Despite the fact that I have a tendency to be super messy (and a pile-creator), I abhor clutter. I can’t stand it on my desk, I can’t stand it in my home, I can’t stand it in my mind.
I didn’t know what to call it at the time, but over the years, I’ve been slowly moving towards and creating a minimalist lifestyle. In a nutshell, a minimalist lifestyle is one that removes the clutter from your life. Not just your home and belongings. Your life.
It sounds radical, but it’s really not. Our home looks rather normal. We have a few paintings and photos on the wall, our home is furnished, though minimally. We have tvs, iPhones, iPads, iMacs, toys and (still too many) clothes. But, we do make a lot of choices that are different from most of society. What we are doing is trying to weed out all of the stuff that we don’t need.
A minimalist lifestyle does not have to include selling all of your possessions. Everyone’s minimalism looks different, because each is based on their own needs. For example, a part of it for us is having smartphones, iPads, iMacs for the entire family and very few knick-knacks (all I see is all.the.dust. when I see knick-knacks), for others it may be the opposite..
But the stumbling block in that, is that most of us are not really sure what we truly need. We are so used to being told what we need — by others, by advertisers, by companies — that our minds are cluttered and we believe, on some level, that we have to have certain things in order to be happy.
What are some things you can do to quiet that noise, consider what you need, and begin living a simpler, less complicated, more minimalist lifestyle?
I’ve compiled some of what I’ve gone through along the journey:
Getting Started
Stop comparing. Sounds simple, but trust me, I know how hard this is. For all of the years I have spent pursuing a simple lifestyle, I’ve spent twice as many comparing what others had, to what I had. But it does no good, and only clutters your mind and makes you unhappy. So just stop it.
Consider your priorities and values. This will make the next step easier. But first, you need to absolutely consider this. What is truly important to you and your family? If you skip this step, you’ll have no clear vision of what you want to accomplish in the next steps.
Envision and make a list. Take a moment and think about what your life would really look like with less stuff. What parts of your day are made more difficult because of ”stuff”? Remember – stuff is not just physical items. It also includes activities, commitments etc. Write these things down and consider what steps you can take to make those things less difficult and what you can just remove entirely.
Remove stuff. Yep. Just start removing stuff. Need help with that? You’re in luck, because I wrote a post on how to get started on decluttering.
Have a healthy relationship with stuff. We humans have a tendency to pour a ton of emotion into an item. Many of us physically ache when we think of getting rid of certain things. But consider: would your life end if all the stuff disappeared tomorrow? Or would you pick up and go on? I bet you would do the latter. So go forth and have a healthy, not dependent, relationship with your stuff.
Practice gratefulness. Even with minimal belongings, we still have so much more than most of the world. Appreciate it, be grateful, and share what you don’t need with others who do.
Remember, take these in baby steps. It will not happen overnight, especially if you have to get your family on-board, but I honestly can’t say that these are just suggestions. I have found that each of these steps must be considered and acted upon in order for the changes to have a meaningful and lasting impact.
It’s not a competition. Your minimalist lifestyle will absolutely look different from others. Revisit the first step often. Even good motives and changes can take on a mind of their own and we can quickly find that we are once again trapped in another “keeping up with the Joneses” lifestyle, and subject to judging and being judged for “not doing it right.”
Have you considered a minimalist lifestyle? What is holding you back from taking the steps that might get you there? Or what have you done that has worked for you?
Fantastic write-up. As you know, I’m heading into this world of minimalism and I loved and appreciated your reminders and tips. I am going to share this link on my blog post today!
Thank you, Carrie, for the compliments and for sharing!
There are times when it is difficult – when I honestly have to step back and question myself and my reasons for wanting to hold onto something. It’s been a process, but I’ve been happy with the journey and the direction it is leading us, as a family!
Where do I start. Let me clear my thoughts. ;-) It’s so easy to attach an emotion to an object of the past or from a loved one. People (me) also have a tendency to imagine the future value of something, “I’m not sure what for, but I know I can use that sometime in the future.” Hey why not hang on to it. It’s free, right? Well, not really. There is the physical cost of moving it from house to house, of storing it (even in your house/apt you are paying $xx per sq foot for every inch of space), Then there is the mental/emotional cost in the form of stress from clutter or lack or organization, stress to others who may also let their disdain for your ‘stuff’ overlap onto you! The health cost of dust, mold and mildew or worse: dust mites, insects, bedbugs, eek. And realistically, can you EVER find the thingamajig when you really want it? Heck no! Then you have to buy a new one anyway (which causes MORE stress because you just spent 2 hours looking which ended in frustration).
More recently I’ve tried to look at it like this: If a tornado had just destroyed your house and EVERYTHING was wiped off the face of the earth (which happens around here too often), what are the 10 things that you’re really sad you lost and what are the 10 things you need the most right now. THAT’s a good starting point. Have everyone in the house try that and see how similar or different the lists are. What is easily replaceable, what is irreplaceable? What is totally ridiculous (to you maybe, but not them – and that’s OK)?
Another way to look at it is, What are the top items (of any size) to take to another planet to show inhabitants something about who you are and how you live? I use these outlandish scenarios to help people to think outside their junk. LOL. I’m not a professional, just the child of borderline hoarders (my parents were kids during the Great Depression). You’re mileage may vary, things are closer than they appear in the side mirror.
Great post. Thanks!
I think it’s even simpler. Start with not buying more, then see what you can get rid of!
But you’re right that it all boils down to values. Doing values work – whether that’s making a list or writing a mission statement – really helps to guide this process.
But really. Just don’t go to Target this weekend. Start there.
Excellent reminder, Britt. I plan on writing more on that as well. (fortunately, I hate shopping, so it’s not too much of an issue for me, but I know it is for many!)
Great post. I like how you touched on the emotional (which are the most driving factor) aspect of minimalizing your lifestyle. I laughed when I read about the knick knacks=dust thing. I just thought the very same thing while I was dusting earlier “I need to get rid of some of these things!”
I like the tip I read once that basically states that for everything you bring into your house, you must get rid of something else.
The less things I have to dust, the better, Nicole! lol
We try to practice the “something in, something out” principle in our home, too.
I only keep my favorites and only what is to easy clean in the dishwasher or washing machine.
I need to simplify my life – especially learned that recently with packing all kinds of stuff that i don’t really want to keep in the long term. I also need to simply life too… but think that I need to concentrate on the “things” part of it all first. :)
I think working on one aspect of decluttering naturally flows into the other parts of our lives! For me, the ‘things’ was definitely an easier place to start, and it then freed up my mind to focus on the rest of my life.
I love that you are working towards this, Karla. I think the longer you live, or the older you are when you start, the harder it is. I know my life would be a lot less stressful if I had fewer possessions. Although I don’t consider myself materialistic, I have more than I need. We don’t exchange gifts and I’m the type of person who doesn’t need the newest gagdet as soon as it hits the market or the newest car, clothes or appliances. I need to work on decluttering but for me, it’s taking baby steps. One area of our home at a time. You’re an inspiration, Karla!
That’s what we’ve been doing: one spot at a time. Otherwise, it really is too much to think about!!
I think a lot of people are tired of stuff. We were sold a bag of goods (literally and figuratively) over the last few decades, and I think a lot of us are beginning to realize it brings no more joy, plus, it’s a pain in the butt to dust!!
It’s much easier to start with a list of things you do need rather than a list of things you want to discard.
Be more creative:
Rather than 7 shirts and 7 pants, think of recombining clothing for 7 outfits.
Try only one-pot recipes, eat only from a bowl, drink only from a mug.
Discard items as you change your old habits.
Great ideas, Di! Thank you — We love one-pot recipes – most of our favorites are made in the crockpot or stockpot or a casserole dish.
Ooh, what a great article. I especially like the suggestion to stop comparing. It’s so helpful in minimalism. There’s always someone more minimalist than me – or someone who I might judge for having a super cluttered life – but neither is helpful It doesn’t matter what minimalism looks like for you as long as it’s keeping things simple so you can live a less stressful life!
Thank you, Genevieve!
Comparing myself to others has caused me a lot of grief over the years. So important to minimize (heh) it.
I am one person, living alone,…..how many bath towels does one person REALLY need? I just gave five to the rescue mission. I now have four and I am going to give those away after I purchased a few microfiber bath towels.. They take up less room. I have been going in the direction of minimalism for a couple years, without even realizing it.. I am just so tired of stuff! Geee……what else can I get rid of? I love it!! Good luck to all on your journey.
Susan
Thank you, Susan. Stuff is so heavy, isn’t it??
Good luck to you as well.
My husband recently passed and I am moving back to Florida to be near my family.
I am only taking what will fit in my car. The plan is to rent a studio type apartment and simply decorate with only things that make me smile. I currently live in a three bedroom house filled with “stuff” that my husband collected before we met.
I want none of it. I have memories in my head. I do not need clutter to remind me of our time together. The idea of more space appeals to me more than wall to wall furniture.
This is a greatbwriting. I enjoyed reading.
Barbara in Arlington, Texas. For the moment.