Anyone tried the minimalist lifestyle?

[Cataract]

Those small houses make me feel claustrophobic. I'm a hiker and love walking, so I need a lot of space even at home. I even have this dream of a house just big enough (nothing like a mansion) to have a small indoor trail with walls decorated in landscapes to go from room to room and take the long way just for kicks. As for my car, no one will keep me from having one (I definitely was a pilot in a past life) but I can understand that some people prefer to go without for various reasons. Too many cars in my way anyways

Here's my story:

I used to be a hoarder. I'd keep everything unless it was broken or completely useless. I even bought things in double and triple or more when I saw great specials. One day I decided to take the "if it hasn't been used in X amount of time, get rid of it." The first time I got rid of everything that had not been used in 2 years. I filled up at least 3 recycling containers with paper and another 2 with plastic and other items. I gave away at least 3 full garbage bags of clothes (a few brand new never worn items) and threw away at least 10 garbage bags full of old junk - and I live in a 3 1/2 apartment!. The next year I took it down to stuff that hadn't been used in a year and filled up the recycling container at least twice again and threw away another 4-5 garbage bags of junk, plus gave away another 2-3 garbage bags full to charity. I was still in the same apartment.

Ever since (about 6 years now) I take a day or two during my vacation to clean up and still usually get rid of about 2-3 garbage bags full of stuff to recycle/donate/trash. Last year it was down to 1 or 2 garbage bags. After I moved last month, I filled the trash can with old cans that were expired. Couldn't believe the date on some of that stuff (some expired in 2001!) I still have some stuff that needs to go, mostly decoration items that were cluttering the place up for nothing, and a small box for charity. Just before the move, I spent a lot of money in tote containers and started organizing my tools and cleaning stuff. That took a while, but now I can actually enter and close the door in the storage closet, plus those were boxes that didn't need to be done or undone anymore. As a technician I do have most tools required for car maintenance and a lot of products for maintenance, but that's part of who I am.

I still have some leftovers from the hoarding days, but only what I call "semi-consumables": 14 towels (7 are now rags) 3 pairs of hiking boots (upgrades of upgrades, but one pair is replacing my 2 dead pairs of winter boots) 5 sets of bed sheets (2 sets given to charity), jackets for all and I mean ALL weather and temperature imaginable (anyone wants to buy my leather jacket?), 2 drawers full of t-shirts, a drawer full of socks and another one for undies and I might be forgetting a few items. BUT... this is all stuff that actually gets used and basically saves me money by keeping it as I know they will need to be replaced at some point, so as one wears out, another one gets worn more often. I do have to think of something useful for the 4 extra backpacks that rarely see any use, though. BTW, if you think I spent a lot of money on those, all had been bought at an average of 60% rebate, so I'm actually saving money by keeping these.

Most of the reclaimed space has been filled with useful hobby items though: hiking equipment, sowing machine, leather work accessories, etc. I don't use those very often, but those things do save me money as I often make useful things that help organize stuff. Well, the hiking equipment helps on fitness and spare time only, but I don't plan on quitting hiking anytime soon.

So, I am not a real minimalist, but I do what I can and sure do appreciate the absence of useless junk. I do still hoard toilet paper, tissue boxes, toothbrushes and all sorts of toiletries. I think that's a minimalistic use of time as I don't have to shop for those every month

 

[Isabella80]

I used to be really sentimental about things. Apparently, I just couldn't think about throwing away things that were bought for money and wasn't broken or hopelessly damaged. Besides, a pile of stuff that I've collected looked really threatening and I couldn't force myself to free some space. I actually started with my old CDs and games that I stored from my school years. Most of them weren't encrypted so Daemon Tools helped me copy them on my external hard drive and get rid of dozens of boxes. I didn't want to go hardcore and throw away everything I don't use (obviously, we want to keep some things that we've been holding dear for so many years) but really old and stupid stuff like old coats and broken furniture have found a new home in the trash bags. I should say that was a relief. Seriously, mess around us gives birth to mess inside our heads. Things are just things and most of the stuff people store in their houses does nothing for them except for clogging their living space.

 

[Monocrom]

Speaking of sentimental things.... I know I'll never get rid of my Streamlight TL-2 LED model (non-C4 labelled.)

It's output now is considered downright pathetic at 42 lumens. And those are emitter lumens. So it's putting out about 28 actual lumens out the front.... from two CR123 lithium primaries. (Yeah, I bought it back when incandescent versions of the very same models were just better and brighter than their LED counterparts.)

But it was my first true, modern, EDC light. Served me well during the short time I carried it regularly.

 

[Cataract]

Having just moved, I realized how many more useless things I was still holding onto. Filled another 2-3 garbage bags, but some of that was for charity. Still have 2 big boxes of stuff I want to sell when I have time to take care of that and a few things on the balcony too heavy to haul around in the current temperatures. I also got rid of a few old accessories that I replaced with new ones since they reminded me of a past that is just that: past.

 

[callmaster]

Yeah, I can understand having all that clutter at home due to hobbies and what not. I had a huge collection of blu-rays, slipcovers, poker cards, books, toys, whatever else you can think of. After a while I decided that I didn't want any of those things anymore, I was holding on to them for reasons unknown to me. I managed to get rid of quite a bit of them and I have a lot less clutter in my home. There are still the blu-rays and the slipcovers and a few other things but I'm working on getting rid of em slowly. It's hard to sell things like that, no one wants em I buy my PS4/PSV games digitally so I don't have to bother selling em off.

I avoid collecting things now because I don't need much. Just the flashlights and I have only about 10 or so with a bunch of batteries.

 

[whiteoakjoe]

Best years of my life (Don't tell the wife I said that!) I did 3 years in a 3 room cabin on 100acers of woods up against the state forest. I had electricity, water from a cistern, No TV or electronics other than a chest freezer for game meat and fish. I did have a CC crane radio. I took my pension out and lived on that cash during that time. I went to grocery store / Walmart about once every other month or so. Winter was tough I always heard the term Cabin Fever but never understood it until one month I could not get out. Not due to snow, but cold rains and deep mud for 30 days. I'm getting old now, but would do it again if I could.

 

[StarHalo]

Best years of my life (Don't tell the wife I said that!) I did 3 years in a 3 room cabin on 100acers of land. I had electricity, and water from a cistern, No TV or electronics other than a chest freezer for game meat and fish.

What'd you do with your evenings, books?

 

[whiteoakjoe]

Yea I read a lot, listened to the radio, I had a mail box so I subscribed to a lot of magazines and "magazine days were some of the best days" I would read some cover to cover twice. Had a pond full of catfish and bass at the edge of the cabin so fished a lot after dark. And the girl that I married would come out about 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[Cataract]

That's a hard to beat minimalist lifestyle!

 

[edeekeos]

Whats a 'minimalist', never heard that word..:shrug: Pretty sure I'm up around 80+ lights in my 'collection'.. LMAO!

No, for real though, my wife and I, are both VERY bad about emotional attachment to things. Her more-so than me. You know it's bad when SHE has issues with me selling my lights. But that is the majority of our clutter I guess. No DVD's/Blu-Rays/Books/Magazines/etc. Haven't even payed for a television service my whole life. I use the web for entertainment, news, weather, reading, ect. I own a PS3(got it for free), but ZERO games, we just use it for Netflix/Redbox. Both have cells, computers, and an iPad. I was a PC repair tech at my previous job, so I still have alot of crap from that, that I should probably trash. Oh, and we own lots of guns/knives/and survival gear. We live in the boonies, so I feel these are necessary:tinfoil:.

 

[Koto]

Outside of memorabilia, letters, files, and tools etc… anything I haven't used for over a year gets thrown out, sold, or donated. This includes clothing, tech, worthless cookies supplies (mom bought me a slap chop, I find my Japanese culinary knife to be far easier to use and clean) and books I know I'll never read again.

Like someone said before, put stuff you know you never use in a box and in 6 months come back to it. If it's really not needed give it away.

My tiny apartment is very Scandinavian styled so clutter and anything unnecessary are nowhere to be found. Everything has it's place and I have specific shelves for pictures and nicknacks.

I hope this helps!

 

[Monocrom]

You throw away clothing and tech. that is only a year old?

That's one way to live minimalist. But expensive too.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

The trick with the box, if you haven't needed anything inside, don't open it......just give it away.

~ Chance

 

[Monocrom]

Actually, yeah; it does. I've re-read it twice now.

 

[HarryN]

I had a real eye opening experience helping to move my Dad to an assisted living center. Downsizing from a (small) home of 7 people to just 2 bedrooms which needed lots of space for his handicaps left a lot behind.

We have spent a lot of time dividing up what is left, giving things away, etc, which was important since keeping them involved shipping boxes, not just packing stuff into the car trunk.

I became determined to not leave this "situation" for my kids to deal with in the future, and have spent a lot of time on organizing, giving things to my kids now (rather than later), and getting rid of stuff - none of these are in my DNA. My son-in-law asked me if I was dying or something, so I actually had to take some time to explain my logic to everyone.

It's not like I don't still have plenty of stuff, but I find that there is plenty of joy in owning "one" of something, and passing the rest on to someone else, or dumping it.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

It's more healthy to own stuff, than have stuff own you.

~ Chauncey Gardiner

 

[zespectre]

When I moved away from home after college, the sum total of my possessions fit into the trunk and back seat of a 1980 Trans-Am (and that is a tiny trunk) and a small trailer holding a steamer trunk and three army-sized footlockers and an ironing board.

Over the years, marriage, etc. I've accumulated a fair amount of stuff (though for an American I'm still pretty low-key except for my tools and photo gear).

Just recently my wife and I were talking (in a theoretical tone) about whether or not we could live the "RV" lifestyle, and we couldn't decide if we'd be happy with the limits imposed by even the BIG bus-type RV's out there now. Speaking just for me, if I had adequate computer gear and my photography equipment I think I'd be pretty happy overall leaving most of the rest of it behind.

 

[moldyoldy]

When I moved away from home after college, the sum total of my possessions fit into the trunk and back seat of a 1980 Trans-Am (and that is a tiny trunk) and a small trailer holding a steamer trunk and three army-sized footlockers and an ironing board.

Over the years, marriage, etc. I've accumulated a fair amount of stuff (though for an American I'm still pretty low-key except for my tools and photo gear).

Just recently my wife and I were talking (in a theoretical tone) about whether or not we could live the "RV" lifestyle, and we couldn't decide if we'd be happy with the limits imposed by even the BIG bus-type RV's out there now. Speaking just for me, if I had adequate computer gear and my photography equipment I think I'd be pretty happy overall leaving most of the rest of it behind.

+1 ... albeit less the RV lifestyle.

For years my lifestyle was dictated first by what would fit into a military duffle bag. then out of the military, what would fit into a single car (Honda Civic). Then marriage + kids and the eventual single-family dwelling (1100 sq ft) wrecked all those illusions. However with the kids out, downsizing is obvious. My mother moved some 4 times and we halved her possesions for each move. The first move was, uh, a mentally trying time for all involved. After she died, her possessions fit into the back seat of my Civic. After giving away nearly all of my tools, engineering books, etc. etc., I am essentially living in a single room again with my gear. My better half has quite a way to go though. However both of us are tired of home ownership maintenance and the unexpected major expenses. Of course being dually based for living lessens the perceptions of 'need'. IOW, the normal cycle of life.

I take note that living with less has been showing up in the German press much more lately. The latest issue of Der Spiegel has their feature article of "Konsum Verzicht" (literally xlated: Consumption abstention). Also, living in a crowded society such as Japan's main cities is an exercise in how to live in less space. Sort of like life on board a ship, or even on a sub.

Edit: regarding working with less: While exercising this morning around 0600 at a fitness center, I watched a Satellite channel transmission about growing mushrooms. The largest site was in Pennsylvania 300 ft below the surface level. No fixed artificial lights were allowed. All workers had a headlamp to pick the ripe mushrooms. Those headlamps appeared to be LED with a red translucent bezel.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Fun thread, lots of good ideas here!

Dad was a child of the depression and imparted to me, many values drawn from that time. I tend to buy things that last, make do with one, and (not as well as him) repurpose older things for newer purposes. Even putting a perfectly serviceable wood screw into recycling, there's a little voice screaming no, save it so you don't have to buy one when you need one. When I collect something, it tends to be hard to find (like color Mag C) or with a high qualification threshold (like complicated Legos). After 20 some years with two camera lenses, I only last year moved to three (and only because I changed from all zooms to all primes).

That said, I'm still human and humans tend to adjust into whatever space they have. You think that extra room or garage or basement or shed or storage unit will be the fix and it just becomes another space to organize, catalog and manage. As has been mentioned, the fastest way to learn to do without is moving - yourself. If you have to pack it and lift it and load it and drive it, the burden of keeping it comes into sharp relief. I moved 4 times in 5 years and by the end had myself on a stuff-diet so severe, we had to buy furniture for the dining room in the new place.

Transportation is an interesting example. Mrs Guru and I started out with his and her cars. Lots of gas and lots of maintenance in a car dependent city. We sold both of them and got a new smaller car to share. Combined with an older neighborhood with walking to many places (including two micro brews!), our total annual car expenses (gas, insurance, maintenance) are under $1k. It wouldn't work if we had two places to drive every day but with a home business its easy enough.

We recently cleaned out a closet, a linen closet with no linens! Most of the stuff turned out to be free cosmetics they hand out with cosmetics. They are not allowed to have sales, so the retailer gives away free stuff with a promotional blitz to drive sales. Except its stuff she doesn't need and can't be given away so it got stuffed away. Gallons of tubes, jars, and boxes that never needed to be made or bought or stored.

Last year, I was on a bit of a mission in the kitchen. Find three appliances that would replace all of the others. Complimentary, multipurpose, and reliable. Each had to do at least two things well, save us at least as much time and energy as the ones they replaced, and be small enough that the entire set fit on a single counter. I got the last one in December and am still finding new uses for it! I did something similar with HVAC, finding appliances that would both heat and cool and take less energy than those they replaced.

Quick note on paper: get a couple of shredders, the easiest way to be rid of paper is to 'file' it before it needs storage.

 

[zespectre]

Quick note on paper: get a couple of shredders, the easiest way to be rid of paper is to 'file' it before it needs storage.

Yeah, the "neat" scanning system has been a godsend for me. I'm down to ONE filebox of critical stuff (birth certs and so forth where you have to retain the original) and that sits in a fireproof safe. My wife is still struggling with shredding receipts and bills after they've been paid and scanned so her desk still has quite a pile of paper.