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.
Today, Gene shares the details of his minimalist journey with us—and a wonderful photo that radiates the joy and freedom of a simplified life!
Gene writes:
Like so many people I had accumulated plenty of stuff. Ok, to be fair much of it was junk. As George Carlin is famous for pointing out, when it’s yours its “stuff” but when it is somebody else’s its “junk”. As in “Move your ‘junk’, I need a place for my ‘stuff'”. But I eventually realized that much of my “stuff” was in fact just “junk”.
Well, shortly after my divorce I discovered a TV show called “Hoarders”. My ex had taken most of her “junk” and so any mess that remained was entirely mine. The pattern was always the same, I would watch a half hour of the show and then hit pause and spend the next 90 minutes cleaning and sorting and purging. Anything I could do to distance my home from the one I just saw on TV made me feel just a bit better. Now in all fairness I was never a ‘hoarder’ but I do now recognize that I gained a certain amount of ‘comfort’ from having “stuff”…err I mean “junk”. My floors were mostly visible and if you came into my place with a shovel you wouldn’t discover any dead cats or raccoons. But admittedly my place was a bit cluttered. And so too did my life also feel a bit cluttered and encumbered.
I was always thrifty but I sometimes mistook buying a ‘bargain’ as the less expensive option even when really buying nothing at all would have saved me even more money. For example, after I had started down my minimalist path I was dragged at midnight on Thanksgiving to Best Buy. I needed nothing but when I saw a $7 panini maker I knew I had to have it. The little voice on my shoulder that was reminding me of my commitment to simplicity was beaten down by the old voice that couldn’t turn down a bargain. Well long story short – I don’t think I made more then 4 panini sandwiches with the darned thing before I decided it needed to go with the rest of the “stuff” to Goodwill.
I live in a major city where I can get away without having a car which further simplifies my life. Walking, biking, public transit, ZipCar and Uber meet most of my transportation needs.
I have pared down my belongings donating or throwing away things that no longer added any value to my life.
Books that wont be read again go to the library donation bin or to friends. I had once viewed overflowing book cases as a sort of intellectual trophy case to be displayed. No more.
All my many hundreds of CDs and DVDs have been put into sleeve binders. This act alone generated several garbage bags full of cases and created a surprising amount of space in my living room. In addition all my CDs have been ripped to MP3 and have also been uploaded to iTunes Match.
I have pared down my wardrobe as well. Clothes that I don’t ever wear I take on vacation. Why? Well I wear them one last time and then throw them away. No dirty laundry to bring back home with me. Although my friends have inquired why I tend to wear tacky or torn shirts in the photos from Disney World that I post on Facebook.
Now when I buy something I always ask myself if I need it.
I do allow myself a little retail therapy but I try to keep it to stuff that is small and functional. For example – I just the other day read an article that mentioned what the author described as the “worlds best mechanical pencil”. I found it online and bought it. OK, over $30 for a pencil might sound silly. But the thing really is a joy to write with and I wont be tripping over it.
And it’s not just stuff. I have tried to simplify other areas of my life as well. Fewer distractions so I can work towards focusing on those things that really do matter in my life. And the money that I save from buying stuff can go towards having experiences. And barring early onset of dementia those memories will far outlast my “stuff”.
I can say there are many purchases in my life that I regret. But there is not a single vacation or beer with friends that I would trade the memory of for any sort of refund.
{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.}
You are so very right–it is the experiences that outweigh anything material. I like to give vouchers for time as a gift–spending time together is so much better than a “trinket” that finds its way to a donation bin or a landfill. Thank you for your fun post:)
https://awellstockedlife.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/overcoming-perfectionism/
Thanks for sharing your story, Gene! And that really is a fantastic, fun photo — the joy of minimalism!
Great idea to watch half an hour of Hoarders before getting stuck into paring things down. I’ll definitely use that tip to purge more. Thanks for sharing
I love the bit about wearing old clothes on holiday and leaving them behind when you come home! I enjoy doing that – but hadn’t heard of anyone else doing it. Sometimes it is as simple as binning a pair of old socks that I don’t like any more. In fact I have to stop myself doing it with items that I know I do still need… It is very freeing. Good luck with the onward journey Gene, it is well worthwhile.
Yes, I loved that part about getting rid of the old worn-out clothes on vacation! Can’t say that I’ve done it, but it makes a lot of sense:)
I often wear dress socks to work and inevitably, I find that some new pairs are too short or are continually “eaten” by my shoes throughout the day. If the socks have to be continually adjusted or pulled up throughout the day, I have a habit of taking them off as soon as I get home & either throwing them straight into the garbage or laundering them for quick donation to a charity shop. I know what size socks I wear, so its not like I am buying them too small, but if they don’t fit, they aren’t going back in my dresser drawer! That eliminates a lot of frustration since that pair won’t ever bother me again:)
Hi Gene
Your post made me smile. I loved the junk/stuff labels! And your photo is great – you look so free from all your junk, I mean stuff!
My sentiments exactly! What a fun, feel-good post:)!!!
“I had once viewed overflowing book cases as a sort of intellectual trophy case to be displayed.”
I love your whole story but this sentence really grabbed me. It was very hard for me to get rid of books for a long time, and I knew this was the reason, but I was never able to come up with such a good description. Thanks! And congratulations on your wonderful progress!
What a funny post! I can relate to the “bargain” buys and trophy bookcase. I don’t really understand the throwing clothes on vacation though, how is it better than throwing them away from home? Thanks for your story.
I think simply because he can travel back lighter which saves money and the hassle of having to carry it all back with you. At least that would be my guess and reason for doing so! :) I agree, it was a funny post! Great story, Gene!
Love this posting!
this article made me laugh out loud. Funny and witty!
I had no idea any one else threw away old clothes on vacation! Awesome! It’s good to be among fellow minimalists :)
I hope you are recycling the clothes on vacation. Otherwise I really liked your post. I travel with the least I can. I always take junk jewelry to wear so if I lose something it won’t be a tragedy.
I love that you included the $30 mechanical pencil–not because it’s something I would buy but because it’s a tangible example of knowing the value of material items and appreciating really great objects, a skill that sometimes gets overlooked in minimalism. Often if you have discarded/donated all the superfluous “junk” in your life, you’ll have the space to see what you really DO use or value and what qualities would make up the ideal item for your needs.
One suggestion–I agree with Tina: find a place to donate the clothes at the end of your vacay, or better yet find a textile recycling program (a big city is sure to have one) and take all your beyond-hope clothes there instead of creating waste elsewhere.
This was great! Wearing ratty clothes on vacation so you can ditch them is hilarious and I totally get it! The other day, with great ceremony and a witness, I thanked my destroyed snow boots for their service and gleefully dropped them in the bin at work. It was their 5th year of being my boots, and I had killed them, there was even an oil stain on them from peanut butter that I could not get out. I wore home the smaller boots that I was keeping at work to change into. If you experienced the winter we had in Boston this year you would understand how satisfying this little purge was!
thanks everybody for reading my little essay and for your comments.
I just finished the book “The life-changing magic of tidying up” more inspiration to help me down my minimalist path.
And Susan I also live in Boston and boy do I understand what you’re talking about.
It was an $8 Panini Maker!
Loved this story! So upbeat and it made me chuckle in a few places!
I really liked reading this post, Gene you are really funny! Keep up the great spirit.
thanks again everybody for the feedback.
I should clarify that most of the clothing that I throw away is stuff that I really wouldn’t feel comfortable giving away (ie socks or torn or worn out items) I do donate clothing that I won’t wear but it still in good condition. also I buy far less clothing now but I try and buy better quality. We don’t suffer from a lack of clothing in our society. Clothing has become so cheap I think people buy too much of it. My goal is to have a smaller wardrobe consisting of better clothing and clothing that I enjoy wearing.
Another thing I did since writing my little essay is purge a lot of my photographs. Not because I want to get rid of my memories of the past but I want them to be more accessible and meaningful. Photographs of people I kept and organized. A lot of photographs were really just terrible images of landscapes are buildings that have no meaning for me, so out they went. Now I can look through my photographs in a more meaningful and efficient manner. And because I’ve paired them down and organize them I’m more likely to look through them more often.
Please share brand of mechanical pencil – they are my favorite thing! Thanks.
Loved your story and I can relate about the vacation clothes. I used to take my comfy casual shoes that had been worn to death and were on their last legs on business trips to wear after work. Tossed them in the garbage can in the hotel at the end of the trip. Learned this from a co-worker. On one trip, a hotel maid thought she had thrown them away by accident and mailed it our office!
hahahahahaha trash till you chased home from vacation.
Thanks for the morning chuckle as well as a shot of inspiration. I love the line about not finding any dead cats or raccoons!
My son gave me some of his ratty shirts. After cutting off collars, buttons, etc. there was enough material to use to make some quilt squares. I do quilting with kids at our park district and if clothes are 100 0/0 cotton they are great to cut up. I mention this as another alternative to just throwing spotted or worn clothing out. There are also projects involving using T shirt strips as yarn. Again, it doesn’t matter if they are spotted or dirty. They Can be used for crochet projects.
This was a delightful piece Gene. I think your writing style is really warm and I felt like your friend. Be well friend!
I wear most of my clothes for about ten years before I am ready to give an item away. I seldom get dressed up so nicer things last a long time. I usually wear slacks, a top and a cardigan sweater or a cape or shawl. I find dressing an outfit up with jewelry makes it look different.
I have a few plain cotton T shirts that I take on vacation. I am surprised by the people who are still taking evening gowns, tuxedos, etc. on vacation.
I remember once donating a pair of pants while on a business trip to Germany. I was commuting by bike, hit a bad pothole, and fell off of the bike. My pants were ripped around the knee. As it was the morning ride, I carried on through the day, and the next morning, I used a different set of trousers and put the old pair into a clothes donation bin : ) And that was years before I formally discovered minimalism!
I never did buy a $7 appliance. My sig other did, a couple of times, but got burned by the bottom-of-the-barrel quality of those things. It’s basically a way to turn some cash into hours of frustration. We had bought a very cheap electric coffee maker once while at Macy’s. It was small, and since I don’t drink coffee, our brewing needs are minimal. Unfortunately, it was a cheap piece of plastic garbage that broke within six months, and we went back to the 12-cup coffeemaker. Then, we discovered the Toddy cold-brew system and 12-cup maker sits on a shelf waiting for company. The six-cup maker was disassembled and the parts were recycled/trashed as appropriate.
In contrast, this summer, we acquired a new electric countertop grill. It’s a George Foreman-style grill, but made by one of the high-end brands, and bought used at a charity yard sale. It replaced my sig other’s ~10 year old original G.F. grill. The major upgrades were the removable/washable grill plates and a larger size. It sits in the basement most of the time; however, a few times a month, we grill some veggie burgers on it. We’re vegetarians now, and sometimes vegans, so our grilling needs have been reduced. This new countertop grill has essentially replaced the outdoor gas grill for most of our uses. We haven’t unloaded the gas grill at the moment, though we did donate the old G.F. grill to a local charity shop.
We took a 7 day cruise around the Hawaiian islands. Some people are still taking two huge suitcases a piece. I like to travel with as little as possible. I have a carry on as my biggest suitcase. I have an overnight bag if I am going to stay with a relative because I can always do laundry.My friend just spent $650 for a dress. I didn’t spend that much for anything I wore at my kids’ weddings.