Every now and then I see a frustrated minimalist newbie in a social media minimalism group ask how people are better off financially as minimalists because she (or he) sure isn’t seeing much financial gain. This often happens because others in the group have mentioned how much they’re “earning” by selling off furniture and other decluttered goods.
I’m happy for the people who get some money for possessions they no longer want, but honestly, those of us who’ve been around the minimalist block or two know that usually it’s a pitiful fraction of the original cost. Decluttering in itself usually doesn’t pay a whole lot. I’ve mostly come to terms with that, but I’ll admit that it can hurt for a little while. (But I paid $$$ for that item and only got $. Sniff.) The payment comes in lessons learned for the future.
Nowadays, I think very carefully before purchasing a household item or piece of clothing. I know I won’t recoup much, if anything, when I no longer want it. Then there’s the hassle of selling or donating it. I dislike dealing with buyers and have, on more than one occasion, driven around with donation boxes in my car for weeks.
One time I decided to sell two bookcases that had shelved decorative items and my pretty (aka coffee table) books. Some items and books I consolidated elsewhere in the house, but for many, I asked myself when was the last time I had looked through any of those pretty books. Um, I don’t remember. That’s usually a good sign that they don’t need to be in my life anymore. Out they went! Let someone else rejoice in discovering them in the library bookstore or charity shop. I did manage to sell the bookcases, but for about 20% of what they originally cost. C’est la vie!
Does minimalism ever pay off in terms of money? Sure it does, but not from the past. The “earnings” come from the future—a smaller home, less furniture, less clothing, and less of all the other stuff we no longer buy. Now that I’ve lived in my smaller house for half a year, I’m able to look at what my average fixed bills are and compare them to my previous, larger house across town. Just how much was living in a smaller house saving me?
My current house is 40% smaller than the last one and saves me about $250 a month in mortgage, utilities, and other house-related bills. It’s not a fortune, but over time, it adds up. I can’t buy more furniture because there’s simply no room, so while I may purchase something in the future, it will be for replacement purposes only. I still need to work on improving my non-fixed bills like groceries, entertainment, and other miscellaneous costs, so that’s a work in progress as I continue simplifying my life. I did return to cable because I love watching soccer, but once the contract is up, I can always cut the cord as I did last year. (At least in my new area, the cost is significantly lower.
If you’re one of those relatively new to minimalism, be patient. You may feel more loss, sadness, and even anger at the beginning of the process because of all the money you spent on your decluttered items. Soon, however, you’ll feel lighter and relieved to no longer maintain or clean all that stuff. When you shop, you’ll remember previous losses and think twice before adding another item to your home. Remember that minimalism, or simple living, is a lifestyle, not an end goal. While some focus on the financial aspect at the beginning, most of us realize that in the long run, all the changes we’ve made have truly paid off in multiple ways.
Questions to Consider When Decluttering
Why do I want to keep it?
Could someone else value it more?
Have I used it in the past six months?
Is maintaining/cleaning it worthwhile?
Would a photo of it be sufficient to keep the memories?
Living room – after
Living room – before
RESOURCES
Fortin, Cary Telander and Kyle Louise Quilici New Minimalism: Decluttering and Design for Sustainable, Intentional Living
Kondo, Marie The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Ware, Ciji Rightsizing Your Life: Simplifying Your Surroundings While Keeping What Matters Most
For more resources, go to this page: Resources
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Minimalist Money: Money, Money, Money!
Love this! We are about to down size once again, hopefully the last time, and every word resonates with where we are right now.
Thanks for reading! It’s certainly an ongoing process. I continue to downsize and declutter, but I actually like doing it. It really helps me appreciate what I choose to keep.
Good article, thank you! I hope it’s okay but I’ve shared it in a group I moderate: No Sidebar. Please let me know if you would like me to remove it 🙂
Thanks, Lynne! I think I also shared it in the No Sidebar group (I read a bunch of the minimalism/simple living writers and belong to their groups). I love it when people read and interact with my posts. Please feel free to share any posts. Thanks again!
I’m with you about dealing with buyers. Once I was selling an nearly brand new fridge that was a bad purchase because of its size. I set the price at half what I’d paid after using it for only a week. A guy agreed then started pushing for an even bigger cut. I canceled and donated it to Habitat for Humanity.
Perhaps the numbers are not spectacular when it comes to Minimalism “paying” but I do think there are significant results from Minimalism SAVING! When you become more conscious over what enters your home and life, and how you spend your time–it really adds up.
Exactly. The savings comes from future decisions NOT to consume and spend money except when it’s truly valuable to you. Too often we shop and end up with stuff that we don’t really need or want if we had put some thought into it.
“…and have, on more than one occasion, driven around with donation boxes in my car for weeks…”
I think I’ve found my peeps!
lol – It is sadly true for many of us!