Minimalism Can Be Fun??!!??

I will admit.  I am the last person in the world that I would have ever thought would consider trying to become more of a minimalist.

Things I Used to Think About Minimalism

Let's be honest.  I know that I am not the idea person to even discuss minimalism.  I love to shop!  By love, I mean LOVE to shop!!  I find buying new things to be fun and something that we can all enjoy.

Let's face it, who doesn't love finding a great new pair of jeans that makes their ass look great?

I'm doubting that there are not a lot of you who do not enjoy finding these types of great purchases.

So when I used to hear minimalism I would start to stress....

How could I ever get my house in order enough to live as a minimalist?

How can I get rid of things that I might use one day?

What do I keep? 

What should I get rid of?

I have learned that the answers to all of these are much easier than I expected and something that everyone can learn from.  Even if you do not become a super minimalist you can minimize some of the things if your life and this is going to help you to really be happier.

Minimalism Means Owning Nothing

I was wrong when I first looked at minimalism.  I thought that it meant that I could not own things. 

This caused a significant amount of stress for me as well.  It caused me to worry about not being able to shop or do the things that I enjoyed.

I was wrong.  With minimalism I can still own things.

I just have some rules. 

Rule #1--Make a List

Before I go to the store I make a list.  If something is not on my list then I do not buy it.  If I see something that I want and/or need then I add that to my next list.  I edit my lists before going to the store so if the item gets edited off then it was probably something that I didn't need.

This not only keeps me from having extra stuff in my house but it also keeps me from spending extra money that I do not have.

Rule #2--Evaluate What is Needed

Before shopping for something I do an inventory.  I go through the kids' clothing and put together outfits.  Then I can decide where they have areas that need to be filled in.  This helps to prevent their clothing from getting out of hand.

I will admit my children still have a lot of clothing but this one thing helps me to keep myself on top of things and be able to make sure that I do not buy duplicates of items or get completely out of control as I have in the past.

Rule #3--Make a Shopping Plan

I like to shop and I find it to be soothing and fun.  I love finding a great deal on something and being able to purchase it.

So I have to have a plan to keep me out of the stores.  For instance.....at tax return time I take a set amount of money and go to the outlets and order new shoes (in the next size up) and coats (if they will need them the next year).  I use this money to get all of the basics for their entire wardrobe. 

Then I just have to fill in at the beginning of the season which saves us a considerable amount of money because I can generally purchase everything on clearance.

Being a Minimalist Would Leave Me Depressed

I have found that having less but being able to spend more time focusing on the things in life that are important instead of trying to pick up all of our stuff has made me much happier than I ever was before.

Truths About Minimalism

Since so many people are confused about minimalism means it is important to note that there are some things that can help you realize that it is a great lifestyle to consider. 

Even if you do not want to live it fully there are things that you can do to implement minimalist practices into your life.

Expert Thoughts

The experts discuss minimalism and how it is an affective way to be able to make yourself happier.  When you want things you constantly seek out the next things that you want.  By learning to want less you will find that you are happier with what you have. 

If you want things that are completely attainable then you never have to feel like you couldn't get what you wanted.

Opinions of Others

People who live as minimalists find themselves happier and living more fulfilled lives than they might have thought previously possible.

Here are some great quotes on living as a minimalist:

"My goal is no longer to get more done, but rather to have less to do."  Francis Jay (Miss Minimalist: Inspiration to Downsize, Declutter, and Simplify)

"Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly.  It is your masterpiece after all."  Nathan W Morris

Becoming a Minimalist??

If you had ever told me that I would seek to become a minimalist I would have laughed in your face . I would have never thought that this was the lifestyle for me.

However I have been shocked by what I have learned about myself and I am continuing to determine how I can de-clutter and cut down in different areas of my life.

Deciding If Minimalism Was For Me

It was a tough decision learning to live with less for me.  There were some contributing factors that made me change some of the things easily but others were things that I was holding onto and things that I did not really want to change about myself.

Becoming more simplistic in my life was not something that I took lightly but instead was something that I did with all seriousness.

Learning How to Improve My Life With Minimalism

My life continues to improve with each area that I clean and de-clutter.  I can finally have the home that I always dreamed of.

I never have to worry about someone just dropping by because my house is almost always picked up and clean.

Once I have some extra money I will be able to buy the organizational pieces that I need to get my home looking exactly like I want it to and that will improve my determination to de-clutter as well.

My Minimalist Plan

1.  Clean out the toys in the living.....DONE
2.  List old toys on FSOT site to make extra money
3.  Clean out all dressers and put away all clothes that kids have grown into
4.  List all old clothes on FSOT sites to make more extra money
5.  Purchase storage solution for shoes and dining room toys (thinking a bench with lid/seat for shoes and a couple ottomans for toys) around $200
6.  Purchase storage solutions for the living room toys and blankets (purchase a few different benches--this will add seating and keep things looking awesome and some different storage ottomans as well)  around $600
7.  Purchase final storage solutions for the kids' rooms--no idea what I want!!
8.  Clean out the toys in the kids' room!!
9.  List toys to sale
10.  Clean out my closet
11.  Clean out cluttered areas of my bedroom
12.  Clean out all bookshelves
13.  Clean out downstairs cabinets and all areas that have collected clutter
14.  Clean out upstairs bathroom and hall closet
15.  Clean out coat closet

While I am not making a full to-do list these are the things that I have to start first to get back on track.  I have 1 down and 15 to go.  If I do one of these tasks each week then I will be done in about 3 months.  Some weeks I know that I can do more than one but I am determined to at least do one each week!!