A couple of years ago, while in the middle of boxing up my things and moving in with a new roommate, I found myself calling my mom and complaining to her that I was dreading the idea of moving.. again. “I have so much stuff, it’s gonna take forever to move it,” I would tell her. It’s true. You never realize just how much stuff you have until you have to pack it all up in hundreds (okay, maybe it just feels like that) of boxes and cart it to your new pad. Now, I’m your typical female. I love shoes, books, and clothes and I love shopping for shoes, books and clothes. Recently, however, I was putting away my new found purchases in my closet and realized how little space I had. This led me to rediscover the minimalist lifestyle.
Have you ever heard the saying, “Clutter holds you down”? There is a whole group of people in the world who devote themselves to this saying. These people are called minimalists.
The term minimalist, according to contributors of the Miss Minimalist blog, is defined as not just “about eliminating the physical clutter from our lives; it’s about purging the mental clutter as well.” It’s less about being clean and more about removing the unnecessary stuff; living with less.
If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking that a home with less stuff probably means less character; less what-makes-you-you. After all, what makes a home is not just the people in it, it’s their belongings. The type of furniture we use, how we choose to display trinkets from places we’ve traveled to or photos of loved ones are all choices we make that tell our guest who we are. If you were to take a picture of your home and show it to someone else, whatever is in that picture is what describes you and shows others what you’re like. So, collegiettes, you might be wondering what exactly is so great about living like a minimalist if you can’t display these things?
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For starters, let me clarify that there is no rule that says you can’t display your things, you just can’t be a pack rat! A clutter-free home means no more boxes of junk stuffed in the closets (no more, Someday, I could use this.). Less clutter means less to stress about, and really just leaves more room for you to concentrate on one particular task (like, say, studying?) and your guest to focus on one particular element of your home. A minimalist’s home is open and inviting.
“Minimalism does not mean loss, deprivation or scarcity,” says Jason Billows, author of A Practical Guide to a Minimalist Home at Stop and Breathe. “On the contrary, minimalism provides us with space and simplicity so we can enjoy more freedom, more time, more beauty and more peace in our lives.” Now who wouldn’t want to at least try a bit of minimalist inspiration after reading that?
Have you ever looked at one of those home decor magazines? The ones with beautiful photos of interior design that are so beautifully and intricately put together that they make you wonder how they could possibly exist in real life? Those houses belong to minimalists. The classic “minimalist’s home” is filled with a few pieces of classy furniture, some nice wall art, and maybe a plant or two. Realtors call this process “home staging,” which is where you turn an “okay” house into a “wow” house. Not all minimalist’s homes are “wow” houses, but they all follow this same guideline. “Your home still has character and personality, but without the clutter,” says Billows.
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Interested in adopting the minimalist lifestyle but don’t know how to start? Here a few simple changes you can make that will have you feeling relaxed and liberated in no time!
1. Be careful with what you buy during your time in college. Trust me, I know all about how those midnight Wal-Mart trips can have you suddenly diving through the $5 bin in hopes of finding that long lost favorite DVD of yours. Don’t fall into this trap! Ask yourself, Is this a need or a want? Not only will you save money, but you’ll also become a little better at mastering the art of spending money.
2. Just because someone offers you something, it doesn’t mean you have to take it. Have you ever found yourself Grandma’s latest victim of unwanted heirlooms, feeling obliged to take the music box she’s had since way back when because you feel like you can’t say no? The next time something like this happens, unless it’s something you genuinely want, feel free to say, “Thanks for the thought, Grandma, but it’s not really my taste.” This is one of the most important steps you can take for yourself. Think twice about whatever someone wants to “hand down” to you and there will be less to drop off at the Goodwill.
3. Let go of the guilt. This is something I’ve struggled with on my journey to purging. My own guilt over the endless heirlooms, unworn clothes, and under-the-bed Tupperware containers packed with unwanted gifts. What helps me? I’m slowly realizing that letting these things out into the world, where they’ll be loved and appreciated, can do more good than hoarding them away. (Plus, the temptation of being able to pack up everything in my car and take off on a moment’s notice is just too good to pass up.)
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In the words of one minimalist, “Minimalism isn’t about denying or loosing, it is about freedom, space and time.”
Be careful on your way to living like a minimalist. “Sometimes our decluttering efforts can suck the warmth out of our space. We’re so focused on elimination, that we forget about our aesthetic needs—those little visual cues that make us (and our families) feel comfortable in our homes,” Miss Minimalist says.
You can have warmth without having stuff.
Sources:
fengshui.about.com
re-nest.com
apartmenttherapy.com
kickrs.com