Minimalism Didn’t Bring Me Happiness – It Brought Me Time

I began my journey to minimalism a little over two years ago. After having my first daughter I started collecting an overwhelming amount of baby products, toys and stuff that I spent most of my days cleaning and putting away several times a day.

Close to my daughter’s second birthday, we moved out of state, deciding to take only what we absolutely needed. And we started living a very minimalist lifestyle. Since then we have added a new member to our family, my son, and our minimalist journey has changed to fit our needs.

But if there was one thing I could tell you that minimalism hasn’t done is bring us happiness.

Now, stay with me. I have absolutely loved living a minimalist lifestyle, and I’ll get into why soon. But I have learned one valuable lesson from living this way: that just as buying and acquiring stuff doesn’t bring you happiness, getting rid of it all doesn’t either.

This is what minimalism has taught me. Stuff, material things aren’t the answer to happiness. That being having a lot to not having anything at all.

So why have I kept up with living this way? The truth that motherhood and minimalism have helped me learn is that though certain material things have helped us live more comfortably, they will never replace the triumphs and trials that come with motherhood.

My house, though more empty than some, still brings in noise. Noise of little feet pitter-pattering on my floors. Noise of crying and whining tired kids that refuse to go to sleep. The noise of laughter and shouting of childhood games. The silent noise of my own tears wondering if I’m doing anything right, as well as the sounds of kisses, cuddles and tickle fights.

Motherhood still looks and sounds pretty similar from you and me. I still get tired and have sleepless newborn nights. What minimalism has brought to me is time.

Time less spent on clearing and organizing, and more time at the park, or watching a movie at night to unwind. It has also given me sanity on those hard days when nothing goes right. Coming into my house gives me time to breathe, and not another thing that needs to be checked off my to-do list.

Minimalism didn’t magically fix my life or make my children perfect children. It has just given me peace of mind, a space that feels clear and clean, as well as time to truly enjoy the wonderful moments my kids have brought me.