People join the minimalist movement for a variety of reasons: a desire to travel freely, feeling chaotic and burnt out, as a challenge to live with as little as possible, the desire to simplify and streamline life, and so much more. For me, as it likely its for others, it was a combination of things. Rather than being a big conscious decision, it was a drawn out series of events and values that led me here.
Whether you are just beginning to get curious about minimalism or have already kick started the process, I hope this encourages you to keep exploring what type of minimalism works best for you. It doesn’t have to look a certain way or fit a certain aesthetic. It is more of a lifestyle than a rigid set of rules. As soon as I figured this out, it allowed me to release so many things I had been holding onto. Both physically and emotionally. I truly believe that everyone could benefit from some form of minimalism. Which is not to say we should all own 100 items or less or that one person’s minimalism looks like another’s. It is a mentality not a rulebook.
Minimalist Mentality
Living with less was something that appealed to me from a very young age. I remember standing in my childhood bedroom looking around at all the toys on the floor and feeling uneasy with the chaos. I don’t recall doing much about it at the time, but the burden of my stuff was already weighing on me then.
Fast forward to high school graduation and preparing to move to college. This was the first time that I understood what it was like to take inventory of everything I owned. What I would need in the move. What wasn’t important on a daily basis. I still had the luxury of leaving whatever I didn’t take at my parents’ house, but I was once again feeling this pull to only have a few things that I really needed and still felt like I ended up with an amount that felt cluttered and excessive. Yet off I went.
Throughout college and grad school I moved a few different times, but usually relatively short distances and was able to carry a lot of things with me. It wasn’t until finishing grad school that really had my first challenge to pair down and simplify. After grad school I took a job on the other side of the country. Upon taking the job, I paired down my items to just what would fit in my car. I didn’t yet have a place to live and therefore didn’t even bring a bed or furniture with me.
While this was a somewhat nerve-wracking experience, it was also freeing and exciting at the same time. For the first time in my life, I felt unburdened by what I owned. I fortunately was able to find a roommate with a fully furnished apartment on one of my first days in my new town, but the liberation of not owning anything was still within me. Those three years spent in a rural west coast town were some of the most challenging and growth inducing years of my life. I did my part to take care of the things that I was using on loan which required minimal effort. What this lack of physical items gave me was the opportunity to dive fully into the work I was doing and relationships I was building. I traveled, learned new things, met all sorts of new people, and tried things I never imagined I would. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back I don’t believe I would have had the experience I had if I had not been able to let go of the burden of caring for physical things.
Clutter Creeps Back In
After a few more cross country moves, I finally met my now husband in small Iowa town. One of the greatest blessings of my life. As we joined our lives together, we also consolidated our belongings, effectively doubling that which I owned and was responsible for. In addition to that, we were generously gifted several items upon getting married to further add to our collection. By the time we moved into our first two-bedroom apartment as a married couple, I felt like I was drowning in my belongings. Every corner and closet of that apartment was full and the spare bedroom became the dumping ground for the excess.
Between adjusting to a new job, married life, and adding in a few bumps in the road; I began feeling run down, tired, overwhelmed, and even my health declined. It became clear to me that life could not continue down this path.
Choosing Minimalism
As I mentioned earlier, there wasn’t a big aha “minimalism is the answer!” moment. Instead, it was a gradual build up of burdens that became unbearable. Just as the build up was gradual, so was the unwinding of all that I was holding onto. The first step for me was in my closet. I began pairing down my wardrobe as a means of at least simplifying one decision in the mornings.
As we bought our first house and made the move, things really got rolling. We were 6 months into living in our home and I realized that 50% of our boxes were still packed. Additionally, I felt like we were already filling up our 3 bedroom home with only 2 people living in it. This is when the real shift began. I started going through those boxes selling, donating, and tossing items that were not serving us and were adding to burden of an already difficult season. It was like a breath of fresh air. I literally felt my heart lifting as things left our home.
Did it fix every problem? No, definitely not. And in some way it exposed deeper rooted issues. Yet, doing so allowed for healing. Letting go of the physical items also helped me release some of the emotional baggage I had been holding onto.
I don’t ever want to paint the picture that my life is perfect or that I have it all figured out because that simply isn’t true. However, I have found deep healing and a return a more vibrant, rooted version of myself through minimalism. Not because of how much I own or some aesthetic that magically brings about peace in my life, but because I am no longer owned by my belongings. That which I own now rightfully back in its place as tools to live the life that I have been called to.
That is why I believe some form of minimalism is right for everyone. Releasing our grip on what we own frees the heart to reinvest in what we were made to do.
More Minimalist Posts You Might Enjoy…
How To Create A Calm & Cozy Minimalist Home
15 Things I Quit As A Minimalist
How To Create A Capsule Wardrobe
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