Being a minimalist is different for every one, and may not be for everyone. I have started my own journey, and thought it would be fun to share and have others share.
I have had a few personal insites into myself over the past few months that have helped me to begin my journey.
First: my mother has soo much random stuff in storage. She believes that each of the times are important and needed. A few months ago my brother read a study that showed personal clutter is associated with emotional disorders. It made total sense in the case of my mother.
Recently Tess said in a video that she found her physical clutter to relate directly to her emotional clutter. Once the physical clutter was gone, so was the emotional. This was a great statement, and hit the head on the nail for me.
Second: I tend to hang onto stuff because of a pecieved value.. That most the time doesn't actually exist.
For example: when computers were a new thing, they cost a lot of money and lasted a long time. Now computers are cheaper and do not last long. I hord computer parts because I think they have a value. When in reality, they are 10+ years old, and are worth nothing.
I realized a couple months ago that a computer is simply a disposable item, similar to a harbor freight tool, and it changed my life. I learned not to trust the computer to save all my important files, and to store them elsewhere. I now have no emotional attachment to computers and can throw away and replace them with ease. My personal and emotional items that I thought the computer provided are not actually tied to the computer.
Third: this morning I was looking at my hat collection. It is often in my way, I have not worn most of the hats since high school. Some of them I have never worn. I have 1 or 2 that i love and wear often. The rest are just there. Then BOOM!! Lightbulb moment. When I was 8 or 9 years old a neighbor has a hat room. His walls were covered in his hats. He loved his hats. I wanted to be like him someday.
.. Many many years later.. I don't care to have a hat room. I don't want to even have the hats.. But I still keep them, because little 8 year old me wanted them. Now that I have realized where and why I have received this hat collection idea, I can recognize that I don't care for it and can let it go.. And QUICKLY!
I have a lifestyle that does require me to keep many items on hand. Both work, family, church, and personal reasons will never allow me to be a true 'minimalist', but I am sure excited about continuing to identify items that can be improved.
I currently have 3 chainsaws. Each has fulfilled a need, and have been used within the last year. They will not be reduced..
I also have 5 trailers. They have each been used this week and will stay.
I have 10,000 T-shirts. I wear about 6 of them. The rest can go.
This is going to be a fun journey!!
I have had a few personal insites into myself over the past few months that have helped me to begin my journey.
First: my mother has soo much random stuff in storage. She believes that each of the times are important and needed. A few months ago my brother read a study that showed personal clutter is associated with emotional disorders. It made total sense in the case of my mother.
Recently Tess said in a video that she found her physical clutter to relate directly to her emotional clutter. Once the physical clutter was gone, so was the emotional. This was a great statement, and hit the head on the nail for me.
Second: I tend to hang onto stuff because of a pecieved value.. That most the time doesn't actually exist.
For example: when computers were a new thing, they cost a lot of money and lasted a long time. Now computers are cheaper and do not last long. I hord computer parts because I think they have a value. When in reality, they are 10+ years old, and are worth nothing.
I realized a couple months ago that a computer is simply a disposable item, similar to a harbor freight tool, and it changed my life. I learned not to trust the computer to save all my important files, and to store them elsewhere. I now have no emotional attachment to computers and can throw away and replace them with ease. My personal and emotional items that I thought the computer provided are not actually tied to the computer.
Third: this morning I was looking at my hat collection. It is often in my way, I have not worn most of the hats since high school. Some of them I have never worn. I have 1 or 2 that i love and wear often. The rest are just there. Then BOOM!! Lightbulb moment. When I was 8 or 9 years old a neighbor has a hat room. His walls were covered in his hats. He loved his hats. I wanted to be like him someday.
.. Many many years later.. I don't care to have a hat room. I don't want to even have the hats.. But I still keep them, because little 8 year old me wanted them. Now that I have realized where and why I have received this hat collection idea, I can recognize that I don't care for it and can let it go.. And QUICKLY!
I have a lifestyle that does require me to keep many items on hand. Both work, family, church, and personal reasons will never allow me to be a true 'minimalist', but I am sure excited about continuing to identify items that can be improved.
I currently have 3 chainsaws. Each has fulfilled a need, and have been used within the last year. They will not be reduced..
I also have 5 trailers. They have each been used this week and will stay.
I have 10,000 T-shirts. I wear about 6 of them. The rest can go.
This is going to be a fun journey!!
