Harvesting Simplicity - You Don’t Have to Keep the Whole Set
Melissa Cotton is the creator of this series of posts, published monthly, entitled Harvesting Simplicity. She covers a variety of topics presented by Joshua Becker and others to help guide us all to live a more 'stuff-free' lifestyle. Just because it is free, does not mean we need to take and give it space in our lives.
For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with breaking up a set.
If I had six plates, I felt like I should keep six. If a set came with four towels, a collection of baking dishes, or a matching set of furniture, I somehow believed they all belonged together.
But our homes aren’t showrooms. And our belongings don’t have to stay together just because they arrived that way.
Maybe you have a favorite plate, the one you always reach for because you love the shape or the little imperfect edge. Keep it.
Maybe you have three baking dishes, but you only ever use the one that’s the perfect size for your favorite casserole. Keep that one. Let the others go.
Maybe you have a beautiful set of towels, but you always reach for two of them because they're softer or absorb water better. You don't have to keep the entire set just to keep those two.
Even furniture can be separated. Maybe you bought a matching bedroom set years ago, but you love the dresser and no longer care for the nightstands. There is no rule saying they have to stay together.
It’s okay to break up the set. I think there is something freeing about realizing that. We can choose our favorites. We can keep the pieces that are useful, beautiful, comfortable, or meaningful and sell or donate the rest.
Sometimes letting go of one piece feels strangely difficult. We worry that the remaining pieces will look mismatched or incomplete. But maybe they aren't incomplete at all. Maybe they are simply ours now. Your home doesn't have to look complete according to someone else's idea of completeness. It just needs to feel good to you.
Keep the favorite mug.
Keep the baking dish you actually use.
Keep the towels you love.
Keep the piece of furniture that still makes you happy.
Let the rest go without guilt. You don't have to keep the whole set. You can make your own set, one made up of the things you actually use, love, and want to live with.
And maybe that is one of the sweetest parts of simplifying: realizing that you get to choose what stays together.
Melissa is a first grade teacher with a double major in Elementary Education and Early Childhood. She also has a Master’s Degree in Education Administration. After reading T. Colin Campbell’s book, The China Study, she stopped eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) and has been eating a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet. In December 2023, she earned Dr Joel Fuhrman’s Nutritarian Coaching Certificate. Melissa is an active member of the National Health Association (NHA).
Melissa is also the writer/creator of our 2024 blog series Exploring GBOMBS. Her love for teaching and learning will support others on their journey for optimal health and wellness.
(currently publishing monthly)
(previously published series)
6D Living
Wellness in Balance
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