Anyone that knows me probably laughed at the title right
away, because I am not, nor have I ever been, much of a minimalist. Honestly I fit more into the pack rat
category (I swear it’s an inherited trait!). It’s an issue on both ends – I attached sentimental value to
a lot of physical ‘things’ so find them hard to get rid of, and also, I really
enjoy shopping! This week may have
been the first time I entered a target and did not buy any clothes. Seriously.
My pile of stuff so far
So I believe that traveling is a great opportunity for me to explore
living as a ‘minimalist’. The one,
major and most obvious benefit to having less stuff is packing/moving/dragging
around less stuff as I explore different places. As I’m starting this journey towards minimalist living, I’ve
noticed a few other benefits so far:
1.
With less things, I can actually keep track of
and appreciate the things that I do have.
2.
I need less things to hold and organize my
things. (Less boxes, drawer organizers, plastic tubs, etc)
3.
I can actually see my things on a daily basis
and enjoy them.
This is going to be a difficult and probably never ending journey for
me. It makes me ask myself the
hard questions like “How many pairs of dress pants do I really need?” (I have
eight. 3 black, 2 khaki, 1 brown,
1 white, 1 grey. More work pants
than days of the week seems unnecessary.) and also “Which of these shoes do I
actually wear and which do I just like having around?”
Especially a challenge for me will be decorating with less. One cool idea is to decorate with the
things you already own – hang your shirts, coats, lamps, pots & pans,
etc. Another is to create your own
art, and that way you haven’t spent a lot of money on it and you’ve had a fun
time in the process.
My goal is to only have things in my apartment that are 1. so cherished
I can’t live without them, or 2. cheap/reusable/standard things that I can get
anywhere and can leave behind without a second glance.
One of the funny parts about this was that in my attempt to bring less,
I completely forgot a towel… so yet again I “had” to buy something, because
when I asked myself the question “Do I really need a towel or can I use
something else like a sheet?” The answer was Yes. Yes, I need a towel, really.
Another challenge for me is going to be clothing. I have endless clothing. I love clothing. I love the way it feels soft, the new
colors and styles with every season, I love the personas it plays and the
person I might be if I wear just the right thing. I went through a phase recently where I felt like I had to
buy a lot of “work clothes” so that now makes up a huge part of my closet. “Workout” clothes are also a particular
weakness of mine, though this has started to blend with my work clothes thanks
to a sporty career! I’m
trying to start to view my clothes as I view the rest of my stuff – Is it
useful? Is it beloved? Is it meaningful? Is it comfortable? Does it fit? Can I live without it?
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