Minimalist realignment

[Ultralight]

I have been a minimalist since about 2009, though I did not get serious until 2014.

From 2009-2011 my then wife and I practiced what is now referred to as "Comfortable Minimalism."

(This link is an excellent example of Comfortable Minimalism: )

From 2012 and 2013 she and I sort of backslid a bit. She was not into minimalism nearly as much as me, though she was as anti-clutter as I am.

Then in the middle of 2013 she divorced me and I was suddenly a bachelor again with no one to answer to. So on Jan. 1st 2014 I went whole hog on minimalism. And from 2014-2016 I was an "extreme minimalist" and got my total number of worldly possessions down to 150 (I was counting almost everything individually too!).



After moving to my own apartment in 2016 I slowly went back to Comfortable Minimalism and my number of possessions has reached north of 250. I needed more kitchen items, I needed some household cleaning items, I needed a couple exercise equipment items, I needed this-and-that. You get the picture.

As I have noticed my apartment feeling more "busy" and that many items have fallen into non-use I decided it was time for a minimalist realignment.

I somehow accumulated about 20 pairs of underwear. So I downsized about half of them. I also had a little collection of books that I thought I wanted to read but probably did not. So I tossed them. I am also going to go through my clothes, as I would like to eliminate the need for dry cleaning my work attire. And in the kitchen, several items I thought I would need I actually have not used at all.

If you have any suggestions, let me know! Thanks.

[happystuff]

No suggestions as I am on the "still decluttering" side of minimalism. I'm also living with other people, so it's hard just keeping things clean, let alone decluttered. Good luck with your minimalist realignment. I hope it goes well.

[Ultralight]

No suggestions as I am on the "still decluttering" side of minimalism. I'm also living with other people, so it's hard just keeping things clean, let alone decluttered. Good luck with your minimalist realignment. I hope it goes well.

How many people do you live with? Are they not on board with keeping the place clean?

[catherine]

Nice video!

I have been given the opportunity to practice comfortable minimalism in my house in VT. I'll go from being an "intern" to a "pro" as soon as I can purge the contents of the house in NJ. But at least I'm living minimal for half the year.

Here's what I've found & also some of my strategies:

Multi-function is important to me. I bought a metal bistro table and two matching folding chairs. I use the table as an end table in the house, and the chairs are desk chairs, but when people come and we sit outside, I just bring the foldable table/chairs outside.

I have an ottoman that functions as end table/extra seating. I have a butcher block island that functions as food prep, dining table, card/game table/ironing board.

Even though all my clothes fit in two dresser drawers and maybe 18" of closet space, I still feel I have too much. Not that it's too much, but I feel there are clothes I'm not using much, so I can get rid of those. And my DDs boyfriend works at a major sports shoe company, and while I only brought two pairs of sneakers (one "nice" and one for the garden) he increased my sneaker load by 100% by giving me two new pair. I have to figure out what to do with at least one of the pair. I'll probably downgrade my "nice" sneakers to "garden" sneakers and throw out the oldest pair.

Toiletries: it's so nice to have practically none, except for the basics. All my make-up fits in one small make-up bag, and I can simply pick it up and throw it in my suitcase for business trips.

In the kitchen, I also use jars for grains, rice, nuts, etc. And I have little magnetized spice jars on the fridge. My utensil draw is sparse. We only brought a couple of knives and a peeler and a few other things.

I'm doing my work on an old table the previous owners left behind. I'll replace it someday, but it's working now. It's the only thing in the second bedroom. I bought an organizer with 4 wire baskets for $10 at a second hand shop--I put it in the closet for work-related stuff mainly.

We have place settings for 4. I've found that the nesting bowls that I bought for $20 at Goodwill are amazing--they serve a multitude purposes, and when nested, they take up hardly any space.

We did not bring any gizmos except for the immersion blender. I did buy an electric kettle and French press which is working beautifully.

All I have in my bedroom is the bed with white bedding and curtains (no distracting patterns), one dresser, clear of clutter except for the little tiny porcelain dish that my DIL gave me for Mother's Day, in which I put the rosaries that I pray with every night. I have my phone charger hidden behind the bed, and I charge every night--the phone goes on the window sill. No need for nightstand.

As far as entertainment, I rely on Alexa. She's barely noticeable on my shelves. We do have a small TV which we need to mount.

I'm loving this minimal lifestyle. Really.

[Teacher Terry]

UL, just because you live with others doesn’t mean they have the same house standards and I can assure you kids certainly do not. Small kids are little mess makers)

[iris lilies]

Boy, I should take photos of our living/ dining room (one room) in Hermann. It has quite a bit less than these minimalists.
i am purposely keeping crap out of this house because it will undergo a big renovation and I will have to move every piece of crap. Also, it is just nice to not have lots of crap around.

[SteveinMN]

Small kids are little mess makers)

As I'm discovering with our grandkids, there is, at least for most people, no minimalism attached to caring for small kids. Toys; special eating utensils; bottles; car seats; lots of diapers and/or clothes, out of which they grow rapidly; and the items it takes to clean up after them...

I've given up trying to be "green" and minimalist at our kids' house when the GKs are there. It just does not work.

[Teacher Terry]

Enjoyed the video. When I sold my curio cabinet and replaced it with a small table with a lamp everyone noticed and remarked that the living room felt much bigger. I don’t like bare furniture so for instance the coffee table has one decorative item on it. I give away books when done reading and lately have just bought ones for my iPhone.

[Teacher Terry]

Steve, once I had kids my parents bought toys for their house, crib and high chair because we visited a lot. They ended up buying a extra tv and a video game system once my boys got older. We definitely created clutter for my parents. Plus kids books.

[Float On]

I recently sold sofa and loveseat combo and we are loving just having comfy chairs to sit in and i can rearrange the chairs to my hearts content. The sofa/love-seat only fit one way...boring. Sofas are really only good for napping. I hate going to a meeting in someone's house and being expected to squish 3 people on a sofa. Wasted space! Personal space!