For a little while now I’ve been fascinated with the concept of minimalism and have been able to adapt it into my life in some ways.

I used to stare at my closet and drawers full of clothes and wonder what I should wear. It was such a hard decision, partly because I had so many things that I didn’t like. It seemed ridiculous to have such a hard time choosing what to wear when I had so many options. Alright…so I didn’t have a ton of clothes, but I definitely had all that I needed and more.

Just think of a little child in Africa with only rags to wear, or a homeless lady with only a tattered coat in the snow. Now think of me, and you’ll see that something was wrong with my daily dilemma.

Thankfully, the remedy started to come as I began clearing out my closets and drawers of unneeded clothes and things, and donating them to the thrift store. Every time I do another “inventory” of my room, I find more things that I don’t need. And every time I place those things in a bag and donate them for the good of others, I feel better. I feel like I have more, even though I have less, because what I do have is wanted and appreciated.

Sometimes there’s an item that I can’t quite get rid of yet–who knows? Maybe I’ll want it someday— but it always makes me feel better to put that item aside, and after some months go by, if I still haven’t used it, then I can get rid of it without worrying too much. There have been times when I’ve pulled items back out because they would be useful, and I was glad I hadn’t gotten rid of them too quickly.

I’m by no means a “minimalist,” but making some moderate steps to get rid of unneeded stuff has been a lil’ adventure that I’ve much enjoyed. It’s helped me take stock of the clothes I have, encouraged me to be more creative with what I have (I’ve discovered how many ways I can mix & match my skirts and tops), and also made me more aware of what clothes would be a good addition if I happen to find something good while thrift shopping.

Often we don’t realize how blessed we are until we think of all that we’ve been given, and how it’s even more than we need.