- Do I use this piece regularly in daily living?
- Do I have more than one of these items?
- Is there another item that will suit the same purpose just as nicely?
- Am I hanging onto a particular piece because I may have a use for it some day?
- Do you need the space for something more useful?
- Is the item worth the time and effort for storing or cleaning it?
- Do I keep this item just because I think I have to?
Minimalism does not mean living without. Minimalism means relief, breathing space. Relief from all the overwhelming burdens of unnecessary stuff. Society today is all about money and how much stuff we are capable of owning. We must have massive amounts of money. We must celebrate every holiday and buys lots of stuff to do so and buy lots of stuff for other people as gifts. We are constantly bombarded with commercialism proclaiming in order to be successful you need, you must have, you must strive to obtain lots of stuff so everyone can see how successful we are. Two, three cars, a truck, a huge house, lots of furniture, whatever they are advertising we must have it in order to proclaim we have succeeded in life. Credit cards our maxed out and you owe, owe, owe; but we are successful because we have all this stuff. Bigger, better, prettier, whatever we have to obtain it to prove…..prove what? We are enslaved to all the stuff and in debt beyond nightmares.
Throughout the years, I have come to realize stuff is stuff. It is inanimate, it collects dust, it creates more work in my life related to its upkeep, and it has become downright annoying to look at. Whenever I move, it all had to come with me and was a backbreaking process of endless boxes or stuff. At one time, I may have needed extra dishes with a family of 6 but they are all gone. Guess what they had all left a lot of their stuff here with me to ‘store’ for them. Throughout the years I have had to get rid of it or send it back to the rightful owner. Phew…that felt good. I felt lighter. I liked that feeling. Not to mention how easy it became not having to clean around it all the time.
Slowly, I began to look around and recognized I myself had a lot of stuff. Stuff that was no longer used now that I had a yardman. Stuff that no longer fit into my lifestyle now that I did not go into an office every single day. Stuff that I had accumulated in two of a kinds and yes believe it or not three of a kind. Stuff I was keeping as a reference material for projects I might like to do some day. Stuff that I just point blank no longer needed or no longer useful in my daily living. Unbelievable what I had accumulated throughout my life and thought I could never let go of that stuff. What an eye opener on how I could release myself from a lot of work and free up a lot of time to pursue what really created pleasure and self worth in life. How simple and free life could be.
Minimalism for you will be very different than what it is for me. What you regard as necessary for daily living will be very different from what I regard. For instance, I am done cooking huge meals as I once did. I live alone. So my kitchen can be trimmed way back. You may thoroughly enjoy cooking as a hobby, still have a large family, love to bake. You will require more than I would. On the other hand, I am a crafter. So I have a very nice stock pile of various materials necessary for my daily work. You may not have a crafter bone in your body and require zilch in that department. However, you may love golf and need that sort of equipment. What hobbies are important to you. What activities or sports are important to you. All this is taken into consideration. Even with hobbies and sports equipment, you can still find ways to pare back and maintain only the vital elements necessary for the enjoyment of the activities you actually are involved in.
This spring, I shall be doing a tag sale, in all probability more than one, to release a lot of my stuff and recoup some of the money. So consider the following as you go through your ‘stuff’. These are some of the things I have noticed just hanging around collecting dust and using precious space for no good reason whatsoever.
Things You Can Pare Down
- Glassware, coffee mugs, water bottles, travel cups.
- Mixing bowls and measuring cups/spoons, serving pieces.
- Pots, pans, baking dishes
- Plastic leftover containers and lid with no match.
- Cookbooks
- Magazines, newspapers, books.
- Cleaning supplies and old rags.
- Medicine cabinet contents.
- Hair clips, barrets, etc.
- Extra hair dryer old curlers.
- CD’s, DVD’s, VHS’s, cassettes, video games, computer software, etc.
- Radios. VHS player, cassette player, video game players, computer hardware, etc.
- Figurines and decorations.
- Craft, sewing, crochet/knitting, scrapbook supplies.
- Clothing and shoes.
- Pocketbooks.
- Puzzles or games.
- Furniture
- Linens including sheets, towels, etc.
- Inside or outside tools.
- Planters, terra cotta pots, plastic containers for gardening.
- Luggage.
- Tires.
- Outside holiday decorations.
That is just to get things going for you. I’m sure you will come up with a hundred more items you can live without.
Before you buy consider the following questions
- Is it a want or a need?
- How many hours of work will it take to own it?
- Is it really useful in my daily living?
Rome wasn’t built in a day. The house was not cluttered overnight so don’t expect it to be uncluttered overnight. Just keep at it. As you work, you will realize how good it feels to less burdened by inanimate objects that you never use. During this whole process, take time to enjoy life. “All work and no play makes Jeanne a dull girl.” So my Mother always said.
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Enjoy life and it’s beauty. Stuff will no longer rule my life.