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.
Today, Mary shares how a vacation condo inspired her to pare down her possessions and pursue a simpler lifestyle.
Mary writes:
For as long as I can remember, I have always preferred a tidy home with simple décor and fewer possessions. Yet somehow during my adulthood I still managed to accumulate more things than I actually wanted or needed.
I can trace the moment when I decided to let it all go. My conversion to minimalism and simple living began while away on a weekend vacation. For a few relaxing days, I stayed in a condominium hotel near a lake in a quiet resort town. Unlike a traditional hotel room, the condo had a living room with a dining area, a bedroom, a bathroom and a small kitchenette. It was both modern and cozy. I liked how the kitchen had only a few basic tools for preparing a meal. There were four matching dinner plates, four beverage glasses and coffee mugs, and just a handful of cooking pans and utensils. It was a pleasant and sensible set-up. Each of the rooms was neatly and aesthetically furnished. There was no clutter and nothing out of place. The condo’s appearance reminded me of the famous quote by William Morris: “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
After my peaceful vacation ended, I went home, looked around at the excess I had accumulated over the years and began the process of removing many of the duplicates I owned. I tossed or donated hundreds of unloved and unneeded possessions. Out went clothes, shoes, jewelry, papers, books, trinkets, knickknacks, record albums, obsolete electronic devices and the seldom-if-ever-used specialty kitchen gear I had accumulated in my thirties. It was a lot of work, but very freeing.
In recent years, I have continued to develop my enthusiastic appreciation of simple living. I downsized my household once again (by donating and discarding old furniture) and discovered something wonderful in the process. With fewer “things” to own and maintain, I have more open space and more free time for myself. By getting rid of no longer needed possessions, I feel I have opened up the possibility of having new experiences, rather than things, to take their place. As a single person, that’s important to me.
These days, I am happy to live more simply. By following a few websites and books related to the voluntary simplicity movement, I am constantly motivated and inspired by the stories and ideas of like-minded people.
{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.}
“By getting rid of no longer needed possessions, I feel I have opened up the possibility of having new experiences, rather than things, to take their place.”
Great post, and I know exactly what you mean, Mary. It seems that as soon as you get rid of unnecessary clutter, life rewards you with wonderful experiences. And it never seems to fail, which is why I am so fond of emptying out drawers – something amazing always happens shortly afterwards! :-)
“It seems that as soon as you get rid of unnecessary clutter, life rewards you with wonderful experiences.”
I hear this from minimalists all the time, but it never seems to happen for me. :-( Here’s hoping it happens for you, Mary!
“I liked how the kitchen had only a few basic tools for preparing a meal. There were four matching dinner plates, four beverage glasses and coffee mugs, and just a handful of cooking pans and utensils. It was a pleasant and sensible set-up.”
I love that! Very inspiring! First thing tomorrow morning, I’m going through my kitchen again. Thanks, Mary!
Very inspiring, Decluttering is hard work, but the rewards are so worth it.
I agree, Samantha. I think many of us find the ’emotional’ aspect of letting go when we declutter draining and exhausting. I do!
This is fantastic! Way to represent Wisconsin Mary. I live in downtown Waukesha.
Agreed! Wisconsinites must really believe in Minimalism! (or some of us do at least) Good for you, Mary, from Steve up in Plymouth, WI!
I love reading about getting rid of clutter and opening ourselves to new experiences. I am still finding things to give away and throw away. Every week, I give away a big bag of things to Goodwill, a pile of books to the library and art supplies to the park district. I find more as I clean.
How relatable ! Travel changes you !
Beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.
I think the greatest benefit of minimalism is that it opens space and time to do, to dream, to experience, and to simply be. Getting rid of stuff is nice too. But I always think that the greater benefit is the psychological one. :-)
Your post is amazing, Mary! I liked how your vacation inspired you to do all that! I often feel revitalized after a vaca, and the more I’ve decluttered, the happier I have been returning home to my own serene residence. I still have more to do but I have gotten to the point where I am enjoying the journey, since I’m really just fine tuning now (donated truck loads of stuff-that was the most work for my personal journey but the most rewarding and liberating!). Mary, I wish you well and hope the experiences you attract are wonderful!
Inspiring post, Mary. Thanks for sharing:).
The other side to getting rid of clutter and especially ornaments and things that take up surface space, uncluttered surfaces don’t collect dust as quickly.
Having just sold my house and suffered the “staging” technique beloved by estate agents, my epiphany came when I realised I didn’t have to do all housework as often, vacuuming yes, dusting? No.
Haven’t moved yet but as I pack boxes (daily and methodically), I question each and every item I’m packing for the next home. A large bag is filling up…..for charity donation.
Not having to do housework as much, frees up my time to do other things and THAT is always a bonus. :-)
Thanks for sharing. I still have some jewelry supplies in the storeroom that I find hard to part with.
I will be selling a lot of silver plate items soon and more china will be given away. My daughter wants to look at it first.
Mary-
I feel the same way as you whenever I stay at a hotel, or condo I imagine how wonderful it would be for my house to be laid out the same way. I have even thought how great it would be to live at an extended stay hotel. I always take pictures whenever I go of the rooms to try to replicate it when I get home. I still have tooo much stuff. I live in Rhinelander, WI.
This week’s bag for Goodwill is full. I took a bag of books and magazines to the library for their book sale yesterday. A neighbor’s church is having a rummage sale so I have saved some things for her. I am always getting things so I am always giving things away. I have more books to give to a friend today.