How Minimalism Enables You to Have More of What Matters
I’ve learned, 99% of the things we “need” we actually don’t.
When I started my journey from materialism to minimalism, I didn’t realize that minimalism can enable me to have more, but it has.
I used to own a house filled with stuff, but over the last few years, through minimalism, I’ve eliminated a lot of square footage and spending.
Now I’m saving over $1,000 a month and traveling (not during Covid) several times a year with the time and money I’ve saved.
My Minimalism Journey
For years I rented or owned multiple rooms filled with furniture for sitting, eating, laying, reading, writing, playing, creating … and those rooms needed stuff in them. Furniture, niknaks, plants, candles … just everyday consumer purchases because purchasing is what I did. It was unconscious; Saturday? Shopping. Holiday? Shopping. Vacation? Shopping. Bored? Shopping.
Each spring, I’d clean or organize all of the things I owned. I bought things to store things and installed shelves to hold the things that held the things I needed to store. A lot of time and money was spent managing all of that stuff.
My full-time shopping and acquiring hobbies meant I had a lot of stuff, but it took all my time and money. The worst part? I was bored to death.
Materialism Equaled Success, Right?
I grew up believing the most successful people had a big home and a vacation home, or two. A work car and a play car, maybe a motorcycle and clothes for every day of the week and type of activity you might ever encounter. Being able to buy stuff equaled success and I tried to be successful.
Then, one day I found myself sitting alone in a house filled with things I never used in rooms I didn’t go in except to dust. Things and shopping started to feel pointless and never-ending. I realized it was a trap; a never-ending cycle of purchase and repeat without end.
How many things had I bought and given away over the years that I couldn’t even remember? Or even rebought or bought multiples of because I didn’t remember I already owned one? Too many. All of that purchasing was mindless, unfulfilling and totally forgettable.
Instead, I decided to start living for experiences. Step one was a move out of the suburbs and into the city. Sadly, I learned I couldn’t afford a place in the city because of the space I needed for all of my stuff.
So I decided to minimize.
Now I live in just over 500 square feet and honestly, it’s more than I need and my life is fuller than it’s ever been.
All the Stuff I Got Rid Of
I started by selling and giving away everything that wasn’t essential. When you get down to it, most of the things we buy are pretty nonessential.
Waffle makers that you use once a year fall into this category, same with unused fish tanks:
- dresses two sizes too small
- cassette tapes from the 80s
- Graceland Monopoly
- the bowling ball I used once
- t-shirts and shot glasses from every place I ever visited
- souffle pans
- food processor(s)
- Hot rollers, cool rollers, curling irons (4 sizes), straightening irons (2)
- hot dog toaster(s)
- 5,000 pieces of mismatched food storage containers
- enough “African” themed niknaks to fill an entire room (I haven’t even been to Africa)
I had clothes that didn’t fit, or I didn’t like, but I’d bought them, so I felt obligated to hold on to them for a while. At one point, I had five closets of clothes and shoes I never wore.
This was why I needed so much space and had no money.
Still, I was attached. Our things hold emotions, good and bad. Letting go was the first journey I needed to take.
I couldn’t part with everything at once, so I rented a storage unit. That first year I spent $600 to store things I never looked at once. It was easier to let go of that stuff after that.
Living With Less
I mostly stopped buying things unless they were essential. I’ve traveled for weeks with only a backpack. I’ve learned, 99% of the things we “need” we actually don’t. I’ve been fine, better than fine, without things I’d thought I’d suffer without. It’s made me more creative.
It’s about being flexible. Can I use my lotion on my legs and my face? Yes. Can I wear the same pants multiple times? Yes. Do I really need this deodorant? Yes! Don’t get crazy.
Gradually, I realized there were many things I didn’t need to “own” when the sharing economy is so strong.
A sharing economy enables freedom
Driving
Because I’d moved to the city where my job was, I could walk to work, so I got rid of my car. That saved me over $700 a month ( monthly parking rates in the city will kill you).
I borrow cars with services like Zipcar. They’re app-based, affordable, and easy to use. When I don’t want to drive myself, I use Lyft or Uber.
I save a lot by not owning a car that sits unused 23 hours a day.
Books
I used to own several bookcases of books. When I put them to the Marie Kondo “spark joy” test, I found I didn’t really like most of those books.
Now I borrow digital books free from the library app. Last year I read over 80 books ( yes, you read that right) and bought less than five.
Clothes, clothes, clothes
We Americans are obsessed with “new” and “more.” As someone who works in advertising, I appreciate that you keep buying what I’m selling but shared and less are good too, probably better for lots of reasons.
I don’t buy clothes anymore except for a few well-made basics. There are so many online clothes sharing services like Gwynnie Bee, Haverdash, LeTote, Rent the Runway, and many others.
For a small fee each month, I have a selection of borrowed clothes to keep my wardrobe fresh. When I’m done wearing them, I send them back in exchange for something else.
It’s a lot less expensive than shopping, purchasing and housing a bunch of clothes I don’t like after a few wears.
I’m saving $$$$ every month
Not buying, and eliminating ownership of other things, has saved me over $1,000 each month.
Now that I’m not shopping every weekend, I have time for things I always said I didn’t have time for, like reading, writing, and exercise. And I have more money for what I really want — Travel and experiences.
Travel and Experiences
Because minimalism has taught me to live with so little, I am comfortable with only a backpack, which means I can go anywhere with ease at a moment’s notice.
This allows me to snag great deals at the last minute and never have to worry about paying to check a bag.
Instead of souvenirs, I buy experiences like ziplining, surfing, or a tour.
Maybe you can’t make all of these changes, but I bet you can do some of them.
Minimalism has led me to a lifestyle that I love. The ability to explore the world we live in, meet new people, experience other cultures and places and expand my mind and spirit.
My journey with minimalism has made my life more full than rooms filled with objects ever could. That, to me, is the definition of success.
Originally published at https://middlejourney.com on February 15, 2020.
