Soul Sharing ~ Simple

I've never been one for making resolutions; but regardless of what title you give them, sometimes changes need to be made in our lives. Recently I have been noticing a shift in my own actions towards simplifying. I have always been good to keep my possessions thinned out and not hold on to things that I don't use or love. But, as is usually the case, there are always those exceptions to the rule.

I got to thinking about this subject when reading an old magazine clipping I had that talked about having a signature color of wrapping paper. How simple would that make gift giving? Choose a paper and ribbon color combo and stick to it. That would sure beat my bin full of rolls of paper and baskets jammed with tangled ribbons. But gift wrap is only the beginning. I also noticed that I had already started to simplify other things in my life without even being aware that I was doing it.

I love bath and body products and I buy them recklessly. I keep an average of 8-10 different lotions and regularly cycle through all sorts of makeup and face creams. But what's the point? I am now on a mission to find what works best for me and stick to it. I have discovered that Aveeno lotion does wonders on my skin and will make it my lotion of choice from now on. No more masses of scents and tubes of potions past their prime. And I am working on the rest of my beauty stash along the way.

I also have a tad bit of an addiction to magazines. But after years and years of being an avid magazine subscriber, I am finding less and less to be excited about in many of the publications that frequent my mailbox. I have been letting the lesser of the subscriptions lapse in an attempt to only receive magazines that I truly enjoy and that I feel enrich my life in some way. (even if it's just feeding me beautiful fashion.)

Just think. How many times do we let these sort of things clutter up our lives? How many blogs are on your feed that you don't even look at? How many perfumes are on your dresser that you never use? How often do you buy something with good intentions, but never actually get around to?

It may not be a resolution, but I am hoping that simplifying becomes a regular part of my life and who I am. Not only does it reduce clutter, decrease wastefulness, and make things run smoother; it actually clears up a little more space in your mind, too. And that is something I am sure we could all use.


*photos from here, here, and here.