“Minimalism? Isn’t that when you own only one of everything?”
“Well . . . that’s extreme minimalism. I’m more of a moderate minimalist.”
Chatting with my hairdresser, I mentioned that I lean towards minimalism. Her definition above is not unusual for people who know minimalism only through a few headlines or magazine articles. I tried to broaden the definition for her.
Some people prefer the terms “simple living” or “conscious consumption.” Others define it by what it is not: hoarding, overconsumption, materialism. My take-away from our conversation—I realized my spontaneous response to label myself as a “moderate” minimalist was exactly right. Right for me.
Houses: Big, small, and just right
From the beginning of my minimalist journey, I knew that tiny house living would not work for me. Nevertheless, I love watching programs or reading books about people buying or building their own tiny house. I admire how innovative tiny homes are at creating multi-functional spaces in an attractive, sometimes whimsical, way.
The smallest home I’ve owned was 1000 square feet. It was a three-bedroom, one bathroom house built in the 1950s. The kitchen was on the small side, but otherwise, the space suited me well. I loved it. The only time the house felt crowded was when my adult children came to visit, but it was manageable.
When I returned to the Austin area, the housing market had many more buyers than houses. I didn’t need a lot of space even though my adult kids were living with me at the time (during the pandemic). Despite the many large houses populating the real estate searches, I was determined not to follow the trend of buying a large house. In the end, I got just what I wanted—a moderately-sized house of about 1500 square feet. I would have gone smaller, but I was lucky to get any house in the crazy housing market. My house is just right. Right for me.
Household Goods: Too few, too many, and just right
Before moving halfway across the country, I got rid of a lot. No sense in moving furniture or household goods that I didn’t truly like. The pandemic forced me to change my original plans. I hadn’t planned on needing to rent an apartment for half a year during my house selling and buying transition. I hadn’t planned on my daughter moving in with me to finish her last semester of grad school. Nor had I planned on my son being laid off from his job and then moving in with me and his sister. I began to buy stuff we needed as a family of three. When I finally found a house to buy, I bought more stuff.
Some of the stuff was necessary. I needed to replace furniture and some household goods I had decluttered before moving. Some stuff was due to living in a household of three adults, a cat, and a dog after years of living by myself. Some stuff was due to getting a full salary after five months of a forced reduction in work during the pandemic. I had some disposable income again! Though not usually a fan of shopping, I indulged for a short time. Eventually, the stuff overwhelmed me.
In time, my minimalist mindset returned and I began to declutter. Like many other parents, I offloaded stuff onto my kids. First, my daughter got a job and her own apartment. I gave her some stuff. Later, my son got his own apartment. I gave him more stuff. Whatever did not spark joy, I offered to him. He took most of it, thankfully.
I still want to declutter, feeling a little like a minimalist imposter. Then a friend saw my kitchen cupboards and remarked how nice it was that they weren’t crowded. I looked at my cupboards with fresh eyes. There was space between my dishes and some empty top shelves. I may have more than others living simply, but for now, what I have is just right. Right for me.
Wardrobe: A Work in Progress
Creating a capsule wardrobe or uniform are two strategies that work for some in the minimalist community. I tried a uniform of sorts for a little while, but I get bored wearing the same clothes. I’m not that interested in fashion or creating outfits, so that doesn’t work for me. I like the idea of making clothes work well together, so I’m trying to be more purposeful in what I purchase. I have mostly casual clothes, too many really, so I’m finding a balance between what I like and need.
Shoes, jewelry, and other accessories are other areas that need culling. For some reason, I’m hanging on to items from my office days. Perhaps the memory of my past financial struggles is exerting its influence. At any rate, finding a balance in the number of personal items is a work in progress. It will still take time to figure out what is just right. Right for me.
Whether you have too many or too few items is a personal decision. There is no membership requirement of how much you should own to be a “true” minimalist, living a simple life. Obsessing from time to time about the quantity of your belongings shows that you are conscious of the impact of our stuff, and that’s a good thing. Figure out what is too much or too little. Re-evaluate periodically as your life and priorities change. Then you will better understand what is just right. Right for you.
RESOURCES
Kondo, Marie The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Luhr, Janet The Simple Living Guide: A Sourcebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living
Ware, Ciji Rightsizing Your Life: Simplifying Your Surroundings While Keeping What Matters Most
For more resources: Resources
Related Blog Posts
My Minimalist Home: How Small Can I Go?
Minimalist Space: Finding White Space in a Smaller Home
Less Can Be More: Quality over Quantity
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