entire lives trying to earn it.

5. 87% of millionaires admit they do not feel wealthy. —Source

This is an updated version of a stat/quote that was first included in a survey done of the ultra-wealthy in The Atlantic called Secret Fears of the Super-Rich. (I’ve always appreciated the analysis and commentary included in that survey as it speaks of some of the drawbacks of wealth in a person’s life.)

But that one stat, more than anything else included in the study, changed my view of money.

Whenever people tell me they need more money to be happy or feel secure, I ask them for the specific number that will allow them to feel secure. Nobody knows what that number is. Everyone just assumes it is more than they have.

A word of warning here: If you think there is a number out there of income or net worth that will make you finally feel secure in your finances, you will never achieve it. At the very least, it’s well above $1 million. Most millionaires are still looking for it.

6. “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” —Paul the Apostle

Nobody admits to loving money…. everybody just wants more of it.

If I were to ask a roomful of people, “How many of you love money?” Very few hands would go up. We all know what the love of money results in…

But if I were to ask, “How many of you want to be rich?” Almost every hand in the room would go up.

“Why not,” we think to ourselves, “obviously I’d like to be rich.”

The problem is that this desire affects our daily decisions more than we realize. We begin sacrificing pursuits of greater meaning and significance because of our desire to be rich—never seeing a problem with it.

But traps are subtle… and we don’t often realize we’ve fallen into one until it is too late.

7. “Money often costs too much.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the end, this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson begins to summarize many of my thoughts on money these days.

Is money evil in itself? No. But our desire for it often costs us more than we think. And its negative effects on our lives, when we do obtain it, are often understated and overlooked.

Now, this is not to say that we shouldn’t be working hard to provide for our families—certainly that is the case. Nor does it mean we turn down honest compensation.

But too often, our desire to accumulate money costs us more than we think. Especially when it never returns the personal benefits we think it will.

You can never have enough of what won’t satisfy.

Keeping money in its proper place in our affections is a daily and lifelong struggle.

20 “First Step” Decluttering Ideas

Your first step in the right direction doesn’t need to be a big one.

Too often, when we think about decluttering, our minds race to the toughest areas in our homes to declutter. We think about the garage, the attic, or the home office. We wonder about getting rid of sentimental items, or photos, or hobby supplies.

But it can be both time-consuming and frustrating to declutter those spaces. We begin, get overwhelmed, and quickly throw up our hands in disgust.

Instead, start your decluttering journey with an easier step.

Find one small victory. And allow it to motivate you to take the next hardest step… and then the next… and then the next.

Here are 20 “First Step” Decluttering Ideas to Help You Get Started

1. Declutter the inside of your car.

2. Clear off your bathroom counter.

3. Remove ten items from your wardrobe.

4. Declutter the visible areas of your entertainment center.

5. Clear off your nightstand.

6. Walk around your home and fill one box with items to donate.

7. Walk around your home and fill one bag for trash pick-up.

8. Remove old or expired food from your pantry and fridge.

9. Declutter old or unused coats and items from your coat closet.

10. Clear off the top of your refrigerator.

11. Recycle old magazines or newspapers that are left out and piled up.

12. Declutter your underwear and/or sock drawer.

13. Clear five items from your kitchen counter.

14. Remove excess towels and linens from your linen closet.

15. Declutter your laundry space.

16. Clear off the tops of your living room side tables.

17. Minimize your Tupperware (start with anything that doesn’t have a lid).

18. Declutter your shower keeping only what is essential and used daily.

19. Clear out your medicine chest.

20. Return toys to the toy room or bedroom where they belong.

Of course you can only choose one “first” step from the list above to get started. But you don’t need to stop there.

Choose one first step above, and then another, and then another.

And before you know it, you’ll be on your way to owning less and living more.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

For the last eight years, I have been compiling and publishing curated articles that inspire simplicity. At first, it was an exercise in communicating to Becoming Minimalist readers the most popular articles I sent out on Twitter.

But over the years, it has become more than that. It has become a place where people (every other week) come for a dose of inspiration. And it has become a place to promote and encourage writers around the world who are publishing content about minimalism, simplicity, and intentional living.

I think you will enjoy this collection of articles hand-selected for you this weekend. Grab some coffee, tea, or lemonade and be inspired to live a simpler life today.

5 Things My Family Learned From Living in A Trailer | Medium by Christina. “As my nine year old shares, “I like the trailer. It reminds me we don’t need much to be happy.”

Destroy What You Know | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. If we want to take our learning and our lives to the next level, we have to let go of that clinging to what we know.

5 Ways to Live With Less | Natalie Walton by Natalie Walton. Living with less is not about going without. Instead, it creates more space in your life for what you want.

5 Ways To Create a Healthy Relationship With Screens and Technology | Authority Magazine by Chaya Weiner and Joshua Becker. Tech has become an addiction, so normalized, we don’t even notice its worst effects on us.

Don’t Worry | No SIdebar by Karen Trefzger. When we give up worrying, not only do we remove a great part of the tension that fills our days, but we also preserve our strength for dealing with the issues that actually do arise, making it more likely that we will handle them successfully.

21 Shocking Stats that Reveal How Much We Own | Becoming Minimalist on YouTube. Most of us know we own too much stuff. We feel the weight and burden of our clutter. Here are 21 surprising statistics about our clutter that help us understand how big of a problem our accumulation has actually become.

The Me Monster

The “pursuit of happiness” is famously enshrined in the United States Declaration of Independence. Not that anybody was waiting for Thomas Jefferson’s permission to seek happiness for themselves. We all naturally want to do it. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

As long as it’s the right kind of happiness. Otherwise it’s just a distraction.

See, somewhere along the way (or maybe it’s always been like this), it appears we human beings confused the pursuit of happiness with the pursuit of self. As a result, we think we’ll be happiest if we focus on ourselves, spend our resources on ourselves, and meet our own needs and desires—sometimes even at the expense of others. We see this all around us.

All you have to do is watch young children playing and observe how they monopolize their favorite toys, and you’ll know how human it is to be selfish. Nobody has to teach a child not to share.

Now, most of us aren’t absolutely selfish in our pursuit of happiness. We include our loved ones. Maybe a few other people too. But it’s a pretty small list, with Me at the top.

Serving ourselves comes naturally for most of us—it always has. But when we try to satisfy our desire for happiness in the pursuit of self, we fall short of the truest, most-lasting forms of happiness. The pursuit of selfish desires may offer some pleasure in the short run, but in the long term, the happiness is never lasting. Misplaced, the pursuit of happiness can become the distraction that keeps us from more meaningful pursuits.

The pursuit of self and the pursuit of lasting happiness are not the same. In fact, at times, they run completely opposite routes.

At the end of your life, would you be prouder of having spent years working and saving to buy a second home, or in doing what you can to help the poor or suffering in your community? Would you find more pride in having spent most of your spare time with sports shows and video games, or in doing the creative work that you were uniquely suited for?

The best, most direct pathway to lasting happiness and fulfillment is to look not only at your own interests but also to the interests of others.

When we begin living our lives for the sake of others, our lives immediately take on greater value. We no longer live for the benefit of one or a few; we begin living for the benefit of many.

Psychiatrist and philosopher Viktor Frankl said, “Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself.”

Happiness can’t be pursued. It must ensue.

Have you ever tried to hand-feed a wild bird? If you approach too rapidly or thrust the food toward it, it will fly away, scared of you. But if you’re patient, and appear not to be interested in the bird, it may slowly work its way to you.

Let’s not pursue happiness. Let’s pursue purpose . . . and allow happiness to come to us.

***

—The Me Monster is an excerpt from my new book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life.

You Don’t Need to be on Social Media to Make a Difference in the World

My grandfather, one of the most influential men in my life, never opened a Facebook account. Of course, he was 82 when Facebook was founded.

Similarly, my grandfather never had a Tik-Tok account. Of course, he was 95 when Tik-Tok started.

But he proved an important point with his life and influence:

You don’t need to be on social media to make a difference in the world.

In fact, some of the most influential women and men in my life were not and are not on social media. In some ways, I look up to them because of it.

Let me begin, quickly, by pointing out what I am not saying. I am not saying that you cannot make a difference in the world on social media. In fact, nearly every day, I try to use social media positively, to reach people with the message of minimalism, owning less, and living an intentional life focused on the things that matter most.

I am active on several different platforms and have certainly used the power of the platform to spread my message and build a community. There is no doubt I get to do what I do because of social media.

But just because I have (hopefully) been able to make a difference in the world through social media doesn’t mean it is required.

There are countless ways to make a positive difference in the world—and social media is rarely required for any of them.

Even worse, too often, the distraction of social media may actually keep us from making our biggest difference in the world.

Social media steals our time and our attention. It often negatively influences our mood or how we see the world and the people around us. Rather than inspiring us to make a difference, it results in only greater feelings of inadequacy.

Sometimes the people closest to us feel the brunt of our social media use the most. We ignore the conversations right in front of us to scroll endless feeds, or take out on them the negative emotions sparked in us through those feeds. As a result, we sacrifice away our greatest opportunity for impact.

It is certainly possible to make a positive difference in the world through social media. But it is not required.

You don’t need social media to parent your children well.

You don’t need social media to call your neighbor for coffee.

You don’t need social media to show up for your friend’s cancer screening.

You don’t need social media to help your co-worker with that tough project.

You don’t need social media to mentor a young man in your community.

You don’t need social media to volunteer at your local nonprofit.

You don’t need social media to write a letter to a struggling friend.

You don’t need social media to tell your small group of friends about a problem in the world.

You don’t need social media to pray for a loved one.

You don’t need social media to lead others.

You don’t need social media to show empathy, kindness, and compassion.

You don’t need social media to financially help a family in poverty.

And you don’t need social media to share your story—of hurt, loss, pain, success, victory, or redemption.

Social media can be a positive tool, indeed.

But it can also become a powerful distraction.

Either way, it is not required for influence.

Encouraging Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. It requires a conscious decision because it is a countercultural lifestyle that stands against the culture of overconsumption that surrounds us.

The world we live in is not friendly to the pursuit of minimalism. Its tendencies and relentless advertising campaigns call us to acquire more, better, faster, and newer. The journey of finding simplicity requires consistent inspiration.

For that reason, I hope you will make an effort this weekend to find a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some of these hand-picked articles to encourage more simplicity in your life.

How My Minimalist Lifestyle Helped Me Leave a Successful UX Career | Medium by Alice Crady. Minimalism has threaded through most of my favorite life choices if only as a reminder to question the status quo and understand my priorities.

How to Own Things | Daily Stoic. This is how we must treat our possessions. Enjoy them. But be able to live just as happily without them.

Minimalism and Decluttering are Similar, But Not Congruent | The American Genius by Pam Garner. For many, the difference isn’t highly apparent, nor does it really matter but it is good to point out the differences.

Finding Peace | No Sidebar by Emma Scheib. When the world is crazy and chaotic, I find myself craving more peace in my little corner of it. But to find peace, I have to look inwards, narrow my focus and simplify my place in the big, and often, bad world.

The Simple Tool I Use to Overcome Procrastination | Becoming Minimalist on YouTube

Owning Less is Better than Thinking About Owning Less

There are amazing, life-giving benefits to owning fewer possessions.

When we own fewer things, we are able to focus more on pursuits of greater worth (however we choose to define them).

Owning less stuff means we have more money, more time, more focus, and more energy.

It also means less stress, less worry, and less distraction.

Minimalism allows us to live a life that is a better example for our kids and a better lifestyle for the planet. It paves the way for generosity, gratitude, contentment, and intentionality.

The pursuit of minimalism forces clarity on values, passion, and purpose. It causes self-reflection and results in greater life satisfaction.

These are the benefits of minimalism. And I want everybody reading these words to experience them.

However, you will never experience those benefits by thinking about minimalism. You can only experience them by putting the principles into practice and actually owning less.

In this way, owning less is better than thinking about owning less.

I have a feeling there are many who read this blog who desire the intentionality and freedom that minimalism provides, but have never taken any significant steps toward experiencing that truth.

This post is for you.

Today, take your first step toward living with less. Owning less brings peace, merely thinking about it brings stress (especially if you’ve been thinking about it for a long time).

Your first step in the right direction doesn’t need to be a big one, but it does need to happen.

So no more excuses. No more waiting for tomorrow. No more blaming others in your home. No more waiting for the circumstances to be perfect.

Today, get started owning less. You don’t need to complete the entire process in one day, but you do need to get started.

Fill one box (or bag) with physical possessions in your home that you no longer need. Then drop it off at the nearest local charity. Tomorrow, do it again.

Begin freeing up space in your home.

Don’t start in your attic, basement, or garage. And don’t start by trying to sort through your most sentimental possessions. Owning less doesn’t mean you need to get rid of the hardest stuff first.

Instead, begin with the stuff you know you don’t need—especially if someone else can use it.

Declutter your living room, your bedroom, or your bathroom. Some place easy that you can finish and feel good about yourself for completing. Then, declutter the next easiest space in your home.

As you do, you’ll own less and less—and begin experiencing the benefits.

There is only one person who can make owning less a reality in your life. And that person is you!

It’s time to stop thinking about it… and time to start doing it.

You can do it. And you’ll absolutely love owning less. Trust me, it’s WAY better than merely thinking about it.

—

My new book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life will be released on April 19th. It will help you discover the practical steps you can take to live a life focused on things that matter.

If you pre-order the book before the end of the month, I’ve got some exclusive bonuses for you—including a free 6-week course to help you apply the principles of the book to your unique life. Click here to find out more.

Things That Matter Pre-Order Bonuses

Things That Matter

My new book, Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life, is now available everywhere for pre-order:

AmazonApple BooksAudibleBarnes and NobleBooks A MillionChanging Hands BookstoreGoogle Play StoreIndieboundTargetWalmartBook Depository (free delivery worldwide)

Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life will release on April 19th — just one month from now.

Things That Matter is a book about living well. It’s about overcoming the chatter of a world focused on all the wrong things. It’s about rethinking the common assumptions of today to find satisfaction and fulfillment tomorrow.

How do we get to the end of our lives with minimal regrets? We set aside lesser pursuits to seek lasting meaning. And we discover the joy of doing it every day.

In Things That Matter, I’ll help you identify the obstacles—such as fear, technology, money, possessions, and the opinions of others—that keep you from living with intention. And I’ll provide practical ideas for letting go of those distractions today so you can focus on what matters most.

You can read more about the book here.

Pre-Order Bonuses

But today, for Becoming Minimalist readers who choose to pre-order the book, I’m offering some exclusive bonuses.

*You can find the redemption instructions for these bonuses at the bottom of this post.*

Individual Bonuses: Buy one copy of the book today and receive:The Things That Matter Online Course ($49 value)A Six-Week Video Series, hosted by me, to help you apply the principles of the book to your unique life. This six-week series includes videos, practical application challenges (daily, weekly, & monthly) and motivational emails to keep you focused on removing the distractions that keep us from our most meaningful life.Immediate Access to Chapters 1 & 2 of TTMBegin reading the book, today, before anyone else.Instant Access to Audio of Chapter 1, narrated by meFor those of you who prefer listening to your favorite books.Book Club/Small Group Bonuses: Buy five copies of the book today and receive:All Individual Bonuses Above:The Things That Matter Online Course.Immediate Access to Chapters 1 & 2.Instant Access to Audio of Chapter 1, narrated by me.Free Book Club / Small Group Discussion Guide ($15 value)Things That Matter is a great conversation starter for groups. Invest in the book today for your next Book Club or Church Small Group and receive this free Book Club / Small Group Discussion Guide today. Invitation to a Special Interactive Webinar with Me on How to Best Use TTM in a Group SettingI can’t wait to be with each of you to hear how you will be using the book.Leadership Bonuses: Buy twenty copies of the book today and receive:All Individual Bonuses Above:The Things That Matter Online Course.Immediate Access to Chapters 1 & 2.Instant Access to Audio of Chapter 1, narrated by me.All Book Club Bonuses Above:Free Book Club / Small Group Discussion GuideInvitation to a private, interactive webinar with me.30-Minute Private, Virtual Meet-and-Greet with meLet’s talk, together, about how to best use TTM for your organization. Redemption Instructions

To receive the pre-order bonuses:*

1. Pre-Order Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life from any retail outlet.

2. Complete The Pre-Order Bonus Form, with your receipt number, to receive the bonuses.

Offer ends March 31.

*Your retailer will deliver the book when it releases on April 19. I’ll deliver the bonuses today after you complete the Pre-Order Bonus Form using your receipt number.

And yes, if you are among the thousands who have already pre-ordered the book, you can still complete the Bonus Form with your receipt.

—

If you choose to pre-order the book, thank you! Pre-orders are very important in the life of a book as retailers and media outlets take notice. I hope the bonuses above make the early order worth your while.

If you choose not to pre-order the book, no worries. Things That Matter will be available for release on Tuesday, April 19.

Just Because You Use an Item Doesn’t Mean You Need to Keep It

Earlier this week I posted a quote on Facebook, without commentary, and the crowd went wild:

“Just because you use an item doesn’t mean you need to keep it.”

Some people told me I was absolutely crazy:

“Are you dim?” “That’s illogical.” “Probably the worst decluttering tip ever.”

Others found the idea liberating:

“This is fantastic.” “This is actually so true.” “I need to do this exact thing!”

Personally, I find the thought so incredibly freeing—especially when someone is actively working to own less—I wanted to repeat it again here.

It seems to me that a lot of people took the quote to mean that I was telling people to get rid of every item they use. “This is terrible advice. If I got rid of my comb, I’d have to brush my hair with my fingers.” “Why would I ever get rid of something that I use?”

But I’m not encouraging us to get rid of everything we use just because we use it.

“Just because you use an item doesn’t mean you need to keep it” is different from “Get rid of every item you use.“

In reality, our homes are filled with a whole bunch of things we think we need just because we occasionally use them.

“I can’t declutter this item because I use it,” is a thinking trap we fall into that can keep us stuck and keep us from making progress freeing up space, time, and money.

As an example: When we first started minimizing our possessions, we had six spatulas in our kitchen, and from time-to-time, we used each of them. But that didn’t mean we needed all six. I only used them because they were there. Our kitchen functions way better, and I love cooking more, now that we only own two and I’ve never needed more than that.

Likewise, before minimalism, I probably owned twenty pairs of pants. And from time-to-time, I wore all of them. But I didn’t need to own all of them, and I learned that through a Project 333 Experiment. Today, I find getting ready in the morning easier and more enjoyable now that I only own five pairs.

And don’t get me started on all the kitchen gadgets that I used (George Foreman grill comes to mind), but were taking up more space in my home than the benefit I was receiving from them.

I once helped a lady declutter her kitchen. She knew there was too much stuff, but was struggling to figure what she could remove. I stumbled upon a red Santa Claus platter in an already overstuffed cabinet.

Hoping I had discovered an item that could quickly get donated, I asked, “What about this platter? Do you use this?” 

“Oh yes,” she replied, “I put cookies on it every Christmas Eve.”

Sensing hesitation, I asked a follow-up question, “Well, what would you use if you didn’t have it?”

Within seconds she was able to answer, “I’d probably just use one of the red platters from that other drawer.” That answer was a lightbulb moment for her (and me). Just because you use an item doesn’t mean you need to keep it—especially if you have something else in your home that already accomplishes the same purpose.

Minimalist principles will always look different from one family to another. And if you are a minimalist living in a tiny home with only 100 possessions, this decluttering tip may not be particularly helpful for you.

But for those of you reading this blog who are working hard to own less and struggling to make progress, remind yourself that just because you use something doesn’t mean you need to keep it.

There are life-giving benefits to owning less. And there is freedom to be found in realizing you don’t need to keep everything you use.

In my opinion, “What would I use if I didn’t own this item?” is a much more helpful question to ask than “Do I use it?”

7 Lies That Lead to a Cluttered Home

A cluttered life is an unintentional life.

Consider this: Nobody, when asked what they most want to accomplish in life, responds by saying, “I just want to own as much clutter as possible.”

Owning more stuff than we need isn’t something people purposefully set out to do. But somehow, it happens—despite being a great source of stress in our lives.

So why does it happen? Certainly, advertisers and retailers and social expectations put pressure on us to accumulate more and more. But there are more reasons than that.

Sometimes, it is the lies we believe.

Here are Seven Lies That Lead to a Cluttered Home

1. I have the space.

Most empty spaces in our homes get filled. Not always right away, but slowly and surely.

Empty rooms get furniture, empty shelves get boxes, empty cabinets receive storage. As a result, the bigger the house, the more stuff we own.

But our actual needs don’t change all that much from one home to another. A husband and wife living comfortably in an 800-foot apartment don’t automatically need 1,800-feet worth of possessions just because they moved into a larger home.

When we have more space, it becomes easy to rationalize keeping an item. But our physical possessions don’t just take up physical space in our home, they also take up mental space in our mind.

And just because you have the physical space available in your home doesn’t mean you should keep more stuff (or even buy it in the first place).

2. I can afford it.

“I can afford it,” by itself, is a terrible filter.

It’s an important question to ask, for sure. At the very least, if we can’t afford something, we shouldn’t buy it.

But we fall into clutter trouble when it becomes the only filter we use. Just because we have the money to buy an object doesn’t mean we need it.

There are other, more valuable things we can accomplish with our money than buying things we don’t need.

Your money is only as valuable as what you choose to spend it on. And just because we have some extra in the bank account, doesn’t mean we should spend it on physical possessions.

3. But I use it.

Just because we use an item doesn’t mean we need to keep it. This is an important shift in our thinking about possessions.

A common decluttering question to ask ourselves about any item is, “Do I need it?” When an item in our home is used frequently (or even occasionally), it becomes easy to answer, “Yes, I need that item because I use it.”

But just because we use an item doesn’t mean we need to keep it.

As an example: You may wear all six coats in your closet, but that doesn’t mean you need to keep them all. You could probably own three coats and still be warm when you go outside. Or, you may use all the different sets of bed linens in your home, but that doesn’t mean you need them all. (We keep only one set per bed).

Now, obviously, the inverse of this lie isn’t always the case. I’m not saying that we should get rid of everything we use. But if we’re looking around our home and notice there’s too much clutter, we may be falling into the trap of thinking “I use it, so I’m keeping it.”

But if there’s another item in your home that already serves the same purpose, we don’t need to keep both. Keep just your favorite instead.

4. I need to keep it “just in case.”

“Just in case” thinking can be very dangerous when it comes to clutter.

There are different approaches that people recommend to overcome this thinking, especially when we’re trying to declutter. The Minimalists, for example, recommend, “If you can replace an item in less than 20 minutes for less than $20, you should get rid of it.“

Personally, I recommend three questions we should ask:

What is the likelihood, really, of me needing this item in the future?Can I afford to replace it if I do need it?Is there somewhere else, other than repurchasing, I could get the item if I need it?

In most cases, these questions help us part with the items in our home we’re holding on to “just in case.”

Often, there is less likelihood than we think that we’d actually need the item in the future. And if we do, almost always it is something we can borrow from a friend or neighbor if the need does arrive in the future. On the rare occasions we do need it replaced, the cost is usually less than we think.

There is a mental and energy cost associated to the clutter in our home. Rather than keeping things just in case we might need them in the future, we would be wise to consider the drawbacks to this thinking.

5. My spouse/partner is the problem.

It is always easier to see everyone else’s clutter than it is to see our own. As a result, we can be quick to point the finger at our spouse or children as the reason why our homes are cluttered.

“They are the problem, not me.”

But this thinking results in clutter for two reasons:

It prevents us from seeing our own clutter.It keeps us from getting started in decluttering our homes.

Rather than waiting for someone else to go first, it would be more effective to remove everything of ours that we no longer need. That first step often makes a bigger difference in our homes than we think. And often leads to others seeing the benefits of minimalism and taking their own steps toward it.

6. I don’t own too much stuff.

I suppose, in many ways, this lie may be the most common of them all.

According to a recent survey, only 27% of Americans believe they own too much stuff. (53% believe they own just the right amount.)

But some of the other statistics tell a different story. The average American home has tripled in size in the last 50 years, while over 10% of us still rent offsite storage. One professional organizer reported the average American home has 300,000 things inside it.

Of course, in a society built on consumerism, we are repeatedly told that our lives will be better if we own more stuff. Advertisers change our thinking on products from “want” to “need” with amazing effectiveness. So it doesn’t surprise me, necessarily, that most people think they own just the right amount of possessions.

It seems normal to buy more and more.

But it is impossible to feel the weight of our possessions until we begin to remove them. Everything we own demands our time, money, focus, and energy. And the less we own, the more freed we are to pursue our greatest passions in life.

Just because we own the same amount of stuff as everyone else doesn’t mean we don’t own more than we need. Look around your home again, with new eyes, and begin to see the possibility of owning less.

7. Owning less will be boring.

We are quick to tie an exciting and satisfied life to the number of possessions we own. As a result, we often live life chasing bigger houses, nicer cars, newer technology, trendier fashion, or cooler toys.

Owning more is presented as the pinnacle achievement in our lives and becomes the desire of our affections—the highest level of excitement.

But physical possessions can never satisfy the deepest longings of our heart and passions. That is why, no matter how much we accumulate, we always desire more and more.

The most exciting and satisfied lives are those focused on our greatest passions—however we choose to define that.

And the less we own (and desire), the more we free up our most finite resources to pursue those passions. And I can’t think of anything more exciting that living a life aligned with your values.

Let’s commit to not allowing the lies we believe to keep us from that freedom.