The One Less Method for Owning Less

I want to offer you a short but life-changing question you can ask on your journey towards minimalism. It is simple but helpful and powerful. The question is this, can I live with one less? Asking this one question around your home and following through with the natural next step tied to it will absolutely change your life. Here's how it works. The next time you open a drawer or a cabinet or a closet and see multiples of the same item, ask this question, can I live with one less? As an example, the next time you go to grab a pen and see 10 different pens jammed in your drawer, ask yourself, can I live with one less pen? If the answer is yes, which it probably is, grab one pen to remove, your least favorite or whatever is easiest to part with. You've already decided that you can declutter an item from that space, so remove the one that you like the least. Then the next time you go to grab a pair of socks, ask yourself, could I live with one less pair of socks? If the answer is yes, which it probably is, choose the pair you wear the least and remove it. Just repeat this question over and over again, can I live with one less towel in this closet? One less coffee mug in this cabinet? One less book on this shelf? Every time you ask the question and agree that just one less won't hurt, you get to declutter an item from your home. Soon you'll find yourself asking it everywhere you look, can we live with one less toy in this basket? One less spatula in this drawer? One less blanket in this closet? One less pillow on this couch? The beauty of the question is that it's simple, it applies everywhere, it can be incorporated into your normal day, and it doesn't have to end the first time you ask it. The next time you grab a pair of socks, you can ask the question again, can I live with one less? And if the answer is yes, find another pair to remove. And the more you ask it and begin experiencing the benefits of owning less, the more places you'll find yourself asking it. Can I live with one less decoration in this room? One less piece of furniture in this space? One less television in our house? Sometimes the simplest question can change how we view our stuff and open up new thought patterns to help us own less. Of course, once you start asking the question everywhere you look, get ready and have a donation box open and handy. That way you'll always have a place to put the single items you choose to get rid of. You're going to need it, trust me. We all have more than we need, and this is one small way to start doing something about it.