I am an aspiring minimalist. Heavy on the aspiring. I’m a firm believer in less is more and everything in moderation. I know I am still aspiring to practice what i preach and live the truth I am pursuing.
What is Minimalism?
There are many interpretations of this word. For me, minimalism means surrounding myself with things that I love, add value and serve a purpose. It also means being conscious of the things you surround yourself with (physical objects, people, etc.), the things you put in and on your body (what you eat, what products you use, etc.) and the thoughts you let reside in your mind.
In my experience, once your belongings and decisions are in line with your values, life gets a bit easier.
For example, as the Millennial that I am, I’d much prefer an experience over a physical item. I get a lot more out of a trip to a new destination, a dinner somewhere different out or an afternoon exploring a new park than I do from a tangible item I may or may not use on a regular basis. So for me, it doesn’t make sense to invest my time or money on acquiring possessions that provide momentary happiness and then just take up space.
But don’t get me wrong, I believe in caving to consumerism in moderation. I’m not materialistic, but I like to look and feel good. My closet is full and there’s not an empty drawer in my house, but over time, I’ve learned to more thoughtfully invest in items to add to my life. To me, it’s a quest for ‘quality over quantity.’
What are the benefits of Minimalism?
There are scientifically backed benefits to decluttering, including better concentration, increased creativity, sounder sleep and decreased stress. I can attest it works. I think more clearly when my desk is well, clear. I make outfit decisions more quickly when I can easily see what I own. And I can flow through my daily routine with ease when I know where everything “lives.”
When I first read Marie Kondo’s book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” the biggest takeaway for me was the importance of giving every item in your house a “home.” And on top of that, ensuring every item you allow in your space serves a purpose. This way, you return frequently used things to specific places. No more “where are my keys?!” panics while rushing out the door for work or and digging frustratingly through the cabinet for the rubber mitts as the veggies get a bit too toasty in the oven.
In a nutshell, living with a minimalist mentality, helps you live a simpler, happier life.
Living a Life of Less
Cleaning out closets, decluttering drawers and making tough decisions on when and what needs to go is way easier said than done. The process of removing the unnecessary from your life isn’t a quick fix solution. It requires effort, sacrifice and regular check ins.
This move to minimalism has been forced onto me as I’ve moved many times in my adult life. And now, I couldn’t imagine living another way.
One of the most freeing experiences I’ve had was living out of a small suitcase and backpack while traveling Australia and Southeast Asia. I wore the same handful of outfits for a year, my most valuable possession was my iPad, and I learned how to stretch and squeeze products to their brink. If I acquired something, like a mint green tank top, I would face the challenging decision of what to let go of, since if I physically couldn’t carry it, it couldn’t come on my journey.
My life was the most fluid it’s ever been with no long term plans or idea of where my trip would take me next. This lifestyle by design requires a minimal approach and mindset.
I’ve since let go of my beloved backpack and wouldn’t choose to live like that at this point in my life. However, I continue to embrace the power of less.
One ah ha moment I had a few years ago was when I was shopping for a new dresser to fit into my 600 square foot studio apartment in Charlotte. My growing athleisure apparel was piling up and needed a home. A friend that lived truly minimally pointed out that I don’t need more storage, I needed less stuff. As we counted the 40+ sweaters hanging in my closet (most of which I hadn’t worn in years), I conceded and re-evaluated my “stuff” situation, leading to a hefty purge rather than a purchase.
How to Live like Marie Kondo
It’s amazing how much we, as privileged Americans, consume and collect. Alex, Shadow and I moved cross-country just two years ago, and in that short time, we’ve already filled all available shelves and drawers.
Over MLK Day weekend, we held a “Winter Reset” where we detoxed our bodies at an infrared sauna, purged our belongings through an intense closet cleanout and set our intentions for the upcoming year though some self reflections, vision boarding and goal setting. Essentially, we “Marie Kondo-d” ourselves and our apartment.
The fact that Marie Kondo is mainstream and turning into a verb sparks so much joy in me.
If you haven’t seen this delicate smiley organizing queen’s wildly popular show Tidying Up on Netflix, add it to your queue. She helps people regain control over lives by transforming their homes from chaotic to peaceful.
Her process, the KonMari method, is simple but indeed life changing. Her schtick is that everything you own should “spark joy” and her method helps you decide what to keep.
She recommends a specific approach, tidying up by type of item instead of location. You start with clothing, then books, then documents, then miscellaneous items and lastly mementos. For each focus area, you put everything of that type in a giant pile in the center of a room to confront all your stuff. Next, you pick up each item one-by-one and reflect on if it sparks joy. I love the way she described what this means in episode one of her new show. You can compare sparking joy to how you feel when you see a puppy #relatable.
Finally, you keep the items that make you go 😍. For everything else, you take a moment to thank the item for its service and purpose and then donate, sell or trash.
The ideal end state leaves you surrounded with all the things you love. And following the purge, you’re left with less, which then makes maintaining your newfound tidiness easier since there’s less to manage. There’s specific ways your supposed to store items, fold clothes and organize, but I’ll leave the rest for you to discover. :)
Maintaining Minimalism
As much of a believer I am of KonMari-ing, again I come back to moderation and doing what feels right for me. Maybe one day, I’ll follow her steps to the T and be even more light and tidy. Who knows, maybe we’ll end up in a tiny house. ;) But for now, I’ll continue to infuse her techniques and mentality into my life in manageable ways.
My advice to other aspiring minimalists or those seeking control over the clutter:
Start small (even just tackling one type or item or drawer a week)
Take your time (don’t rush the process)
But take responsibility (if you’ve spent half your life accumulating stuff, it will be challenging to let it go, but no one else will do it for you; well, unless you hire Marie Kondo ;))
Believe you can do it. Because you can.
Keep it simple, friends!
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