Real Life Minimalists: Brianna

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By miss minimalist

Brianna writes:

About eight years ago I stumbled onto some blogs about families that travel full-time living in an RV. I loved reading about the simplicity of RV living, even with children. All of a sudden I was struck by the contrast of my own reality. My husband and I, our two children, and my father were renting a large suburban house that we had stuffed to the brim with Stuff.

I began reading everything I could about small living spaces. RV living wasn’t a reality for us but I spent some time figuring out what it is about that lifestyle that had captured my heart so completely. Of course the traveling would be phenomenal, but more than that was the simplicity.

At the time, my husband was working non-stop and I was busy homeschooling our children, running the house and waiting tables part-time. The idea of less was thrilling. Less furniture, less dishes, less clothes, less toys, etc. I decided to try to live as close to that as possible. With my family on board, we had a huge yard sale and moved into an apartment half the size of our house. It was fabulous! Since then we’ve moved twice and are about to move again, this time to an Intentional Community.

Minimalism is a constant process for me because things creep back into our lives constantly, and I keep finding new ability to let go of more. I have taken big strides in the last six months bringing me even closer to my goals of living happily with as little as possible. The feeling of freedom, calm, and gratitude every time I let go of more is wonderful. I have shared my passion for minimizing with my friends and family and really love watching more people realize how life changing it is to live with less.

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Real Life Minimalists: Kevin

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By miss minimalist

Kevin writes:

Kevin

Hello. My name is Kevin. I’m 26 years old from Quito, Ecuador.

I apologize for any mistakes in my English.

I just want to thank you because since I started to read your blog really changed my life completely.

Initially to start reading your posts I was upset with me, although at first I did not know why, then I realized it was a kind of envy because I wanted a freer life without much disruption. I was tied to my stuff, my bills and the image I had bought. I was paying a supposedly perfect idea of life.

I’m not a minimalist at all, I rather consider myself someone who enjoys being minimalist. I have reduced my belongings. Many times I was obsessed with the number of things I had but then I realized that this is not necessarily the goal. Although it remains an interesting challenge, perhaps to learn a little more about yourself.

The process itself was much easier because I read experiences of many people and many blogs.

I started to realize that I was tied to many things and also kept my feelings. All this to stay in my comfort zone. Now things are different.

I started first remove the things that had for some time thought: “Sometime I’m going to use” and saw that there were clothes that I had not worn in years!

I gathered all my clothes and analyze if it’s something I really only use it if I have it or because it was a gift.

I stick with things you really need, it does the job and ensure quality that will last me a long time. Finally I learned to prioritize quality over quantity.

I analyze my belongings, the things I do and why I do it. And analyze my relationships as there were some it consumed me. Now I give more time to people who really accept who I am and enjoy a sincere friendship.

When I ordered my priorities and my consumption, my debts began to disappear. I started to have more money which still do not see it useful simply because I see no need to buy anything.

I feel that I wanted to help people and see that they have many problems in their life. Debt problems, money problems, relationship problems. And I wanted to help but I’ve noticed that people are very reluctant to change.

The single most difficult aspect for me was to change the food. It’s hard to eat healthy because my job there is only junk food. Sometime I wish you write some more about it if possible.

I leave thanking you for being part of my transformation in my habits and my new lifestyle.

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Real Life Minimalists: Andrea

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By miss minimalist

Andrea writes:

I may be one of your older minimalists, having been married for 40 years to a wonderful man who totally agrees with the minimalist way of life. We not only live minimally, but eat minimally and use our natural resources minimally.

Instead of owning a lot of unnecessary exercise equipment, my husband jogs everyday. He is 62 and in supreme health. I walk our dogs and run on the local high school track for my exercise. My health is also excellent. We eat vegetarian and we keep our cupboards and our refrigerator/freezer lightly stocked with groceries that we rotate and use quickly as not to waste. We had a problem with mealy worms years ago because we kept too many boxes of cereal and other grain products that the little moths got into. We had to throw out tons of good food and we decided then that it is a huge mistake to “load up” on sale items just to be “safe”. Safe from what?? I used to collect cookbooks, but rarely used any of them…when I would open a cupboard, the cookbooks would come raining down on my head. How foolish was that? I can get any recipe offline. There are millions to choose from.

My husband used to keep every receipt from bills, accounts, etc…now, he keeps one small box of receipts and purges those regularly…all of the paper trash was never necessary. And, I speak from long experience. We share one closet that holds all of our shoes and clothes on hangers. I set a small baby-changing table inside of the closet to stack our folded sweaters and shoes and scarves on. I found out that I did not need 70 pairs of shoes many years ago. We do not have a garage, a shed, a basement or an attic, so everything that we own HAS to be kept under our 3 bedroom home’s roof. Our children have their own homes.

I used to be a big time collector and had to force myself to purge and purge, but I was heavily motivated to live a minimalist life after watching every episode of Hoarders and Hoarding:Buried Alive. I kept every episode taped on my DVR and watched them repeatedly…I still watch the reruns to keep motivated. My sons accuse me of “hoarding” hoarders shows! Thank goodness for DVRs! No old VCR tapes in this house! I find that we can just as easily get any book from our library than to collect books like I used to do. I let the libraries “hoard” my books for me now. I have given Goodwill and other charities literally tons of clothing, books, appliances, toys, linens, etc. We kept just enough dishes and flatwear to have a couple over to eat. If we want to have more over, we can always use decorative paper plates and plastic cutlery.

All of our friends live such hectic lifestyles, they rarely even find the time to eat at other’s home any longer. Their calendars are packed with commitments and activities…We learned how to say NO long ago to commitments that our hearts were not in. What a relief NOT to have to go to jewelry parties (I have enough, thank you) clubs, ballgames, etc. We go to these events only if we truly desire to do it, not because we feel like someone will get mad if we don’t. There are many motivational books out there on how to say NO and also great books on minimalism and decluttering, as we all know from reading these blogs and resources.

We have constructed our lives to be carefree and calm through living a minimalist lifestyle. My home is now neat, clean and spacious and we love it! Speaking from 40 years of experience, you DO NOT need all of those items that you THINK you can’t live without. Begin to live a clutter-free life in all areas of your life and see what a huge burden is taken off of your shoulders. Let your home and your body breath a huge sigh of relief!

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Real Life Minimalists: S.

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By miss minimalist

S. writes:

S.

I am a single mom who was tired and stressed and just didn’t seem to have the energy to keep up with everything that I thought was needed to keep things going. I struggled at stressful jobs so I could afford to pay the rent and provide 2 separate bedrooms for my son and I. I worried about work clothes, gaining weight, what makeup to wear, going to night school, just being able to keep food in the fridge, and gas to commute to work. It seemed like the more I acquired, the more there was to worry about. Then I read an article about a woman who works in Manhattan, where grooming for work was a two hour regimen every morning. As a sort of social experiment she went for a month and wore no makeup, the same comfortable outfit each day, and wrapped her hair in a scarf. She described how she never felt so free. No worrying about her heels or pantyhose. Just able to enjoy, observe and be totally present in the moment. This I thought is what I want.

So I am a minimizer in progress. I have paired down to a one bedroom apartment, my son gets the bedroom I sleep on the couch, which is perfectly comfortable. I have cleaned out my closet and so many of the things I was hanging on to. My wardrobe has been paired down to 2 pairs of leggings, 1 black and one gray, a pair of black flat shoes, 1 pair of black flip flops, one pair of jeans and one pair of shorts, a couple t shirts in neutral colors and I have never been happier. I have learned to love my face without makeup and do feel so much less self absorbed and more in the moment. I am still working at this but know I am on the right path. I have learned to try not to covet things, and believe as the Buddhist philosophy teaches, desire is the cause of suffering. Buddha truly was onto something here folks, when we let go of things, we open ourselves up to peace.

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Real Life Minimalists: Lara

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By miss minimalist

Lara writes:

Lara

The Nordstrom sale was an epic, annual event in my childhood. My mother and I would wait expectantly outside the massive department store at 7 am to wait for the doors to open. It really was fun, but after the initial high of wardrobe acquisition wore off, I was still smack in the middle of an adolescence hurt by divorce and emotional pain. I genuinely understand now that was the way my mom tried to make things happier in our house. She felt better after investing in new outfit that made her feel special, why shouldn’t it do the same for her daughter? I love her for doing what she could to ease the pain swirling for both of us, yet to this day shopping makes me feel a bit melancholy. It reminds me of the gaping hole that was never filled despite the shiny, new shoes taking up real estate in my overstuffed closet.

At 43, I’m a mom to clothes-obsessed teens and wife to a wonderful man who loves his toys. I am starting the rather inconvenient process of simplifying. As in Goodwill-bound stacks of bags in the garage & a ruthless paring down of our scheduled activities simplifying. I’m going about it quietly, of course, because I believe this process is not something you can will on someone else. I have had some victories with leading by example. Those bags in the garage? They’re mostly filled with clothes my girls’ were willing to part with. We’ve even pared down the extracurriculars to a sane, manageable number.

As I let go of consumerism (feels so great!), I am finding immense contentment in many things. The relationships with my kids, my career as a teacher, the adoption of a clean diet & running program, dates with my husband, family trips, and meaningful friendships with women I adore. These are all things that have become the fabric of my life and it’s really quite exciting. Sometimes I yearn to take back the years I spent pursuing the wrong things. If I could do it again, I would travel like crazy with minimal baggage and the kids in tow. I do believe that showing your offspring the world is one of the best things you can do for their own pursuit of happiness.

I am clear on the fact that this process will take time, but one of the most wonderful things about simplifying is that it begins where you are. It’s your own journey unique to the life you’ve created so far. It also is an on-going process that changes with each stage of life. I actually feel cleansed and physically lighter with each step I take down the Less is More road. I’m hoping that retirement will find us in a smaller space (with big windows!) and that I will be able to show my girls (and possibly their children one day) that a happy life is defined by who you decide to share your life with, what you decide to do for a living, and how much you give to others.

I’m chronicling our simplifying journey on my blog http://theExtraOrdinarySimpleLife.com. I’d love to hear what others are doing in their own quest.

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Real Life Minimalists: S.

S. writes:

S.

I am a single mom who was tired and stressed and just didn’t seem to have the energy to keep up with everything that I thought was needed to keep things going. I struggled at stressful jobs so I could afford to pay the rent and provide 2 separate bedrooms for my son and I. I worried about work clothes, gaining weight, what makeup to wear, going to night school, just being able to keep food in the fridge, and gas to commute to work. It seemed like the more I acquired, the more there was to worry about. Then I read an article about a woman who works in Manhattan, where grooming for work was a two hour regimen every morning. As a sort of social experiment she went for a month and wore no makeup, the same comfortable outfit each day, and wrapped her hair in a scarf. She described how she never felt so free. No worrying about her heels or pantyhose. Just able to enjoy, observe and be totally present in the moment. This I thought is what I want.

So I am a minimizer in progress. I have paired down to a one bedroom apartment, my son gets the bedroom I sleep on the couch, which is perfectly comfortable. I have cleaned out my closet and so many of the things I was hanging on to. My wardrobe has been paired down to 2 pairs of leggings, 1 black and one gray, a pair of black flat shoes, 1 pair of black flip flops, one pair of jeans and one pair of shorts, a couple t shirts in neutral colors and I have never been happier. I have learned to love my face without makeup and do feel so much less self absorbed and more in the moment. I am still working at this but know I am on the right path. I have learned to try not to covet things, and believe as the Buddhist philosophy teaches, desire is the cause of suffering. Buddha truly was onto something here folks, when we let go of things, we open ourselves up to peace.

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View the original article here

Real Life Minimalists: Lara

Lara writes:

Lara

The Nordstrom sale was an epic, annual event in my childhood. My mother and I would wait expectantly outside the massive department store at 7 am to wait for the doors to open. It really was fun, but after the initial high of wardrobe acquisition wore off, I was still smack in the middle of an adolescence hurt by divorce and emotional pain. I genuinely understand now that was the way my mom tried to make things happier in our house. She felt better after investing in new outfit that made her feel special, why shouldn’t it do the same for her daughter? I love her for doing what she could to ease the pain swirling for both of us, yet to this day shopping makes me feel a bit melancholy. It reminds me of the gaping hole that was never filled despite the shiny, new shoes taking up real estate in my overstuffed closet.

At 43, I’m a mom to clothes-obsessed teens and wife to a wonderful man who loves his toys. I am starting the rather inconvenient process of simplifying. As in Goodwill-bound stacks of bags in the garage & a ruthless paring down of our scheduled activities simplifying. I’m going about it quietly, of course, because I believe this process is not something you can will on someone else. I have had some victories with leading by example. Those bags in the garage? They’re mostly filled with clothes my girls’ were willing to part with. We’ve even pared down the extracurriculars to a sane, manageable number.

As I let go of consumerism (feels so great!), I am finding immense contentment in many things. The relationships with my kids, my career as a teacher, the adoption of a clean diet & running program, dates with my husband, family trips, and meaningful friendships with women I adore. These are all things that have become the fabric of my life and it’s really quite exciting. Sometimes I yearn to take back the years I spent pursuing the wrong things. If I could do it again, I would travel like crazy with minimal baggage and the kids in tow. I do believe that showing your offspring the world is one of the best things you can do for their own pursuit of happiness.

I am clear on the fact that this process will take time, but one of the most wonderful things about simplifying is that it begins where you are. It’s your own journey unique to the life you’ve created so far. It also is an on-going process that changes with each stage of life. I actually feel cleansed and physically lighter with each step I take down the Less is More road. I’m hoping that retirement will find us in a smaller space (with big windows!) and that I will be able to show my girls (and possibly their children one day) that a happy life is defined by who you decide to share your life with, what you decide to do for a living, and how much you give to others.

I’m chronicling our simplifying journey on my blog http://theExtraOrdinarySimpleLife.com. I’d love to hear what others are doing in their own quest.

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View the original article here