The Minimalist.

 Becoming a minimalist was never my intention and there are many differences in this type of lifestyle. In this post I'll tell you my story of how I got into this headspace.  

MY STORY:

Telling you my entire childhood story is way TMI for my readers. So, let's just get to the part of where my skills of packing and moving along might have begun.....👜

After my parents split, my mom👩, sister👸, I👧moved around... a lot. About every 2 years mom👩 would move to a new town, usually for work or her continuing education. We stayed within Southern Vermont, so all was still very comfortable in location but for my sister and I, our schools changed frequently; not ideal for young growing girls👸👧 but we made do. 

Anyway, since we moved so much, there was a constant awareness👀 that we would have to pack and then unpack at some point for a new location, we then went to boarding school, which was an another level of moving around each year; packing and unpacking as we visited our parents, family, and friends. I think of these experiences as learning tools in honing my skills for a lifetime of wanderlust 🌎 preparation.

Even after I married 👰, had a couple of kids 👶👶 we still moved around a lot. By this time our homestead was getting really big and by the end of it all, the marriage I mean, we had 2 🏡🏰 houses and lots...lots... of stuff! 

 ITS GOTTA GO!!

Well, it took two....2... years to divvy up and get rid of...stuff.

Now, I understand the importance of "STUFF" and for a little while longer, I had to have it but slowly, slowly, I began to puuurrge. This was an important 💡 time in my life, not only did I realize how much I didn't need all of the stuff but the huge sense of relief when I finally rid myself of the clutter  was very liberating.

Life was too short! Too short to be surrounded by things that crowded my life. Here is the shake down of how it began:

The downsize begins.

In 2004, our 4600 sq.ft., yup 46hundred square foot home starts to disassemble.

I then move into a 1200 sq.ft. condo, to be followed by a small live-in stint with a boyfriend (bad idea) but in a 2 bedroom condo, only to then move once again and for the last time while I still had my children, into a small 2 bedroom apartment. Whew!

This all took about 6-7 years! but I did say it was a slow process. 

Let's jump ahead a bit.....

What happened during all those moves is, I was slowly going through boxes 📦, bins , drawers , closets, any place that you think you can hide 👀stuff.                                                              Remember the saying, 'does it bring you JOY?'

Items that were either unused, stored and hadn't been unwrapped for over 3 moves, collecting dust (my least favorite cleaning activity) . If I had to dust it? Gone-Zo! If I hadn't worn 👗👙👒it in 6 months? Gone-Zo! I sold it, Kaching $$$, donated it 🙏, or trashed/recycled it ♻. Until the point where I could fit my entire material life into the back of my Kia Soul, named Stanley.

Granted I filled him but what a feeling❗❗ To slam that back hatch, climb into the drivers seat 😎 and head off into a bright new world. 

kapow!

A teachable moment. 

Let's discuss "Downsizing". It's a pretty big word that many are hesitant to even utter one syllable off their tongues. But wait! Never fear, there are some simple and easy guidelines to perhaps get you started on your path to freeing yourself from the servitude of STUFF.

1. Take Stock.

Look around you, take a stroll through your house; BIG or SMALL.  Randomly pick up your Nic-Nacks, Do-Dads, and Fluff N' Stuff.  Consider each item, does it have a history; family, trips, holiday's, it all plays a role in how your look and feel about it. Don't let it own you, though. 

I've had to evaluate and re-evaluate items through the years as my material possessions have gotten smaller and smaller, from family photos to family heirlooms. I currently only have a small pocket sized photo album but lots of pic's are stored digitally on my computer. I only have two items that bring me joy to look at and serve as talismans , they generate feel good vibes.💗

#1 is, My Christmas E L F, yup, you heard me. He's been in my family since I was a very little girl and has always made me smile. 

 Mr. E L F

#2 is, a peace plaque that my mother gave me long ago to hang in the house to emanate good blessing on the home and those who live there.

 A Dove to share peace within the house.

I find these items give me the most pleasure 💝where ever I go 🛪. It'll be up to you and your personal discretion of what to keep and what to let go of but have realistic expectations and make a serious effort if you are truly trying to minimize the materials in your life. 

We are all emotionally attached to things we've held on to or inherited but remember, the memories are stored within you and perhaps you don't need the physical reminders any longer.

2. Puurrrr-ging.

No easy task, is my honest response to those who ask me "how" I let these THINGS go but it's easier than you think.

Once you've determined that certain items are ready to be redistributed, responsibly source where they should find new homes.

Disinherit ~ If it's grandma's statue? 🗽A birthday gift to a niece or Uncle Al's cigar boxes, your young nephew has started a coin collection 💰, give them to him. Aunt Mae's wedding china can be gifted to a relation who is perhaps setting up a new house or just married 👰. Think in those terms often it is happily received, you've hung on to them long enough.

Donate ~ This is a valuable resource for unwanted items that don't deserve going to the TRASH BIN.

Clothing 👗👚👠, dishes or pots & pans 🍳🍴, furniture, rugs, household items of any kind. Toys ⚽🎾🩰, jewelry 👑, there are so many things that we are calling TRASH and someone else will cherish as treasure.

Peddle ~ Have an annual yard sale $$ KACHING! , consignment shops are wonderful places, they sell it for you!!! , online auctions or sale sites can be a really fast 💨 way to sell STUFF.

Dump it! ~ This is the hardest option. You don't want to but some of this....STUFF, doesn't warrant keeping for any good reason other than it was, maybe, that ballgame pennant 🚩that's been collecting dust in the garage, the broken black n' white TV from your youth📺, the ratty torn hat 👒 but you wore it to every summer picnic, or the cowboy boots with holes in the soles 👢. Yeah, those items that no one is going to spend $$$ to buy or refurbish and you only see them covered in dust or sitting a box for the past 2 to 10 years. 

Believe it or not, the dump sometimes has a hut and the overseer will sift through the trash and pick out things that might be salvageable or turned into something else and occasionally a random soul will grab it and make unicorns 🦄 and rainbows 🌈 from it.  Honestly, You. Don't. Want. To. Seek. Out. Those. People. 

LET MR. TRASHMAN DO IT.

Becoming a minimalist is different for everyone and it's a matter of patience and focus. Learning to simplify your life will test you, take your time and breath through it until you've gotten to the point that you are happiest with the results of your labor.