For awhile now, I have been exploring and contemplating pursuing extreme minimalism. What does it look like compared to my current minimalist lifestyle and is it worth pursuing?
To my surprise I have found that in many areas of my life I am already what some would consider quite ‘extreme’. Yet if you looked around our home you may find it to be simple and perhaps a typical minimalist aesthetic with a lot of white, some bare walls and clear surfaces. The difference is probably within my personal items vs our family spaces. We are a family of 4 and so there are toys, books, paperwork, homeschooling supplies and my husband’s tech and gadgets. In regards to my own belongings I am quite minimal and realising more and more that I really don’t need a lot to be content. Hence my interest in pursuing extreme minimalism.
Naturally minimalist
I may not have written much about my minimalist journey from earlier in my life but I have always lived very frugally and lightly. Looking back to my life prior to getting married, I had my own room at home and it never occurred to me that it was minimalist or that my lifestyle was minimalist, simple or frugal. I guess it was not a popular lifestyle back then! My room was a cream colour, with no pictures on the walls. A frameless bed, a set of drawers with nothing much on top of it and nothing much inside as I had a built in closet as this home. Clothes were few and I barely thought about buying stuff. My only weakness would have been books since there was a Christian bookstore next to my work at the time. Prior to that I went to the library.
Fast forward to marriage and our first daughter, I had an intense longing for living with less and I still do today. There is no reason that one needs to accumulate more than necessary if that is their desire and it does not affect those around them. Of course there will be an ebb and flow as we pass through different seasons of life and that’s okay. The more I look at extreme minimalism or as some might call it ‘essentialism’, I am realising how freeing it is. While minimalism offers many benefits, to me, extreme minimalism offers even more.
Rather than just decluttering and getting rid of the excess, I am able to consider and re-define what is actually necessary for me to be content. That most likely won’t make sense to others but again, that’s okay.
Some questions I ask as I work on pairing down:
-If I moved would I want to take this with me?
-Do I use this item on a daily/weekly basis?
-Would I buy this again?
-Could I live without this?
-Do I want to look after this item, ie; manage it?
-What is the message this item is telling me? (From Fumio Sasaki of ‘Goodbye things’.
-Is one enough?
Also I keep this verse in mind when I am reducing items.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, a]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1. Timothy 6:7-8
Let’s take a look at each question:
If I moved would I take this item with me?
If I am questioning whether I would be willing to pack an item and take it with me on a move, then chances are I don’t really need the item now. It’s unlikely to be a necessity or hold much value hence I would be hesitant to take it with me so it may be something to let go of. Early last year we moved interstate after 10 years in the same home. It really helped me to go that bit further in my minimalist journey only keeping which I really needed or cherished.
Do I use this item on a daily/weekly basis?
Depending on the category or room, I like to set boundaries on deciding what stays and goes. I.e, In the kitchen an item needs to be used at a weekly minimum. I don’t keep occasional kitchen items as it’s just not worth the space. I can always borrow a one-off type item if I need it. Toiletries or skincare must be used daily except for more seasonal things like sunscreen. Setting a limit by how often an item is used means that most of my items are used regularly so there is no clutter or stagnant stuff hanging around.
Would I buy this again?
Sometimes we are given or acquire an item that we only kind of like or use. Asking ourselves whether we would be willing to buy an item again helps us to realise how important an item is or not. That usually helps ease any anxiety with letting it go.
Could I live without this?
One of my favourite decluttering questions! Since I am seeking to live with only the things I truly want or need, then asking if I could live without this really helps define if it’s a want, a need or just clutter. Also an item may be a want but if I could happily or comfortably go without an item then why not just let it go. It’s amazing how little we need to be content.
Do I want to look after this item, ie; manage it?
Another good question to ask. Seeking a more simple and meaningful life means we need to let go of the things that are taking us away from that. Managing and taking care of items we rarely use is such a waste of our precious time and maybe money. There is an idea about viewing our stuff within our home as inventory. The less inventory you have to manage, the easier life will be. This begs the question,
Do you own your stuff, or does your stuff own you?
What is the message this item is telling me? (From Fumio Sasaki of ‘Goodbye things’.
According to Fumio Sasaki of ‘Goodbye things’, our stuff is sending us messages. As I looked around my own home I really understood what he was saying. Un-read books said, “you need to read me”. Clothing-“you need to fix me, you haven’t worn me”. Craft and unfinished projects cried, “Im still waiting to be finished!” And on and on!
What if the items in our home were more kind to us? Or we only kept what supported our life and served us right where we are? Maybe right now isn’t the season to be trying new hobbies or learning new skills. Those books sitting on our shelf waiting to be read probably weren’t read because there was something about them we just didn’t like?
We tend to feel guilty for not tending to the many items we intended on completing or caring for. The reality is that we are not meant to be thinking about and dealing with so many material objects. We need to let a lot of it go.
Is one enough?
Marketing tells us if one is good, more is better. Is that really true? For most items, have one good quality piece is well and truly enough. Choosing quality over quantity can be a wonderful benefit of being minimalist. I find it truly satisfying to use an item to it’s full capacity and then replace it. This usually takes years. I’m still working on this but it is my goal to have only one of most things.
Finally as I reflect upon the above verse from 1 Timothy 6:7-8, I have these thoughts,
For we brought nothing into this world, a]and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 1. Timothy 6:7-8
Holding onto useless possessions only hinders our life journey and possibly eternity. This verse seems quite extreme, ‘having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. I view material items as tools to be used in this life, remembering that we cannot take them with us at the end. What tools we need will differ from person to person and within the various seasons we are in. I continue to find that I need very little personal belongings to be content and perhaps a bit more to care for my family.
Pursuing extreme minimalism is truly freeing. To let go of the excess, the surplus, the non-essentials. To find the balance of enough.
I hope this post inspires you and gives you the courage to let go of more and enjoy living with less.