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When I tell people that I am a minimalist, they look at me like I just landed on Earth from Mars. It’s quite funny actually. THEN they ask me what is a minimalist. I tell them that minimalism is a conscious decision to live life simply and step away from the “norm” of how society believes we should live. Minimalism is a mindset. Think about it. We have the great American Dream in our minds but whose dream is it really? Have you stopped to think if you really want the big house, big yard, 2 cars with 2 car payments, 2.5 kids, a dog and ALL THE DEBT that comes along with it? Then add on all the toys that you will probably want to have to keep up with the Jones’ – the boat, the 4 wheeler, the Harley and the list goes on and on.
We don’t need all these things to survive and often we don’t WANT all these things – we just buy, buy and buy some more. What generally happens with all this buying? Debt, debt, and more debt until you find yourself sinking in quick sand. I was there and I made a decision that I was getting out and that is when I embraced living minimally and simply. But this decision did not come easy because I had to turn away from what all my friends and family were doing. To this day, most in my family have at least 2 cars, boats, motorcycles and more. That works for them but it does not work for me.
Once my mind was set, I started decluttering my home and I have never looked back. What an eye opener that was. We moved from South Florida to North Florida and when I started working room by room by room, I found box upon box that had never been opened from when we moved from Cleveland to Miami. That was in 1995 and we moved to North Florida in 2006. Yes you read that correct. Boxes that had never been opened when we originally moved in 1995 from Cleveland.
Those boxes were put into a pile along with everything else we had planned to donate. When I removed the clutter, I felt more at peace and more productive. You really do not know what an emotional toll having to buy so much stuff to keep up with everyone else does to you mentally and financially.
My minimalist mindset has remained firmly in place now for several years and I am able to give back so much more to the community than I though possible. There is not a worthwhile event that goes by for which we do not donate or participate in. Giving back is very important to me and something that I am planning to do on an even larger scale in the next year in the community we live in.
I have freedom beyond my wildest imagination to travel as I will and my list of places that I plan to go increases more each year as I tick the places I have visited off my list. I also travel with one little suitcase and will be making the transition to a backpack on my next trip. Does not matter if I am traveling overnight or for a week, my packing remains the same – quick and simple. In addition to being able to travel, I can pursue my health goals and this year alone I have completed my first half marathon and more recently my first triathlon. Minimalism allowed me the time I needed to train for these events instead of being tied to a job that I absolutely hated.
The key for me is to live by MY dreams – not anyone elses. I don’t need a lot of “stuff” to be happy. My family and friends are close and my passion for living and experiencing all that life has to offer is what my minimalist lifestyle has given to me.
This is Denise’s take on Minimalist Living. You can read about Aly’s take here: Minimalist Living Day to Day.
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For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
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