The Joy of Less, a Minimalist Living Guide (32 page)

I once lived in a charming, inner-ring suburb of a major city. The streets were lined with rows of bungalows, each on one-tenth of an acre with a postage-stamp backyard. On my block alone stood twenty houses, each an arm’s length away from the next. I always thought it funny that on a Saturday morning, twenty lawnmowers would emerge from twenty garages, to mow the twenty postage-stamp backyards. We could just as easily have done with one or two, and passed it down the row in turn!

Sharing is a wonderful minsumer strategy. Imagine if, instead of each of us buying and storing infrequently used items, we could borrow them from a common pool. We’d only pay a fraction of the cost for acquisition, maintenance, and repair—and we wouldn’t have to worry about where to put them all. We’d also give the Earth a break; instead of demanding the resources to make tens (or hundreds) of a certain item, we’d only need enough for one.

We’re all familiar with this concept from our public libraries. It would be ridiculous for us all to own such vast quantities of books; we’d lose entire forests in the process! It’s much more efficient, economical, and eco-friendly to establish a common collection and share them. We should look for opportunities to apply this model to other items as well. For example, consider organizing a tool share in your neighborhood; collect funds from members, and purchase a shared set of equipment to store in a central location. Participants can then “check out” the ladder, chainsaw, or weed whacker when they need it—rather than having to purchase one of their own.

Car share programs are another example—and a fabulous way to cut our carbon footprints. They’re popular in urban areas, where residents have only occasional need for such transportation. The cars are distributed in convenient locations throughout the city, and members pay hourly rates (which typically include gas and insurance) to use them. Such programs not only save us money on registration, insurance, maintenance, and parking; they also reduce the congestion on our roads, and the pollution in our air. What’s more, they decrease the sum total of cars that need to be manufactured, distributed, and disposed of—conserving a significant amount of resources and energy.

The possibilities for sharing are practically limitless. They can be as informal as two friends swapping clothes, so that each “doubles” her wardrobe; or as formal as a co-housing arrangement, in which residents share common facilities and appliances. The key is realizing that we don’t have to
own
everything we need. Why duplicate the energy, expense, and extraction of resources to fill all our households with the same stuff? Sharing enables us to meet our needs, while bypassing the consumption cycle—making our homes more spacious, and our planet more sustainable.

When we overconsume, we’re like bulls running through a china shop—leaving a destructive path of downed forests, dirty waterways, and overflowing landfills in our wake. In our quest for more goods and unfettered growth, we break the Earth’s fragile ecosystems, shatter the lives of indigenous peoples, and leave future generations to clean up the mess.

As minsumers, we want to do the opposite. Instead of being bulls, we strive to be butterflies—living as lightly, gracefully, and beautifully as possible. We want to flit through life with little baggage, unencumbered by excess stuff. We want to leave the Earth and its resources whole and intact, as if we alighted just for a moment and barely touched them.

The Earth has a finite number of resources for a growing number of people; and as more countries become industrialized, the greater the pressure on the system. When we act like bulls, we grab more than our fair share. We feel entitled to support our consumptive lifestyles at any cost, and worry little about the effects on the environment. We don’t give a second thought to what’s left over for others, or whether we’ll have enough land, food, water, and energy to go around. What’s worse: in a “growth at all costs” economy, such behavior becomes the norm. Imagine hundreds, thousands, even millions of bulls stomping through the world and stripping it bare of its bounty.

When we act like butterflies, on the other hand, we’re satisfied with the barest of essentials. We consume as little as possible, conscious of the fact that resources are limited. We celebrate the gifts of nature—a spring breeze, a clear stream, a fragrant flower—rather than trampling them. We’re aware that we’re stewards of the Earth, and have a responsibility to nourish and nurture it for future generations. We exist harmoniously with each other, and within the ecosystem.

Furthermore, we inspire others with the beauty of our actions. We don’t need power or money to further our agenda; we simply need to do what we do, day in and day out, and set a wonderful example for our neighbors and our children. By embracing minimalist living, we have a unique opportunity to change the current paradigm: from one of overconsumption and profiteering, to one of conservation and sustainable growth. We can be pioneers of social and economic change, simply by consuming less, and encouraging others to do the same. It’s the easiest form of activism imaginable, yet has the power to transform our lives, our society, and our planet. And someday, perhaps we’ll have nations of butterflies, rather than bulls!

Everyone has their own reasons for embracing a minimalist lifestyle. Perhaps you picked up this book because your drawers are stuffed, your rooms are cluttered, and your closets are bursting at the seams. Perhaps you realized that shopping at the mall, and acquiring new things, isn’t making you happy. Perhaps you’re concerned about the effects of your consumption on the environment, and worried that your children and grandchildren won’t have the clean air and water that should be their birthright.

I hope that the advice on these pages has inspired you to declutter your home, simplify your life, and live a little more lightly on the Earth. It’s a message you won’t hear very often in our “more is better” society; in fact, you’ll almost always hear the opposite. Everywhere we turn, we’re encouraged to consume—by commercials, magazines, billboards, radio, and ads on buses, benches, buildings, bathroom stalls, and even in our schools. That’s because traditional media outlets are largely controlled by people who profit when we buy more stuff.

Practicing a minimalist lifestyle can sometimes feel like you’re swimming upstream. You’ll encounter people who feel threatened by any deviation from the status quo; they’ll say you can’t possibly get by without a car, a television, or a full suite of living room furniture. They’ll imply that you’re not successful if you don’t buy designer clothes, the latest electronic gadgets, and the biggest house you can afford. They may even go so far as to say you’re unpatriotic, and a threat to the national economy, if you don’t consume to your full capacity.

Don’t believe it. We all know that quality of life has nothing to do with consumer goods, and “stuff” is not a measure of success. A sustainable economy has more widespread benefits than one of unbridled growth; and you can support your country far more effectively by participating in community and civic affairs, than by shopping at the mall.

And don’t worry—you’re not going it alone. Look beyond “big media,” and you’ll find plenty of kindred souls. In fact, mention offhand to your colleague or neighbor that you’re “downsizing your possessions,” and you’ll likely be met with a knowing sigh, and a comment to the effect of “I’d like to do that, too.” After the economic excesses of the last few decades, there’s a growing disillusionment with consumerism, and a groundswell of interest in living simpler, more meaningful lives.

The Internet in particular is a treasure trove of information and support. In recent years, the number of blogs and websites about minimalist living, voluntary simplicity, and alternative lifestyle design has increased exponentially. Whether you’re seeking advice on cleaning out your closets, wondering what it’s like to unplug the TV, or dreaming about selling all your stuff and living out of a suitcase, you’ll find others who have been there, done that, and are sharing their experiences. Consider participating in a discussion forum on the topic; it’s a great way to connect with fellow minimalists, trade decluttering techniques, and find inspiration and motivation to continue on the path.

Once you’ve stepped outside the status quo, you’ll feel a wonderful sense of calm and serenity. When you ignore advertisements, and minimize your consumption, there’s no reason to long for items, no pressure to buy them, and no stress to pay for them. It’s like taking a magic wand, and eliminating a host of worries and problems from your life. You no longer care about the “it” handbag, the latest car models, or the newest trend in kitchen cabinets—much less have any desire to work longer hours, or max out your credit cards, in order to acquire them.

With minimalist living comes freedom—freedom from debt, from clutter, and from the rat race. Each extraneous thing you eliminate from your life—be it an unused item, unnecessary purchase, or unfulfilling task—feels like a weight lifted from your shoulders. You’ll have fewer errands to run, and less to shop for, pay for, clean, maintain, and insure. You’ll feel footloose and fancy-free: able to move on a dime, and pursue opportunities, without fussing over all your stuff. Moreover, when you’re not chasing status symbols or keeping up with the Joneses, you gain time and energy for more fulfilling pursuits: like playing with your kids, participating in your community, and pondering the meaning of life.

Such freedom, in turn, affords a fabulous opportunity for self-discovery. When we identify with brands, and express ourselves through material items, we lose our sense of who we are. We use consumer goods to project a certain image of ourselves—buying a persona, in essence, to show to the rest of the world. We start to think of ourselves as the guy who wears Gucci, the lady who loves Tiffany, the man who drives a Mercedes. Furthermore, we’re so busy dealing with
stuff
—running to and fro, buying this and that—that we find little time to stop and explore what really makes us tick.

When we become minimalists, we strip away all the excess—the brands, the status symbols, the collections, the clutter—to uncover our true selves. We take the time to contemplate who we are, what we find important, and what makes us truly happy. We emerge from our cocoons of consumerism, and stretch our wings as poets, philosophers, artists, activists, mothers, fathers, spouses, friends. Most importantly, we redefine ourselves: by what we do, how we think, and who we love, rather than what we buy.

There’s an old Buddhist story about a man who visited a Zen master, seeking spiritual guidance. Instead of listening, however, the visitor spoke mainly of his own ideas. After a while, the master served tea. He filled the visitor’s cup, and then kept pouring as it spilled over onto the table. Surprised, the visitor exclaimed that the cup was full—and asked why he kept pouring when nothing more would fit! The master explained that like the cup, the visitor was already full of his own ideas and opinions—and that he couldn’t learn anything until his cup was emptied.

The same thing happens when our lives are too full—of commitments, of clutter, and of nonessential stuff. We don’t have “room” for new experiences, and miss out on chances to develop ourselves and deepen our relationships. Becoming minimalists helps us remedy this. By purging the excess from our homes, our schedules, and our minds, we empty our cups—giving us infinite capacity for life, love, hopes, dreams, and copious amounts of joy.

Francine Jay, also known as “Miss Minimalist,” writes about living with less at www.missminimalist.com. On her website she provides advice, shares her experiences, and discusses the joys of minimalist living with a growing community of kindred souls. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking, doing yoga, and traveling the world with a tiny bag.

Frugillionaire:

500 Fabulous Ways to Live Richly

and Save a Fortune

Amazon:
www.amazon.com

Brides Against Breast Cancer:
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Catalog Choice:
www.catalogchoice.org

Craigslist:
www.craigslist.org

CutePDF:
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Direct Marketing Association:
www.the-dma.org

Dress for Success:
www.dressforsuccess.org

eBay:
www.ebay.com

Freecycle:
www.freecycle.org

Goodwill:
www.goodwill.org

Miss Minimalist:
www.missminimalist.com

OptOutPrescreen.com:
www.optoutprescreen.com

Pdf995:
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