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I have been on a quest to start living with less. But becoming a minimalist has been more difficult than I originally thought.
Last weekend, I stopped by my storage unit to start getting rid of stuff. A fascinating thing happened, I got overwhelmed by everything, closed the door, and continued my day.
I will mention half of my 5×5 storage unit is filled with my Rav4 seats. If I plan on driving the Rav into the ground, why am I keeping them? Also, in the storage unit are many bins, books, clothing, and old work gear, but I will say I have made good use of the vertical space there.
Finding Happiness
This is something I’ve been searching for. And to take it a step further, I think most of us are.
Finding happiness is not something that happens overnight. It’s a journey, and all you can do is get closer to Your Happiness every day (yes, I link to that post a lot, but I think it’s important you read it).
When I talk to my Mum about becoming a minimalist, she only smiles and sometimes laughs. I have a feeling it’s because I don’t have a lot. Well, to the normal person.
If I take a step back, I have done well on this journey. I went from living in a two-bedroom house with beds, furniture, kitchen stuff, and lots of gadgets, not to mention all the nick-nacks, to renting a room. I can even now move everything I own with four trips with my Rav4.
But what does that mean to me?
I have two trips too many. Not to mention, to help with all the clutter, I have a STORAGE UNIT too. Dang, it.
Then, if I could only take one vehicle load, could I do it?
The answer is yes. I can easily put everything in the Rav I want to keep. That would mean I can take one trip and bounce.
But what about all the other stuff?
Why is it so difficult to eliminate what you don’t use?
That’s the question I’ve been trying to figure out. I feel many different reasons why getting rid of anything is hard.
- Maybe you don’t want to deal with it.
- It’s going to take a lot of time.
- There are so many sentimental things we accumulate.
- You would rather do something else (like planning a road trip).
- Realizing that it’s easier just to put it in the closet and forget about it.
And the list can go on, but as I’m writing this, I realize there is one thing. All I’m listing are excuses. You know what they say about excuses, right (you know, everyone has one)?
What it really comes down to, you’re just not prioritizing minimalism. And that is something that is going to change.
What’s Been On Your Mind?
For me, I constantly think about the possessions that I have and use. There are different reasons for each.
Another is that if I already have it, I may as well keep it. After all, what if I need it in the future? But on the flip side, what if you don’t?
Then there is the fact that I pay for a storage unit. And I just put more stuff in it, closed the door, and left. I also know that is money I could save or invest in for my future.
It’s true. The more we have, the more power it has over us.
Something I read recently and another way of thinking about having a storage unit. If you add up everything that is inside, is it really worth it?
Meaning if you add everything up and it’s $1,000, you haven’t used it in a year. Will you miss it? Or have you learned to live without it?
Having more things ultimately means having more responsibilities.
YouTube Video You Should Check Out
Since attempting to watch less TV, I have found there is something I’m doing instead. I watch a lot of videos on YouTube.
During one of my YouTube sessions, meaning I watched more videos than I should have, I came across an interesting video.
This applies because you aren’t constantly thinking about things, where you put stuff, and having to clean everything.
For one example, I minimized my clothing a few years ago. You might see in photos of me that I’m pretty much wearing the same thing.
Yes, I have more shirts, shorts, pants, and shoes than I still need. But they are all pretty much the same style and colors. It makes it easy to know what I’m going to wear too.
Referring to the video, I’m ahead of the game on the hair front. Although, I do like having a goatee, which means I have sizers and a comb to maintain it. But hey, to each their own.
After all, being a minimalist is different for everyone. I’m not going to keep all my possessions in a blue box. But I will make sure what I have are things I use and bring me joy.
Let’s Do This Together
I want to ensure you know I’m not here to judge your lifestyle. This is something that I’m writing not only to you but to myself as well.
Why do we all have so much?
It’s because companies do an excellent job of marketing things we really don’t need. Not only that, but I really love gear and gadgets. So seeing the latest and greatest is a curse for me.
There are a few things I’m doing to help myself with this. If I want to buy something, I wait at least 48 hours. This time allows me to really think if it’s something I need or want. I would be interested in finding out what you do. Let me know in the comments below.
I also do my best to sell or give away items I’m not using. I then save up to get something that I’ve been eyeing.
Side note: I will be testing a new shower product on my road trip.
I want to say thanks for joining me on this post on finding happiness with less.
I know, for me, at least, it will continue to be a long process. But every little step counts.
This topic has been on my mind lately. I know I have posted about minimalism in the past, but posting it on the world wide web might give me the kick in the pants to start making this a priority. After all, for me, this is important.
Taking this month-long road trip might help me realize that I don’t need much to be happy. By the way, I’ve never taken a month off and gone on a vacation. Like ever! I cannot wait to go, and I really do hope that I come back.
Minimalism has become more mainstream in recent years. It’s something many of us strive for. It is an on-going process – a challenge for ourselves that never ends, so we need to keep that in mind and be kind to ourselves.
What is minimalism? There are a variety of long definitions out there.
My focus is on:
-Simplicity
-Consuming less and enjoying more
-Keeping things that you value the most and embracing what you have
Yes, I do smile when you mention this topic.
That is because you have been working on this for years, and do not have a lot of possessions. Honestly, I don’t think you should get rid of anything more [except for small things like a bag or sticker]. I suspect that part of the reason you feel you should “purge” more is because you have a small space at home. Besides your car seats, I think most of your storage is seasonal items. Do you use them all the time? No. But you will within a years time.
You have inspired me to downsize and find what brings me joy. Like I said, it’s an on-going process. I am always reconsidering while I clean and organize. In addition to owning less, I have felt blessed to share some of my belongings with non-profits in our area.
I see that it doesn’t take much to make you happy. Any gadgets are items you actually use.
In my humble opinion, you are already successful.
On another topic, I know how excited you are about your epic road trip. You will be on the road in about a week!
You are sure to have great adventures and have stories to share.
You said you hope you come back…well, I do too!
That’s awesome, and thanks. I know it’s a long process, but it does feel good to get rid of stuff even better when you can give it or donate it to a good cause.
Yes, I cannot wait for my road trip. In fact, I think I just finished my tentative plan. I say tentative because it’s a road trip, and you never know what will happen. I mean, last year, I had to make A LOT of changes. But I’m looking forward to it, I will be going to many amazing places, and I cannot wait to meet some awesome people. I am pretty sure I’m going to write about what I’m doing. I haven’t really done that before, and I think it would be cool (not just for my record, but maybe others can get something out of it as well).