essentialism

Pursuing extreme minimalism

~ Megan

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.

Living with the essentials-one simple question to ask

~ Megan

If you are already living a minimalist lifestyle and want to take things to the next level by living with the essentials, then there is one simple question to ask that can help you to reduce your belongings even further…

Can I live without this?

It may seem too simple but it works. If living with the essentials is your goal, then asking if you can live without this item can help clarify what you really need and what you don’t. As I continue on in my minimalist journey I am amazed how little I need to live a happy and comfortable life. I continue to whittle down in each area always asking if I would miss an item if I got rid of it and if it’s really essential to my daily needs.

Blocks to decluttering

During my minimalist journey I have come across a few stumbling blocks when decluttering. The main I had was finding future use out of something. We can be really creative when it comes to decluttering, coming up with all kinds of reasons why we will use something in the future. It is true, it may be useful and even serve a purpose now. However if i am not using this often enough then it is not really essential to my life. So I now ask this one simple question. Can i live without this?

Of course if something is essential and makes my life easier then i won’t get rid of it. Such as i could live without a washing machine if i really had to, but I choose to have one because it makes my life much more efficient by having one.

By asking if i can live without this? I am able to really cut through how important the item really is to me. It is easier for me to evaluate the importance of the item in question. It has enabled me to reduce my belongings considerably. I now realise that I actually use and enjoy only a small proportion of items in my daily life. Other things are just not essential and i won’t miss them if they are gone. In fact i will gain a-lot by letting go of the excess.

Often we hold onto things out of fear. Fear we will miss them or need them in the future. Fear that it will change our lives by not having them. The reality however is that we need very little to function and be content in our lives.

The key is contentment

The key is contentment. If we can be content with little, then we won’t need to worry about the extras that actually hinder us. Finding contentment with the simple things in life is a journey in itself. We are bombarded with so many messages that tell us we should want more. If we can stop listening to advertising and their false messages, then we can start to enjoy what we already have. We will come to a true understanding of what’s important to us personally.

What are the benefits of living with the essentials?

I have already mentioned that keeping the excess may hinder us, so what are the benefits to reducing to the minimum?

Time: Well for each of us it will look different. For me, the more I reduce the more time I have. Less time managing stuff means more time for the more important things. Being with and caring for my family. Reading, writing. My Faith. Health and other important things to me.

Less stress: Too much stuff equals chaos=stress. A calm and orderly home and life is a minimalist goal of mine. That reduces my stress level considerably. My family is also less stressed when things are running smoothly. It is important to realise that minimalism isn’t only about physical items but about reducing all of the excess such as a busy schedule and too many obligations. By reducing the unimportant tasks we will automatically reduce our stress and increase our time.

Flexibility: When stuff isn’t weighing us down and controlling our life then we have the flexibility to move lightly. Not only can we move home or travel more easily but we have the ability to take on opportunities that we normally wouldn’t because we have this stuff that some how holds us back. Think about how you would react if you suddenly needed or wanted to move, travel, take on a new job or do something completely different as a family. Maybe you want to open up your home to others. Would your thoughts turn to your stuff? How you would deal with it or how it is a problem? I know that for me the thought of moving had always made me cringe. Not because we were hoarders but it was just not simple or easy.

A clean home: This may be obvious but by keeping only the essentials, your home will be so easy to keep clean and tidy. Organising is simple because there is very little to organise in the first place. Not having to move around ornaments and ‘extras’ makes cleaning a breeze. I know that this has been a game changer for those who struggled with housework.

Mental rest: This ties in with less stress but have you ever thought about the impact that clutter and just stuff has on our brains? There are many studies on the effects but I will keep this simple but saying that our stuff demands our attention. Paperwork that we haven’t dealt with. Un-read books. Un-finished projects waiting for us to complete. Damaged clothing waiting to be repaired. Items that need dusting. It all requires a response from us. Even avoiding our stuff takes mental energy from us. Once we reduce to the minimum we have more clarity. Rest for our brains. I have found i am also sensitive to visual clutter. Too many patterns, colors and pictures on walls makes me tired. For the majority of us, a minimalist clean room helps us to unwind and relax.

By asking if you can live without this, you can also be reminded of what you will gain. The more i let go of non-essentials, the more confidence I get in living with less. I realise that my life will be easier and that if I do happen let go of an item that i may later need. It will be okay. Most things are replaceable. When it comes to my belongings, what i need to live a happy life is very little.