Don't be a 'good girl'

 In a previous post, I shared how minimalism was starting to change our lives.  After months of getting rid of more and more "stuff," Matt and I wanted to start thinking bigger picture. We are in a home that we are proud of and that we have made our own.  But there is a lot of space that we don't use (even with adding a child to the mix), and there is a yard that is nearly an acre.  The time and energy spent cleaning and doing lawncare, the money spent on the mortgage (and high taxes in our area) were just starting to lead to questions of.... why? We began talking about moving.  Why were we paying this much time and energy when we don't have to?  But at the same time, we have a goal to move south again in a few years. Did it really make sense to sell our current home and buy another?  Any savings on a smaller mortgage would likely be wiped out by closing costs when buying the new place.  Was it even worth the effort? Enter fate/the universe/source...

Matt and I have been on the path of minimalism this year.  I have read so much about how minimalism and mindfulness go hand in hand.  It just kept popping up as I learned about mindfulness, happiness, living your best life.   I also saw it from the flip-side: My mom realized that she and my dad are a few years from retirement, and may possibly move at that time or become snowbirds.  So what was she going  to do with all of the "stuff" that they had accumulated over the years?  My siblings and I have all moved out. They don't need as much space or as much stuff as they once did.  The thought of having to pack everything up at once to move was a good wake up call for her to begin that process now, while she has the time to go through it room by room.  I inherited my mindset of "this item is still good; what if I need it in the future?" from my mom.  But if she could start to sort her possessions and declutter, then I could as well. The hol...