Minimalism and How It’s Shaping My Life
One person’s minimalism might be another’s frugal living, another’s owning of 100 things, and yet another’s decluttering project. Some people consider it simply a practical matter for traveling light and others consider it a matter of principle, to leave a lighter footprint on the world. Then there is minimalism and the spiritual, where eschewing material excess promotes connection with God or a higher Self or Being. There is also minimalism as an aesthetic, such as minimalist design, where the walls are white and and clutter is a sin.
Hey, I don’t know about you, but I’ve got all of the above going on to one extent or another, in aspiration if not yet in practice. In my case, it wasn’t intentional–I didn’t wake up one day and say, I’m going to be a minimalist. It was a natural progression from one thing to another, as the benefits of every step toward some element of minimalism had a ripple effect. This seems to be a very common experience, and one whose time seems to have come for the world at large, not just for a few of us.
Some say that everyone is born a minimalist; it’s culture that makes us think we want more than we really need. I wondered if there were any signs of the future minimalist in my personal history, but there are precious few:
Mom said I started talking at 6 months but didn’t bother to start walking until 15 months old, happy as a clam with whatever toy was nearby and if one wasn’t, to watch the world around me and make observations. I liked all my vegetables, too. I balked at putting toys away.
The most intense memories of preschool years were playing with a random handful of very small toys when visiting relatives or riding in the car–that’s when my imagination would take over and I’d get really zoned. I also become hooked on Bugs Bunny cartoons and drawing landscapes on a chalkboard in the kitchen and making up stories about what was happening in different houses and trees. I balked at putting toys away.
In grade school I loved to climb a cherry tree and sit up in it and read. I rigged a small basket to a jump rope tied to a branch so I could haul up a book or notebook and pencil, some candy, a small pillow, and the toy du jour. It was total bliss, and was especially fun when my cat would climb up and join me. After an accident in which I fell on a metal potholder weaving loom in my room and had to have stitches in my knee (and put a big dent in my tree-climbing for a while), I got a lot better about putting toys away.
The next fifteen years were pretty much standard-issue American female stuff, fashion and hair and car and first apartments. The part that stands out is a semester in a dorm room (after some major personal and domestic upheaval) with just a bed, desk, chair, my easel and art supplies, textbooks, and a handful of clothes, monastic by my standards then. It was probably the most productive few months of that entire period. The memory of how focused I was and how safe and comfortable in my own skin is still vivid, 33 years later. Too bad I didn’t take a hint from it at the time.
The following 25 years were buy, work, buy more, buffering social and personal insecurities with the fashionable or the trendy, or attempting a fantasy romantic lifestyle of flourishing gardens, beautiful interiors, marvelous objets d’art, swooshy clothes, etc. Occasionally there were purges, during moves or more personal upheavals, but I’d always fall back into old habits, even as I tried to make my life about something more, and go on shopping sprees, especially redecorating sprees. Nuts.
Not a very encouraging number of examples–I honestly couldn’t think of more. It’s in recent years that I kinda hit the wall:
With the past few years came health problems, and their attendant impact on finances and energy. Then came local economic impact, restricting employment and increasing cost of living. We downsized house and possessions and many activities. Even then, old habits and preferences wanted to pop up, such as my desire to transplant all my perennials from the old house to the new one. We gave everything our best shot after the national economy tanked, with more investment of time, energy, and money (and acquisition of work-related goods). The economy changed other people, too, and oftentimes I did not like what I would see. At the same time I noticed I was not feeling particularly deprived, but I was still very worried.
Then finally sheer disgust with it all welled up in me and burst. It was like shattering walls of opaque glass, being able to see what was going on with me, and with the world around me, the cultural and market-driven conditioning. I stopped feeling afraid and insecure and manipulated by the economy. I recognized the weak-mindedness of inherited Victorian-era sentimentality and stopped needing to hang onto the craziest crap as if it somehow affirmed that I existed the day before yesterday or the decade before last. We established a rock-bottom budget and stuck to it. I stopped Playing House and buying shit just because it was cute or because I was bored, and the same with clothes. Abundance and a rich life started taking on a whole ‘nother sensibility.
This burst of awareness was more spiritual and psychological than simply exasperation at having too much stuff, because we’d already gotten rid of a lot of things before we moved here. A fundamental, seismic shift took place inside of me and I started seeing everything in my life from a new perspective: does it serve? Does it suit? Is it working? Is it honest? It is relevant? I saw that I was still trying to live life on terms that not only no longer worked but they weren’t very good terms to start with. It was time to get real, on all fronts.
I started by uncluttering my closet, then the basement, because that was the most immediate and practical expression of what I was experiencing. And oh, did it feel good! The residual effects were so great it was natural I would then tackle my working life, and I proceeded to turn that on its head as well. Then I looked at the way we cooked and ate and made huge (and yet inexpensive) changes in the kitchen, simplifying both the space and the process. My husband, somewhat skeptical at first, became convinced I wasn’t just going through a phase and is totally on board, helping me with every single bit of it and taking on the parts I can’t handle anymore, like the garden and of course the heavy lifting. Things are no longer fraught.
We aren’t done yet, but every time we unclutter, streamline, simplify, and rethink our expenditure of time, energy, and money, there’s so much more freedom and breathing space. The time and effort to remove things we no longer use or need is time well spent, and puts our possessions at a comprehensible level, which makes for a tremendous reduction in stress. It’s as if we make better decisions now, and life in general is more centered. The house is cleaner and better-maintained. We aren’t owned by our stuff, we aren’t owned by marketers. To hell with ‘em. And we aren’t afraid of the economy or of the future, because we have faced down those fears and realized we will keep on keeping on no matter how things turn out.
As I sit here at the dining room table writing this, I can see plenty of little things in the room that I can get rid of and wouldn’t miss. But there’s enough space and serenity that I also won’t get in a twist if it isn’t dealt with soon. Our stuff is now reduced to a level where it isn’t taking up too much of our thoughts, let alone our space, and that’s another kind of minimalism–uncluttered, unstressed internal space. It gives us more room inside ourselves for the good things like creativity and gratitude.
Minimalism, then, is a state of mind, a point of view, a practice. It has manifested itself in my life in the form of fewer possessions, less clutter, frugal living, less waste of any kind, streamlined use of space, uncluttered personal schedule, a tiny new business, better care of my health, a cleaner house, better use of free time, and has opened the possibility of even more positive changes as we go along the path. It’s given my husband and me a shared focus that works for us both, and has had a marvelous centering effect on our lives. We still have a long way to go–there are still things left over from my former business to get rid of, we will have to decide what to do about our vehicles (we really only need one, but doing without any is impossible where we live), and there are still some books and boxes of stuff to deal with, although not so many anymore. A single point of view affects all these aspects of life. Another minimalist might come into my home and consider it a cluttered and self-indulgent place, and yet another might wonder what we’ve done with important “essentials,” or that we are still leaving too large an ecological footprint. To them I say, it’s a path. It doesn’t end. It’s a way of being, a practice. I’ve even gotten better about putting toys away, too.
That’s my take on minimalism, and that’s how I got there.
What’s your take, and how did you get there? I would love to know 
Check out my other blog: Minimalist Cooking
36 Responses to “Minimalism and How It’s Shaping My Life”
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Hi Meg,
I like this post very, very much – it feels familiar and inspiring (tweeted it). I’m just moving and in a process of decluttering outside and inside, with focus on minimalizing my life – not as a must but a deep desire. Your website is appealing and a joy to visit! All the best for you …
Kind regards from
Christine (North Germany)
Thank you, Christine! It’s a wonderful experience to peel off the cocoon of stuff and feel as free as a butterfly. When it is done, as you say, not as a must but a deep desire, that’s the real thing. Best of luck during your move, hope everything goes smoothly
Excellent post Meg. I think I’d like to reread this in a quieter spot later today and absorb more of what you’re saying. I understand exactly where you are and where you’re coming from.
Thanks, Willow! I find it harder to write the longer posts. I’ve added one last line to it just now, which is to invite readers to tell me their take on minimalism and how they got there, too. Would dearly love to have your input
Meg, I’m on vacation right now (again) and my mind is twirling with so much. When I return home, I hope to set down in writing what’s been happening in my mind. However, I could just say ‘ditto’ to your post and be pretty close to our experience.
I agree with Willow, excellent post Meg! A beautiful, honest, uplifting story of your journey so far. I am on the same journey, in some ways a little different but in many ways just the same. I am enjoying riding along with you evern though we are miles/continents appart.
Colleen recently posted..Day 224 Stationary declutter
I really do think there is a wising-up movement afoot in the larger world, and it’s manifesting home by home, person by person. Do you ever think of the larger economic impact if enough of us do this? If we put a different value on our time relative to our things, there would probably not be a more effective way to exert a huge economic change, an equalizing one, across the whole world. Let’s see, what was the definition of utopia again….
Wow, I love how you kick ass, take responsibility, and offer up different ways of being minimalist, all in one engaging story. My favourite part is when you say, “I stopped Playing House and buying shit just because it was cute or because I was bored” — bravo! I have way to much shit, but I’m working towards not accumulating more, getting rid of what’s in the way and getting my own minimalist groove on. Thanks for further inspiration. Great post!
Katie recently posted..A Simple Guide to Gathering More Energy
Hey, girl, anything to help another along the way
I think the lighter our possessions, the more likely the levitation will happen, hmmm? ;D
Gosh I enjoyed this SO SO much and I am filled with guilt. I don’t have any junk but I have NICE stuff that I love – and you are right in how it can take possession of your comfort zone and your happiness or your peace of mind! My favorite: “I recognized the weak-mindedness of inherited Victorian-era sentimentality and stopped needing to hang onto the craziest crap as if it somehow affirmed that I existed the day before yesterday or the decade before last.” – you are a beautiful writer with an outstanding voice. I am so happy Katie tweeted you so I found you, thank you Meg!~
Farnoosh recently posted..10 Smart Questions to Ask before Choosing your Next Language
Thank you, Farnoosh–I am overwhelmed by your praise, honestly. Just glad, actually that it makes sense
About the nice stuff–I’m always seeing nice stuff wherever I go, and still have many nice things, but the shift is now preferring the niceness of space to the niceness of the things. That point is different for each of us.
I am very familiar with your site and am glad you found mine
Bravo! Awesome post Meg. Loved this: “To them I say, it’s a path. It doesn’t end. It’s a way of being, a practice.” That’s exactly the way I see it to.
Betty Jo recently posted..following my passion
Oh goody, I’m glad you liked it, Betty Jo! Thought it was about time I posted my own definition of minimalism.
And your new blog is GORGEOUS–so glad you have created an online blog/gallery for your photography.
Thanks Meg. Yes, it’s about time I got around to doing a photo blog. Friends have asked me to but I simply haven’t had the time. Still don’t but it was one of those things that I simply needed to move to the forefront. I’m truly glad I did. Now if I can just figure out how to make income from my passion.
Betty Jo recently posted..following my passion
hi meg,
wonderful post. i love it.
the single idea that drove and still drives hubby and i on our mission to simplify our lives is to return to our teenage years. we met at 17 and our lives were uncluttered, free and fun. we lived in a small house with the essentials. i loved taking care of that little place. everything came from thrift stores/garage sales. i cherished everything. then came 3 boys and the house grew and so did the responsibilities. and i loved it all. then all the boys grow up and leave and you think am i going to take care of this big house forever? no. so we return to our happy roots. our debt is such that one of us could work a minimum wage job and it would be enough. that’s a good feeling. we are still simplifying every day, like you say, it is a process. a lot of people think i’m a minimalist but i’m not. i love pretty, useful things. i never tire of them. but i know when is enough for me. this is our journey and i’ve never been one to follow rules/dictates. i consider myself rich beyond measure. my bankbook would not agree with that statement but i no longer care about things like that. so that is my story. aren’t you glad you asked!
~janet
Of course I’m glad I asked, Janet! You’ve pointed out many similarities and the simplifying one is key, the way it frees the mind and the budget. Re lovely things: I’ve always loved rabbits and rabbit iconography, and amassed quite a collection over the years. I’m in the process of paring it down, just keeping the ones I like best, but not eliminating them. This way I have the pleasure of expressing a personal quirk without looking like I’m the Rabbit Museum or caring for a big collection I haven’t space to display. It turned out to be really easy–except for a large papier-maiche rabbit I made 22 years ago. It really ought to have a funeral, complete with cremation, yet I’m seriously considering rehabilitating it and propping it up in my otherwise uncluttered studio as a sort of muse
Go figure!
This was such an awesome read, Meg! I love how you do things on your own terms and follow what feels right in your heart.
I do think we’re pulled into simplifying as we get older. In my little world, I’m finding that there’s so much I’ve been able to do without for a number of years and I’m just not easily hooked in by the newfangled things. At some point, too much stuff is distracting, or worse, suffocating.
Thanks for the inspiration.
My husband thinks that growing older lends itself to simplifying, too, and being less manipulated by marketing and trends. I haven’t seen evidence of it yet in a lot of the mid-50′s women I know. That might be specific to my little world, though.
Thanks so much stopping by!
Honest and inspiring words. I like reading your personal anecdotes because I enjoy looking at the minimalism topic from an older perspective. You really showed the transition from yourself as a young girl to current time. I like how you mention yourself as a student in college and feeling the most confident and assured when you had the least stuff during your time of upheaval. The Snowball Effect you describe rings true. One aspect of minimalism leads to the next and so on and each contains their own valuable aspects.
Reggie recently posted..Television Free Minimalism Week
Yeah, there’s nothing like getting to be an old bat to get the gumption to let ‘er rip, hahaha! Of course, age is relative and I find myself utterly inspired by all you younger minimalists. I do think that if this kind of community were in my radar back in college, I would have found the support and definition I needed to continue on that path. Live & learn.
This is great! You know what they say, the cluttering of your mind manifests as the cluttering of your living space. I’m trying to get rid of stuff at home right now, and when I move to the states for college in three weeks, I’m definitely going to work on streamlining my life there. I feel like its almost a natural tendency to be minimalist, a progression from thinking about what you really need in life.
Yu recently posted..Dreaming of Drugs
Thanks, Yu! Yes, a cluttered mind manifests as a cluttered space, but once you get the idea of uncluttering, clearing out the space really speeds up the process of clearing up the mind. I am still amazed at how it happened. Best of luck at school–it will be interesting to see if uncluttering has an effect on the quality of your academic experience.
What a thoughtful post!
I just found your site, I look forward to reading more!
Annie recently posted..How to Make Biscuits for One or Two
Thank you, Annie, and welcome!
Meg,
I think your line from this post that struck me most profoundly is “Things are no longer fraught.” That is simply and profoundly what it feels like to shed the weight of stuff.
“Things are no longer fraught.” Love it!
Thanks, Lisa! It is a huge, huge thing when this simplifying stuff sinks in on a profound level, isn’t it?
Thanks so much for stopping by
minimalism to me is the ability to live an unencumbered spirit.
one can have nothing but still have an enthusiastic spirit.
like a single candle, burning brightly.
great flame here.
pve
Well said!
Hi Meg. I just found your blog and I’m so glad that I did! I’ve been reading other blogs about minimalism, and while I’ve learned a lot, I can’t always relate to their 20-something, live-out-of-a-backpack lifestyle. My husband and I have a fairly small home with all the usual stuff. Even though we didn’t have piles of junk everywhere, I am amazed at the amount of things I have taken to the thrift store to donate — and I still have so much more to do! I give a little cheer every time I unload it all and drive away — what a relief it is to let go of it all! I look forward to reading more from you!
Welcome Michelle, and I’m like you, always amazed at the size of the pile heading to the thrift store. Just about the time I think I’ve gotten it all, there’s more spontaneously generating, and I’m not shopping anymore, either. Weird!
I agree with Michelle, you’re a welcome relief from the minimalist blogs of young singles. Having over 55 years to accummulate stuff and habits and living through several generations and ideals, along with entering a new phase in our lives is unique to us baby boomer chicks. I had to hunt deep to find you, so glad I didn’t give up.
Hi, Dee! Very glad you found me, and glad to hear from another baby boomer chick
I’m getting a new lease on life from detaching from stuff, feeling a little lighter each step of the way. Now that I’m done launching my cookbook, I will be writing more of my regular posts (thank heavens).
I’m glad I found your site! I was hoping to find the insight of someone who was going through the journey of discovery that it takes to go down a new road after a lifetime of consumer excess, although after exploring minimalism and frugal living online, I am glad to see that there are so many young people intent on living a simpler life with a smaller footprint (I’m sure I’ve been a stellar example of a wasteful life). I’ve found myself drawn to minimalism as I’ve gone through the process of shedding debt and ridding myself of an excess of things that was bordering on being an out-of-control hoard. A few years ago, after a New Year’s resolution to face my finances, I realized I could no longer justify the dream of a house (30 year mortgage at 55?; no savings, debt – what was I thinking), and really didn’t needed more space than I already had. I started selling things – timely, as I was laid off (have since found a job). I’m so much happier with what I have now, and can breathe easier after letting the house dream go along with the stuff. I know I’m not done yet – and I can hardly wait ‘til the debt is gone. Sites like yours inspire me to look down that road to a better way to live. Thanks!
Welcome, Lian! It really is hard to be 55 and know that the old dreams or old expectations can no longer apply. But it’s not the end of the world if you take yourself out of that old way of thinking and live life as it really is, as who you really are, and not according to an outdated set of expectations. At our time of life, it really is a Brave New World, isn’t it?
I just re-read this post… and it hit me, it’s not only physical space I crave, or space in my life – it’s space between my thoughts!
Minimalist Wannabe recently posted..Cohabitation- Respect is Key- but
I am living with less for similar reasons as you – budget, ease of cleaning, spirituality, carbon footprint concerns.
When I got Ra in 2007, I didn’t put together in my heart how that would change household stuff. I was dealing with no energy to work or travel. But your post added that dimension to my health care, less stuff=less drain on my limited energy.
Thanks