Minimalism

[lovedisney123]

Is there a thread to discuss this topic that is already in progress? If so, could someone give me a link to the thread. I didn't find it in a search.
Thank you!

 

[King Schultz]

Maybe.


I did a quick search and all I could find was a few things on "minimalist packing"


Is that what you were looking for?

 

[lovedisney123]

Not exactly, it is more of an alternative lifestyle concept. Just thought perhaps there was a discussion on it. But thank you so much for checking!

 

[MickeySP]

Like Tiny House Nation?

 

[King Schultz]

Not exactly, it is more of an alternative lifestyle concept. Just thought perhaps there was a discussion on it. But thank you so much for checking!

You're quite welcome!


Yeah, I pretty much thought you didn't mean packing. . .


Sorry I couldn't be of more help. . . you could always start a thread about it and see who else is interested.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Not exactly, it is more of an alternative lifestyle concept. Just thought perhaps there was a discussion on it. But thank you so much for checking!

I am sort of doing this. We had our house on the market, so we have storage sheds for all the "stuff".

We took house off market and now we are going to get rid of a lot. It is so nice to live in a house without clutter. I just do not need it.

So I have to say I do recommend this method if you are unsure of what you want to keep and what you don't. Sort of a dry run so to speak and it gets it OUT of the house.

 

[ronandannette]

I know a couple who are very committed to this lifestyle, and I mostly commend them. But in the modern era, conveniences aren't really so easy to let go of. They own practically nothing but they have come to rely heavily on borrowing the things they need from friends and family.

 

[lovedisney123]

Well I like the approach that Joshua Becker uses: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/ Not too extreme. I recently went to a screening of the documentary: Minimalism http://minimalismfilm.com/ and felt inspired. Have been working on this some. I have a LONG way to go. But I do think I could benefit from some of this. I do think I was a compulsive consumer and need to step back a bit.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

My favorite quote is related to minimalism:

Use it up, wear it out
Make it do or do without

 

[gotomu212]

There's a blog called Miss Minnimalist that is a great collection of ideas, thoughts, and shared stories for all different levels of minimalism.

I'm a big fan of minimalism but fall in the somewhat moderate camp compared to some of the really extreme followers. We own more than a 100 things and have more than 33 things in our wardrobe but I LOVE the simplicity that can come by following a form of minimalism.

 

[lovedisney123]

There's a blog called Miss Minnimalist that is a great collection of ideas, thoughts, and shared stories for all different levels of minimalism.

I'm a big fan of minimalism but fall in the somewhat moderate camp compared to some of the really extreme followers. We own more than a 100 things and have more than 33 things in our wardrobe but I LOVE the simplicity that can come by following a form of minimalism.

Thanks, I will check it out. We would also fall in the more moderate camp, but it is a new concept that I am exploring and trying to learn more about it to get motivated. But I am sure as we "embrace" it, it will be with moderation

 

[Minnesota!]

I strive to be a minimalist, but am not Close.. yet

 

[lovedisney123]

I strive to be a minimalist, but am not Close.. yet

Right there with you

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well I like the approach that Joshua Becker uses: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/ Not too extreme. I recently went to a screening of the documentary: Minimalism http://minimalismfilm.com/ and felt inspired. Have been working on this some. I have a LONG way to go. But I do think I could benefit from some of this. I do think I was a compulsive consumer and need to step back a bit.

Interesting. It is flipping hard to do it for sure.

I am not a compulsive consumer anymore, so I have that under control.

We will be selling A LOT of "things" at the Flea Market and garage sales.

Good Luck to you.

 

[NHdisneylover]

We've been getting rid of more and more "stuff" (and never had all that much to begin with).

I find that for us, personally, most things might bring joy briefly, but in the long run are just clutter and take energy to sort and put away, used up resources to make and monetary resources to buy and are not worth the cost.
Which does not mean nothing is worth it--in fact one thing i have learned is that it is worthwhile to buy something I really want, even if it is high priced (and buying a few high priced items that I use all the time is cheaper than buying dozens of low priced ones that I don't really like and rarely use).

All of my clothing, with the exception of a few coats, is stored in one IKEA closet unit now (which is not even close to overfilled), and I invest in the right pieces.
I cook a lot but have found that mostly I prefer one good set of knives and a good set of cookware to dozens of gadgets (I DO use a rice cooker often, so that stays--if I use it often it is worth it).

Etc.

We've bought a small (850 sq ft) condo that we will be moving into soon (3 people)--so I am really pairing down even more. And i find that getting rid of the things we don't use or really want feels freeing. My son was saying the other day that it is funny--getting rid of stuff feels better than buying it did lol

 

[teller80]

I know a couple who are very committed to this lifestyle, and I mostly commend them. But in the modern era, conveniences aren't really so easy to let go of. They own practically nothing but they have come to rely heavily on borrowing the things they need from friends and family.

So my relatives who continually borrow my stuff are just 'living the minimalist lifestyle' lol?

 

[ronandannette]

So my relatives who continually borrow my stuff are just 'living the minimalist lifestyle' lol?

IDK - maybe. Or maybe yours are just mooches. The people I'm talking about though have made a conscious decision. They have no children and have a "life plan" that includes working as little as possible so as to free up time and energy for other pursuits (in their case, outdoor activities - the "big things" they own are a 2-person kayak and bikes). Here's some examples of what I mean:

• They live in a rented apartment with very little furniture. They do not have a TV. They watch what they can on their laptop, and use somebody else's Netflix password. If there's something on the broadcast channels they want to see, they go over to somebody's house or to a bar for sporting events.
• They do not have a vehicle so wherever the bikes or transit won't take them, they ask somebody for a ride.
• They don't have camping equipment so whenever they trek overnight, they borrow equipment.
• They have only the clothes they need for work and recreation. Anything else they borrow, like nicer outfits for special events and heavy winter coats and boots when they come to visit here in the cold months.

There's tons more but you get the gist.

 

[Hikergirl]

IDK - maybe. Or maybe yours are just mooches. The people I'm talking about though have made a conscious decision. They have no children and have a "life plan" that includes working as little as possible so as to free up time and energy for other pursuits (in their case, outdoor activities - the "big things" they own are a 2-person kayak and bikes). Here's some examples of what I mean:

• They live in a rented apartment with very little furniture. They do not have a TV. They watch what they can on their laptop, and use somebody else's Netflix password. If there's something on the broadcast channels they want to see, they go over to somebody's house or to a bar for sporting events.
• They do not have a vehicle so wherever the bikes or transit won't take them, they ask somebody for a ride.
• They don't have camping equipment so whenever they trek overnight, they borrow equipment.
• They have only the clothes they need for work and recreation. Anything else they borrow, like nicer outfits for special events and heavy winter coats and boots when they come to visit here in the cold months.

There's tons more but you get the gist.

I really don't know too much about this minimalism thing but if its a lifestyle a person wants to live I think that is great. However I think when that person uses other people's passwords so they don't have to pay for Netflix, or ask someone for a ride because they don't want to own a car, or borrow equipment when they want to camp because they don't want to buy and store it, it becomes a fine line between mooching and "minimalism". If you want to sacrifice things for your lifestyle great, but that means actual sacrifice, it doesn't mean borrow something so that you can still do what you want to do.

 

[ronandannette]

I really don't know too much about this minimalism thing but if its a lifestyle a person wants to live I think that is great. However I think when that person uses other people's passwords so they don't have to pay for Netflix, or ask someone for a ride because they don't want to own a car, or borrow equipment when they want to camp because they don't want to buy and store it, it becomes a fine line between mooching and "minimalism". If you want to sacrifice things for your lifestyle great, but that means actual sacrifice, it doesn't mean borrow something so that you can still do what you want to do.

I see it just slightly differently. I am ALL FOR living in community with one another, sharing and inter-dependence. But normally, this is done with the intention that everybody contributes and that they are just as willing to give as receive. In the case of these acquaintances they have very little to give except time, and that they spend most of out in the bush somewhere looking for a new species of pine cone (or something...) According to people closer to them, they can rarely be counted on to pitch in when help is needed because they are always otherwise occupied. (FTR, they apparently never ask to borrow money - they don't need much money for this "lifestyle".)

 

[Hikergirl]

I see it just slightly differently. I am ALL FOR living in community with one another, sharing and inter-dependence. But normally, this is done with the intention that everybody contributes and that they are just as willing to give as receive. In the case of these acquaintances they have very little to give except time, and that they spend most of out in the bush somewhere looking for a new species of pine cone (or something...) According to people closer to them, they can rarely be counted on to pitch in when help is needed because they are always otherwise occupied.

I can totally understand that, and I agree. If its a community thing where you have many people or families willing to give time, passwords, rides for each other then that is great.