Has Minimalism bitten anyone?

[Teacher Terry]

We downsized to 1400 sq ft 5 years ago. I have been getting rid of stuff for 10 years. Everytime I think there is no more to go I find some. One thing is that I am sick of dusting so want a few items but not many. If you have no decorations it looks too sterile. However, DH has his office, shed and 1 car garage full of junk.

 

[Koolau]

We went from 2750 SF on the mainland to 1100 SF in the Islands. We moved in two suitcases each. Very liberating. YMMV

 

[gcgang]

Maximize minimalism.

 

[bradaz2488]

I do believe that the older I get the less stuff we will want. We are far from being collectors/hoarders, but we do like nice stuff. I'm 53, but I do have moments when"stuff" starts to feel like anchors in my life. We currently live in a big/upscale house /w pool and it is more than we really need, but we still love the house. We have 3 cars and 5 TV's (one is outside patio). One of my daydreams is to sell everything and move to Key West or small Caribbean town. Buy a small shack, which in Key West would probably cost 2-3X more than our house now in AZ, walk, ride a bike or electric cart everywhere and just enjoy the laid back culture and interesting local and visiting people. Not sure we will go that far, but I do see us downsizing to a much smaller house w/o pool and no more than 2 cars in the next 10-15 years.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I think I'd be bored as a minimalist. I enjoy going from one thing to another. In one day, I might play 3 or 4 different musical instruments (and wish I had a few more to fool with), do some electronics work with components, soldering irons, power supplies, oscilloscopes, then do some home improvements with another set of tools, watch TV a bit, listen to my big stereo. Do some programming on a second computer, use my tablet later, and on and on.... That all takes stuff. I like the stuff I have. No apologies.

-ERD50

It is good if you really use the stuff you have. We're getting rid of stuff no one has used in five years and there seems to be a never ending amount - an archery bow that was expensive but the wrong size, user manuals for products we no longer own, old papers, kids the stuff left behind I'm trying to clear out like high school wood shop projects and a Navajo shoe box diorama.

 

[AllDone]

I've never been a collector. I used to acquire books when that took more effort, but now I'm trying to get rid of even those. My clothing needs are very limited and single use cooking tools have mostly been banned. Sadly, as my stuff shrinks through attrition and occasional Goodwill trips, my DH's stuff continues to expand. At least he can't acquire any more VHS tapes or four-decade old textbooks.

 

[sengsational]

If I wanted less, I'd have less. If I wanted more, I'd have more.

You're not like most people. For most people, I'd say that statement was, Umm BS

My reasoning? Without taking specific action, stuff builds-up. Now maybe you're the person that goes from 100% interested in, say a hobby that requires some equipment. When the your interest gets down to 20% (or whatever), you give the stuff the heave-ho. But what I've seen is people don't want to admit they're no longer interested, or they're not even thinking about it...they're onto something else. So the trappings of the old interest get ignored (and stored, and lost, and forgotten).

It is good if you really use the stuff you have.

Yes, and to use it, you have to be able to find it. It drives me nuts when a certain person goes out and buys something she knows she already has, but just can't find!

I'm not sure of the exact quote, but in this season of "Orange is the New Black", Piper says something like "unless you curate your collection, it's just junk".

 

[John Galt III]

I'm currently decluttering. Some things are easy to part with, like pounds and pounds of old church bulletins from the last 15 years, AARP magazines by the dozens, etc. It wasn't me who gathered all this junk, btw. I happily take bags and bags of this old paper clutter down to the recycling center and plop it in, and let them make something else out of it, supposedly. But other stuff I put aside for later taking care of - stuff that is good, but that no one will buy. Decent but cheap clothing, new-looking books, etc. That stuff I force myself to take to Goodwill, in small loads. Hate to just give it way. Surely somewhere there is someone who will pay 5 cents for it !!! But no... and I hate having it all cluttering up my place, so out it goes, for free.

 

[ERD50]

It is good if you really use the stuff you have. We're getting rid of stuff no one has used in five years and there seems to be a never ending amount - an archery bow that was expensive but the wrong size, user manuals for products we no longer own, old papers, kids the stuff left behind I'm trying to clear out like high school wood shop projects and a Navajo shoe box diorama.

You're not like most people. For most people, I'd say that statement was, Umm BS

My reasoning? Without taking specific action, stuff builds-up. Now maybe you're the person that goes from 100% interested in, say a hobby that requires some equipment. When the your interest gets down to 20% (or whatever), you give the stuff the heave-ho. But what I've seen is people don't want to admit they're no longer interested, or they're not even thinking about it...they're onto something else. So the trappings of the old interest get ignored (and stored, and lost, and forgotten).
...

Even if that happens, it isn't a problem for me anyhow. OK, so sure, I have some stuff sitting somewhere and I haven't used it in 5 years. So what? It doesn't hurt me one bit to have something on a shelf in the garage. There just is no harm to it, so why let it upset me?

This just happened a few weeks ago - I kept walking past a box on a shelf in my music room. It was a craft kit of ~ 6 different balsa and paper airplane/gliders that you glue together. I bet I had it for 10 years, maybe longer. But that one day, I was between some projects, and just decided to make one of those planes and try it out. I had a blast, with a rubber band sling, they flew like crazy, and I kept playing with the wing shapes to get them to loop, tern, etc. Over the course of a week or two, I made most of them, and lost most of them. Had a blast. Will make the remaining ones when I feel like it.

The time was right. It didn't hurt anyone that they sat on a shelf. If they weren't there, I would have missed out on the fun.

When I'm gone, it can all go in a dumpster. I'll have a list for my kids of the few things that would be worth selling, or giving to someone who might care for them.

-ERD50

 

[sengsational]

There just is no harm to it, so why let it upset me?

I watched the three-part TV show referenced above, and you fit the description perfectly.... If you don't walk past your "stuff" and fret about it, your cortisol (stress hormone) is flat. It's only those people that notice the stuff as clutter that are stressed by it.

 

[Olbidness]

I'm on the minimalist path that I started many years ago. Although I've made progress I wouldn't say I reached my goal, maybe never will. Being minimalist can mean something different to everyone but to me its not just a function of having less stuff. I see it as only having possessions that I either love or deem useful. All else is to be edited away. I think a minimalist can have a 5 bedroom house filled with things or some that can carry all on their back, or anything in between.

I used to have a component stereo system that had separate receiver, tape deck, cd player. Plus 2 speakers that weighed 100lbs each. Not to mention the dedicated furniture to house the components. Got rid of it all, now I have a blue-tooth speaker the size of a coke can.

The rule I have committed to is at the very least, something comes in, something has to go.

 

[LOL!]

We never had the problem of too much stuff to begin with. Here's why:

Whenever we moved, the movers lost a bunch of our stuff. And that's with recommended and researched national movers and international movers like Mayflower and/or United Van Lines. Each time, we filed insurance claims which took a while, so we lived without items while waiting. Since we found we didn't need stuff in our 20's, 30's, and 40's, we stopped buying stuff during all those decades.

A rule-of-thumb that we have used for 20 years is that "Nothing comes in the house unless it is going out through the garbage or the toilet within a few weeks." That is, we still buy food.

Money is spent on experiences.

 

[2017ish]

I wouldn't say that we have the minimalist bug. But, we are working on getting rid of things.

Haven't bought much new stuff (other than clothing) for a while... Downsized our home substantially a bit over a decade ago with interstate move; aggressively attacked all of our sons' belongings after the youngest got his undergrad degree....

Still, we expect to move from 4200 square feet or so (with big garage, basement shop, etc.) to a downtown home/apt/condo within 10 years. We continue to jettison stuff so as to avoid a hurried decluttering at that point.

Like others, our money is going to travel, wine, entertainment, and fine dining--only one of which requires space in the house.

 

[NJ_Native]

Great points... A tip that the wife and I do: We try not to buy each other things. After 15 years, we learned it ends up in a closet or unused somewhere. Sometimes, we even try to out-do each other and that's a whole other topic. Anyway. We try to gift experiences and not things.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

Very timely thread, Not us. I am now spending and accumulating things i wanted in my past life. We went from a 440 sq foot basement(walk in ) apt(we were there for 17 years, to a 2660 sq foot house. We had 1 set of dishes that were in good shape, to probably 5 sets for various holidays. When we moved we took only clothes that fit that were in top shape. Not a stick of furniture, electronics, housewares. New house, new start. Everything new and sort of high end. When we move from here,I will continue on this way of life. I wont waste money because its too ingrained, but no more minimal for us.

 

[pjigar]

Sorry to poop the party. I am a tinkerer and compulsive hoarder. Every time I get rid of something I find need for it in month or less. So I am keeping everything forever.

 

[ERD50]

I'm on the minimalist path that I started many years ago. ...
I used to have a component stereo system that had separate receiver, tape deck, cd player. Plus 2 speakers that weighed 100lbs each. Not to mention the dedicated furniture to house the components. Got rid of it all, now I have a blue-tooth speaker the size of a coke can. ....

...

Money is spent on experiences.

OK, but for me, listening to great music on a great stereo is an experience.

I experience a certain kind of joy when I'm working with tools, making something or repairing something, or making music. And tools, and multiple keyboards, guitars and amps take up some room.

I've downsized my stereo in recent years. Bought a high quality USB-DAC (Digital To Analog Converter), and use that and an old netbook to play music that I've got on a hard drive. No more tape deck, and I only keep the turntable and receiver around to digitize some old records, or just play them when I'm in the mood. I probably won't take those with me when/if we move.

But I gotta have high quality speakers, and to listen at the volumes I occasionally like, a small speaker just can't do it. Laws of physics won't allow it, so I comply.

-ERD50

 

[Olbidness]

OK, but for me, listening to great music on a great stereo is an experience.

I experience a certain kind of joy when I'm working with tools, making something or repairing something, or making music. And tools, and multiple keyboards, guitars and amps take up some room.

I've downsized my stereo in recent years. Bought a high quality USB-DAC (Digital To Analog Converter), and use that and an old netbook to play music that I've got on a hard drive. No more tape deck, and I only keep the turntable and receiver around to digitize some old records, or just play them when I'm in the mood. I probably won't take those with me when/if we move.

But I gotta have high quality speakers, and to listen at the volumes I occasionally like, a small speaker just can't do it. Laws of physics won't allow it, so I comply.

-ERD50

I know what you mean. Loved my speakers (Cerwin-Vega D-9), but they needed to be re-coned and I wasn't willing to spend the bucks. I'll probably need hearing aids as a result some day.

 

[aja8888]

OK, but for me, listening to great music on a great stereo is an experience.

I experience a certain kind of joy when I'm working with tools, making something or repairing something, or making music. And tools, and multiple keyboards, guitars and amps take up some room.

I've downsized my stereo in recent years. Bought a high quality USB-DAC (Digital To Analog Converter), and use that and an old netbook to play music that I've got on a hard drive. No more tape deck, and I only keep the turntable and receiver around to digitize some old records, or just play them when I'm in the mood. I probably won't take those with me when/if we move.

But I gotta have high quality speakers, and to listen at the volumes I occasionally like, a small speaker just can't do it. Laws of physics won't allow it, so I comply.

-ERD50

Have you ever had your hearing tested for what actual frequencies you hear?

I did and was shocked to find out that both low and high ranges were deteriorated. I could not hear much of anything over 10,000 htz and nothing lower than 100 htz.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We're in decluttering mode but still a far cry from being too minimalist. I read a blog by a women who got rid of her coffee maker but then went out for coffee every day instead. That may be minimalist but it didn't seem too frugal.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I want my coffee before I get dressed)

 

[ERD50]

Have you ever had your hearing tested for what actual frequencies you hear?

I did and was shocked to find out that both low and high ranges were deteriorated. I could not hear much of anything over 10,000 htz and nothing lower than 100 htz.

The high end has definitely rolled off, and I have a bit of a kind of "fan running in the background" tinnitus. No problem with the low notes, though my speakers don't have deep bass anyhow, and I haven't invested in a sub-woofer, yet.

But can I hear the difference between my big speakers (Magnapan 1.6's) and a coke can sized speaker (or the average speaker)? Absolutely.

Way off topic, but I've noticed just cupping my hands around my ears (the way people do to hear a person speaking to them better) brings the highs back to how I remember them. I've actually thought about making up a sort of headband to wear, with cup-type reflectors behind my ears, or mounting something like that to the back of my listening chair. Googling those terms just leads to chairs with speakers built in, or some form of headphone.

-ERD50

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

We're in decluttering mode but still a far cry from being too minimalist. I read a blog by a women who got rid of her coffee maker but then went out for coffee every day instead. That may be minimalist but it didn't seem too frugal.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I want my coffee before I get dressed)

+1

 

[athena53]

I'm getting there. DH and I got rid of a lot when we downsized 2 years ago and then got rid of more when we moved and found some things just didn't have a purpose in the new house. I list things as Free Stuff on Craigslist- it makes me feel better to think things might have a second life somewhere else. Now that DH is gone I'm getting rid of more- donating many of his things, keeping some with sentimental value. It's a slow process but I'm in no hurry. I always feel better when another space is uncluttered- and it's easier to clean!


I'm adding very little- DH and I spent $300 combined on clothes last year, and so far this year I've bought 2 pair of sandals.