Is Minimalism Backwards?

I know this sounds like a crazy question, how can it be? It’s such a hot topic with hundreds of articles and videos on the subject; surely it must work.

Well here’s a little secret, it didn’t work for me. I started trying to be a minimalist over ten years ago. I wasn’t aware it was called minimalism when I started, I just knew that the amount of stuff I had was stressing me out and I was always having to clear and organise my things to keep them clean and find lost items.

I’d take everything out of the cupboard and go through it all and make biiiig piles of things to donate and put everything back in perfectly with new storage boxes or organisers if needed… And then, six months later, I’d be doing the same thing over again. I knew that once it was done I would feel better; I’d know where everything was, I’d have a nice wardrobe of clothes that fit and I could wear to work, and my anxiety didn’t have to deal with the piles of paperwork on the dining room table or draws of craft stuff rammed full. But it never lasted.

This all finally changed for me when I STOPPED BUYING STUFF. Sorry if that looks like I’m shouting but it’s such an important part of the process. In fact, it’s essential, because without it minimalism isn’t achievable. You will just end up doing big clearouts every six to twelve months and be frustrated by all the videos saying you will now feel calm and zen for the rest of your life without trying.

You won’t. Fact.

Sorry.

You cannot be a minimalist (whatever version of the word that is for you – I own more than one pair of shoes) until you stop bringing unnecessary ‘stuff’ into your house.

I had a bit of a buying ‘stuff’ issue. I had no idea how bad it was until I decided to do a no-spend year. Yes, you read that right, no spend, unless it fell into preset categories: food, rent, car, petrol, bills and emergencies. It was super damn hard, and no I didn’t always manage it. BUT, it did help me see how much I had been buying, and how 90% of the time it was emotional buying – because I disliked my job, or because I missed my mum, or because my anxiety was bad. That year not only helped our bank balance, but it also encouraged me to look into my mental health, it made me realise that minimalism was achievable, and I read most of the books on my bookshelf!

If you want to be a minimalist (and it’s key to work out what that word means to you; do you want to own 33 objects or less or like me do you see it as more of a mindset?) then I strongly suggest you start looking at your spending habits. Until you are aware of what you are spending your money on, and how often, you will be unable to set yourself new boundaries to stop the neverending items that keep ending up in your home.

When you think about it, it’s simple (hindsight is like that). You cannot dig yourself out of a hole if you keep filling it with mud.

It would be interesting to know how you tackle minimalism and what tips and tricks work for you; I am still a minimalist in training after all this time.

Happy self-analysing,

Livvy and Summer