Last night my husband and I watched the movie “The Minimalists”. This documentary is about two guys, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. They began living a minimalist lifestyle around 2010, then wrote a book about it. They had found unhappiness and discontent in their lives pursuing what they thought was the American Dream. They had been in a rush to get more stuff, better stuff and it was a never ending cycle of more. They weren’t appreciating what they had because these things were outdated almost as soon as they bought them, thus the cycle.
What precipitated this lifestyle change was experiencing two large losses in one month that caused Ryan to re-examine how he had been living. So as Ryan started to make these changes and discovered as he pared down, more freedom and happiness, his long time buddy Joshua started making the same changes. What they came up with as a solution and concept was minimalism. What that meant to them was to dramatically pare down on their belongings. The concept is to only possess that which you need and brings you joy. They explained this can mean many things to many people. The movie went on to interview several others participating in their own movements to downsize and simplify their lives. Many living in tiny homes or apartments. All of them focused on how much simpler their lives had become and how much they have found more connection with others and a better feeling of life satisfaction since adopting the lifestyle. Some even experienced improved physical health.
Overall, I appreciated their approach to this subject and they seem like genuinely nice people. They are huggers and preferred that to handshakes as they met new people throughout the movie. Basically they are asking all of us to take another look at how and what we love and ask ourselves if it is bringing us the happiness we are hoping for? If not, maybe it’s time to re-examine what we are valuing and decide if a redirection and paring down is in order. They say use stuff, love people. (I love that!)
Kelly and I (my husband) moved into our own tiny house four years ago and lived that way for two years. We sold all of our furniture and pared down on everything else we owned; clothes, shoes, dishes, general household goods, most everything really. After selling all these things and living in a small space we discovered that we are not true minimalists. I found living in a 400 square foot trailer that there were many things I missed. I love my books, I also love my vinyl collection. I couldn’t keep my records in the tiny house, but I would regularly switch out a very small stack of my books from time to time. Living in the tiny house I was unable to have general access to those things. This particular space simply didn’t allow for it. So there were some things we kept in storage for the time we lived in the tiny house. Some of you may be laughing at this point as paying monthly for storage kind of defeats the purpose of living tiny and paring down. We know, we get it, we see the irony as well. This was how we learned more about what was important to us. Turns out my husband could get rid of more. But ultimately we both like having certain things around. So when our tiny living time was up and we moved into a larger space, it was like christmas taking out all the things I had kept packed up because it wouldn’t fit in our tiny home. We love having plants in our home again, I love my crystals and rocks, I love my full bookshelves and being able to stack a few books on my end table so they are available to me when I am ready to read. These things make me happy. I genuinely feel good when I look at my books. They are a reminder to me of worlds I have been to, of facts I have learned and wisdom I have gained. It’s funny but that’s what’s important to me. Music feeds my soul so just getting to look at my albums I get to appreciate the years I have spent building my collection of music that I love. When I look at them I also get to think about my wonderful grandparents I love and miss as I was the lucky recipient of their collections when they passed.
Now that we have lived in a larger space for two years, we have learned that it is much easier to maintain and cull the stuff as necessary. We do this regularly. We will declare a day to go through the closet, or carport or whatever and be pretty tough on what stays or goes. We still have more stuff than the space will allow and have realized a couple more things, we are active people and with that comes gear and seasonal clothes. I think we could get rid of more, but the truth is, I like having options. Our house is about 1,100 square feet now. Our master bedroom does not have a working closet. So we operate out of one in the very small guest room, and it is tight. Organizing well is key and we have figured out some great ways to keep the things we like without a lot of clutter or feeling overwhelmed with too much stuff in a small space. We still have a few bins of clothes and miscellaneous things, but rotate them at the change of the season and have been careful to keep a balance of the extra. I know to many, especially true minimalists, we could appear to be cluttered but I like feeling full. I like feeling cozy. The barren look just simply isn’t for me. This is why I love what those two fellas are saying in their movie. Review your things and how you are living. If it isn’t necessary and doesn’t bring you happiness get rid of it. But it is ok if you love something to keep it. They want us to be sure that whatever it is we do have makes us happy. Thanks guys!
So what is your story? Are you rushing into a scary version of the American Dream? One that keeps you on the hunt for more and better things? Are you keeping up with the Joneses? Does this make you happy and do you feel truly satisfied? Or are you living your own version of simplifying and paring down? I would love to hear your stories! Leave a comment and tell me how you are living and if it is working for you. If not, watch that movie and be inspired to make your own positive changes, it is never too late!
Ps. I have no affiliation with the guys, their book or the movie, we just watched the movie and I felt compelled to talk about it.
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