True Minimalism
Do you really need all that stuff?
I was living up to my namesake today and went surfing - blog surfing that is. You know where you click on a link in one blog, which takes you to another blog, which takes you to another blog...? A link on inspirationbubble led me to an interesting post on Retro Age Vintage Fabrics about how Gandhi owned less than ten things when he died. This linked to thought-provoking minimalist site, mnmlist and I read a post about how stuff has come to overwhelm us. I got inspired.
Now I'm already pretty minimalist really, but for ages I've been living with an abundance of mugs and some boring old plates that I bought when we first moved here. They're beige and I'm bored of them. I don't NEED so many mugs. I'm constantly coming across cool mugs that I would prefer. My place is so small I can't afford to waste space on things I don't love so I'm culling (the mugs in the picture aren't mine - I wouldn't mind having so many if they were).
Enthused, I went to one of the local charity shops and asked what stuff they'd take (or rather, wouldn't take) and came back determined to get rid of stuff I don't need or like. So far, I've sorted out my bedroom by reorganising my drawers and turfing clothes that I don't really wear anymore or shouldn't.
I can't stand clutter, especially in the bathroom so I transferred less-used items into a box and chucked out products that are never used. The bedroom and bathroom are now clean (which is usually enough to rejuvenate me) and I'm looking forward to living a more streamlined life. Hopefully, Dave will look critically at his clothes because our shared clothes cupboard is still in a bit of a state and I've thrown out all I can (he dreads these moments).
On to the kitchen!
images via Cemetarian & Lena's Blog
I relate. I feel healthier & happier with less, but some things are just so pretty (& dirt cheap), that I feel the need to buy them. I've been sending more out than I've been brining in lately, which is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteOn this Gandhi says, “You may have occasion to possess or use material things, but the secret of life lies in never missing them”.
MoonDoggie says, "Surround yourself with things you love, rid yourself of things you don't". :)
Went to mnmlist blog and I have to say, I was wondering where the photos were!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't find that post about Ghandi. A friend I know has been studying Ghandi. Interesting insights to be found.
But I agree, I come from a family of collectors. I went minimalist/streamline then filled up 6 shelves with vintages goodies. Covered with a curtain, it all worked... For a while.
Here is a tip I found that helps me:
1. Decide on a hard and fast theme for each room and a set of colors.
2. Stick to that theme and those colors. Do not deviate.
3. If you find you have too many things in theme and colors, select ONLY those things that look right, and get rid of the rest. Box and store the things you just can't bare to get rid of right away.
By sticking to a theme and a set of colors, it really makes a room look cohesive and "put together" rather than a "visual carnival".
I hope this helps!
Thanks for the tips :)
ReplyDeleteI have changed the post to link directly to Retro Age Fabrics' post on Ghandi - http://vintagefabrics.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-much-do-you-ownand-why.html
What I think was the original post was actually on zen habits -http://zenhabits.net/2010/03/gandhi-lessons/
Ah! Thanks for the link. I tried to find the post at 4:00 a.m. so I'm sure it was my sleepies that made it impossible for me to find ha ha...
ReplyDeleteBah, I guess this means I should get rid of some stuff too, huh? lol
I guess that makes me a maximalist! I am a junk lover and in my house there is a place for everything and everything (usually) in its place. I do have to do a sweep every once in a while to keep things fresh. That's when yard sales come in handy, send it on to someone else!
ReplyDelete