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, Jessie tells us how she embraced minimalism after a series of moves, and now feels empowered by her new, streamlined life. Visit her blog to read more.
Jessie writes:
I moved a lot in my early twenties, from college dorm room to shared apartment, to a rented house and then a townhouse, to an apartment with my boyfriend. I went to grad school, and continued to move, trying to find the best location compromise between my school in one city and my boyfriend’s – and then husband’s – work in another city. I left grad school and moved again to be closer to work.
Through all these relocations, I dutifully packed up, moved, and unpacked boxes of all of my stuff. At first it wasn’t much, but as I attempted to put together a professional wardrobe, I accepted more hand-me-downs from my mother – clothes I didn’t like, but could wear to work. I had a wedding, and got all of the dishware and linens on my registry. I adopted a frugal lifestyle once faced with the total of my $70,000 in student loans, and stopped shopping but held on to everything I owned.
And then we bought a house, and I felt that my life was fully realized. I looked at my stuff and saw how much of it was serving me no purpose at all. Then, with all my moves complete, I started ruthlessly packing up stuff.
I took carloads of boxes to a donation center – clothes I never liked, clothes that didn’t fit, dishes we didn’t need and gifts we had no use for. I made three big trips, and I thought I was done.
But once I started getting rid of things, I couldn’t stop. It seemed that I had turned into a minimalist, without even meaning to. For months now, every day or so I put another item in the donate pile. I look at every object I own and question what its role is in my life. I count items in categories – dresses, shoes, dishware – and then downsize. I dream about owning next to nothing.
My life is more streamlined now, and simpler. There’s no more clutter to put me on edge. I wear better outfits when I have fewer clothes to pick from, and there’s less to dust around, on the rare occasions that I do dust. I now give myself permission to splurge on expensive, well-made necessities, so I can buy it for life, rather than rotate through cheaper versions that wear out. I am immune to advertisements because the last thing I want is more stuff.
I know now that I can walk away from almost everything I own, without hesitation.
Since I now have more space to think, I started a blog, at http://www.mindfulriot.com. I write about minimalism, but also feminism, finance, fear, and personal development. Embracing minimalism turned out to be more counter-culture than I expected. The less I have, the more I feel I can do anything.
{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.}
Shouldn’t this blog be renamed as “real life minimalists”?
Kurkela, I feel that Francine is slowly letting this blog bleed to death…
Taking care of a child is no small feat I’m sure. I do however miss her content a lot so I understand the disappointment.
Sad. But I feel you might be right.
I look forward to Minimalist Mondays for stories just like Jessie’s. I’ve been on my own minimalist journey for a while now and am thankful to bloggers like Francine, Leo, Joshua, Courtney, and The Minimalists for showing me new ways to think about material possessions (and life in general). If and when I share my own story, I’ll post it here on Francine’s site.
May I just remind you, Kissyface… You will not post anything, Francine is the one doing the posting of our stories,it is her blog, and we can only participate, and then SHE decides. Just saying.
I can relate to not being able to stop downsizing once you start. I’m retiring in a few years and am already getting rid of things. I will be bringing one suitcase of clothes and one of memorabilia I can’t part with; otherwise, I’m letting go of furniture and kitchen stuff I’m not using anymore. My home look almost vacant and it doesn’t bother me at all!
Thank you for sharing your story, Jessie. I’m a so happy I happened on to this site. Every Monday I look forward to being inspired & encouraged in my own journey with letting go of mental & physical baggage. There certainly is a beautiful freedom in letting go:)
Well done Jessie! This is one of my favorite aspects of minimalism: “I now give myself permission to splurge on expensive, well-made necessities, so I can buy it for life, rather than rotate through cheaper versions that wear out. I am immune to advertisements because the last thing I want is more stuff.”
I also no longer buy cheap goods. I always look for well made items that may be more expensive, but will last 10+ years vs. one or two! Awesome way to approach buying the necessities of life.
No disrespect to this post but I am afraid I agree with Kurkela and Mrs Brady old lady. More Francine please. Less people looking for followers for their blogs. Please do not take offense, posters, you are often very inspiring!
No sooner had I sent my comment when I thought ‘i may hurt some feelings here!’. If so, I am truly sorry. My own journey mirrors that of so many others but I am reminded of other posts where people have asked ‘what next?’. I am at a point where the talking about minimalism and reading about it has almost become an end in itself. Time to move on, both literally and metaphorically!! Thank you all for the inspiration and please keep the blog lively and alive!
You cannot live your life without hurting nobody’s feelings, Daisy Chain, it is simply impossible, so don’t be sorry for your opinion if it is what you truly think. And, yes, it is probably time to move on, for Francine and for all of us. Things change, we ourselves change, and there are so many of us who have found our wings since reading this blog, and for this we will be forever grateful, won’t we?
@Kurkela and Daisy Chain: Agree totally. In many ways, Francine would be carrying out an act of minimalism if she discontinued the site. She has inspired me so much and I totally respect the time she dedicates to her family. However, like all things, maybe this site has served its purpose? Who knows…
What a great line that minimalists are immune to advertising. So true! It is like effortless budgeting.
I was thinking ‘perhaps it’s all been said?’ But no. Immune to advertisements is a good goal, and I like ‘lazy minimalism’. There’s always a new take and I often find it here! Thanks.
Minimalism is addictive, isn’t it? I have a cardboard box that I slowly fill up with books I’ve finished reading (don’t have many hardcopies left now) and other items I find I can live without. When it is full, I take it to the charity shop.
Thanks for your thoughtful story. I too wonder about all the times I moved in my early twenties and all the boxes of things I carted around with me. Moving definitely puts one’s possessions in perspective!
‘Minimalism’ as both term and concept seems so dated to me now. So, 2000s. I think after a decade, I’m leaning back towards ‘simplicity’ which for me conveys more meaning and is more of a root concept of how I want to live. Simplicity of thought and action I would include here. There’s a limit to how many ‘paring down’ stories I can read.
Then why are you here? Why did you feel the need to comment?
I agreed a bit with truth teller. I don’t feel that this comment was necessary after someone just posted their views on minimalism.
I am thinking the same things too, Anna. I’m thinking about applying more “simplicity” in areas of my life.
I feel exactly the same Anna. I find your comment very relevant.
Great post. I especially like your comment that minimalism is more counter-culture than you expected. It is a very strange idea to many people to NOT want to own very many things. And of course the messages we get from media assume the opposite. Between my minimalistic tendancies and the plant-based diet I adopted this past summer my teenage son was inspired to tell me that I am becoming “very eccentric”.
As far as the disappointment over not having Miss Minimalist’s posts, I love Francine’s writing so I understand, but I also love coming here each week and hearing from someone and reading the comments too. There is a little community here that it is nice to tap into each week.
I am here, Truth teller, because I have followed and loved Francine’s writing since she started her blog – her blog was outstanding and I bought her book too. She’s been amazing in the field of minimalism. My point was that I feel, personally, that the field has moved on to a more updated endeavour that takes into account a simplicity of action, thought, ideas etc. Paring down becomes a very limited and ‘same-y’ story.
I don’t really feel the need to defend myself to a person who believes that unless I’m 100% in accordance with what I’m reading here I am not welcome! Such a narrow-minded attitude! Surely we all grow in the presence of differing views not through “fan group” conformity. Francine has always welcomed diverse discussion.
I find minimalist blogs so helpful. We have been cleaning out my mom’s condo. My brothers sent me 5 big boxes of papers. I got them down to one small tote bag. Every time I go to visit her I take 5-6 letters or cards to read to her. I threw out envelopes, shopping lists, preprinted cards, donation cards, acknowledgement cards and just kept the personal stuff. This stuff goes back about 50 years. I’ll never be a perfect minimalist but I can toss things away quickly. My brother thought I’d have to store the boxes unopened.
Francine has partially accomplished her goal: To introduce you to the “Joy of Living with Less.” Her work is not finished, as countless others have yet to discover what lies ahead once you recognize and discard what doesn’t matter. Congratulations to everyone who has graduated and wants to move on to their next step.
Truly inspirational that so many have reached goals of simplicity in their lives. Not having followed this site very long please let me speak for those of us who look to this site for a kick in the pants to get moving again. Retired a few years ago and really moved everything that is not loved or used out. That said this site and the success stories and ways problems are solved keep me motivated and would be sorely missed. Thank you Francine.
@Sharon: “Congratulations to everyone who has graduated and wants to move on to their next step.”
What is your view as to what the next step is, Sharon? I think this is one of the issues with minimalism: we declutter, get rid of stuff, re-evaluate and then think, “Well, what now…?”.
My son had 5 big boxes of my Mom’s pictures scanned so we can all see them on the computer. She spent her 89th birthday party telling us who was who in the oldest pictures. She was a great hoarder and still worries about her stuff and who got it. My sister told her everyone got a few things they wanted and that makes her happy.
If just a few people start getting rid of clutter and stuff they don’t need it will help the earth. If 5 or 10 hoarders clear out their hoards it will help. I like Francine’s posts about not buying various things and living with less. it may take a long time to change the public mindset about more is better but it is a worthwhile change.
I offer to help people declutter for a charity donation. These people aren’t hoarders, they just need to dedicate time to seeing what is in their stuffed closets, craft rooms, basements, bathrooms, and garages. I haven’t seen any insects or vermin yet. Just bags and boxes of clothes, shoes, linens, papers, yarn, and other things. I may buy 4 bars of soap or 6 rolls of toilet paper. I’ve seen 24 bars of soap and 48 rolls of toilet paper when 2 people live in the house. I remember seeing a woman on TV who had a room full of Christmas wrapping supplies.