Becoming a minimalist

[4x4_Welder]

I want to go this route more than ever. I told my wife a couple months ago that our house was starting to look like a hoarder house (barely paths to get around in it), and she just got all pissy with me. A couple weeks later, she cleaned the living room, not because I asked, but because she bought a fridge that was being delivered by some of her coworkers. She'll clean for them, but not for me. If I start cleaning, she gets mad and says she'll take care of it.

I want to move back east, but the shear level of accumulated crap will make this a logistical nightmare. I want to eliminate enough stuff that two pickups with 16-20' trailers can do it in one trip.

 

[jeeper]

I watched The Minimalists over the weekend on Netfilx while at a cousins home. At the end of the show it issues a challenge to get rid of things every day for 30 days. 1 thing the first day, 2 things the second day, 3 the third, etc. Totals out to be 465 items for the 30 days. I have decided to take the challenge. Looking forward to getting rid of some stuff.

 

[UNSTUCK]

What do they consider a “thing”? Like a single rusty bolt today and two of them tomorrow? I could do that.

 

[DAA]

I reject the entire premise. But that's just me.

- DAA

 

[N-Smooth]

Some people probably really need this and I can see @jeeper being one of those people 🤣

 

[jeeper]

What do they consider a “thing”? Like a single rusty bolt today and two of them tomorrow? I could do that.

I am counting a 15 pack of doggie doo-doo bags as day 15.. so I say anything you want to count!

 

[jeeper]

Some people probably really need this and I can see @jeeper being one of those people 🤣

#truth

I won't spout my life story.. but I was super poor from birth to about age 30.. then slightly less poor for a few years.. and slightly less poor now. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle wasn't a slogan for us, it was survival.

So, even though I have multiple boxes full of brand new nails and screws, and boxes full of nails for a nail gun so that I never have to swing a hammer... I still can't throw away the box full of straightened nails I 'inherited' when my grandpa died 15 years ago.. because I helped salvage them, and may 'need them' some day when I am poor again. 🤦‍♂️

But don't worry.. when I do toss the box, it will be 1 item.. I won't count the nails individually.

 

[Kevin B.]

I reject the entire premise. But that's just me.

- DAA

Not me, man, I'm with Brian. I have a terrible time letting go of things. That habit combined with my tiny house leads to some pretty terrible clutter. And the garage is worse.

It's cold AF outside, but I think this spring when the weather turns I'm gonna purge. The classifieds section on RME won't know what hit it.

 

[skippy]

I keeep stuff just long enough to trip over it one time and then throw it away in a fit of rage cause it’s in my way. Typically takes less than a week 😂

 

[UNSTUCK]

I’m unlucky. Every time I throw stuff away I find out I need it, then I see the garbage truck putting my van back down.

 

[N-Smooth]

I used to hang on to things but then I married a heartless robot that loves throwing stuff away. Now I lean that way and it’s pretty great. Taking a load of stuff to the DI or the dump is extremely satisfying for me.

 

[DAA]

Not me, man, I'm with Brian. I have a terrible time letting go of things. That habit combined with my tiny house leads to some pretty terrible clutter. And the garage is worse.

It's cold AF outside, but I think this spring when the weather turns I'm gonna purge. The classifieds section on RME won't know what hit it.

Being a minimalist goes a long, long way beyond uncluttering. I'm not sure it even counts towards being a minimalist. I don't reject uncluttering.

- DAA

 

[SoopaHick]

I used to hang on to things but then I married a heartless robot that loves throwing stuff away. Now I lean that way and it’s pretty great. Taking a load of stuff to the DI or the dump is extremely satisfying for me.

Sounds familiar... My wife and I have lived in our house for almost two years and have very little decor/art anywhere because she struggles with purchasing anything that "Just sits there." She also talks of blasphemous ideas like selling our large couch and buying a smaller one because "the space is too crowded and not open enough."

 

[jeeper]

Being a minimalist goes a long, long way beyond uncluttering. I'm not sure it even counts towards being a minimalist. I don't reject uncluttering.

- DAA

I think this is valid.. and if we are splitting names.. I also identify as uncluttering.

But going from hoarder to uncluttering is apples to apples going from normal to minimalist.

 

[N-Smooth]

Sounds familiar... My wife and I have lived in our house for almost two years and have very little decor/art anywhere because she struggles with purchasing anything that "Just sits there." She also talks of blasphemous ideas like selling our large couch and buying a smaller one because "the space is too crowded and not open enough."

Shoot I wish my wife didn’t want art and decor. That would be killer.

I have a coworker that has almost no furniture in her house and it’s creepy. Better keep an eye on your wife and make sure you don’t go that route because then you’re just trading the too much stuff mental illness for the no stuff mental illness IMO 🤣

 

[TRD270]

Sounds familiar... My wife and I have lived in our house for almost two years and have very little decor/art anywhere because she struggles with purchasing anything that "Just sits there." She also talks of blasphemous ideas like selling our large couch and buying a smaller one because "the space is too crowded and not open enough."

Once had a friend refer to the inside of my house as an asylum due to the lack of decor 😂

 

[SoopaHick]

Once had a friend refer to the inside of my house as an asylum due to the lack of decor 😂

My family and friends just make fun of how gray and bland my house is. Gray paint, gray couch, brown/beige flooring. Brown and black tables/entertainment center. We are not flashy people.

 

[Thursty]

The walls of our home are mostly bare because my wife can’t decide where/how to decorate. So, all our decor sits in a closet and Heaven help me if I make move on my own to hang up anything. 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

 

[UNSTUCK]

I used to hang on to things but then I married a heartless robot that loves throwing stuff away. Now I lean that way and it’s pretty great. Taking a load of stuff to the DI or the dump is extremely satisfying for me.

I love clearing out items inside my house and making dump runs. Just wish I could do that to stuff in the garage.

 

[TRD270]

My family and friends just make fun of how gray and bland my house is. Gray paint, gray couch, brown/beige flooring. Brown and black tables/entertainment center. We are not flashy people.

Sounds like we have the same decorator 😬