It has been a few weeks. Life happened, and then I thought I scheduled this post. Turns out, I didn’t. If you’d like to learn a little bit more about how we’re getting on with paring down, and some thoughts I’ve had along the way, read on.
Continue Readingminimalism
I Only Own One…
Just because I live a certain way now doesn’t mean I always have. I have been living a more sustainable lifestyle for awhile now. In the past I tried minimalism, and have been able to make some headway in decluttering my possessions. That being said, I am no minimalist. I am a collector at heart, but am being more particular with what I choose to have. Some things are not for everyone, but there are areas where I suppose I am. Here are some items I only own one of:
Continue Reading#MinsGame: Three Days Left!
It’s hard to believe we started the #MinsGame nearly 31 days ago! Where has the time gone? So far, we have piled up an incredible number of “things” we have accumulated over the years. It’s easy to forget how much you have until it is all put in front of you. We are starting to run out of things to put in the pile, which is good in a way. We just have to remember not to accumulate more. I think we (the collective “we”) often gather more things after we have gone through a “spring cleaning” bout, for various reasons. In just a few days we will have a photo up of everything we will have to donate/sell/toss. Have you thought about downsizing? We’d love to know about your experience(s)!
Stay beautiful!
#MinsGame: Day 4
We are four days into the #MinsGame, and that means we have gotten rid of 10 items! The box is beginning to fill up. This whole process is far easier than I imagined it would be. I think the difficult part will be the initial upkeep. Hopefully it won’t be a constant battle between needs and wants. But isn’t a lot of this a mindset? If I think about everything I have, I don’t really need any more, well, anything. Since I have been replacing single-use or limited-use items with products that will supposedly last years (provided I don’t break or ruin them), I won’t have a need to buy replacements for some time. You can read our other articles about those purchases here. Continue reading
Do You Want to Play a Game? (#minsgame)
I don’t remember how I first read about The Minimalists. I think it was when I was researching small space organization and de-cluttering. One of the ads for their documentary video popped up, and I was intrigued. Around the time I saw them, I was also looking into the whole “Zero Waste Movement”. The two ideals seemed to coincide a bit. Minimalism isn’t just about living with less, but living with more meaningful items that you will use (the same with zero-waste), as opposed to having lots of items sitting around collecting dust. Continue reading
7-Day Challenge: Minimalism
This week I have decided to focus on minimalism. I never really thought about how much “stuff” I was accumulating until I moved some things to storage. Holy s**t! I have more than enough items. Do I think that people should never spend or buy things? No. But, I want to see what it’s like to focus on being present and here rather than on what I want to buy. Plus, my wallet will surely thank me. This will be a huge challenge because I am a sucker for samples. If it is something I will use, then I’ll take it, but other than that, I will, “…just say no.”
Monday: Random Thoughts
Today is the first day of this week-long challenge, and there are so many thoughts running through my head. Am I over-thinking this? Are the associations I am making valid? What is consumerism saying about us as humans and as a society? Why do I keep things thinking I’ll use them later, but in reality I never do? Do “things” really make us happy? Why am I so organized with work and school, but not at home? Will this help increase my productivity?
I never used to associate possessions with the many facets of health. They were always separate. The older I get, the more I realize that “things” may really be affecting my health in more ways than one. There are times when I look around and think that I will go crazy because of all of the clutter. Or, I look at what I have and realize how grateful I am for everything. And then there are times when I wonder why I have so much. Maybe if I scaled down my inventory, I would be happier overall. Not just because the space would be less cluttered, but there would be less distractions, and I could really focus on just being. Not to mention the money saved that could be put towards a trip or something really special. Do you think I’m taking this a little too seriously? Moving on…
It is the first day. Today I will focus on de-cluttering my sleeping area. It’s kind of an odd setup, and there isn’t much space. That being said, I have managed to cram a ridiculous amount of items in this crazy-small space. After watching tiny house/small space videos, I’ve gotten a better idea of how I want to go about clearing this area. First I will take stock on what I have. Then, I will make piles of what I need to keep, donate, and toss. Until I return…
An hour later, and I already have a trash bag of things I can donate! The items consist mostly of clothes, but it’s a start. I love to buy shirts (pants/bottoms, not so much), and I have some that I completely forgot I had. Many were given to me during CES, and I realized that I’ve never worn most of them. Maybe someone else can benefit from the shirts I have decided to donate.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: Less is More?
I’ve been watching a lot of movies throughout the decades, and even in film, you can see the hike in consumerism just in the props. I am learning that less really may be more in some cases. Over the past three days, I went through boxes that ha been stored in the garage. I found three HUGE storage boxes of items to donate. While part of me would like to sell off what I can, my heart says to donate. I will be taking some items down to Skid Row, and the rest will go to Out of the Closet. Seeing so many items really makes me realize how much I have. It also forces me to see how much I’ve spent over time. While the majority of items were given to me, a fair amount are items I’ve purchased. My next venture will be to go through the shed.
Friday: Still a Work in Progress
It’s Friday! The weekend is upon us, and the house is decorated just in time for the holidays. I am still sifting through everything I have accumulated. There is a “keep” box, “donate” box, and “trash” pile. Thus far, the donation box has grown exponentially, and there has been little to toss. Items I thought I would keep ended up needing a new home, as I no longer use them. I did find a few appliances I was looking for. The only thing I’m focused on now is finding a particular collection, and making sure I don’t start the cycle of accumulation again.
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