Is it unusual to be happy living with so few possessions?

[Tooolittle]

I`ll just get straight to it.
So met with a friend today for coffee and a chat, she invited me to her home for the first time, she has been to mine loads.
Known each other through work for about a year.

When i got there i was taken back at how little she owned.
Living room 3 chairs a coffee table, and a set of curtains that are 2 different colours, and a fan, the decor was just white walls with one bold color wall.

Kitchen nothing on show just a kettle.
Literally she only owns the basics.
I did say in a nice polite way oh you dont own much, she said why would i want crap everywhere im happier with less, i left it at that.

I mean not even a pitcher on the walls, her floor is wood so she dont own a hoover fair enough.
I used the loo as you would and got a glimps of her bedroom, i mean a huge bed and a small canvas wardrobe thats it.
Her home is empty.

It just mind boggling to me how someone can live with so little comforts, and say they like it.

I agree, and it sounds lovely to me. I have too many "things" (even though I keep decluttering), and while I like them all I could easily do without most of them. There is a real freedom in not always wanting to buy stuff.

No t'aint.
T'missus 'as 'er spinning wheel and I got me pipe rack and snuff tin.
And we sleep in two tea chests I tied together with twine from t'mill. Bliss.

I have to say I admire this way of living

It's easier to clean too

Yeah, I knew someone who seemed to have nothing either and it was weird. Your description sounds more like poverty / lack of choice, whereas with this lass, what she had was good quality, her home was just devoid of any evidence it was a lived-in home. No pictures, no 'stuff', no ornaments, gifts people give you - nothing at all. I asked her about it and she just said she doesn't like people seeing her stuff.. but no evidence of her having stuff or even space for it anyway.

There's minimalist and then there's just: do you reeeally live here or are you a secret spy.. ahaha it's not always psychosis, sometimes people really are spies!

My aunt literally got rid of every thing excess. Lived alone. So only kept 3 mugs. 3 plates etc Liberating

Liberating is a good word. Freeing too.

I think it is much easier to not accumulate in the first place. The thought of getting rid of things is a difficult thought for me. But I can easily look at something in a shop, appreciate its beauty, and then walk on.

It's not for me. I have a friend who lives like this and I can't imagine getting to near retirement age and not having a house filled with the accumulations of a lifetime. I have art on the wall gifted to me by friends, fridge magnets from all the countries we've visited, books I've loved reading filling my shelves, colourful blankets made by hand, etc.

This is how my home is and 90% of the time I love it.

But 10% I see a picture of an austere monastic room and just see the peacefulness.

I flip flop between the two.

I don’t own much but I’ve moved a lot and lived in different places around the world and see it as a hassle owning a lot. I don’t see the point in owning stuff for the sake of it and don’t like a lot of clutter, but I’m also not sentimental about items and would rather spend my money on other things. Each to their own though, if your friend is happy, that’s the important thing.

I love watching decluttering videos but clutter stresses me out.

Not sure why her relationship or children status is relevant but it certainly is easier having less clutter living alone. You clearly think it is sad as you are measuring her life through your lens, but she is happy and that’s all that matters.

It’s funny isn’t it how different we all are. Property and possessions really don’t mean much to me. I view it more as a hassle and a waste of money or more to clean and maintain. (This is my opinion and not an attack on others life choices).

I recently moved country and had everything in two suitcases. I love the freedom.

It’s interesting that you talk about retirement as there are lots of threads on here from people who have lost their parents and who have to spend ages going through stuff (and either chucking most of it out or dumping it all in boxes as they feel guilty about throwing it away).

That's a bit extreme for me, but I like living with as little clutter as possible. I find it stressful having too much stuff.

good for her

Having grown up in a house that was full of clutter, I am distinctly minimalist. My home is not bare, but at the same time, there is little “stuff” which doesn’t have a purpose.

I had to clear out my parents house after they both passed away, it took around 6 months of my life after a traumatic bereavement.

Just something for the Clutterbugs to bear in mind.

I would never leave someone to clear out my shit after I have gone - it’s incredibly selfish.

How am i awful ive just never seen it.
Its made me think do i really need all my stuff, does it really make me happy.

You sound really judgemental. If she’s happy living that way, that’s totally up to her.

I feel like op has been in my home lol i live just like this.

I’m envious. Too much stuff weighs me down and clutters my head up. Unfortunately I live with three people who love to accumulate stuff so I won’t be able to achieve this simplicity any time soon .

And yes, as PPs have said- it’s stressful and exhausting for family to have to sort through clutter when you’ve died. It took my brother and me a long time to sort though our parents’ stuff and didn’t help ease our grief in any way.

You say 'ooh, minimalist, that's amazing, how do you avoid acquiring lots of clutter?'

I live like this and am very happy with it. Do you often have difficulty understanding that other people like different things to you or prefer to live their lives differently?

I was much happier when I had less things. I have more now with kids but I hate all the crap. I am not caught up in the consummerist trap. I never buy for the sake of having something I like - I would have to really need something.

as the Danes philosophy, “less Stuff, more Life”

I would love to live like this. 'Stuff' everywhere weighs on my brain.

Unfortunately, I live with 4 teenagers and a husband who don't align with this :-)

I do dream of taking 2 weeks off work and just massively decluttering. I bet it takes her justmins to clean her house. Wheras mine takes ages due to putting stuff away.