Every Monday I post Real Life Minimalists, a profile of one of my readers in their own words. If you’d like to participate, click here for details.
This week we meet Melissa, who tells us how her family’s new home inspired them to embrace a minimalist lifestyle.
Melissa writes:
My husband and I began our minimalist journey last year when we bought our first house. When we walked into the solid log home, we fell in love. It was staged minimally for showing, and we adored how the gorgeous wood walls and architecture took center stage. We knew that filling it with all of our belongings would destroy that beauty.
In the month before we moved in, we took load after load of items to Goodwill. We realized that once we got rid of the stuff, we no longer needed storage furniture for it. We gave away dressers, shelving units, storage containers, and hutches. Our belongings were at least a thousand pounds lighter on move-in day.
Our new house includes a 1600 square foot garage. Yes, larger than many houses! When friends visit, they exclaim over the empty space and suggest things we could buy to fill it. But we see potential in the space, not in the items that we could store in it. It is a space where my husband can spread out his woodworking tools during a project. It can become a playground when our daughter wants to run, dance, and cartwheel during cold or rainy weather. We can do messy crafts, exercise, and play party games. We want to use that space to do things rather than to own things.
Six months after our move, we are as in-love with our new home as ever, and we owe much of that to our commitment to minimalism. We stick to a rule of “one item in, one item out,” and we often tip the scale drastically towards “out.” We have a donation box in the house that we add to daily. Other than the dresser that my husband and I share and a dresser for our daughter, we stick to the storage that the house provides: closets and cabinets, many of which have empty space. We have not added a single shelf, and there is nothing under the beds. After experimenting with a season of Project 333, I now dress full-time with a capsule wardrobe, which has been a liberating experience.
More than a reduction in belongings, discovering minimalism has launched a monumental change in our lifestyle. We no longer shop mindlessly, we don’t browse, and we don’t expose ourselves to advertising. We allow our own experiences tell us what we need in our lives instead of outside forces telling us what we should want. We have formed the habit of routinely questioning an item’s usefulness in our lives, and getting rid of it if it doesn’t serve us. When we are able to eliminate the unnecessary, we feel freer, lighter, and healthier, as if our lives are trees and we have pruned off the dead branches. Too much stuff is a burden we don’t ever want to bear again!
{If you’d like to learn more about minimalist living, please consider reading my book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide, or subscribing to my RSS feed.}
Melissa, your house sounds like a dream home (even the garage!). More power to you!
Thank you!
Beautiful post. Beautiful family. And a beautiful new home too.
Thank you!
Well written post! I can really picture the lightness and joy in your log home.
How lovely that you both think the same way about this. Your home sounds beautiful.
I also no longer shop mindlessly. In fact, I’ve noticed recently that on the very few occasions that I do buy something, I take it home and then it can sit around for weeks, and I realise that actually I didn’t need it at all. Obviously I need to shop even less.
It’s definitely a blessing that my husband has the same mindset. One of us is there to be strong when the other is experiencing a moment of weakness :)
Your home (and garage!) sound wonderful. Love the idea of the donation box…we do the same and I’m always surprised at how fast it gets filled! Haven’t tried Project 333 yet…a bit nervous about it as I love clothes :) All the best, Karen
If you wear all of your clothes, keep them! I just learned through Project 333 that I was already wearing less than half of what I owned, and I *loved* significantly less than that. I appreciate my clothes a lot more now than I ever did before.
“We knew that filling it with all of our belongings would destroy that beauty.”
What a beautiful thought … !
Thank you!
Such wisdom in realisation. Sounds beautiful.
Thanks, MelD!
Love empty space. Continuously giving things away. There is a set of dishes here I am storing for my daughter. She forgot what they look like. I asked her to give them to my son, who always has dinner parties. Little by little, cupboards will be emptied.
Empty space is so beautiful! Well done for having the wisdom to see that the house was beautiful as it was, and the courage to get rid of all that stuff. Wishing you every happiness in that lovely home.
Thank you!
Love the idea of keeping a space to do things in and not store junk in. Bravo!
Thanks, Angelica!
Beautiful post–love this one!! Wish I could see pictures of your home!
Thanks, Diane! I have some photos you can look at here: http://s1330.photobucket.com/user/wellravelled/library/.
Thanks for the photos! Beautiful home!!
Yes, I was thinking the same thing — would love to see pictures! My house is a 1939 Summer cabin, knotty pine inside. We have less stuff than we used to, but you have inspired me to pare down a bit more. The wood interior and the views are some of our favorite features.
Your house sounds gorgeous! You can see a few photos of our interior here: http://s1330.photobucket.com/user/wellravelled/library/. We’re still very much trying to figure out our “style” for this house, so excuse the lack of art and interest in some rooms :)
Loved the photos of your home. For art, I now make faux canvases at Walmart from travel photos or any special photo. They are inexpensive, personal, and look great.
Hi Melissa
Just looked at your photos – you have a lovely home.
Thanks for sharing them – they are very inspiring.
Helen
Thank you for sharing pics of your home. It really is a lovely place. As for art, lots of family photos would be great. Or if you are crafty, get some DIY ideas from Pinterest. Also, setting up a “kids art display” (also from Pinterest) would be great. Even a bunch of baby scribbles or a set of little footprints in a bright color will liven up your walls.
Mary
Finally, my daughter has begun to bring things here so I can give them away. I hope she brings at least half of her stuff, but every little bit helps.
My daughter got the hoarding gene honestly. I told her to get rid of 50-60% of her stuff. Then sort her clothes by season or color or type so she knew what she had. Then take all the DVD’S and CD’S and put them in cases to take up less space. I gave her a container ( what you call a module) for each hobby to store tools and small supplies. One for her paints. One for scrapbooking and one for her tiny dolls and accessories. Papers and canvas and other supplies can be stored flat.