Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Francine Jay of Miss Minimalist.
“Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.” – Moshe Dayan
People often ask me, “What’s so great about being a minimalist?” I usually answer with one word: freedom.
And by freedom, I don’t necessarily mean ditching your house, ditching your job, ditching your responsibilities, and traveling the world with a backpack (though yes, I’ve done that).
The freedom I’m talking about runs much deeper. It’s long-term, it’s sustainable, and it courses through your veins even when you’re doing the 9-to-5, making mortgage payments, and putting a child or two to bed each night.
How Stuff Enslaves Us
Excess possessions have the power to enslave us in three ways:
1. Physically. Let’s face it, stuff is cumbersome and difficult to transport. So the more we have of it in our rooms, closets, drawers, basements, attics, and garages, the less nimble we become. We may even pass up promising jobs or other opportunities because of the hassle of moving it. In other cases, our stuff builds up to form a prison around us: have you ever avoided a social visit because your house was too messy for company?
2. Psychologically. Too much stuff can weigh on our spirits, and make us feel heavy and lethargic. It’s almost as if each possession is tied to us with a piece of rope, dragging behind us as we try to move around. Excess things not only clutter our homes, they clutter our minds – making us too distracted or overwhelmed to think clearly and accomplish anything.
3. Financially. Stuff can also enslave us via the debt used to pay for it. The more money we owe, the more sleepless our nights, and the more limited our opportunities. Consumer debt can keep us working jobs we don’t like, simply to make the minimum payments. It can delay (or destroy) our plans to make a career change, go back to school, or start our own business.
How to Break Free
Fortunately, adopting a few minimalist techniques can help us break free of those shackles:
1. Declutter, declutter, and declutter some more. Get rid of at least one thing each day, and you’ll be 365 items lighter by the end of the year. Better yet: pick an area of your home (a room, a closet, a drawer) and completely empty its contents. Put back only those items you regularly use, or truly love – and donate or sell the rest. Decide what to keep, rather than what to toss.
2. Realize you are not what you own. Sometimes we fear that getting rid of certain things means getting rid of part of ourselves. But remember: you are not the college notebooks and swimming trophies packed in the basement; you are not the designer shoes and handbags lining your closet; you are not the books, gadgets, craft supplies, heirlooms, or tchotchkes in your living room. Your memories, dreams, and ambitions aren’t contained in these objects – they’re contained in you.
3. Ask “Why?” before you buy. Don’t bring another item into your home without extensive questioning – especially if it means charging it to a credit card. Ask the following of each potential purchase: “Do I really need you?” “What value will you add to my life?” “Are you worth the extra hours I’ll have to work for you?” “Are you worth the space I’ll have to devote to you?” Curb impulse purchases by giving yourself a cooling-off period: instead of buying something immediately, wait 36 hours and see if you still “need” it.
These simple strategies go a long way towards giving us the upper hand over our possessions. When we clear our homes of the excess, stop identifying with our stuff, and put the brakes on new accumulation, we gain control – of our homes, our lives, and our futures.
Every time we toss (or choose not to acquire) an unnecessary item, we gain a little bit of freedom: from paying for it, storing it, cleaning it, repairing it, maintaining it, protecting it, insuring it, worrying about it, and schlepping it around.
And all those little bits of freedom add up to something big: more time, money, and energy for what’s truly important to us. Not necessarily for traveling the world, but for playing with our kids, relaxing with our friends, pursuing our hobbies, exploring our interests, and embracing new opportunities.
When we eliminate the distractions of excess stuff, we gain the freedom to dive into life, deepen our relationships, and discover our full potential. And that’s what’s so great about being a minimalist.
***
Francine Jay is the author of The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life. She blogs about living a beautiful life with less stuff at Miss Minimalist.
Teri Clifton says
Wish I could claim voluntary de-clutter but in fact a life transition forced it and what an enormous gift in disguise. The end result? Freedom from inertia and a whole new realization that the objects had a hold on me while it is experiences that I hold in my heart. <3
Tonya Hawke says
I love your posts . I have already started to get rid of a ton of stuff and it feels fantastic. I am wondering if you ever write posts about getting out of the massive debit that happens when we do buy to much stuff. I would love to hear your ideas !
Caroline says
I have started decluttering. I am a little bit herky-jerky with it, but I believe just getting started is a “big thing”. As I come across things I don’t use, I place them in a box. When cleaning out a drawer or a closet, I may fill a box in 1 day. Other times it might take weeks. When one box is full, I put it in the back of my suv. After 2-3 months the suv cargo area was fairly full. I made one trip to drop it all off. I also have been giving away some excess things to people in my life that might want or need them. Even some houseplants! It feels so good! Because I have started letting go of things, I am so much more aware before I buy anything. Another big step! My house doesn’t show it a lot yet. I always kept things fairly tidy on the surface, but the drawers and closets were so jammed, I couldn’t find anything. Thank you so much for your posts. They truly inspire me.
julie says
Yes….I loved this post!
Kevin D says
My girlfriend just moved to my area. She has her own apartment – 2 1/2 bedrooms. 1 (large) bedroom is full of totes, full of stuff she will NEVER use, and has NOT used in years. The totes go from top to bottom, from left to right – there has to be over 50 of them. You can’t get in the door. And.. she is driving here with a car full of additional stuff.
The apartment went from the most beautiful apartment I have ever seen to a junk yard. It makes me ill.
ren says
So wondering how clutter affects relationships. Not just yours, but anyone’s.
Liana says
Yes great topic!
Kevin D says
The worst time for Minimalist is on the horizon… Christmas!!! While I love the holiday because of what it stands for and the people I get to share it with, I hate receiving gifts that I will NEVER use. I remind everyone who gives me a gift to i) keep/include the receipt; ii) don’t feel hurt if, after the holidays, your gift is given to the church or Goodwill.
My recommendation of gifts for minimalists… (non expiring!!!!) GIFT CARDS for :
1) auto repairs,
2) shoes stores,
3) pharmacies,
4) movie theatres,
5) gas stations,
The cards can be stored in a small area and used when needed – my jogging shoes need to be replaced after the winter!
Anyone else have any Christmas (horror) stories or recommendation for “Minimalist” gifts?
Sharon says
Newspaper or magazine subscriptions, massage or manicure or pedicure gift certificates, cash, restaurant gift cards, bookstore gift cards, postage stamps, dog or cat food, your time, baked items, help around their house or apt.
Jason H says
I’m 3 months new to minimalism and love it. Come to find out my Grandfather was a minimalist as a result of the Great Depression. I miss his wisdom of keeping it simple.
ren says
love to hear that, usually its the flip side, all I hear from older people is that they save everything because they grew up in the Great Depression, until their families have to deal with the mess when they pass on.
Miss Minimalist says
Thanks for all your wonderful comments! I’m so glad you liked the post, and I loved hearing about your personal efforts to pare down your lives. I think the “freedom of less” really has to be experienced to be understood. :)
I’m very grateful to Joshua for inviting me into the community here!
Kevin D says
Thank you for starting up this site! At one point in my life, I thought I was the only Minimalist… it is nice to know I am not and others get the same joy and freedom as I do. :-)
Kevin D says
Being a minimalist is, in a word,… Liberating!!!
After I converted, years ago, I started finding everyone else’s world claustrophibic. I would preach to them the joy of owning as little as possible. Sadly, it is NOT contagious, and has not caught on.
For me, I would not live any other way. All my friends work extra hours for stuff they just don’t need. They buy it, feel empty, and then buy more in the hope that will fill the void. It never does. I spend that extra time with the people I love.
In 2010, my only new possessions are a GPS, a few DVD’s and this LapTop… and, even then, I feel that is too much. :-)
Be well and travel light my fellow minimalist…
Katy says
The ‘Realize you are not what you own’ has been a really tough one for me to explain to people. I’m helping a friend declutter and she truly believes the old notebooks and trophies are her legacy, that they need to be kept to preserve the memory and explain who she is. I disagree; if you need items to explain who you are, then you aren’t expressing yourself clearly. Unless you’re leaving behind a diary, people aren’t going to know you any better from going through your stuff,
I really enjoyed this post and am linking to it tomorrow.
Thank you!