My Minimalist Experiment: Wrap-up

Source/Pinterest

 

 

It's been a month since I met The Minimalists in person and decided to play the minimalist game, so let's cut to the chase here and see how I did.  Reading Everything That Remains and hearing the authors speak ignited a growing spark in me to consider all the 'stuff' that was currently taking up more than its fair share of space in my life.  In reality, I had been thinking about some of the principles of minimalism, without relating them to that movement, since my life changed last year.  For the past year and a half I have been living more simply due mainly to financial reasons.  I also feel that I've been living much more deliberately than I had been for many years, since I'm no longer spending 10+ hours a day doing work that completely conflicted with my own personal values.

 

If you'll recall, the game goes like this:  On Day 1 of the month, you toss/donate/recycle 1 item in your abode.  On Day 2, two things must go.  One Day 3, three things get tossed; and so on and so forth, until the last day of the month.  I was never any good at math so I'm not even going to attempt to add up how many items that equals (1+2+3+4+....29+30), but it's gotta be in the millions right?!  Or maybe hundreds, I don't know.  I was so excited for this little game that I told my mom about it and she decided to play along for a couple days!  Hahaha.  We even texted each other back and forth for a few days announcing what we were getting rid of that day.

 

On Day 1 I was raring to go.  I went overboard that day and got rid of a lot more than 1 item from my kitchen.  Day 2 came and I got rid of 2 pairs of old running shoes.  On Day 3 I cleared out 3 pairs of running shorts.  On Day 4 I decided to tackle some of the many errant cat toys strewn about my apartment (I mean I didn't want the cats to feel left out of this game!).  I can't remember what I got rid of on Day 5.  On Day 6 I got rid of 6 sweaters as I was packing away my winter clothes (yeah, super late I know).  Annnnnnnnnd, that's when I stopped keeping count.  It became increasingly difficult for me to carve out time at the end of each day to devote to purging.  I didn't stop all together, but I definitely stopped doing the exercise daily. 

 

One weekend I decided to tackle my closet, which I hadn't really cleaned out in probably 2 years.  I didn't even get through all of it, but I managed to fill 3 large bags with clothing that I donated to Goodwill, plus 3 more bags that I am going to consign (articles of clothing that still have tags on them and I've never worn?!).  All told, I would say I probably rid myself of a good 60-70 articles of clothing!  That sounds like a lot right?  But somehow my closet is still so FULL.  Behold:

 

 

Why does 1 little human have all this clothing?!  I have no clue.  When I had more disposable income I would shop out of boredom or for fun.  Such a waste of time and money I tell ya.  [I read somewhere that most people wear just 20% of their wardrobe 80% percent of the time, and that feels completely accurate to me.]

 

It was after this closet cleaning bonanza that I completely lost steam so I know I definitely did not get rid of hundreds of things as per the game. 

 

I'm glad this game kick started my apartment de-junking process because it's something I always want to do, but rarely get around to.  Eventually I am going to want to move (location still TBD) and when I do, I want to take as little with me as possible.  It's amazing the amount of stuff I've accumulated over the past 10 years and I am just 1 person!  And most of it is just that - stuff that is not particularly useful, nor beautiful.  Things that don't bring me joy, nor use on a daily basis. 

 

[I think it's important to note here that I realize how blessed and privileged I am to live in a country and be in a position where having too much is my biggest problem.  Let's be real, for most of the world's population, "minimalism" is simply a way of life forced upon them due to poverty, oppression, war, or worse.]

 

The end result of this experiment was positive, but it also made me see just how hard going completely minimalist would be.  I mean the parting with objects was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be, yet, it seems we are trapped in an endless cycle of accumulating more.  With the onslaught of advertising and media everywhere you look in modern day America, it becomes almost impossible to not feel like you 'need' the latest this or that that is being presented to you.  There is probably rarely a day that goes by that you don't purchase something.  Whether it's a coffee on the way to work, or some random crap from Target you pick up on the way home.  Every time you walk back in your door, you are probably bringing something into it that wasn't there before.  This is just how American culture is today, and unless you're isolated both physically and electronically I think it's really hard to escape those materialistic impulses. 

 

There's lots more work to be done on the home front here, but learning about the minimalist movement has been yet another insightful stop-over on this winding road trip that has become the vehicle to redefining how I want to live my life.

 

Speaking of going minimalist, I am headed out early tomorrow morning for a week of camping in the wilds of Missouri with my sister and her family.  So I won't have access to a computer and thus won't be blogging for a week.  I may update Instagram or Twitter occasionally, probably with endless pictures of my niece and nephew, but mostly I'll be enjoying a break from social media and instead soaking up all Mother Nature has to offer.  Catch you on the flipside :)

 

 

Here are a few other minimalist blogs I'm now following on BlogLovin' if you're interested:

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/

http://zenhabits.net/

 

 

 

How often do you clear clutter out of your living space?

 

Would you ever go entirely Minimalist?!

 



The Minimalists - Living More, With Less

This past Wednesday evening I took the opportunity to attend a book signing at The Ivy Bookshop here in Baltimore with these guys - Minimalists and authors, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus.  Meeting someone who you know only by the words they've written is always so awe-inspiring to me, and they did not disappoint.

Truth be told, I had just recently been introduced to these two, and I can't even remember how I stumbled upon them and their second joint book, Everything That Remains, but the Minimalist lifestyle has intrigued me for some time.  After having read this book, I am eager to read more first-hand experiences of other minimalists who the authors name as influencers in their journey. 

Signed!

This book is a 'memoir' of sorts and documents Joshua's journey to becoming minimalist and why and how he felt the need to embrace this new lifestyle.  After noticing a visible transformation in his friend, Ryan became interested in Josh's lifestyle change and also decided to become minimalist. 

What really resonated with me about their story was that both men previously worked in corporate America and it was their disillusionment and feelings that that world no longer aligned with their personal values that led them to minimalism.  That couldn't be closer to my truth at this point in my life.  Everything that Joshua talks about in the book, the thoughts that living the 'American Dream' wasn't his dream after all could have come directly from my own mind over the past several years.  Both worked their way up through the ranks of their company, and with every promotion and new raise, felt 'happiness' was closer and closer at hand.  Except that it never came.  The more they earned, the more they spent, in pursuit of fulfillment, acceptance and success.  They were climbing a ladder with no end in sight, as so many Americans do.  They became slaves to consumerism and mindless spending and were literally working their lives away. 

When Joshua's mother died and his marriage ended in the same month, he decided his life needed to change and stumbled upon this movement called Minimalism through a random Twitter message and something about it just clicked. 

In person the guys were really personable and relatable.  Ryan started by telling a little about his story and then Josh took over doing some reading from the book.  Then they segued into a Q&A session, alternating fielding questions from the audience.  At the end we had the chance to get to speak with them one on one and get our books signed.  Although I kind of stumbled over my words, I briefly told them how I've been on a similar journey since leaving corporate America and found both of them really inspiring.  Then they both hugged me (*Side note - they both really love hugging!) and we took this pic.  Truth: The world needs more people willing to hug perfect strangers. 

Instagram

 

 

I think one of the most important takeaways I got from the book and hearing the guys talk is that Minimalism isn't just about decluttering or living with less stuff.  Initially, yes, that is the start and basis of the movement.  But minimalism is also really a catalyst to a new way of living.  The point of removing all your 'stuff' is to see 'everything that remains'.  What remains will help you discover who you really are, what you really believe and value, and what you want out of life.  Ultimately, the things you value will no longer be 'things'.  For Joshua and Ryan, their lives now revolve around 5 meaningful pillars: Their Health, Relationships, Passions, Growth and Contribution.  They are able to cultivate each of these more deeply because they've removed all the superfluous, meaningless things from their lives.  They are now living more deliberately. 

 

(*I invite you to check out their blog for more info on their take on the lifestyle, a tour through a minimalist apartment, and a lot of meaningful essays on the subject.)

 

Since shedding my old identity a year ago, I've been reevaluating my life and finding out what's most important to me.  Although I'm no minimalist, I've definitely had to get by on much less than I've ever been used to.  It's been hard at times, but I know I never want to be held prisoner in a cubicle again just to support a non-meaningful consumerist lifestyle.  It really is true that you begin to see what you truly value when you remove certain things from your life. 

 

To that end, I am going to participate in a little game for the month of June drawn up by the Minimalists.  Each day I am going to rid myself of material possessions and see where I end up at the end of the month (physically, emotionally and mentally).  For directions, check out their blog post here.  Basically, you start by donating, selling, recycling or trashing 1 item on the first day of the month, 2 items on the second day of the month, 3 on the third, and so on and so forth, and try to see how far into the month you can make it!  I'm guessing by day 15 or 20 this is going to be incredibly hard!  I'm going to keep a running tab of my efforts and perhaps share them periodically on here or Instagram.  Anyone else up for the challenge?! 

 

There's so much about the Minimalist movement that speaks to me, even if I'm not sure I would ever/could ever see myself becoming that extreme.  I've shared fantasies on here of 'getting away from it all' for awhile, and recently really been feeling the urge to disconnect from social media and all the influences that come from it.  I think it'd be much easier to be minimalist in a remote location like the PCT, or the Great Sky Country of Montana (where the authors live), than in a big city, but devotees of minimalism live everywhere, in cities across America.  If anything, my exploration into this world has just reinforced what I've been trying to do this past year, in stripping down my old pacifiers to determine what I really want out of life and seeing that I definitely can make do with less.

 

"Love people and use things, because the opposite never works." ~ Joshua Fields Millburn

 

 

 

Have you ever heard of Minimalism?

What's your take?

 

Are you as star struck meeting authors in real life as I am?