Minimalism can become a trap when we focus too much on rules. Here’s why I’m not a minimalist—but still love the mindset of living with less.
I’m not a minimalist
You can get caught up in the minimalism trend, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, you can fall into a trap.
Minimalism is a personal choice. You can be a minimalist in one area of your life but not in another. It’s all about what works for you and what doesn’t.
We’re All Different
I watched a minimalist channel where a person who was considered an “extreme minimalist” and called themselves one had a couple of areas in their life where they intentionally wanted to have an excess of certain items. In one case, it was because of childhood trauma involving a lack of socks. In another, it was because of their preferred lifestyle—they liked going to a restaurant every week. Some people would assume that a “true minimalist” shouldn’t do that because it seemed too excessive.
What Works For You?
People often wonder, “How many towels should I have? How many plates or spoons should I have per person?” I think these are the wrong questions to ask.
Instead, I think we should ask ourselves what works for us.
I am pretty minimal in a few areas:
Kitchen appliances — I own only what I use often.
Clear surfaces — I don’t own or display a lot of decor because I want my house to be easy to clean.
Books — I don’t have a bookshelf. I own a few books, and I’ve read about 90% of them. I don’t want to keep a lot of books, only the ones that are the most meaningful to me.
Things I’m Not Minimal At
But I’m not a minimalist in some areas—and I have the space for it.
My clothes — I like dressing up. I like creating outfits. I like sewing and altering my clothes.
My pantry — I stock up on food. I love having all the staple items I use regularly. I preserve food in many different ways: pressure canning, fermenting, and making jam. I also like finding ways to keep food fresh for as long as possible, depending on the item. I buy food in bulk, and I value food security.
My craft supplies — I keep a lot of thread, fabric, yarn, etc. Honestly, I have more than I need or will probably ever use. But I know this is my weakness, and I’m trying to be aware of it. My craft supplies often get out of hand and don’t fit in their designated space, so I try to be mindful and declutter them frequently so they don’t overflow too much.
My Unique Category
And then I have one category that is a unique situation: shoes.
I have a lot of shoes, but I like them all. So I stopped buying shoes. During the last three years, I’ve bought two pairs of boots because I needed them, and I wear them almost daily to work during the winter.
I also bought one pair of shoes for my son’s wedding because I didn’t have anything suitable to wear. Normally, I wear sneakers or Converse all the time. I just couldn’t show up to the wedding like that. Just kidding. You know what I mean.
Things Change And I Might Change Too
So, so far, that is my personal take on minimalism. And because of all these things, I don’t think I can consider myself a minimalist.
But I really like the impact that the mindset of simplicity and having less has had on my life. And who knows? Maybe in the future, I’ll become one.
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