{Happier At Home} Chapter One: Possessions

Tis the season of stuff.

I thought it was a great time to launch into my book review series of Happier at Home and more specifically the first chapter, entitled "Possessions".

Because "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." --Jesus and "Between what a man calls me and what he simply calls mine the line is difficult to draw. We feel and act about certain things that are ours very much as we feel and act about ourselves." --William James

Possessions can certainly get in the way of who we want to be in this life.



In this chapter, Gretchen Rubin finds herself moving from a place of complete annihilation {empty the cupboards and clear off the shelves} to a place of engagement. She found the things that mattered to her and made room for them.

In our garage, this would mean putting up hooks for the snowshoes and organizing the man-table so there is more room to be creative.

Emptiness isn't exactly the essence of simplicity. Simplicity, in our world, is having a focused lifestyle where we spend time and money on the things that really matter to us.

"To know what to leave out and what to put in; just where and just how, ah, that is to have been educated in knowledge of simplicity." Frank Lloyd Wright

Do you see how possessions are linked to happiness? If you can't find the jeans that fit really well and look good with your favorite boots under the pile of jeans that used to look good or thrifted jeans that you bought in haste and probably look better on somebody else, your morning routine is going to take longer and be more distressing than it needs to be.

Our possessions should work for us, not against us. They should be handy, well-used, and make us happy. 

It's why I get out our favorite Christmas books and put them front and center in the living room this time of year.
It's demonstrated in how we decorate our tree.
It's why we buy the silicone muffin tins.
It's the quality winter gear we invest in.
It's the quilts hanging on the walls.

If your possessions are not working for you, or hiding what you really want in life, then de-clutter! Make room!

"[My] efforts had proved to me that happiness is not having less; happiness is not having more; happiness is wanting what I have." -- Gretchen Rubin, Happier at Home

Take a look at Jill's efforts to reorganize her possessions and create a space she really enjoys!

I'm excited about chapter two -- lots of bent page corners already. Good stuff. I'll blog about it soon. :) 

Do you feel like your possessions are working for you?