One thing that weighs down freedom is stuff.

Possessions require money to buy – which means your time working. Need less stuff, have to work less hours. And more time to do what you want. And if you pay for it with credit, now you are buying with hours you have yet to work. Too much debt and you spend the rest of your life paying for stuff you already bought.

Things need time and money for maintenance. Cleaning it, fixing it, space to put it, things to organize it. The more things, the more time and money.

Unless you aren’t maintaining and then things just become a mess. The more things, the more mess if you don’t have time or energy to maintain them.

You are less nimble. A great job offer across state. Well, first you have to sell the house and move all your stuff.

A once in a lifetime trip comes along. Well all your money is in your home and your stuff so you can’t pay. And then you have all that stuff to maintain. I know someone who sold most of their stuff so they could live 3 months in Italy – that’s freedom.

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” 

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

When you have lots of things, what is really important to you like people or nature or contribution become less. You have less time for what is important to you because you are using time and money maintaining or running from maintaining.

So as you are putting away the things you got from Christmas, think about releasing at least one item for every new item.  And think about what you buy in the January clearance sales. Is it worth your time, money and freedom?

If you want help deciding and support, join my Declutter Group that starts January 23rd.