I’ve been practicing minimalism for the better part of 6 years now. Since 2018, I’ve spent countless hours decluttering my possessions, rebuying ‘stuff’, and generally engaging in an internal struggle. That struggle pushes and pulls me in different directions on a constant basis.
The back and forth of minimalism
Every stage of our lives is different, especially in our early twenties. We enter and exit those stages expeditiously. Our twenties are, as society tells us it is, about finding one’s self. It’s about trying new things, meeting new and different kinds of people. Processing so much new information at a very pivotal point in human development changes our goals, interests, careers, and relationships at a moment’s notice.
The things we do and the things we latch on to push us to acquire more, do more, be more. A new career equals more money (not necessarily a bad thing) and, sometimes, more responsibility. We acquire new hobbies which may require us to buy tools or things to practice that hobby (I am no stranger to this). We may buy our first vehicle or first home. It is a rat race of accumulation that doesn’t stop until it overwhelms.
I’ve found all of this particularly true in my early and mid twenties. So much of my time has been spent trying to find what brings me joy. In pursuit of joy, I have tried countless hobbies – to name a few: graphic design, wedding photography, wedding videography, video game development, music writing, web and software development, cycling, hiking, reading, writing, pour-over coffee, espresso, travel – some have stuck, most have assuredly not. Regardless, with each of these new hobbies has come an addition of stuff. I thought when I first became a minimalist that I would immediately have the skills and know-how to consistently curate my life, without any struggle. The hard part was over – getting rid of stuff – now I just had to maintain it.
Unfortunately, that is a lot easier said than done.
Decluttering never ends
This is a hard truth to learn about Minimalism. In my experience, minimalism isn’t just a solution – it’s not a band aid. In some ways, it is a lot like meditation – it’s a practice. Something you continually engage with in order to better your life. You cannot expect your first round of decluttering to be your last. It will continue on in the years to come.
If you’re a minimalist, look around your possessions at home, namely things behind closed doors. I assure you, you’ll likely find something to get rid of. I’m writing this at my desk currently (which is definitely cluttered right now), and I see one thing I can get rid of right here. If I went into the walk-in closet of our spare bedroom/office I know I can find other things to get rid of as well. Here’s photographic proof of the disaster on my desk, and the things I could get rid of.
As you can see, there’s quite a bit of clutter – coffee mugs, a couple things for me to fidget with, a fabric shaver, papers that need filed away. It’s filled with things that make my workspace feel antithetical to minimalism. That’s part of my life though. Sometimes things at my desk do get wildly out of control. Examples like my desk are why I continually minimize and declutter.
The hardest part of minimalism
The hardest part of minimalism for me has been applying ‘less is more’ principles to the non-physical aspect of my life. Removing things from my life that just not important – things distracting me from what is important. Author Greg McKeown put it best in his NYT best-selling book Essentialism, the Disciplined Pursuit of Less,
“Sometimes what you don’t do is just as important as what you do.”
Saying no to events that you don’t really have time for, saying no to an additional project at work, saying no to a promotion, or saying no to that extended family member’s wedding is okay. It is essential. But, as I said previously, this is the hardest. The social ramifications make it feel all the more challenging, but it’s worth it. Sit down and think about what is important to you, what you want to spend your time doing. We only have one life.
Re-minimizing
If life has felt like it has become chaotic or unwieldy, it may be time to minimize again – physical and non-physical. Clear the digital clutter, delete social media apps, throw away that ratty old t-shirt that has sat in your bottom drawer for the last 4 years unworn, or the colorful children’s slinky on your desk that has become a fidget toy (this one is personal…). I’m on the same journey and intend to make the coming months and years ahead of me intentional and filled with things that bring me joy – and as little as possible of the rest. It’s okay to start over and continually try to reach your goal, it’s part of the journey!
I appreciate you taking the time to read this blog post! I’d love to connect with you on Instgram, you can follow me here.
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