The other day, while brewing coffee in the morning, a lightbulb went out in my kitchen. Not an uncommon occurrence I suppose.
But for some reason, on this particular morning, the common event bothered me more than usual. (Maybe because my coffee hadn’t finished brewing… if you know what I mean).
I remember looking up at the now-darkened lightbulb and thinking to myself in a frustrated tone, “Why can’t everything just work for once? Can I ever escape constantly needing to maintain and fix the stuff I own?”
I caught myself mid-paragraph.
Because the obvious answer is “No.” And I know that.
I mean, I’m in my mid-40’s. A handsome and youthful-looking mid-40s, sure. But I still know how life works:
All the things we own, regardless of the number, perish, spoil, or fade. Everything physical needs to be maintained to some extent.
Clothes need to be washed. Carpets need to be vacuumed. Beds need to be made. Oil needs to be changed. Shelves need to be dusted. Batteries need to be replaced. Showers need to be scrubbed.
And lightbulbs need to be changed.
That is the reality of the physical possessions we own. Nothing lasts forever. Everything needs to be maintained.
Every little thing.
This is why I chose minimalism as a lifestyle in the first place. Rather than being frustrated at a lightbulb that needs to be changed, I should find some joy in the fact that I need to change less of them than ever before.
When I speak about minimalism, I often make a joke about lightbulbs, in fact. I talk about my past desire to own a larger home (despite the fact that we didn’t even use all the rooms in our existing house).
But as I began minimizing possessions, I noticed the emptiness of always wanting a bigger house—and I began seeing big houses differently.
As I like to say, “Now I drive by neighborhoods with big houses and think to myself, ‘Who changes the lightbulbs in that thing?’”
Being freed from the unquenchable desire for more, bigger, and better is a wonderful feeling. As is, being separated from constantly comparing my things to others.
All possessions require maintenance. Every lightbulb, plate, shirt, bed, fire alarm, and electronic device require our attention and maintenance.
Do we ever escape that reality? Nope.
Lightbulbs always burn out—sometimes early in the morning.
But the fewer possessions we own, the less we need to maintain. And the more we can focus our attention on the things that matter most.
About Joshua Becker
I know that it’s not really the point of the article, but the metaphor here is so dated it’s kind of hard to get past. Buy some LEDs. Problem solved. Lightbulbs no longer need changing.
Thanks for the comment. My bulbs are LED. Still need changing.
How many writers does it take to change a light bulb?
Just 1.
can’t believe people have time to read all this crap. who cares about all these people anyway? live your own life
and yet, here you are….
I replaced all my light bulbs with low energy bulbs in the mid-90s. Since then I have had to replace exactly one.
Moaning that they don’t fit your sockets is pathetic, change the sockets!
Or does burning 90% less electricity to light your home not come under “the things that matter the most”
Robert Keay,
I fail to see any mention of sockets not fitting in Joshuas article, can you please explain.
“I’m in my mid-40’s” and you’re a writer!
Come on, be better.
Another draw back of extremes of (income/wealth) inequality is that those with more tend to look for ways to spend it and that leads to garnering more ‘stuff’, or a refurbishment to freshen it up, or something bigger. After all, surely you’ve earned it?
It’s in everyone’s interest to even things up more.
Such good timing, I am in Ireland, in lockdown due to Covid19, so the 3 young kids are on home learning, and I am trying to juggle that and work. I found myself yesterday complaining about how many times I had to wipe down the counter top, ‘it never stays clean’…………….this article has made me realise it’s ridiculous to expect my kitchen counter to stay clean when there are 4 of us at home pretty much all day every day during this lockdown. We’ve made an effort to keep tidying off the kitchen table each day after dinner so the only things that remain on the unused end are their school folders and some pencils ready for the next day. It has helped keep at least our work surface clear and ready for the next session. Unfortunately, with so much else to do with work and school, my kitchen counter remains a mess mostly!! I’ll try to live and accept that for now!!
In our house, whenever something needs repairs, we remind ourselves the only way to avoid repair bills is to own nothing. Sometimes this is a difficult to swallow and appreciate.
Words of wisdom, thanks!
Clutter does suck up energy, just in its maintenance! I do, however, have a surprisingly large amount of lightbulbs in my small apartment, and we can’t find LED’s for all of our light fixtures. So I get it! I get excited when all of our lights are actually working though!
Lightbulbs fail because they are DESIGNED TO FAIL
Back in the 1930s a lot of time and effort was put into ensuring lightbulbs lasted 1000 hours in service – lamps which lasted longer would not be approved for sale (Yes, really) by the cartels which held the patents for electric lighting.
It was known as the Phoebus cartel
This is quite well documented and part of the reason was that companies which produced lamps which lasted 5-10,000 hours sold well in the first 3 years then went out of business due to not selling any more light bulbs
Before Phoebus, most lamp lifetimes were around 2500 hours
Dear minimalists,
I had a broken light bulb recently — no big issue, just switched on another lamp. I think this is the first time I realise that the pursuit of having less can have its downsides. I must confess I really like nice indirect lighting in many corners of the room — feels more homely to me than a single bright light. Also more flexible, only sometimes all of my lamps are on. I think energy-wise it’s about the same, apart for energy spent on producing, packaging, shipping and such for the additional bulbs (the lamps are hand-me-downs). I’ve however feel that the more maintenance stuff receives, the more I get attached to it. Could that be?
I think it depends on the person. If something I own starts to require to much maintenance… it goes.
*too
Great article Joshua. My question is, did you have spare bulbs on hand or did you have to go to the store?
I totally get the the coffee thing! Time to clean up and clear out! Too much junk in my tiny home. You have encouraged me to do a deep cleaning and decluttering. And as I do so, I am going to rejoice that my house is small. I thank God for this maintainable home. Thank you Joshua!!!
I love this! What a great, fresh perspective. Thanks for your encouraging and supportive writings.
You ask who changes all the lightbulbs in that house. I always think “who cleans all thise bathrooms?”
That’s my thought too! Bigger house = more cleaning = Ugh!
I’m with you there. The futility of cleaning a big house strikes me everytime!
Such great timing for this article. My husband is 87, I am 66, we have been married 38 year. He has always been such a huge help to me in keeping the house up. Washing clothes, going to the grocery store, working all around the house etc. He has been diagnosed with dementia and is unable to help me any longer. I have felt so over whelmed lately, Did I mention his 62 year old daughter lives with us due to a stroke 2 1/2 years ago which left her unable to completely care for herself. Well the smoke detectors have started going off in the middle of the night. UGG!! I am so overwhelmed with taking care of everything in this over stuffed house. I need to start decluttering more than I have been since I retired. This article hit me like a ton of bricks. I need way less, so as not to be stressed all the time. Thank you for a great article that hit close to home.
I have lots of strings of lights. I really enjoy them when they have fresh batteries in…..so pretty! I hate it when the batteries need replacing though – so time-consuming and expensive! I have already vowed to start discarding, from now, as each set of batteries wears out.
Thank you for this simple & impactful narration. Yes, nothing is permanent, everything has a shelf life. The more we have, the more we waste our time maintaining them. Many know this secret of less is good, but find it hard to practice, due attractions to materialistic things. I believe if the attraction is diverted to something purposeful, it will be helpful.
I like the saying: the only people with no problems are no longer with us.
To live is to be solving something. Even if it’s maintaining what you DO have.
I can see the light 💡. I will share. . . I had a big house. BIG HOUSE = BIG BILLS.
Just downsized to less than half the size. Could not be happier. I will say Joshua reading your articles helped with the transition. I and my now late husband, too bought into the Cult while raising our sons that I needed to. We built a large home on 2.50 acres. All I did was work to pay for it all! Less is more. DEFINITELY!
We bought a house with high ceilings replete with smoke detectors and recessed lights. Now my husband’s gone and I’m afraid of heights. What were we thinking?
Old rule: Less is more.
Small house, few light bulbs 🤪
And when maintaining, use wisdom. Not only maintain but improve.
LED bulbs last longer and use one sixth the power.
Thank you! Exactly what I needed to hear .
That was refreshing! Now each one teach one and we’ll be freeing ourselves to do the things we really want to spend our lives doing! You write invitingly to help some of us join in on the journey of freeing ourselves to live better lives and doing what gives joy every day! Thank you! 😍🙏😊
When I drive by big houses, the first thing I think of is “how long does it take to clean the house?” And I’m grateful once again for my small house that is easily maintained.
My husband had knee surgery this week so, needless to say, he can’t take the trash cans out that somehow I filled in spite of one him not contributing trash or being able to fix the door handle to the room that I don’t use but if full of ‘stuff’. I realized that I’m often not even aware of the things I keep. The packing from the big box from Amazon that held 2 toothbrushes. As I have bought less this past week 12 months than any other before, I have continued to keep the bubble wrap…just in case. I have a box that would fit a large TV filled with peanuts and bubble wrap, just in case. The box takes up half a closet in the room that has a drapery steam cleaner that someone gave us despite the fact that I haven’t had draperies in years. The room has a DVD player that I haven’t used in years and since I have all but 5 DVDs away. The room that needs its door handle fixed. Today, this day, I left go of the steam cleaner and 95% (not ready for the full 100%} of the bubble wraps. Today, I make a little more room for a little more peace of mind. Today, I will let go of 5 things, that I don’t need from the room that are not used or needed. Today, I will feel the absence of 5 less things clutter and I can have that much more room
In my mind to focus on my husbands recovery and the maintenance of my marriage instead of the maintenance of things. Today, I will feel a little more free.
I love what you wrote D!
Agreed 100%. I too save bubble wrap from work and collect it in giant trash bags because it breaks my heart putting that stuff in the waste. So when I collect a couple bags I advertise them on freecycle as I imagine there are plenty people who can use that stuff thus extending the time before it ends up killing the environment.
Can you just recycle it responsibly with your weekly pickups? Maybe the people you give it to won’t dispose of it properly. Their irresponsibility can cause the plastic to end up in a landfill or waterway.
I am not sure about other provinces, but apparently bubble wrap is not recyclable in Ontario. So offering it to people who are moving is a great solution, and hopefully it will be passed forward many times.
That’s a fantastic idea! I consider myself to minimalist and have now been trying to reduce my waste. I had a devastating house fire at new year and have had to buy everything again. Due to the need for doing it quickly to put together a home, it was easier to buy all new. The packaging has been distressing as it isn’t recycled here and I am aware it will all end up in landfill and ‘out live’ me. Given the number of people who sell on ebay etc, passing it on seems like a great idea.
I’m directing my own self to my closet. In my closet lives a box stuffed with bubble wrap. How silly. Today it departs my closet. Thank you. I needed that.
Wishing your husband a speedy recovery and good luck on your your minimalist journey. ❤️
Great Job! Small steps are actually important big steps! Keep going!
I’m sorry for your and your husband’s troubles, but I am so glad that you have made the decision to clear that room out. It’s so hard to get started sometimes. It sounds as if you have made a great start, which is so very important. Good for you, keep up the good work😊
I love this analogy. I also think it’s important to remember that our bodies need regular maintenance too. As I read this article I was waiting at the dentist office– a place I really hate to go– and I realized that this is life. Our bodies need maintenance too keep running smoothly and, like our possessions, the older we get, the more work they may need!
I like this analogy. I often drive by large houses and think about the maintenance, no thanks! Even if you can hire people, that takes managing. And I kind of laughed because much of the lighting in our newly built, small-ish home is integrated LED, meaning no bulbs to change, even simpler!
I am on the road to simpler living. I find if I am faithful in the ordinary things in my life , like how I hang my towels in a pleasing way, or straightening up my living room before I go to bed, or putting away dishes and cleaning the countertops before I leave that space, and even replacing a lightbulb immediately, this brings order and less chaos to my life. This is not learned in 5 minutes. But doing this, starting here, is a beginning.
As I continue to sell and purge my mother’s estate, I realize I am also bogged down by my own possessions. Less truly is more.
My mother died 5 years ago and I still have 2 1/2 large bins of family photos. It makes me sad to go sory through the photos but I can’t bring myself to simply destroy them sight unseen. These photos are a spiritual, emotional & physical burden. In the last 5 years, I look at my belongings in a new way: they are junk to anyone but me.
I’ve been taking old photographs and turning them into postcards and sending little notes to relatives. I found a postcard stamp at Michaels , sometimes I can stamp directly to the photos, others are glued to cardstock and sent off. It’s been fun and often I get a note back .
If the photos mean so much to you, you don’t have to destroy them. Just keep them. We should only have what we need and what we love.
Great analogy Joshua, & it simply resonates with me. Maintaining so my stuff is a constant drain on one’s Life Force & can’t see how people living in Mega Mansions can be happy. The more you try to compare yourself, your possessions, you life to others the more unhappy you truly are. You need to look inside yourself & say “I am content with enough”.
I just got a great book at the library I wanted to share with you all.
It is a called “Essentialism, the Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown.
Thank you so much for your wise words! This is particularly timely for me as we just moved into a home that’s half as big as our last overly-large one. I’ve made two trips to Goodwill this week alone – giving away the books I bought in the 80s and have only been dusting since then, not reading. The family “heirlooms” that Mom gave to me “because I know you’ll take care of them” have been a burden for too many years. i’m feeling lighter already, but have more to do. I want to have a LIFE, not Things that need to be taken care of…
We live the minimalist life, but this still struck a chord, so thank you. Reminded me that I’m still human and the frustration of daily “things to do” is “normal.” I get bogged down by the constant housework and home “maintenance” but you reminded me that I have less than most because we “live with less.” So thanks!
Such a simple everyday scenario but it’s probably my favourite (UK Spelling haha) article you’ve written.
I think a minimalism skeptic could read this and effortlessly grasp the concept.
Isn’t it a blessing that we have lightbulbs to change! 🙂
I don’t ask who changes the light bulbs in that thing. I ask who cleans the windows in that thing!
Love the absolute perfect sense! I shop now and think “hmmm…how much cleaning will that require?” And my answer is usually No, I don’t need or want that.
My questions are, “will that make life easier or harder?” and ” if this doesn’t do what I intend it to do, how will I get rid of it?” I haven’t shopped for ages but having to now, following a house fire. I am very carefully buying – I don’t want to have to declutter again. Although as this article says that is perhaps unlikely!
I’m a professional housekeeper and have lived in a 425 sq. ft. efficiency apartment for 10 years. I can handle ‘all the things’ quickly and easily. I love it.
Great post! One paragraph specifically stuck out to me:
“That is the reality of the physical possessions we own… Everything needs to be maintained.”
I think this is just as true for all of the other things in our lives. Friendships, relationships, raising children, succeeding in our careers.
I’m sure you’d agree that the greatest thing about minimalism, and having fewer physical possessions, is that it gives us more time and energy to focus on maintaining what’s truly important in our lives.
Very true
When I was in the software industry, ages ago, the ideal ratio for development of new functionality versus maintenance was 80% new features, 20% maintenance. I thought about how that ratio applied to real life and realized that it could be flipped and that would create a wonderful, peaceful, simple life: focus on reducing the “new features” to only 20% of my time and use the rest to smooth out the 80% of life – maintenance.
Sounds good to me!