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 think this says volumes more about you than her. Why do you need so much stuff?

The latter. But I was not aware of that at the time I first saw how they lived.

This sounds like me and I’m mid 40s! I love the freedom. Recently moved to a new country with two suitcases. I’m just not attached to anything material.

A real friend wouldn't have commented on it 🙂 that's why not everyone is materialistic I only have the basics to no reason to have a bunch of crap just for the sake of it

What difference does it make? She’s obviously happy with her set up so not sure why it’s an issue for you. Each to their own I say!

Vanlifers live like this and love it. I assume you’re in the UK, we live a very home based life, our national hobby is shopping. Elsewhere in the world the home is a shelter and not much else.

I applaud it, I couldn’t do it.

Could be minimalism, could be poverty/circumstance/having to start again, or a combination of the two. Certainly leaving an abusive relationship makes you realise that stuff isn’t important, you just want to get out. (Not saying that’s what’s happened but it’s possible)

We’re such a disposable wasteful society now a staggering % of what we have we don’t need

My late db had very few possessions, he had a 3 bed house but only had the bare minimum. Despite this when he died it was still a job emptying his house. Dread to think how my dc will cope with sorting out my rubbish when I die! Df and dm have decided to clear out a lot of their 'stuff' whilst they are alive after that experience - and he really had nothing.

I moved one of the kids to the spare room as they were sharing the bedroom so redecorated the original bedroom and the new spare room. We moved all their things to my room while the painters were working. It has been 1 full week and their room are so bare. They are loving it. It is so calm. Mine in contrast is a junk yard. So stressful. We are moving back things today one by one and I hope they will get rid of the majority of things. Clutter really does not help and when you leave in an empty space you just appreciate it.

Good on you, i hope you enjoy every moment.I am so envious💕

I go through cycles of binging and purging belongings. There is nothing like the freedom of feeling like you can pack up and move or go anywhere without a house full of chaos to sort.

However I had a bad childhood and struggle with having connections to objects, so when I do have special objects, they become perhaps too important to me. And vice versa- when I feel stressed, everything just looks like pointless crap and I have the urge to remove most of it. I think it can be a maladaptive control thing.

But some people do just need the necessities and nothing else. It's very freeing. Leaves space for what actually matters.

Also, has she travelled a lot or lived in different countries? A lot of people who have, seem to streamline their belongings in a very admirable way.

mean not even a pitcher on the walls

Not even a pitcher?! 😱

@Charlize43 do you remember the name of the book?

Thank you ☺️