Any (aspiring) minimalists about?

[HereticFanjo]

I am a natural clutterbug but aspiring minimalist! I'm about to have a couple of months off work between jobs and with no holidays planned this feels like the time to really go for it on the minimalism front! My income will be dropping substantially so I may need to sell some stuff rather than just donate.

How did you get there if you made the leap to minimalism? I find books and household stuff especially difficult to part with.

Another aspiring minimalist here.

Sounds like a boast, but I wish I didn't have a big house - it makes it easier to keep stuff. And my DH will keep EVERYTHING, and, unfortunately, we have room.

I daydream about my fantasy tiny house with just what I need, plus a little workshop/shed for my crafting/making.

I can really only declutter my stuff, which still leaves a lot of other stuff.

How is everyone getting on? I'm still peeling the layers off the onion. All the easy quick wins are done.

Some harder stuff gone too.

Now sorting through the millions of bits of lego we have to see what we can sell. My DS aren't keen on lego but we have:
Loads of 80s lego from my brother
Loads of 80s Lego from DH
A fair amount of lego that the boys have received for birthday presents from friends

Im basically trying to sell my brother's old lego as a first step (we have 5 massive curver boxes of lego which are almost never played with)

@InvincibleInvisibility we have tons of Lego too. We're keeping it all 🤫

In case anyone hadn't watched this:

Yes a bit (I still keep sentimental stuff)
Many years ago I was due my first baby and followed the M thread on here. I cleared out so much stuff.

Then I had 2 dc in a very small place. We moved and I still declutter a lot. I still have magazines from 2008 and clothes that don't fit and dishes I don't use. But i have sorted through everything else. Photos of my whole life. 1000s. Most kitchenware. Most clothes. All toys culled recently.

I love keeping the house minimal. Tomorrow I will do the drawers of doom again and dcs scrapbooks of art.

I came across a brilliant tip (but I can’t remember where) that changed my relationship to sentimental things. It was that you can get the same nostalgic feeling from one item as you will from a pile of that item.

It helped me to let go of baby clothes, to select a few really special pieces, instead of clinging to everything they’d ever worn.

It’s a bad example, because there was also some grief to work through in letting go of the future dc I had wanted. But it’s been really helpful in sorting through the dc art work, and some of my grandfather’s belongings too.

I’m like @ChampagneCommunist I sometimes (ok daily) fantasise about living in my own minimalistic tiny home and it’s so peaceful and serene….
I would say I am a minimalist, I have very little sentimental attachment to items. I try to only keep to the bare minimums (basic make up and skincare, regularly clear out my wardrobe, donate books as soon as I’ve read etc) but dh is the complete opposite and although he says he loves the minimalist look - he still goes and purchases more washing up tablets even though we have enough to last for over a year, and a new frying pan even though we already have 3….. having too much makes him feel safe and secure apparently. I hate it, so I go back to dreaming…..

Now it’s the summer holidays and I’m off but dh is working, it’s time for my annual clutter clear out. I’m actually looking forward to getting started tomorrow, starting with my wardrobe and drawers again

I feel like I am going backwards. I have acquired a load of stuff to use in my hobby/part time business, but lack of time and energy is my problem.

I am doing really long hours at work, then by the time I get home I am exhausted & just look at my phone.

Weekends I am either working, cleaning or washing - well, that's what it feels like.

Trying to use stuff up & clear stuff out & make some money, but feels very slow going at present.

I do love to read everyone else's posts! Inspiring!

My mum came to visit us for the first time in 18 months (we live abroad) and she LOVES how the flat looks. Ive managed to clear so much cupboard and drawer space that even things which are used several times a day can be put back in a cupboard/drawer leaving the surfaces clear (except for the toy storage surface but thats my DC).

Ive also culled some books so now all our books fit on our (massive) bookcase and dont have to be piled on top of each other or sit 2 deep on the shelf like before. Makes a big difference to calm the eye.

Have found a local buyer interested in old lego so with dh we re very slowly building the sets and the buyer gets first refusal. Then I'll put the other stuff online.

Also the towels. I did a first massive sort out and got rid of tatty ones. But we still have a fair number (I'll never go for the minimalist 1 or 2 towels per person in case of sickness bugs when towels are needed in abundance!). But the boys are happy to get rid of their character towels ànd just use ordinary ones so thats a win.

I made a good start when I moved last year and I loved being tidy but it’s all creeping back! I have managed to keep the lounge minimal though and it’s so much easier if someone calls and I don’t have to panic .

Once you start getting rid of books it gets easier. We started with a few and then it was ‘if we gave X away, why keep this?’ We have reduced over 3000 books to 3 shelves. We decided not to keep them just because we once loved them and got rid of loads simply because books used to be printed in much smaller font sizes that are difficult to read.
There is an article in The Times today about being minimalist and it suggests that you put everything in boxes and then only keep what you have to take out of the boxes over the next couple of weeks. Everything else can go. The other idea is to pick up an object and decide whether or not it makes you happy.

@InvincibleInvisibility There are toxicity issues with Lego produced between 1978 and 1988 (just the yellow and red bricks) so you might want to be careful about selling them. I don’t think it would be a problem for adult collectors but I would be very wary about selling to children.

With newer Lego, you can sell it by the kg if that makes it easier to get it out of the house. Obviously it’s worth more as sets, but it’s just a thought, depending on your current priorities.

Ah thanks didnt know that. Its adult collectors - stuff is going within 5 minutes of being posted and the buyer Ive found is thrilled cos his parents threw away all his lego

I lost my own thread - it fell off my 'I'm on' list for some reason The good weather meant I did diddly squat BUT I did read a couple of books on minimalism for inspiration. DH rolls his eyes at this - and I understand why! - but I find it so hard to let go of stuff. I know a lot of it is a sort of poverty consciousness learned from my parents and grandparents so I do need motivation to help me understand the cost of keeping things I don't need / want. Really nice there are other aspiring minimalists here too

Thanks for all the great tips from people. I think today I'm going to start small - tackling the underwear drawer!

I got one of Joshua Becker's books and it's really good but I want to do things in a different order - my study first.

I struggle with getting rid of stationery and books. I liked Dana White's container stuff too - using them as a natural limit to how much you own. I'd like to lose a whole bookcase and just keep two large, handmade bookcases I've had for years.

Any tips for getting rid of stationery / books / DVDs / CDs? I can't even remember the last time I played the DVDs and CDs because we use streaming services and You Tube.

I just searched pinterest for 'minimalist offices' but tbh some of them are terrifyingly stark. I think I'm more of a cosy minimalist!

DVDs: I find very easy. I only keep the ones I absolutely know I will watch again and again. I have 4.

CDs: I sold them on music magpie a good few years ago. I don't own any. I did download a few to iTunes before selling. The way I listen to music has changed, also the amount of music I listen to (less often).

Books are a bit trickier, depending on your feelings about them. I have some books I adore and have kept for sentimental reasons but have given away most of my books. I have 50 books including cookbooks. DP, on the other hand, keeps every book he buys. Luckily for me, he keeps them in his own study so I don't have to see them.

I love stationery too. I took mine to work to use or gave them to colleagues for them to use. Makes everyone happy. Just use them up and don't buy anymore until you've run out.

Cosy minimalist sounds about right. It's about what makes you happy at the end of the day. Tuning into that balance of just the right amount of stuff for you.

Also, factoring in the people who live with you and their needs.

Im definitely cosy minimalist. In fact Im aiming for minimalism in terms of "stuff/inventory" but not decoration wise. We have many beautiful original paintings that mean things to us as well as family photos on the wall. They will never go.

However going through kitchenware/ bathroom stuff /books /DVDs / clothes / shoes etc has been really invigorating and liberating. And has slowed down my spending and buying.

Well today I declutted my wardrobe and was shocked by the amount of clothes I have accumulated. 3years ago I owned 24 pieces of clothing which I was very proud about, but now it’s about 3x that amount! I threw out anything stained or with holes but otherwise have kept most but I’m now on a clothes buying van for the rest of 2021 because I just don’t need anymore.
Tomorrow’s job will be the bedside drawers and books

I bought new undies recently but only because my old ones were the kind your mother warns you about ie if hit by a bus your last thought would be, 'Oh God, that doctor will see my awful pan--'

@HereticFanjo 😂

I'm trying to be a minimalist. Trying to declutter everything atm.

I'm trying to just have one of everything. So one shower gel, one cream, one deodars red etc. We have 4 bedsheets really want to get it down to 3 so will be focusing on 'using up' the one we have. I really believe in less stuff less stress.

Aspiring minimalist here too!
What I find difficult is that I don’t like waste. I don’t want to throw something that might be useful to someone else. So I hold onto stuff thinking, I’ll sell this on ebay or give it to so-and-so. But a lot of stuff doesn’t sell or isn’t particularly handy for someone else even in good condition. I try to buy a lot of stuff secondhand and am surprised to find things quite easily and reasonably priced. Maybe most people just prefer new and new isn’t always very expensive, depending on the item.
Anyone else end up keeping clutter as they fear it “going to waste”?!

@Cocopopsss is this stuff you can donate to a charity shop? Sometimes you have to find out which shops accept what, as they often have individual policies. I really like being able to drop off a bag of bits and pieces knowing it will be useful but not having to put in the work myself to match things to recipients.