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, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Darcy. She tells us how living with her stuff in storage for a few years inspired her to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle. It’s given her more time to pursue activities she loves, like building her book blog.
Darcy writes:
If you saw our book collection, you probably wouldn’t apply the term “minimalist” to my husband and I. Between us we have eight bookcases full of books. We’re both teachers and our books are our treasures, but despite our stacks of books, we consider ourselves minimalists. One thing I have learned since beginning this journey is that being a minimalist is not a competition to see who owns less. Minimalism should and will look different for everyone.
My journey toward minimalism began a little over a year ago. While I’ve never liked clutter and I’ve always loved to be organized, it took six moves in six years and my husband and I placing almost all our belongings in storage for two years for us to realize what a burden our excessive possessions had become.
Almost seven years ago my husband and I met as first-year Ph.D. students. We quickly realized the job market wouldn’t make continuing in our programs worthwhile and thus began a series of moves, adjunct teaching jobs and dead end opportunities which culminated in us moving in with my parents while my husband went back to school to get a teaching credential. During these two years I lived out of my suitcase and my husband out of his duffel bag, our daughter was born and shared our tiny room, her extensive wardrobe was put in the dresser, and everything else was in boxes in my parents’ spare bedroom and in the storage facility we had to rent. I mourned our loss of space and independence and lived for the moment when we could get back on our feet.
We were blessed in that my husband found a job quickly after he graduated. As we prepared to move our things out of storage and into our apartment last year, I decided to organize our storage unit. Our previous move had been a hasty one and I liked the idea of getting to our new place and having everything in order. What began as organization turned into an eye-opening journey as I sorted through boxes and pulled out things I had forgotten we owned – Why did I have four sets of mixing bowls? Five whisks? Two crock pots and shoes I hadn’t worn for years? What was I doing with a drying rack we never used and clothes that would obviously never fit again? It is amazing what perspective two years away from your stuff can give you. During this time I happened upon the Minimalists TEDX talk and Miss Minimalist’s blog, which resulted in further reading of minimalist websites and blogs. Feeling inspired and motivated, we took carload after carload of items to our local donation center. Each trip left us feeling lighter, energized, and more in control of our life. In the end, having to move in with my parents for two years became a great blessing in our lives for a number of reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that my husband and I learned how good it feels to live with less.
I am still developing my identity as a minimalist. I don’t like the sterility, starkness, and modernity of a lot of minimalist décor. I love color, art, and home decorating. No white walls for me, please. Keeping my craft items to a minimum isn’t always easy. I struggle to donate my daughter’s toys and to communicate to well-meaning relatives and friends that we don’t want or need many things for ourselves, or our daughter. I am grateful there are websites and blogs of like-minded people where I can learn strategies to deal with these issues.
There has been a surprising amount of side benefits to this lifestyle. Minimalism has helped my husband and I focus on paying off our student loans. We don’t use credit cards anymore and we’re paying off our car a year early. It has given me time to start building my book blog: The Crumbly Scone. Most surprising to me though is that I’ve begun thinking about ways to live a zero waste lifestyle. Something I can honestly say I never really cared about.
Yesterday I watched Lauren Singer’s TEDX talk, “Why I Live a Zero Waste Life” and I loved the words she ended with: “I want to be remembered for the things I did while I was on this planet, and not for the trash I left behind.” This sentiment, I think, is at the root of what we’re all striving for as minimalists.
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or joining my email list.}
Moving and clearing out a storage unit can be embarrassing as you realize how much unnecessary junk we accumulate. Some of us learn a lesson and make a plan to get rid of it and some of use just take it with us and keep it moving.
Happy to see your progress in living more of a minimalist lifestyle. You are correct that it is not a contest. Pursuing Zero Waste can be depressing. There is MASSIVE waste everywhere. It is embedded in many cultures.
Thank you for your comment, Tony! I agree, pursuing zero waste can be depressing, especially if you’re striving for perfection. I don’t expect to ever achieve an absolutely zero waste lifestyle, but I have enjoyed finding creative ways to be less wasteful. Simple things like not using paper plates at a birthday party or packing my husband’s sandwiches in reusable bags are small steps that I hope will lead to greater changes later on.
I strive for Limited Waste since I haven’t been able to make the leap to zero waste -I seriously AGONIZED over daily disposable contact lens and tried every other option after my lasik failed until I finally came to grips that this was going to be acceptable waste in my life.
Tony you are so right about it being depressing though. Every time I see someone getting a plastic bag I just cringe, but it’s also a great reminder that I can only control my own decisions. I try to hopefully inspire others by setting good examples (except with contacts- I’m the evil eyewear example).
Books were the first thing I went through. I found a book I bought 20 years ago and never read. I read it in one night and donated it the next day.
I too believe it’s not a contest. I don’t like stark homes either. But, clutter can weigh you down. I’m planning on moving in a year and that’s the motivation to continue to downsize. I don’t ever want to move the amount of items I did the last time.
Congratulations on starting the journey!
Thank you for commenting! Being picky about the items I want/allow in my home has saved me a lot of money. No more spur of the moment trips to Pier 1 for the latest holiday furnishings or impulse buys at Target (well, almost none ;). Clutter not only weights you down, but it’s expensive! Moving certainly is one of the BEST motivators for downsizing. Good luck to you as you prepare for your move!
Books had always been my treasures too…until I developed a lung infection from going through old books and family photos from the 1800’s. After that, and because I’d read THE JOY OF LESS, I released over 1500 books from my home. I still have two bookcases though, in my office. One bookcase is larger and contains thicker necessary business books, and while the other is smaller, it contains many thin middle grade and young adult books. Still, I’m ready to decrease each one by half and combine the two. It’s hard to let go–minimizing is a process–but I have a new vision for my space. The point is that books lining the walls of the family room and bedrooms used to comfort (and maybe say something about me), whereas now empty spaces and flat surfaces produce tremendous joy–plus, space is also less dangerous in an earthquake, as there was a couple who was found dead in their bed, buried under their heavy piles of fallen books. I wish you luck–be sure to update!
Thank you for your comment, Kathie! Wow – I didn’t know you could get a lung infection from old books and photos! That’s so great that you were able to let go of so many books. We also donated many books when we moved (mostly double copies and old textbooks, which weren’t hard to get rid of). My goal is to never exceed the bookcases we have. I’m very picky about the books I purchase now. If it doesn’t fit on the shelf, I find a book I can donate/sell and replace it with that one. Best of luck to you as you create the new space you’re dreaming of!
I got rid of books and several bookcases (dust collectors) keeping only reference books, getting rid of fiction and older ref. books, also DVD’s, CD’s I was tired of given away or to rescue mission, and household stuff not used was donated to group homes and foster care. Kitchen clutter seems to be hardest to control. Much updated info can be gotten online (medical, herbs, natural health, exercise routines, etc)
Kitchen clutter is hard to control! It helps when you have a tiny apartment though and hardly any cupboard space. :) I agree, there is so much information online now that reference type books quickly become obsolete. I’ve started getting rid of cookbooks because I usually just find my recipes through a Pinterest or Google search.
Loved reading your story, Darcy! And I relate with how you find minimalism is different for everyone. I’m both a lover of books (the best ones are like friends!) and not a fan of stark plain walls so I get where you’re coming from. It’s also encouraging to hear you’re paying off debt and finding other benefits to minimalism. Thanks for sharing!
I completely agree that minimalism helps you focus on improving your finances. I’m struggling to get debt-free but minimalism has definitely helped.
As a teacher, I can so relate to this. My books are not quite minimalist in numbers but they are the things I love and use. I save space elsewhere. LOL