A month ago we decided to take the cabinet doors off of our kitchen cabinets to create open shelving. In doing so, we needed to simplify and make the kitchen a clean and calming space. That meant less plastic and colored-ware, more mason jars. We transferred cooking ingredients to jars and plan to do the same with the spices.

It got me thinking: how much is the branding in our own household items contributing to the dissatisfied consumerism that is American culture? Buying in bulk and making our own soaps could help to remove this excess stimulation and better steward our resources (both monetarily and ecologically).

How do we make a space of our own? Perhaps we start by getting rid of the brands that try to lay claim on us with each daily exposure.

My stuff might not be a part of me, it might not give me worth or identity, but I think it can be representative of me, of my values, of my identity. I think we struggle to give “stuff” the appropriate amount of credit. Too much and it owns us; too little and we become frivolous.

How can our stuff speak, tell a story, give a first impression? How can we use our stuff to glorify God? How can we live out our values in a way that begs for questions? How can we use the simple beauty of our home and our family to show the heart God has given us?

How can we become unbranded?

And so I’m seeking less: less waste, less branding, less stuff. I’m seeking less in order to find more purpose in the things and relationships that surround me.