Updated 1/20/2022
First, this blog is just over a month old, and I am up to 11 followers, yay! No clients yet, but I knew going into this could take some time. Thank you to those who have decided to follow this blog and journey.
I am not a Minimalist, yet. I am working towards it, and hopefully, by the time I retire, I will be there. That is 20 years away, lol. Why do I want to be a Minimalist? It is so much less stressful, and budget-friendly too. I must add that I also lean towards being a Prepper, which is the complete opposite of a Minimalist. I have to fight that urge to stockpile stuff for the Apocalypse. We do live in FL, and that means hurricanes. So, I do have to be a Prepper in a sense. However, I have a list, and I only prep for what we are going to need, no more. In theory, lol.
For me, the first step to being a Minimalist is to de-clutter. I actually hate clutter, so over the years, I got really good at hiding it. Out of sight out of mind, right? For example, we moved here, from NY, 15 years ago, and yes I still have bins of items, and papers stored from the original move. I am proud to say, I have almost completely gone through and removed everything that was not needed, which was most of it. I have 2 more bins to go. That is just the garage, though. You won’t believe what my children have collected over the years. Ugh!
I don’t buy new stuff unless I need it. No, I don’t wear clothes from the ’80s, though I do love some of those styles. But, if the economy counted on just our buying style it would be a snail’s pace. We have friends that buy new furniture every two years, for their whole house, literally. I can not tell you how dumb that is to me. But, we get their hand me downs so I guess I can’t complain too much. I drive my cars until they die, electronics last well over 10 years in my house, and shoes well let’s just say everyone has one good pair. I have been accused of being cheap. Maybe that is true, but I like to think of it more as to why should I throw something away when there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. That does not mean we are perfect at managing our family budget, but you can not live on a one-person income for a family of four in this day and age without being frugal. Technically it is one full-time worker and one part-time, but you see my point. I have had the pleasure to homeschool my children and being a full-time mom. That has meant more to me than any material items I could possibly have.
I would love a tiny house on a beach someday. I would be perfectly happy, and content. My husband, I am not so sure.
After I finally get all the clutter out of this house, the next step to being a minimalist would be in focusing on just what we need. We have way too much stuff, that isn’t even considered clutter. It is just accumulated stuff. Not accepting stuff from others, like my Mom who just wants to get rid of her stuff in an easy way, is extremely hard, but I am committed. It is a step process, with small goals. I have to start with one, complete that, and then go to the next.
Do you live a minimalist lifestyle? What tips would you give to someone aspiring to be a minimalist?
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