The definition of minimalism according to Dictionary.com is:
“min⋅i⋅mal⋅ist [min-uh-muh-list]
–noun
1.a person who favors a moderate approach to the achievement of a set of goals or who holds minimal expectations for the success of a program.
2.a practitioner of minimalism in music or art.
–adjective
3.of, pertaining to, or characteristic of minimalism.
4.being or offering no more than what is required or essential: a minimalist program for tax reform.”
Ok, bear with me readers.
Throughout my life, I really enjoyed my possessions and having them all around me wherever I lived. I considered my stuff an extension of who I was and found it to be so much fun decorating all my dorm rooms in college and then my studio apartment. The problem was that I never got rid of anything. For example, if I liked a band, I would buy the poster and hang it up on my wall. Then, as my enthusiasm would wane for that music, I would take the poster down (to be replaced with a different poster I assure you) and store it away. I would never throw the posters away though because what if I liked the band again? And what if I liked them enough again to put the poster back up on the wall?. Plus I just felt badly about throwing an item away that I had really loved at some point in time. I became extremely attached to all my stuff at an emotional level. I did not realize this at the time of course. It was just how I lived my life and a very happy life at that!.
I have lived in my current studio apartment for 8 years and have been steadily accumulating more stuff for 7 of those 8 years. See, when I moved in, I moved all my stuff from my previous dwellings. And I mean EVERYTHING. Then, over the years I have brought in more and more stuff and never got rid of anything. After some time, my little studio was swallowing me whole. Not in a hoarder kind of way though. It just became a seriously cluttered looking and cluttered feeling space to live in.
After 7 years of living in my cluttered space, I began to learn about how our everyday actions and purchases have a grave impact on the environment. How every dollar we spend is essentially a vote on what values we support. How the price of a particular item is no way a reflection of the actual resources required to produce that item. How accumulating stuff is not really an extension of ourselves but actually a box we build around ourselves that eventually can trap us inside. I saw the Annie Leonard video on YouTube on The Story of Stuff and was so blown away by what I learned. I was so curious and interested that I went on to read the book The Story of Stuff by Leonard and it changed everything for me!. When I finished it, I had one of those moments when you realize you can never go back to the way things were before. I was and still am confused as to why all this information is not blasted all over the 6:00pm news every day but that is for another post.
What this book really taught me was to be mindful of my choices and purchases. To be more aware of how tv and advertisements do not have my best interests at heart. That instead of getting caught up in what Leonard calls the “work, watch(tv), spend cycle,” I could be making a positive impact on the planet simply by not buying. By keeping and using only what I need and by realizing that I don’t actually need stuff to make me happy. And to bring it back to my stuff, I learned that the attachment I have for my things was not benefiting me in any way. On the contrary it was stifling me and holding me back. Having all this stuff from my past surrounding me all the time was making me feel pigeon holed and keeping me from living now, in the moment, today.
The minimalist living movement is a way of life that is simple in it’s message. We don’t need stuff to fulfill us and make us happy. We are not our possessions and will not be tied down by possessions. Live easy and light and you will become free and full of experiences instead of stuff. We are the only ones that can tell our life stories, not our stuff. By the way, this is completely my understanding of minimalism from what I have read and researched over the past year. So if any minimalists are reading this, know that this is not a factual definition!. This is the message I have taken from it. And I believe it is a pathway to happiness and freedom.
I slowly began the task of getting rid of my stuff a little over a year ago. Well, actually it started off as a “getting rid of my stuff” project but it evolved into a “making room for my life” project in the process. That’s what happened when I freed myself from the clutter. Each time I cleared out more space, even if it was just a small shelf, I felt like I could breath easier and enjoy the simplicity of an empty space. I am not on the level of living a full on minimalist lifestyle but I have learned so much from the minimalist living movement. Every time I fill up a bag and donate the items to my local thrift shop, I feel a huge sense of relief and joy. Someone else will get to benefit from this item without having to spend hard earned money on a newer snazzy version of it. The planet will benefit from someone getting the used version as opposed to one more new purchase eventually headed for a landfill. And finally, I benefit from gaining a deeper understanding of what life is really all about.
If anyone was to take a look around my apartment, I doubt they would have any idea that I was on a decluttering mission. I still have a lot of stuff and am still working on letting go of my emotional attachments to things. I am taking baby steps in this journey and am getting closer and closer to that clean slate feeling. I would like to add that although I am getting rid of a lot of stuff, I am not mindlessly throwing items away. I am holding on to useful items and I plan to take great care of them so as not to have to buy newer versions any time soon. I am careful to cherish items that have a history to them or my family and that bring me peace when I look at them while at the same time not needing or relying on them as a source of happiness.
I will keep posting about my de-cluttering journey and share tips and/or any pearls of wisdom I pick up along the way. Anyone have any de-cluttering tips?. Can anyone relate to feeling stifled by their possessions or striving for a more minimalist lifestyle?. Please share!. Comments rock my world.
As a lifelong minimalist I would recommend reading a book named The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell it is a life changing read.
I have heard of this book actually!. Thank you for the recommendation.
It certainly sounds so freeing to not have loads of stuff around. I feel as though w my apartment & the furniture I’ve put in it, I’ve kept it fairly simple & mostly w items that are useful & that I love. I have to credit my mother with this, as before I moved into my post college apartment she advised me’ to ‘only buy things w a purpose & place in your home, not to senselessly purchase cool things because they are cool’. Keeping her words in mind has helped me resist purchasing countless cool things to just have around. While I have that aspect under control & somewhat minimalist I might venture to say, my closet is a whole other story! I have an addiction to clothing! That isn’t to say I’m in debt as a result of my shopping (I do have some sense of control!) or I have clothing everywhere, but I certainly have more than enough. Though I know I have enough when I see something else I like, I may still buy it, which is totally unnecessary. Id like to adopt a more minimalist approach with regards to my clothing. Hoping it won’t be too difficult a task. Going to start small w a month free of new purchases, hope that isn’t too ambitious! My closet, which I always prided was supremely organized, recently collapsed-not from an overload of clothes, just a hook that was loose that then had a terrible domino affect. Trying to make the best out of the closet collapsing situation & take it as a sign & a new beginning. Now, when I have to put things back into the closet I will try and really consider if I need & love each piece enough to put back or if it is worth donating instead. We shall see how this all unfolds (no pun intended)!
Eli,
It is so great that your apartment is filled with only essential items and that those items are functional as well as pleasing to you in your home environment. Indeed clothing is very tricky for me as well. I think there is no wrong or right way to approach the topic of clothing when it comes to minimalism. As you said, maybe your closet breaking is really actually a great opportunity for you to decide what to put back into your closet. it seems so hard at first to let go but I promise you once you do, a sense of deep freedom will consume you, it is amazing really. Good luck and please keep me posted!
Well, I finally put all those fallen garments back into my closet & have about one shopping bag of items to give away. I was hoping for a bit more but still happy w the outcome. I even parted w certain items I really thought I’d keep forever, but I accepted the fact that I will never make use of them & perhaps someone else will & put them in the ‘give away’ bag.
I failed miserably in the no new purchases department. Well not miserably, but I bought a rain jacket which I really do need & a pair of shorts that I loved & lost & thought was no longer for sale, I found online & couldn’t resist. Trying not to beat myself up too much for this but I def don’t like breaking goals or promises I set for myself. Gonna try again w that no new purchases thing for 2 weeks this time, perhaps the first failed attempt will make me stronger this time around
Congrats on putting together a whole bag full of stuff!!! It is such a great feeling knowing that someone will make great use out of what we no longer use.
Don’t beat yourself up about the no purchase goal!. I think awareness is a great place to start so the fact that your are aware of a goal you have is an amazing start. What really helps me not purchase items I don’t need is to be mindful of what the actual cost is for people and the planet. You are voting with your dollar so it gets harder and harder to support items that were sourced in an unsustainable way. Maybe instead of a 2 week goal it can be a day by day goal? That way its not overwhelming. And if you fall off the no purchase wagon, oh well!, just get back on!. It’s not all or nothing. As long as we keep making better choices we will be moving in the right direction. Much love!
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Thank you for this blog, it was just what I was searching for. There is so much information here, so I thank you so much for enlightening my mind.
Hi Prudence,
Glad you enjoyed the post!
Tali
Thank you!
Tali
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I used to be very minimalist. While stuff would still acmaculute, I would regularly take great joy in going through my stuff and ruthlessly throwing and giving stuff away. It was wonderfully therapeutic. Anytime I felt out of sorts, I would go on a throwing stuff away binge.Eventually I came to a point where I had paired down so much that every single thing I looked at in my home was a useful, beautiful, treasured item. It was amazingly satisfying experience that I’ll bet most people never get.In 2008, I moved into a van, and I sold or gave away everything I owned that didn’t fit in the van. That was another valuable time, getting to experience having nothing in my life except the bare essentials and living voluntarily on about $600 a month.Last year I bought a forever house – the place I intend to live for the rest of my life. It’s a big place, and coming from living in the van, it was interesting to try to stretch out and fill it again, although I still have a tendency to buy very little and throw away extraneous stuff. Just a few months ago, I realized that minimalism doesn’t quite suit me where I am now. I think I have done the work to remove harmful attachments to stuff, and now I’m doing the work of giving myself permission to take up more space. For example, I’m reveling in building up a craft space full of craft materials that I may never get around to using, but it’s okay if I have things that make me happy, even if they aren’t “useful”.All of which is to say that I think our cultural relationship with stuff is complicated and interesting to explore. Congrats on taking the minimalist plunge. I bet you’re going to get a lot out of it!
Thank you for sharing your story Patel!
That is incredible. To experience the minimalist lifestyle can forge a comfortable life path. I love that you are allowing yourself the space (pun intended!) to adapt minimalism to fit where you are in your life right now. Minimalism is not some rigid structure in my life. It is a useful approach that has allowed me to enjoy my life to fullest. Your story is truly inspiring!
I am so tempted to try living off of $600 for the month of march! I just may have to go for it
Thanks again,
Tali
Hi, nice article. I really like it!