Minimalism (The Not Owning Stuff Kind)

[Kensington]

There was a challenge I read about a few years ago where people would try to have 100 possessions. Depending on how strict you are it can be quite difficult to narrow it down to 100. Some people counted each shoe as an items while others considered there 100 pairs of shoes as 1 item.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...812048,00.html

 

[MaxHeadroom]

I try and balance things.

Not necessarily minimalism (I still collect CDs which I consider more valuable to own than mp3's, although I consider DVDs to be more thowaway items), but I don't go wasting money on home improvements or new cars etc.

I'd rather have the money to spend on going places and doing things rather than having things. So the things that I do have are items I consider to be interests I like doing.

If I've got nothing to spend it on, then I'd prefer to see my money grow instead of spending it on stuff I don't need.

 

[Cool The Kid]

Originally Posted by Nosu3

Are you a minimalist? Are you a part of the Voluntary Simplicity Movement?
No, I don't call myself a minimalist, but in the last 2 years I've got rid of a lot of **** (cars, bikes, clothes). My life is def the simplest its been, and I've seen the damage done from the relentless pursuit of the accumulation of stuff. IMO a simpler lifestyle is a better one. But it just seems goofy how people love to brand themselves. "I only eat organic foods" "I have a low carbon footprint" "I'm a minimalist"... when I hear ppl immediately identify themselves that way I basically hear them say "I am better than ppl who don't subscribe to my lifestyle". It's just kinda goofy. I don't like to have a lot of stuff I don't need cause extra stuff is a distraction and money thrown away. But I don't think coming to that common sense realization is worth bragging about... esp on a fashion site

 

[yjeezle]

been trying to do this for years... unfortunately, my absolute "minimal" life style consists of a dual screen LCD desktop, 40" LED TV, laptop. I use all of these on a daily basis though...

 

[epb]

Originally Posted by APK

Anyone else like this or been through a similar lifestyle shift?

I'm a recovering minimalist. Until about 5 years ago, my studio apartment had a futon, footlocker that doubled as a coffee table/ottoman, laptop and an exercise mat. The apartment was about 300 sq ft and seemed HUGE. Guests used to freak - the room invoked some sort of capitalist vertigo.

 

[crazyquik]

I detest minimalism.

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by crazyquik

I detest minimalism.

If we're to believe you, this should be 80 words.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

I enjoy it in the owning less stuff of a higher quality instead of more junk.

 

[osgood]

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[twohlix]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

I enjoy it in the owning less stuff of a higher quality instead of more junk.

YES! I've been doing this. I've found that not only do you take better care of the high quality stuff, but there are more things to enjoy about each thing.

 

[Cotillion]

"You buy furniture. You tell yourself this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple of years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you."


-C.P.

 

[URALLMORONS]

Originally Posted by SkinnyGoomba

I enjoy it in the owning less stuff of a higher quality instead of more junk.

This is how I have been living lately.Sold so much clothes and such and will really only replace them with stuff that I question in my mind with a "will this last a long time?" If the answer is NO then I will only buy something that is of quality.

Over the last month my closet went from the about to burst level to half full.

Quality over quantity is how I am starting to look at things. Except for books really. I will just have to many and can't part ways with them.

 

[Flambeur]

I know this is an old thread, but I remember it making some kind of a small impact on me, or at least getting me to look at things from a different prospective.

I really did only collect clothes and books, but I still managed to spend money on unneeded junk, to make bad purchasing decisions, and to find my closets full of things I never use/need/wear.

Well a year or two later, the materialistic side of me has definitely been evolving. I still like nice things, but I just don't need to acquire acquire acquire anymore. My personal and professional concerns occupy most of my thinking now, I am much more content with less while wanting more from other more intangible things in life. Since I've started paring down, I definitely find it liberating - less things to worry about, more space, more disposable cash to invest and spend on things like vacations, etc. More importantly, I can walk away from everything I own with a suitcase or two, and be absolutely content. Physical objects just aren't that important to me anymore.

 

[Desi]

I wish that I was affected as you were by this thread. On my end I just enjoyed reading it but I still practice collecting; Designer digs or interesting artsy books. My room is still much to cluttered especially now that I gave up placing shoe boxes into the closet as I would have to lift 15 or so boxes just to get to those "boots I really want to wear" all the way at the bottom of the stack. Still I feel that it may have made a impact on me in my social life and as far as my PC is concerned it has also stopped me from filling up my screen and harddrive with so much random junk!

 

[Radagast]

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