Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.
This week, Kishore from India tells us how he discovered minimalism, and the progress he’s made in decluttering. I love hearing from minimalists around the world!
Kishore writes:
Hi. I’m Kishore, from Chennai, India.
This journey into minimalism has been and is still a very exciting one. I’ll keep my story short and simple.
It struck me during my 20th birthday, that I didn’t need any of the presents I got. And most of the possessions I had were either too unused, or just kept for the sake of memories. That was when I realised that I had a lot of clutter in my life. It was everywhere. My digital life, social life, personal life, my goals, my clothes, my stuff, basically everything. I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t know what to do. After a long time thinking, I decided to get rid of all the things I didn’t need.
It was and still is a tiring and sometimes painful process. Here in India, it is sometimes tough to convince your parents about something, especially about minimalism in this age of consumerism. I thought I was alone in the world. That was when google helped me. I found out about Francine here, also Joshua Becker, Leo Babauta and also ‘The Minimalists’ Joshua and Ryan. I felt relieved that I had some company somewhere in this world.
And thus started my journey. I purged my clothes first. Threw away anything and everything I didn’t wear quite often or never. Then came books. My god I had so many of them, especially PDFs. It took a while to get rid of most of the story books (I now have just the Harry Potter collection). And I also had to throw away a lot of academic books too. Of course throwing away doesn’t mean literally. Just donating or selling. Likewise I had to deal with the movies and music in my laptop and my smartphone. The more I pared down to what I needed, the more I realised I had so much useless stuff in my life.
Decluttering and simplifying is a gentle slow process, it can’t be done in a day or in a week. It takes its own time. The more you do it, the more you’ll learn about yourself, about what is necessary rather than simply having for the sake of having.
Right now, am living with two pairs of jeans, two pairs of pants, a couple of shirts and t-shirts, a clean laptop (I can ask my friends for the movies instead of keeping everything with me), a simple phone (ditched the smartphone, it only makes you dumb), a kindle, and a couple of more stuff. It’ll take some time to reduce my clutter at home (am in a hostel right now) but yes, it’ll happen eventually.
Am happy to know that there are like minded people around the world, though people around me think am crazy/stupid. Glad to be a part of a community.
Decluttering is simple. Keep what you need, delete the rest. Chip away all the unnecessary until you are left with only the essentials.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Great to read your story.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kishore. I love your approach to decluttering your life and your honesty about the highs and lows of decluttering. Good luck with your minimalist journey and thank you for sharing your inspiring story.
Wonderful story Kishore! There are so many websites on minimalism so keep looking for inspiration when you need it; however, it looks like you are on the right path. Once you do get your home, just remember to fill it with the things that you love.
Hey! I am really glad to see/read that there are other young minimalists out in the world (I’m 20). Sometimes I just want to get rid of too many things at once and it stresses me out, but as you say, it needs time! Thank you for sharing your story!
Hi Kishore,
I’m so happy to read about your journey into minimalism because it’s extremely similar to mine! I’m also a student in my early twenties and I’ve started decluttering about a year ago. First went my clothes (I had a HUGE collection since I was into fashion – I donated more than 15 waste bags), then all kinds of kitchen stuff/knickknacks/containers/doubles that I can’t even remember anymore and lastly books/files/papers.
My family and friends were quite shocked in the beginning since I’ve had a solid reputation as a collector and consumer. They kept asking me if I’m feeling alright and why I’m doing this. All these things have been given to friends, neighbours, donated and sold over the past few months and I don’t regret a single one. It’ incredible.
Now I have loads of personal time, more self-awareness and clear ideas of relationships. There are tons of questions ahead but I’ve now recognized that this process of cleaning up my life is what helps me steer my life into a positive direction.
Glad to connect with you from Switzerland all the way to India!
“They kept asking me if I’m feeling alright…” Oh that made me laugh! My family kept saying not to worry, when I make more money I’ll be able to afford more. They just didn’t understand; it’s not about the money.
Absolutely! Everyone just gets this vaguely frightened look on their face whenever I mention something I donated. It’s as if by talking to me they’re frightened of losing their own stuff.
Thanks for sharing your story, Kishore. I agree, smartphones make you dumb! Have you brought your parents around to your ay of thinking? Wishing you continued success on your minimalist journey.
I loved your last line – “chip away the unnecessary until you are left with only the essentials.” You’re on the right road!
Thanks for sharing really love your mantra
“Keep what you need, delete the rest. Chip away all the unnecessary until you are left with only the essentials.”
resonates with me a lot
Thanks for this, Kishore. I agree it can be difficult to do this with other people in your household who don’t understand.
One observation for everyone (and just an observation – no judgement): I often see statements like: If I need __________ I can just go borrow from a friend. It’s interesting to me that to live a minimalist life, we still seem to depend on those who don’t! :)
I don’t know what resources other countries have, but in the US, “borrow from a friend” isn’t the only option–there’s also the public library! Instead of owning a bunch of books, you can go borrow them and bring them back. Most also have DVDs, although some charge a small fee for them. This is a struggle for me and my husband–we’ve collected a lot of books over the years and we looove books, so it’s hard to part with them. With a big cross-country move coming up, though, I think it’s time to get tough!
I have made the same observation Erin! And I don’t know what to think about it. Is it good to have a society where everyone is more interdependent, or is it just that in order to be a true minimalist you have to count on others to help you out?
Awesome post, but I find it SO freakin ironic that you are from India.
I know that it’s not your fault that you well off… still.
it’s.
just.
weird.
“The age of consumerism?” really, in India?
I’m not trying to be an a## here, and I know I’m coming off as a huge jerk but this thing really shocked me. Sorry if I offended you, again, it’s not your fault that the world is so f#cked up.
I went to India for the first time this year and I can totally emphasize with what you’re saying. Yes, there is crushing poverty and struggle for survival in huge parts of India and other countries.
In my quest for minimalism this is also an ethical problem I’ve encountered. Participating in lifestyle conversation online is a privilege for the rich. Which most of us are since we have internet and free time readily available.
Like you said “…it’s not your fault that the world is so f***ed up.’ but I think it’s very healthy to put oneself into perspective from time to time.
Still, I can see no wrong in someone with a comfortable background reasessing their values and shaping their life decisively. If anything it’s great to see another facet of the cultural spectrum of India.
Sure thing, Lucy.
you’re right, it’s nice to know that there are people in India that are well off. (…..Must be 1-2% by the way)
But seeing that 90% of the Indian people are dirt poor, this kind of stuff is just wrong on so many levels.
I guess I’m a sensitive, hypocritical little f#cker, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’d rather not read about Indian minimalists for a while.
Bur what you say is true for every country in the world. Wherever you live, there are really poor people and our quest for minimalism can be perceived as shocking regardless of the country.
Come on, dear B.!
Of course there are poor people everywhere. we’re talkng about relative numbers here, proportions.
90% of India’s population lives in poverty, in the US it’s probably around 5-10%. See the difference,
FOR ME it’s just wrong and distasteful somehow to talk about this. Nevermind, I guess he had good intentions?
It might be good to take into account the spending power of Indian middle class and rich, which by sheer numbers are above 400 million people by conservative estimates. (Not sure where the 90% population is in poverty comes from?) So, reducing consumption and especially waste is definitely beneficial to India as well.
I think that people living in poverty everywhere are minimalistic, but not by choice.
I am happy to see that Kishore wants to be a minimalistic by choice. Minimalism is after all a very personal journey :)
Awesome that you discovered this community Kishore! It is very diverse and supportive. I’m always intrigued with an international perspective, especially those that live in a nation on the rise. Is there a huge movement to strive for consuming more in India? I feel like the U.S. has perfected this mindless consumption, keep spreading your message of minimalism!
Kishore, I appreciated your paragraph that refers to a slow, gentle process. I have been at this for at least 25 years. Ever since I first heard the idea of simplifying (which has now morphed into minimalizing). I have been in the PROCESS all this time. It is a process, not a one time thing. The older I get the more radical it becomes. I feel done one day and the next day I think of something else I’m done with that could go. Now I live in a 500 sf apartment so it just continues. It’s really a lifestyle. I have a friend who said one day over dinner ” I tell people that I have a friend who is a true minimalist. She has just what she needs.” I said….” Who is that?” She replied…” You!” Guess it’s working!
Thanks for sharing! You are right–us minimalists are really helped by having this community (even though it’s online)!
Thanks for telling your story! I love that you had a moment in time, a realization or epiphany, that spurred such a meaningful transformation in your life. I think you are right, that you will now be better able to see what you DO want in your young life, because the distracting excess is gone.
what insight from a young person. Keep up the good work!
Hi Kishore
I found your story so inspiring! Thank you for sharing with us.
Please check out my minimalism blog at http://www.lessoftheexess.com :)
Cheers
Pia
Made me smile with that HP collection :) It’s also one of the few things that I’m probably not gonna give up, like ever. I don’t have many books but HP and LOTR collections are something I keep on reading again and again and I can’t imagine giving them away.
Thank you for sharing your story! I can really relate and I hope that you will finally convince your parents. Until then, the minimalist community is really great, a lot of friendly and helpful people and I hope we will get bigger and bigger! :-) Wish you the best of luck!
It is amazing how much clothing you can do without. Now I barely have enough to do a load of laundry ;-)
I like the idea that there is a minimalist community. I try never to buy anything except essentials new. Someone gave me a box of books yesterday and I will give them to my daughter. What she doesn’t want will go to the library. I am looking for plates for someone at Goodwill and am expecting a box of clothing in the mail.
I have more for the local preschool. It is a process.
Yes you’re definitely not alone! Isn’t that the most wonderful thing to find out… We’re all in this together, there are others who are like us :)
Thank you for sharing your journey & long may it continue,xx
What a lovely lovely story, and so well-written. You are a darn good minimalist writer!
Wow, only 20 and aware of the minimimalist philosophy-turned-lifestyle. You have come so far! I am almost 40, so I guess it’s never too late to start. It’s amazing you reduced your book collection and your digital belongings. E-gads. Thanks for sharing that it is a slow yet gentle process. I am hoping for that freedom for my husband and myself, although I am finding the less you have (esp in the US!) , the less you maintain and you have more “space”, physically, mentally, emotionally. Congratulations and hope your journey keeps bringing you to a deeper simplicity and love of what truly matters in life.
I think it is cool that the younger generation is catching on to this sooner. The only problem is that minimalist tend not to advertise themselves, so the media still portrays the hungry busy rich as the ideal.
I loved to read your story! Especially when you write:
“The more you do it, the more you’ll learn about yourself, about what is necessary rather than simply having for the sake of having”, very inspiring indeed!
At the end of the day, I feel that minimalism is a form of philosophic quest, a mean to make room for the important questions such as the meaning of life. To gradually be aware of what is important versus unimportant to us as people helps to discover what gives meaning. At least, it is so for me!
Kishore, how inspiring to find a young man who can see beyond peer pressure, consumerism and marketing. I am impressed (& shocked) you traded from a smart phone to a regular cell phone. I am always amused by my husband who has a smart phone but needs help reading the screen because he does not have his reading glasses. I enjoyed your last sentence & insights very much. I wish I was more like you when I was your age. You have a great head start to realize the value of minimalism at your young age. All the best to you.
Still passing clothes around the family. 2 more shirts to offer to my son. Found some jewelry to give away and a pile of books and magazines for the library. I have never wanted to be anything but easy care so the move to minimalism was pretty easy.
I was going through some more books, looking for some to give away. I told my husband I want to give away one or two bookcases when I am done cleaning. Less furniture will make my apt look bigger.
I need to re-think the size of my furniture, but I may not replace my dresser. I am thinking of putting baskets in one of my hall closets for my remaining clothes. This astonishes me, frankly.
I go to estate sales and most of my furniture is second hand. I have seen walk in closets the size of my bedroom and they have all the built in cabinets. At one sale, I bought a scarf. I am fascinated that anyone would pay $500 plus for a pair of jeans. An acquaintance has 3 purses, each of which cost over $5000. She and her husband are very generous but I can’t imagine why anyone needs a purse that expensive. I am the only minimalist among my friends and relatives. I need these websites to convince myself there are others like me. I am trying for a smaller impact on the planet. If I leave behind some plants, some art work, and some jewelry, that will be enough.