there are countless articles written on the steps to a minimalist lifestyle. this is where we started: a guide to creating a minimalist home.
today, as a supplement, we offer 8 “outside of the box” simplicity living tips that you haven’t read anywhere else:
- buy things for their usefulness rather than their status. stop trying to impress others with your stuff and start trying to impress them with your life.
- reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. refuse to be a slave to anything: coffee, cigarettes, soda, television, chocolate, alcohol…
- develop a habit of giving things away. most of us could get rid of half of our possessions without any serious sacrifice.
- refuse to be propagandized by modern gadgetry. technology doesn’t always make your life simpler. as a matter of fact, most of the time it just makes your life more cluttered.
- learn to enjoy things without owning them. ownership is nothing, access is everything.
- develop a deeper appreciation for nature.
- reject anything that breeds the oppression of others. bananas, coffee, etc.
- never underestimate the freedom of plain, honest speech. a lack of simplicity in one area, such as speech, can undermine simplicity in every area.
Annie says
This is so true! So many times have I discovered after finally acquiring a want that I didn’t really want or need it after all!
di says
Start with a list of what you think you do need. Over time, you’ll discover an alternative or can go without.
Luis Oliveira says
BTW, did I mention that I really like your blog and the overall take you have on things? Did not? There you go, I really dig it.
becoming minimalist says
@luis – perhaps it should have been better stated, “reject companies that oppress others.” thanks for your thoughtful insights.
Luis Oliveira says
That may have been the case years ago, but it’s hardly true now. There are lots of people/orgs/companies working to make these and other sectors more sustainable/fair. Generalizations like the one you’ve made serve nobody: the people that live in tropical areas and depend on the trade and the companies that comply with fair trade standards.
Guess that there is a lot of information clutter that must be disposed of as well.
becoming minimalist says
@luis – the coffee and banana industry were/are both widely-known for the unfair treatment of both their workers and the land. these examples were not meant to argue that anything from the tropics is tainted. they were just well-known industries that illustrated the point i was trying to make. sorry for any confusion.
dave peters says
what about fair trade?
and lets not forget China!!!
this gets to be a hot potato real fast.
i am a minimumist. i own 1 set of clothing,
a 4″ mattress, a space blanket, a pot/mug,
a spork, and a knife. there is no need for organizing at all.
and NO PAPER WORK. pay it and pitch it. they have the records.
d
di says
Good example!
Luis Oliveira says
Did get the “reject anything that breeds the oppression of others” part. Did not get the “bananas, coffee, etc.” part. If I understand, if it comes from the tropics, it’s somehow tainted by oppression? Is that it?
Willow says
I like the statement ‘develop a habit of giving things away!’ It’s a good reminder.
Joanna says
“learn to enjoy things without owning them” yes!
I have been coming to this thought too. I realized that I have no strong compulsion to “own” music or art. It is enough to know that something beautiful and wonderful is out there somewhere, amking people happy.
I have started to think about other things this way. It has made it easier to give away things I’m not using any more, and easier to appreciate a beautiful little trinket in the store and just smile and walk away.
di says
I enjoy viewing art inline.
di says
I enjoy viewing art “online”.
Patti says
I agree that just knowing something exists is satisfying. We Americans tend to be a bit narcissistic in thinking that we have to have it all. That has created a nation of consumers, hoarders and landfills.
Ceci says
Very true. The essay Politics of the English Language, made me simplify the way i spoke. I was using big words in an effort to be dramatic in high school.
di says
All can be said in a simple way.
Patti says
Big words are no problem as long as you are using big words for the right reasons. It is fine to be smart and need a few big words to precisely express yourself when that is really how you are thinking. Sincerity is important. Also, words can be beautiful if they are sincere. Words can create wonderful imagery. There is a huge distinction between being educated and being pretentious. I like to use new words because I get bored. I began using splendid, as an exclamation, in place of great. It is a little silly but great is greatly overused lol. Anyway, it’s good to be to the point and unaffected but don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.
The 8 tips are very good! I too like to make sure the beautiful things I have around me also WORK…tip no. 1. Utilitarianism IS beautiful.
Luke @ simplifi.de says
“Never underestimate the freedom of plain, honest speech.”
Truer words have never been said. That is something that I have been thinking about and hoping to write about eventually. Simplicity in your speech is something that people are attracted to – you don’t have to use a lot of fancy words to convey meaning.
And you’re right, there is tremendous freedom in just letting your yes be yes and your no be no. No worries about how to get out of your yes when you know that you wanted to and/or should have said no.
Great post!