Simple, Hidden, Quiet, Small

I love our old house, but we were bursting at the seams during the holidays when we enjoy hosting friends and family. Also, sharing an upstairs bathroom with my husband and two working daughters was tricky, both in terms of storage and scheduling. After a few years of debating different options, we finally decided to take action. We hired a very talented friend and home renovator to transform our partially finished basement into additional sleeping space.

Initially, we thought about just adding an extra guest bedroom, but then we realized we could cut a doorway through the concrete wall to connect that bedroom with a closet and changing area, along with a small attached bathroom and shower. As the project started to come together, I felt a strong desire for Troy and me to move into that space ourselves. “But wouldn’t you miss your big master bedroom and closet?” people asked when I shared my idea. Uncharacteristically firm in my decision, I didn't waver and began imagining what that space could be for us. 

In every area of my life, I’d been longing for simplicity, to become “simple, hidden, quiet, small” as Fr. Thomas Hopko described in his 55 Maxims for Christian Living. To detach from greed, vanity, materialism, news, social media, online marketing, decision fatigue, judgment, overthinking, and distractions. I dreamed of an environment with simple furnishings, few possessions, lots of whitespace, and calming colors. This was an incredible opportunity to start fresh and intentionally design a restful oasis that aligned with my values.

Our friend created a small built-in wardrobe for each of us, a fraction of the size of my previous closet. I had to let go of a lot of clothing and décor, but I kept my favorite pieces. While I had decluttered my house before, this was like getting a master’s degree in minimalization. The end product was cozy, peaceful, and honestly even more healing than I’d imagined. It’s been a few months now, and I love our basement hideaway more than ever. Each time I descend the stairs, I feel my blood pressure lower, and stillness flood my mind and heart. I knit down there, read, pray, light candles, diffuse lavender oil, and snuggle on the couch with my husband. I am vigilant about keeping clutter and the noise of the world at bay. Less stuff means less managing of stuff and more time for pursuits that nourish my soul.

My new living space feels like an extension of my inner life and vice versa. They each feed and fuel the other. Simplifying my physical environment feels like breaking societal rules and is helping me break addictions to dopamine highs that only complicate my life and confuse me. A little while ago, I received a screen time notification that my online usage had dropped by 90%, and it felt like a really important victory for me. I CAN choose to exit the congested highway and take the quiet and winding back roads. I CAN slow down and pay attention. I CAN design a countercultural existence that is edifying to my mind, soul, body, and relationships. 

“Simplicity slows down life and frees us from this modern hysteria to live faster. It finds freedom to disengage.”
― Joshua Becker,  Inside Out Simplicity

 Home is so much more than a place to store our things. It can be comfort, light, beauty, safety, and order. Home is the context in which we learn to love, forgive, rest, and work out our salvation within the quiet and ordinary details of our daily lives.  There are few things as deeply fulfilling as decluttering and lovingly maintaining calm and tidiness within our living spaces.

 Less is stabilizing! Less is liberating! Less is enlightening!