I value things. They make my life easier, comfortable, fun. I am a minimalist, or maybe not. That depends on how you see minimalism as its definition is a spectrum by itself. As for me, minimalism is a journey. I am not quite there yet, for sure, as I am still dancing in between a hoarder and a minimalist.
Growing up a hoarder.
I lived in a household where memorabilia are treasured, party plates are collected, and everything that are deemed useful for future use are kept. Storage after storage after storage of ‘useful’ things, clothes, books, and cassette tapes among others. It wasn’t a surprise when I started collecting as a hobby whilst I was young. I’ve collected specialty papers, stamps, coins, diaries, and random things that remind me of friends and family — yes as random as a candy wrapper, paper clip, or a movie ticket among all others!
Organized clutter.
Though a collector, I am not comfortable with everything scattered all over the place. All my precious little trinkets were organized in nifty boxes, my stamps and my coins in a designated album, and my books were numbered and recorded. I’d do the same with the whole house with my random bursts of cleaning spree.
Blank slate.
Eventually, realizing how all the things I’ve accumulated sucked my attention and productivity, I understood clearly that I simply can’t keep them forever. I’d have less space available and I just can’t focus enough. I tried to find a better way of storing them (and I did) but I was only able to keep it out of sight. I began to wonder why I am keeping them. *suggested read: Shikata ga nai – The Art of Letting Go
Life reset.
With the constant pounding of uneasiness, I pondered on what’s holding me back. After some reflection, I realized that it is not the things I want to keep but the memories attached to them. Some doesn’t even seem to give that much value anymore. Feelings long gone and not so happy memories clinging on. This needs to change.
Letting go.
One by one I examined my stuff. Some made me laugh, some made me sad, some made me reminisce. Letting go of things you treasured for a very long time is never easy to start with. But as I go, there was that relaxing feeling of letting go and trimming down the baggage I’ve carried for a long time. There are still those, of course, that I still chose to keep. But with most, I was thankful for the memories yet happy to part. As I organized my apartment section by section, I am in a way organizing my life too. That moment when everything is beautiful. Neither cluttered nor dumped awkwardly together. Less clutter, less stress. *suggested read: Wandering Thoughts
Minimalism was my answer.
It took a while before I noticed what I was transitioning into. Once I was able to sort my possessions, it became much easier for me to identify which ones really matter. I became more conscious on what I add to my life.
Minimalism is a journey. It is not simply buying, consuming, and owning less. It is a chosen and embraced lifestyle of eliminating the unnecessary and keeping the essentials. Minimalism for me is simple living at its best!
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