Minimalist lifestyle page 5

[Tribal Rob]

I realised we only have 5 dinner plates the other day, not 5 every day ones, and the best ones kept away for 'special' meals, just 5 plates, and there are 5 people in the family (OK only 4 of them eat off plates at the moment, and one will have a little plate)

Does this make me a minimalist, or just poor

[JBailey]

This thread reminded me of a funny site I used to peruse - Unhappy Hipsters

My house is only about 800sf and had no outbuildings when we bought it. We got rid of all kinds of things, and as much as we like our 'stuff', it has to be the pick of the litter to get a permanent space here. Adding a shed & garage gave us some elbow room, but we still triage things at regular intervals.

[zoebird]

rob:

we have two large 'dinner' plates and 3 'salad' plates and 3 bowls. We have three people in the household. The "dinner" plates are serving dishes. The salad plates and bowls are for eating. We have three mugs, three drinking glasses, and three sets of silverware.

this is what we use/need.

my friend (a potter) will be trading yoga for dishes. She's going to make: 2 serving dishes (one platter, one bowl), 6 salad plates and 6 bowls (we often have guests and they have to bring their own dishes), and 6 cups/mugs (so we can get rid of having glasses and mugs -- though I use the glasses as vases, so. . . lol). And, then my mother's sending my 6 settings of "silverware" -- so psyched to get those.

then my kitchen will be normal. Old dishes, mugs, etc will be moved to the office for office use (as we are thin on the plates and what not at the office).

*minimalism!* though, could be poverty if you want more, but can't afford it.

I recommend making friends with a potter and trading.

[zoebird]

Unhappy hipsters made me pee my pants.

[Dragonfly]

Oh, Yay!

Haven't been here much lately, but happy to find a thread that really resonates with our life right now.

My husband & I (and doggie) are contemplating becoming nomadic and downsizing (again) from our 700 sq. ft casita to a 20-25' long Airstream.

Having sold 5 houses & almost everything I've owned at least a dozen times & moved across the Atlantic & back 3 times, it seems like a good match for our Gypsy lifestyle.

All of my coaching clients are Skype or phone-based, our "tribe" is pretty international and family is distant, so very easy to pull up stakes.

Just got a used Kindle so I can sell most of my books and am in the process of decluttering room by room. I am so not attached to my stuff anymore.

Figuring out what my capsule wardrobe is--some washable wool pieces & some linen (we live in Santa Fe, NM at the moment...)

We are in early exploration stage--and the process & conversations are very fun!

[Dragonfly]

I think it's important to note that minimalism is not about amounts, but about space-use.

I really think that's what "minimalism" and/or "simplicity" is. It's about really having what you need -- not more than you need, and not living without things that you do need -- and then keeping it and using it well.

Brilliant, zoebird! Thanks for reminding me about the true essence of minimalism.

In 1995, when my first marriage ended & I moved into a vintage 350 sq foot apartment (with a Murphy bed, gas stove & clawfoot tub-yum!) I decided I only wanted things around me that I loved. The only closet was about 2 feet wide and 6 feet tall. It was the first time in my life that I gave myself permission to give away gifts that I had received that didn't suit or no longer served me. What a revelation!

I was very happy there! I had a dinner party every week to improve my cooking skills & at one point had 10 people over! (in the garden, of course!)

[zoebird]

that is so cool.

[namelesswonder]

In 1995, when my first marriage ended & I moved into a vintage 350 sq foot apartment (with a Murphy bed, gas stove & clawfoot tub-yum!) I decided I only wanted things around me that I loved. The only closet was about 2 feet wide and 6 feet tall. It was the first time in my life that I gave myself permission to give away gifts that I had received that didn't suit or no longer served me. What a revelation!

That concept, of just keeping the essential/loved things, is really beyond my parents' understanding. I am probably the only person in my family that likes that kind of living. I am a pack-rat by nature, so I've had to fight the urge to KEEP ALL THE THINGS pretty hard. My boyfriend and I live in a 2 bedroom apartment and I think the only things we have that we really don't need are my fabrics (two trash bags full in a large closet), our dining room table (though recently he started using it to study on), and my 1970s Pioneer stereo (we don't really use it, but I LOVE it). I started getting rid of unwanted gifts by donating when I was in high school and got rid of a ton of clutter when I moved around in college (minimizing to move into dorms, accumulated crap when I moved off-campus, super minimized when I moved back home after graduating because I threw almost everything out). It's really liberating to have stuff to rid yourself of, which is probably why I try to organize cleaning campaigns in my parents' house to make their space more functional =P

[jojohaligo]

The other thing that happens when you lighten the load, is that you minimize guilt. At least for me that's how it works. When there is stuff around that I have no need for I feel bad for not using it. That time spent thinking about it is also wasted. So once I give things away that I am not using, I am essentially freeing up brain power for more creative pursuits.

[Dragonfly]

It's really liberating to have stuff to rid yourself of, which is probably why I try to organize cleaning campaigns in my parents' house to make their space more functional =P

Haha! I used to organize my mom's broom closet when I came home from college on the weekends...