Accidental Minimalism

Don’t be scared away by the title.

I’m not about to start talking about how having no stuff makes your life amazing and free. Well, maybe a little bit. Maybe not. I don’t know how to feel. Bear with me.

If you’ve spent any time on the internet, or run around the same spheres, groups and pages I have liked, you’ve probably seen an article from time to time about minimalism and different peoples experiences with it. I was curious as to what ‘minimalism’ actually meant so here’s what Google has provided for me:

min·i·mal·ism

ˈminəməˌlizəm

noun: minimalism

1.

a trend in sculpture and painting that arose in the 1950s and used simple, typically massive, forms.

2.

an avant-garde movement in music characterized by the repetition of very short phrases that change gradually, producing a hypnotic effect.

Noun minimalist

1.

a person advocating minor or moderate reform in politics.

2.

a person who advocates or practices minimalism in art or music.

Ok, well, it wasn’t exactly the search results I was looking for, but it got me thinking. Seeing as the first links that popped up were various websites about how to be minimalist and all the restrictions you must put on yourself if you choose this lifestyle such as: no car or TV, you must own under 100 things etc.

I found this to be a little off putting to be honest.

Sure it’s trendy now to be a ‘minimalist’, as all of the YouTubers, bloggers and the like are jumping onto the wagon. It’s great to follow trends and fads and all, but I think there is a deeper message behind the glamor of this current social media stir. Maybe we need to seek ways to simplify our lives in ways that work for us – instead of always following the rules. Break ‘em, that’s what they’re there for.

What I’m trying to say here is that just because your favorite blogger says you shouldn’t own a TV or a car, doesn’t mean you should give it up. It’s all about balance.

I’m of the thought process that if you enjoy something, if it isn’t holding you back from a greater purpose or mission, then you should continue to enjoy it. Knowing whether it is holding you back is up to you – but at the end of the day that’s all there is – You. Do. You. Of course, we should enjoy everything in moderation and in balance with a healthy lifestyle. Learning how to do this is also a very individual thing. It’s not up to any trendy websites to tell us how to manage that. Letting go of things and reducing your lifestyle requires a comfortable balance of give and take, and it won’t feel like a freeing or liberating experience if you aren’t comfortable with what you are doing.

Now that’s all very interesting, but what I really wanted to write about today was how I’ve been on a journey of what around our house has come to be called “Accidental Minimalism”. I don’t know if I’m one for living with little to no stuff, because there are some trinkets and books and things like that I enjoy. But I am one for reducing costs and not being weighed down by a lot of things I don’t use and would have to shell out to transport.

After discovering the scary cost of what moving is, we decided to downsize our (mostly my) stuff. A lot of what I own was left overs from my apartment before I met Kieran; kitchen stuff, books, a lot of DVD’s and CD’s etc. Once we moved in together, a lot of what I owned remained in its storage boxes because we already had those things at our current house. Why unpack what you don’t use on a regular basis anyway? Plus, at that point, there was 5 roommates living in a 3-bedroom basement suite. Not a lot of extra space, as I’m sure you can imagine.

Things have changed a bit since then, but the fact of most of my things remaining packed hasn’t.

This was an interesting thing for me. First thing I asked myself was, “What is even in these boxes?” It was strange how I honestly couldn’t remember what was in many of them. It was surprising to me that I truly held little to no emotional connection or could think of any importance for any of the boxes.

So then I started sorting. What I found included books I hadn’t touched in years, DVD’s and CD’s that hadn’t been played since I moved from Alberta 3 years ago, miscellaneous kitchen and housewares goods that we had better versions of now, such as 20 extra towels (OK maybe that’s an exaggeration but really who needs more than 4-6 when it’s just the two of you) sweaters, clothing and winter wear that isn’t really necessary on the west coast and more. I was shocked!

I thought to myself, “Wow, I didn’t even miss this stuff, but here it sits.” And that’s when the garage sale pile started forming.

The second thing I asked myself was, “When was the last time I used this? Was it the past year? Past six months?” Anything I hadn’t used in the past year I decided had to go. A big thing I learned through this process is that it’s OK to give up things like that set of plates or that teakettle you paid $2 for. If it’s easy to acquire again, and will save you the headache now - it got’s to go. I also realized that most music, movies and books all can be accessed online through multiple sources – so even if I sell that album for $0.50, I can probably find it else where should I feel the need to.

This weekend, we’ll have our garage sale and see what we are able to sell. It will definitely help to recoup some of the costs that the moving will be and hopefully we can provide some of the people in our neighborhood with something that will make their day.

Anything we don’t sell, we will donate. There is a lot of less fortunate people not only in our world as a whole, but in our local communities that can use things like housewares, clothing and things for kids. I’m realizing it’s OK to let go of things you paid money for, too. It doesn’t mean that what you invested was worthless. In fact, it was very well used or will be very well used by the next person to possess that item.

Now, I won’t go out there and start calling Kieran and I ‘minimalists’, but we have made the decision to downsize some of the big things, too. Kieran and our roomie Cam bought a TV together this past Christmas as the one that was there before left with our other roommates when they moved to Victoria. Thinking back we probably should have followed their example then and not waited until now to leave the city! Ah well, hindsight is 20/20.

We’ve decided to leave the TV behind. After weighing the pro’s and cons, it became clear that we wouldn’t miss it (that much). For the 2 years I lived in the city before I knew Kieran, I didn’t have a TV or a microwave in my apartment. I watched Netflix on my laptop and that worked just fine for me! No cable bills, either. We have enjoyed it very much while we’ve had it, but it really does take up a lot of our extra time. Our relaxation time centers around whatever show we’re into at the moment. Our meals revolve around what to watch while eating. You get the picture.

I’ve got it turned off now, and honestly, just sitting relaxing and writing in my living room feels much better than it does with something mindless on in the background.

It will take some adjusting back to the way things as I knew it were, but all in good time.

Another major thing I have shed from my life recently was my car. I loved my car – it was a reliable and sporty pal while I was gallivanting around, exploring the islands of the west coast, and driving back to Alberta for visits. It was very fun to have and awesome to get around in. But I didn’t drive it a lot in Vancouver because transit is awesome and the drivers here can be scary. It had payments owed on it still, and insurance and registration isn’t cheap either. Throw in some extra costs for gas, potential repairs, switching everything over to BC and my head was spinning.

It was too much stress and was kind of becoming a burden to keep; So I decided it was time for it to go. Money has been tight always (especially since I have been out of college) and this was one thing I didn’t want to spend extra on especially if I am not using it on a daily basis.

There will be another mode of transportation out there for me – I have been thinking maybe a nice bicycle – then I can focus on getting fit too! Not to mention much less stress on me and the environment as well.

It was a slightly emotional process, but I am comforted knowing that I have crossed out more debt and more bills that I no longer have to worry about.

I sold the car to a cute older lady who was tickled pink that the paint was red. In a way, I was freeing her from the burden of driving an old beater and giving her something safe and reliable to get around in for the next 10-20 years. Her joy and satisfaction was a comfort to me. I am happy the car will be well taken care of and enjoyed – even if I am not able to do so any longer.

I do have to admit that reducing my bills and having less ‘stuff’ are parts of ‘minimalism’ that I enjoy. It feels a lot lighter when you don’t have to stress as much about money and where it is coming from, or where to store or arrange things. My inner guidance validated this about my life, and I knew it was the right thing because it made my heart flutter with joy and release.

Just because society demands that you own a car, house and have a good job doesn’t mean you have to do it. Does it make you feel good? Ok awesome! Proceed full speed ahead. Does it make you feel shitty? Well, maybe that’s not the right path for you. There are many paths available!

We’ll see how our garage sale goes this weekend and if all goes well we will feel a lot lighter when it’s all done with. Then it’s time to start packing!