Less is more – my way to minimalism
Less is more – my way to minimalism
Minimalism is something I like so much. It gives you room, space, air – open spaces are a symbol of liberty.
How to start and apply this minimalism in a small flat which once was a single home? Now this is the home of our family, means my son, my husband and me and a change is needed.
The more we have the unhappier we are?
This sentence is partly true.
I am de-cluttering, everything, every tiny space in the house will be turned upside down. While doing this I start to realize how many things we have, how many unused items, how much of what doesn’t make us happier because most of it is hidden behind doors, in the back of an wardrobe buried under something else.
What do we use and wear frequently, what do we use and wear from time to time, what do we use and wear never?
Sorting out makes me feel good. This act of letting go is not only sorting my wardrobe but also sorting my life.
How much do you have in your life that doesn’t make you happy?
Have you ever thought about it?
We live in an overflow of possibilities.
How many white shirts does one single person need? Seriously, even if you wear them 24/7, even if you change it twice a day – the amount of clothes in my wardrobe isn’t to be justified. Not even if I try to find an excuse.
This overflow is present wherever we go. I think we are a generation with an amount of choices that is hard to handle, especially when someone has not yet developed a certain kind of confidence.
If your path in life is not yet clear and you are searching for your personal way you will find thousands of possibilities and you end up in a jungle.
The importance of going back to the roots
I think it’s important to cut down what’s not needed as much as we can. I say extra as much as we can. We don’t have to start and go so far back in time that we have the next “problem”. A certain kind of minimalism is needed, at least for me. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to use these billions of possibilities we have.
In contrary, it means that I am thankful for what we have. We are lucky to have this wonderful choice! The minimalism has to set in when we are choosing. Instead of taking all we can, which has the risk of getting lost again, we should take what we can handle.
I want to write, what I am doing here, that means I take the opportunity and use the internet for what I like to do.
I also would like to start a yoga teacher training and I could sign up right now. This opportunity is just a few clicks away. But I would not be able to succeed right now because I have a full-time job, a family with a toddler, a quite full calendar and barely time for writing and some yoga.
Do you see what I mean? I cut down and let go. That doesn’t mean this chance has passed, that means it isn’t fitting in at this moment. Once the toddler is older I may want to think about it again. Or I may have something else by then which is more important for my life at that stage. You never know where life goes. Things that were once important are vanishing from your life without leaving even traces. Sometimes it’s even enough to listen to your gut feeling.
My way
My way is just starting. Or even better said, this journey is the destination. Not everything in your life need to hit a predefined goal!
What am I doing in general?
I don’t have a plan, that means I go by intuition which is my way. Maybe you are the same kind because I have enough pressure in my life that I cannot fully control (like work for instance), it wouldn’t feel good to put myself under another kind of pressure. For some persons that won’t work because they need a strict plan in place. This is your way to find out what’s best for you.
I made a list, my list. It is kind of a plan, that’s correct, but it’s not written in stone. This list is like a working document. I add things as they pop up and I cross out either because it’s done or because it’s not important anymore. This list has no priorities, if I have checked something on it at the end of the day, then I’m happy. If not, then it is like it is.
To be honest, for me this works best, I don’t feel depressed when this list is long because I know that nothing on that list is urgent. Everything on there will make my life less cluttered once it’s done but without any pressure behind.
Let go AND change
My way doesn’t end here because I realized that it’s not only about minimizing what we have but also about making changes.
I used my electric toothbrush for years and would have had so many benefits in my brain to convince anyone to buy an electric brush. You don’t believe what I use now. A bamboo brush.
No plastic, no electricity, no batteries, no timer, no sounds, a simple and easy bamboo brush.
Does it make me happy? Yes!!!
I changed! The way forward for me is not only about getting rid of things. It is also to think about what we have and how we could improve there. Not feeding the plastic industry is a good feeling! This is just a small start.
I’m far away from being perfect and there are many things where I can start to check for alternatives. There are also many things where I don’t find alternatives because I wouldn’t feel happy with the alternative. And sometimes even there simply are no alternatives. The balance is the key, as it is so often. As long as you know where to cut things down you will be fine.
Every step you make to improve your life and your environment is important. If only each person is starting we all would make a difference. Be the example and show your family, friends and neighbors what alternatives we have.
This is my way.
I just started and am happy if you share what you are doing.
What about you?
Are you trying to change?
Are you living with all you need but not more?
Do you have stuffed closets and no clue what’s inside?
Are you lost in the jungle of possibilities you have?
How do you want to change your life?
Are you happy with your life as it is?
Let me know – I would love to hear your stories <3
