Giving Minimalism a Polite Hug

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After reading Marie Kondo's "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" I have a whole new perspective (most of the time) about shopping. Not so much on things like nail polish and small jewelry purchases, but the more expensive things. I ask myself questions like, "Do I REALLY need to pay this amount for this? Am I REALLY in need of this? Do I have anything similar already that will make this a duplicate in my wardrobe, collection, or drawer?" The previously mentioned book and it's sequel, "Spark Joy" have truly, in every cheesy sense of the over used cliche, changed my life forever. 

I'm not sure if those books have sparked this interest, or if the infinite number of YouTube videos that have referenced it have put the idea in my head, but I am fascinated with the concept of minimalism. I remember a video I watched a couple of years ago before this blew up the internet. It was called "A rich life with less stuff". Do yourself a favor and watch if for nothing more than a motivation to reevaluate what's important in your life. It's a GREAT illustration with simple visual items that really help us understand his points.

Anyway...before we go on. I am a Christian. I love my church, I love the Lord with all my heart and I will spend my life talking about what Jesus has done and continues to do for me and my life. This discussion is in no way to undermine or  minimize God's place in my life. He is FIRST. This discussion about minimalism revolves around the stuff in this life. Those material things that we surround ourselves with. He guides me, and now that I think about it, He very well may be the center of this. Giving all my focus to Him and less to the stuff of this world. This was not my purpose for this entry, but I'm happy to have shared a small testimony about the greatest friend I've ever had! :)

Back to stuff. I've titled this "Giving Minimalism a Polite Hug" because I haven't fully embraced it yet. I've just met this idea. We are still talking over coffee, still getting to know each other. Minimalism is leaning over the table, talking fast, flooding me with information as fast as I can consume it. I'm still sitting back in my chair, watching, listening, absorbing, observing and thinking...can I do this? In my life, I finally have more than I ever dreamed, in every facet. My husband and I are doing well for ourselves. We are hard workers, and we like being about to get the things we want and need without having to really think about it. But what I want...the things I buy...they don't impact my life. Not really. They excite me. They make me happy. For the few seconds I'm using them. Is that true happiness? Of course not. And guess what? The new things, they lose their shine in a short time. The newest thing becomes available and I can't wait to look into getting it. And then that excitement comes back...then goes away. That's not living. That's not even truly enjoying what I have.

I have downsized my wardrobe tremendously. After reading Marie Kondo's books, I completely overhauled my closet and unloaded 20 years worth of  "But I may need or wear that...." I think we gave Goodwill around 9 large trash bags of things that were in this house that I was saving for 'just in case'. And that time never came.

At the moment, I'm researching capsule wardrobes. I have found this one on plus size capsule wardrobes. I would love to be able to get into my closet and just quickly put two or three pieces together without much thought to it. Things that are well made. Things that will last. I look in my closet now even since the clean out I did in the spring, I can see that the tshirts I so proudly paid $10 for 3 around the same time, have lost their shine, they are dingy, they haven't kept their shape, they look like $3.00 tshirts now. The top I am wearing right now as I type this, was bought about 4 years ago at Belk. It's a Kim Rogers peasant top that I got on clearance for less than $7! The point is, it's a much better crafted and better material top. It has clearly lasted many, MANY washes. Higher quality lasts. So while it FEELS like you can't afford higher quality items, it's actually the same. If you're buying lower cost items more frequently, you could have just bought the others once and used the money after that for other things. Think about hitting the clearance racks at top stores, lay-away, online stores with gently used items, thrift stores, consignment stores, just stop buying cheaply made products.

As I write this, I know if I do this, it will most certainly be over time. We aren't super wealthy, and I am not going to go put hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a credit card to do this. That would be counter productive. Living on credit cards and other high interest debt is NOT the way to go with this concept at all.

I'm ready to simplify. I've never been a super 'fru-fru' girl, I don't NEED the latest and greatest in fashion or jewelry. No one has EVER said, "Hey, that Anita, she is has got mad fashion game!" I've had an envy and watchful eye in fashion and beauty, but I don't have a desire to be an example of such. I just don't have the talent for that. I just have a lot of stuff. Like Ariel in "The Little Mermaid"-

Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has everything?

Look at this trove
Treasures untold
How many wonders can one cavern hold?
Looking around here you think
Sure, she's got everything

I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
I've got whozits and whatzits galore
You want things of above?
I've got twenty!

But who cares?
No big deal
I want more

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have dabbled in this or have thought about it- it's a pretty popular idea and lifestyle right now. A welcomed change to the fast paced life that is the 21st century.