“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne W. Dyer
The minimalist lifestyle is a movement that seeks to pare down possessions to only the essential. Because life can be lived richer and fuller when unnecessary possessions have been removed, it is a growing trend that includes more than just young, single, 20-somethings. Many families are embracing the lifestyle as well.
And more and more are being introduced to the lifestyle every day. Perhaps, even, this is your first introduction.
Some people get nervous when they hear the term “minimalist.” For them, it conjures up images of destitution, barren walls, and empty cupboards. Rightly so, they decide that is no way to enjoy life. Believe me, I agree – that is no way to enjoy life. And since deciding to become minimalist years ago, we have been on a journey to define what it means for us and how it fits into our unique lifestyle.
We live in the suburbs of Arizona. We have two small children. We are active in our community. We love to entertain and show hospitality. While not exceptional, our life is not identical to anybody else. It is our life – nobody else’s. Minimalism, for us, would have to be unique. It would require us to determine the most important pursuits in our life and remove everything that was distracting us from it. And in so doing, we would find a new way to live life that adds richness and fullness around life’s most essential elements.
To determine if minimalism may indeed be the right lifestyle for you consider some of these questions:
1. Do you spend too much time cleaning?
If you enjoy clean, tidy rooms but don’t like to clean, minimalism just may be your answer. After all, the easiest way to reduce your cleaning time is to simply own less things. It works every time.
2. Are you trying to get out of debt?
Debt holds our life in bondage and weighs heavily on our shoulders. Getting a handle on it by buying less things is one of the most life-giving actions you can take.
3. Is there too much stress in your life?
Physical clutter results in extra stress on our lives. Minimalism removes the clutter and limits the distraction that it causes. Minimalism may be just the breath of fresh air that your home needs to help you relax and unwind.
4. Would you like more time in your day?
Consider for just a moment the amount of time that our belongings drain from our life. Whether we are cleaning, organizing, maintaining, repairing, removing, or shopping, our possessions demand a large percentage of our time. Owning fewer of them results in less time spent maintaining them.
5. Are you environmentally conscious?
Minimalism reduces our impact on the environment by requiring less resources on the front end for production and reducing the amount of waste on the back end.
6. Are you frugal?
While becoming a minimalist doesn’t mean that you have to spend less money, it certainly provides the opportunity. And because you are buying less things, you also have the option to make higher-quality purchases that last longer.
7. Do you enjoy financially supporting other causes?
Minimalism provides an opportunity to not just save money for the sake of keeping it, but for using it to further causes that we believe in. After all, once you become content with your belongings and have been rescued from the race of accumulating possessions, you have no need to hoard money. You find new freedom to support the causes that you hold most dear. Recently, the Becoming Minimalist community raised over $5,000 for Charity:Water.
8. Are there things you value more than material possessions?
Minimalism seeks to intentionally promote the things in life that we most value and remove anything that distracts us from it. It allows our life to center around our deepest heart desires rather than the items on sale at the department store.
9. Are you not afraid of change?
Minimalism is a counter-cultural lifestyle that will force changes in the way you spend your time, energy, and money. Of course, almost every change is for the better… so it’s definitely worth the effort.
10. Is your life too valuable to live like everyone else?
Our heart, soul, and passions makes us valuable and unique. Don’t sacrifice your important role in this world by settling for the same temporal possessions that everyone else in your neighborhood is chasing. Your life is far too important… and short.
Your particular practice of minimalism is going to look different from anyone else. It must! After all, you live a different life than anyone else. So find a style of minimalism that works for you. One that is not cumbersome, but freeing based on your values, desires, passions, and rational thinking.
Ultimately, you will begin to remove the unneeded things from your life. As a result, you will find space to intentionally promote the things you most value and remove anything that distracts you from it.
Image: hozinja
Tony @ YODTO says
Very inspiring stuff. I am far more minimalist this year than I was one year ago; and I have a long way to go yet. Thanks for helping me on my journey.
Madeline says
Bryanna– it sounds like you have all of your priorities straight– you will reap the rewards now, and again , in the future!!!!! Happy Holidays to you and your family–
Bryanna says
;-), Madeline, a lot of priorities, but a long way to go; especially this priority of sleep! ;-) Merry Christmas to you and everyone else looking to simplify and focus in 2013.
Madeline says
Bryanna: I notice you mentioned 2 kids and “stuff” in a comment. My husband and I raised our son in the days when we had very little, and I chose to stay home.We had 1 car, ate a lot of beans and hamburgers! LOVED EVERY MINUTE! Our son did not get all the latest toys or gadgets but he’s all grown up now and is still close to his mom and dad! He does not recollect feeling “deprived” in any way…
Those early (frugal!) years were so precious–NONE OF US thinks about the “stuff”–we only remember pot luck new years parties where all our kids and babies slept on the adults beds while we danced, ate and relaxed, also, the days in the park, the rental move nights, the nights playing cards in each others homes..all good,basic joyful activites, no “stuff” needed!!
Spend less. work less! and enjoy MORE!
Bryanna says
Yes, I completely agree. Our days are full of fun and while we strive for more (time) freedom, our two girls are so loved and adored. “Compared” to most, we have little, but to us, there’s still so much to give away and focus more in our life in being intentional with our faith, family, friends, and finances. I do have two small business and have a “busy” life, but so thankful to have my first work be at home, taking care of my little ones, with lots of tickle and floor time.
I, too, grew up having VERY little…but did so enjoy playing rummy or checkers with my daddy!
Thanks the encouragement and motivation!
Madeline says
Our down sizing /minimizing stories go on and on: I had a ton of “costume ” jewelry I wore a lot when I worked more. I put it all together and decided it was not worth much, decided to donate it to the thrift store up in a small mountain town where we vacation,2 hours from home. I also had a few other pieces that had sat in my jewelry box for years.. a watch on a long chain, a few bracelets..i thought “maybe” they were even “good ” pieces..I guess I had them so long i forgot what they were and where they came form.. I certainly never wore them.
in our moving frenzy I threw them in with the other stuff. off to the thrift store.
Months later, at the thrift store, the clerk told me “someone” (we had donated anonymously) had donated some “really good stuff” they had taken it to the jeweler in the next big town over, and they collected enough money to fund the FREE DINNER program at the Senior Center for a good while..
I felt at first: OH NO!! I gave away the farm!
then, I immediately felt:Joy.
I had that stuff UN-used in my closet for YEARS, DECADES even.Of course, I could have “used the money” for moving expenses, if I had taken the good stuff to a jeweler.. but.. I lived without that money for decades and it went to a fabulous cause..
So– I consider it “paying forward..”
All I can say is, when you start to move towards a more minimalistic life, all kinds of miracles and magic start happening.. and you will become a new person as you move into simplicity and gratitude..this year has been– incredible! (sorry for looooong post.)
Bryanna says
Madeline,
What a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L story…worth the lengthy read! What an “unintentional” intentional way to give away!
Thanks for sharing!
Sam Matla (Minimal Blog) says
Great post!
I do think that for a lot of people, minimalism is somewhat beneficial. It promotes productivity, allows one to focus at a higher level, etc. I’m sure there’s the rare case in where someone just can’t bring themselves to live in such a way, but everyone’s different.
Ree says
Thanks so much for sharing, Madeline! I thought I was the only “nut” out there just giving “valuables” away! LOL I am doing almost the same thing as you…anticipating an “empty nest” along with a long-distance move next year, I have begun weeding out “things” in my home. Although I am not as minimalistic as I strive to be, it seems like there is always more I do not need :) My husband has been in shock that instead of selling quite “valuable” items, I have been trying to bless folks by giving them away to those who have a need for them, but I know could never afford them. I sometimes feel as though I am getting a bigger blessing giving them away <3 And I am having a blast!
Christina says
Thank you for the inspiration. I am striving to become minimalist, but get intimidated by extreme ideas. It’s nice to identify with these questions–but also know there is not one right way to answer them.
Laurie J. says
This is such a great post, nicely showcasing the benefits and blessings of living with less stuff. I’ve been reading you since the early days (when you wrote in lower case!) — thank you for always inspiring me and others!
Madeline says
My husband and I downsized from a too-large home last summer. We had so many beautiful and “unique” pieces of furniture, books, glassware, dishes,clothing..where did it all come from? We were “peace and love”hippies in the 60’s-70’s.. but as we began to work, we began to accumulate. It began to be a burden, as we move towards semi retirement.
We had to sell a lot of stuff to fit into our new smaller home. Some of our handmade furniture was too expensive for the young couple looking at it..they LOVED our handmade dining set and also the bedroom set.They could only afford one set. They made a choice.
A week later this unique stuff was simply not selling on craigslist–I told my husband I wanted to call the young couple and GIVE THEM the whole other set. He was incredulous, he though ti was “worth some money!” Then he broke out in a big grin.Wow..what fun to call them and tell them to ust come over and pick up the rest of the furniture!!!! Then I discovered the young gal was pregnant with their second child.Joy!
After that we started quickly giving away all the “STUFF” that did not readily move off craigslist.
We donated 35 years worth of books we were hoarding.We kept only three shelves of our favorites.. which fit into the small bookshelf in our new smaller home.
We are so happy with this shift towards less.We are not yet minimalist, maybe never..?? But we’re become much more selective, we feel liberated at not having to clean,insure, move, and think about too many possessions..and I think we’ll just keep getting better and better at this–we enjoy reading how others are doing the same…
Laurie J. says
What a beautiful story, and so apropos in this season when so many spend so much to buy and gift things which simply end up as clutter. Thanks for sharing, Madeline!
kathie josey says
I love this- all of these reasons, among others I found at The Minimalists and Zen Habits were what led me to becoming a minimalist three years ago. When we lived at a house, I looked around and realized we had all of these unused rooms with bits and pieces of stuff lying around, boxes hidden in closets etc. We were desperately unhappy, working a gazillion hours, had a baby on the way, a pocketful of debt, etc etc. Slowly as I emptied our house of stuff (and it was interesting- week by week, various charities would come by and pick up stuff that would be loved by someone else), I realized I didn’t miss it. The first happiest moment was when I gave most of our furniture away to a couple of military people who couldn’t afford new furniture and the second was when I noticed that our moving truck was only half filled and it only took the movers 30 minutes to unpack us. Fast forward to present: with 3 kids in a 2 bedroom apartment, we’re still pretty happy but I’m noticing clutter is starting to accumulate and I don’t know how to stem the tide. Any ideas?