http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw4E8nXcrTk
and I thought I was doing so well, I have nothing I don't use, now I have a non replacement policy.
First there was Jacob having so few items, now this, I admire them, what do you think?
minimalism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYV0qATsyts
And re house adaptation
When I had a 4 bedroom house built, I designed it so that it could be turned into two apartments, but because of tax laws it has one big kitchen which would have to be shared, or if rules change include a kitchenette.
I don't like the idea of buying and selling houses, I'd rather adapt the house, just wanted to share in case anyone else is in the same boat.
Also two apartments, one title, one utility bill which is much cheaper than two.
And re house adaptation
When I had a 4 bedroom house built, I designed it so that it could be turned into two apartments, but because of tax laws it has one big kitchen which would have to be shared, or if rules change include a kitchenette.
I don't like the idea of buying and selling houses, I'd rather adapt the house, just wanted to share in case anyone else is in the same boat.
Also two apartments, one title, one utility bill which is much cheaper than two.
That’s very interesting, kind of reminds me of Leo Babauta. I just have two criticisms for him: 1) Don’t do pull ups with the door frame because it can break (I know that from experience), 2) That looks like an expensive projector, wouldn’t a regular tv be cheaper? Maybe the projector is portable and whatnot.
That place of his looked rather roomy given the number of possessions that he’s got. Maybe he enjoys the view too much to give it up, which is understandable.
That place of his looked rather roomy given the number of possessions that he’s got. Maybe he enjoys the view too much to give it up, which is understandable.
I think minimalism is an interesting and fruitful way to deal with the problem of possessions weighing you down. Thoreau said men don't own property so much as property owns men.
I have rejected minimalism myself though. I have tools and toys and a needless abundance of cookware (I own a wok and an ice cream maker for example, both were gifts) and, gasp, decorative knick knacks. I let the possessions weigh lightly on me though by doing a few things, 1. I know they're not necessary and if I lost them tomorrow they wouldn't be much missed, so I don't worry or fear them being destroyed or stolen. 2. I'm willing to give them away/sell them/throw them out if it becomes convenient to do so, like if I'm planning a move or something. 3. They're all either homemade or bought second hand so I could sell or destroy them without losing much money at all. And 4. I don't lust after material possessions the way some people obsess over new gadgets, trendy furniture, works of art, or even romantic interests. If I like something I don't automatically have an impulse to possess it. I can appreciate something's beauty and then walk away from it without an impulse or desire for any sort of ownership over it.
I don't horde or let junk pile up or hold onto things for years "just in case". But I also don't fret over adding a practical tool to my stash in the garage or putting a rarely used piece of kitchenware into an out of the way cabinet for when I'm indulging in some fancy cooking (that reminds me I need to keep an eye out at the thrift shops for some ramekins).
Obsessing over, living for, or loving objects can be draining on the soul as you constantly worry about theft, or fires, or completing a 'collection', or it's just blatant, mindless consumerism that eats away at people as it makes them think they "need" more and more stuff just to be like their neighbors.
I'm reminded of people like the tornado victims who have their entire homes destroyed. And when they're interviewed some people are a mess, fretting over their lost family photos, jewelry, keepsakes, family heirlooms, collections, etc., actually mourning the loss of their possessions. But some other people they interview are just noticeably less shook up by the loss saying, "It's just stuff, nothing that can't be replaced. We'll just start rebuilding." I don't think that's just people reacting differently to trauma. I think sometimes it's actually the result of the different perspective and values people put on their property. Some people love their stuff and fear losing it, others think of it as "just stuff" and aren't really attached to it. If you can develop that sense of detachment I think you've pretty much made it so property doesn't own you, and so you can then own property without fear of it being a burden on your psyche or a handicap to your well-being.
I have rejected minimalism myself though. I have tools and toys and a needless abundance of cookware (I own a wok and an ice cream maker for example, both were gifts) and, gasp, decorative knick knacks. I let the possessions weigh lightly on me though by doing a few things, 1. I know they're not necessary and if I lost them tomorrow they wouldn't be much missed, so I don't worry or fear them being destroyed or stolen. 2. I'm willing to give them away/sell them/throw them out if it becomes convenient to do so, like if I'm planning a move or something. 3. They're all either homemade or bought second hand so I could sell or destroy them without losing much money at all. And 4. I don't lust after material possessions the way some people obsess over new gadgets, trendy furniture, works of art, or even romantic interests. If I like something I don't automatically have an impulse to possess it. I can appreciate something's beauty and then walk away from it without an impulse or desire for any sort of ownership over it.
I don't horde or let junk pile up or hold onto things for years "just in case". But I also don't fret over adding a practical tool to my stash in the garage or putting a rarely used piece of kitchenware into an out of the way cabinet for when I'm indulging in some fancy cooking (that reminds me I need to keep an eye out at the thrift shops for some ramekins).
Obsessing over, living for, or loving objects can be draining on the soul as you constantly worry about theft, or fires, or completing a 'collection', or it's just blatant, mindless consumerism that eats away at people as it makes them think they "need" more and more stuff just to be like their neighbors.
I'm reminded of people like the tornado victims who have their entire homes destroyed. And when they're interviewed some people are a mess, fretting over their lost family photos, jewelry, keepsakes, family heirlooms, collections, etc., actually mourning the loss of their possessions. But some other people they interview are just noticeably less shook up by the loss saying, "It's just stuff, nothing that can't be replaced. We'll just start rebuilding." I don't think that's just people reacting differently to trauma. I think sometimes it's actually the result of the different perspective and values people put on their property. Some people love their stuff and fear losing it, others think of it as "just stuff" and aren't really attached to it. If you can develop that sense of detachment I think you've pretty much made it so property doesn't own you, and so you can then own property without fear of it being a burden on your psyche or a handicap to your well-being.
I've always been attracted to minimalism and can contently live for months out of a backpack, but I too have turned away.
Minimalism isn't really conducive to self-sufficiency. I want to be able to build my own house, grow my own food, do my own work... Don't see how that could be done without some tools.
Minimalism isn't really conducive to self-sufficiency. I want to be able to build my own house, grow my own food, do my own work... Don't see how that could be done without some tools.
I've turned over minimalism in my mind but have largely rejected it as a maxim. Preferring, instead, the words of William Morris:
If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
Following that rule, possessions bring rewards that are greater than the spiritual and financial burdens of ownership.
But I'd also add that I try not to think in terms of "possessions" and "ownership"; "custodianship" or "stewardship" is a more accurate and life enhancing view.
If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
Following that rule, possessions bring rewards that are greater than the spiritual and financial burdens of ownership.
But I'd also add that I try not to think in terms of "possessions" and "ownership"; "custodianship" or "stewardship" is a more accurate and life enhancing view.
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jennypenny
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- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm
I love the guy in the first video. He hardly owns anything but he has a bug-out bag 
Raptitude has a new post on minimalism if you missed it.
http://www.raptitude.com/2013/06/why-th ... t-they-do/
He included a link to a funny TED talk that dragline turned me onto a while back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
Raptitude has a new post on minimalism if you missed it.
http://www.raptitude.com/2013/06/why-th ... t-they-do/
He included a link to a funny TED talk that dragline turned me onto a while back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM
I think someone’s relationship with minimalism will be somewhat correlated with their tendency toward being a homesteader or nomad. The latter will clearly value owning less things in order to maximize mobility. I look forward to owning as few things as possible in my first years of ERE, but I think later down the line I will want to settle down somewhere, in which case I will not mind having things that empower me.
Minimalizing food... eating... nutrition... Soylent
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/05/31/s ... not-people
http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2013/05/31/s ... not-people
I think a decent description of the minimal is the removal of the non-essential. In talking about a "minimalist lifestyle", the interesting question is "what is essential?". The answer here depends on your conception of the good life, so you get these different "minimalisms" for different people. As you say spoonman, the homesteader and the nomad. One is minimizing their reliance on the economy, the other their number of possessions. And I think that's just fine. Personally I try to be aware of the cost of owning, but also of the cost of non-ownership. I'm somewhere in the middle, trying to have the cake and eat it too, and I think there are some strategies that enables both mobility and self-reliance. For example, having high quality tools, clothes and appliances that can be easily sold if you want to move, owning a house with a decent garden and solar panels, in a location that makes it possible to rent it out if you want to travel or live somewhere else for a while. Et cetera.
It might be that mindfulness is a more interesting concept than minimalism - being aware of the costs and benefits of each item, both in terms of money but also in terms of space, time, aesthetics and emotional well-being. Viewed this way, it's more about balance than puritanism.
It might be that mindfulness is a more interesting concept than minimalism - being aware of the costs and benefits of each item, both in terms of money but also in terms of space, time, aesthetics and emotional well-being. Viewed this way, it's more about balance than puritanism.
Yep, spoonman got it!
Except I want both homesteader and nomad... Once homestead is setup I plan for plenty of adventures away from it.
Hope to have family living on homestead property to watch it for me.
My desire for making stuff definitely precludes minimalism (lived in a place with almost no possessions for a couple of years, I prefer having a shop full of tools and projects), though reading about it and remembering to cull out any "stuff" that may have accumulated while we weren't paying attention is always a good idea.
I came to the same conclusion sas you JohnnyH. Develop a piece of property for our use, but the goal is to have it represent a small enough portion of our net worth that it's OK to sit unused (by us at least) while away. We recently almost lost our home to a wildfire, it was a good test for how attached to our stuff we are!
Except I want both homesteader and nomad... Once homestead is setup I plan for plenty of adventures away from it.
Hope to have family living on homestead property to watch it for me.
My desire for making stuff definitely precludes minimalism (lived in a place with almost no possessions for a couple of years, I prefer having a shop full of tools and projects), though reading about it and remembering to cull out any "stuff" that may have accumulated while we weren't paying attention is always a good idea.
I came to the same conclusion sas you JohnnyH. Develop a piece of property for our use, but the goal is to have it represent a small enough portion of our net worth that it's OK to sit unused (by us at least) while away. We recently almost lost our home to a wildfire, it was a good test for how attached to our stuff we are!
@oldbeyond: “It might be that mindfulness is a more interesting concept than minimalism”
Indeed. I also think that people who understand themselves have a natural edge when it comes to ERE. If you know you want to swing one way or another, you can plunge headlong optimize your life to achieve ERE. I don’t know myself well enough right now to prefer one style over the other.
Sometimes I wish I had a clear tendency towards homesteading because I view it as an easier problem to solve, mainly because the tools and space will translate to savings in one form or another. My fear about homesteading is mostly an irrational aversion to “getting stuck” in one place. If you can alternate between the two modes without incurring prohibitive costs, then that’s awesome.
Indeed. I also think that people who understand themselves have a natural edge when it comes to ERE. If you know you want to swing one way or another, you can plunge headlong optimize your life to achieve ERE. I don’t know myself well enough right now to prefer one style over the other.
Sometimes I wish I had a clear tendency towards homesteading because I view it as an easier problem to solve, mainly because the tools and space will translate to savings in one form or another. My fear about homesteading is mostly an irrational aversion to “getting stuck” in one place. If you can alternate between the two modes without incurring prohibitive costs, then that’s awesome.
Minimalism is a funny thing, mostly because its a personal journey and choice. I consider myself minimalist, but have plenty of shoes, and hold on to stuff.
I think minimalism is like anything, can be more more of a personal identifier and obsession. I can see where the people who own 100 items come from, but I couldn't do it.
I think the key is to have what you need, minimal for a 22 yr old college kid is a lot different from what I need. I think it's more important to decide what you need and what in your life and purge the rest.
I got big into one day, and just started dumping and purging and irradiating piles, it was liberating but like anything else you have to keep it up. I find now I just make sure I don't have extra of what I don't need, but don't mind holding things that are worth it.
Example I used to love converse sneakers, I have them in lots of colors and styles, over time the lack of support hurts my feet and only last year did I finally donate the last pair. I still have dress shoes, running shoes, biking shoes, flip flops, work boots and my everyday boots. Sure to a hardcore "look at me" minimalist that's a lot more the. His one pair of shoes, but me personally can't do that.
But on the flip side, in my shop I have hundreds of switches, wire scraps, wood bits, scrap steel, but I keep it because it can and will be used or changed into something I will use.
I also have stock piles of food, I'm not a crazy end of the world guy I just hate shopping, and have the room in my otherwise unused basement so it makes my life easier.
The trick is to just let go of things you don't need, and that's the hardest part. I recently got rid of 4/6 suits I have. All very nice custom made (was over seas and custom suit there is cheaper then off rack here). And as good as I look in them I NEVER WEAR them, so away they go, once they left I never think about them it was just getting over the hump of admitting I don't need them.
As my tshirts get stained and stretched, I accept that's it for the. And make them rags, and then eventually fire starters.
I like to watch videos of the extreme but that's just it, the extreme. And they may be happy but the bar for your minimalism shouldn't be set by them it should be set by you ad where you feel at ease.
I think minimalism is like anything, can be more more of a personal identifier and obsession. I can see where the people who own 100 items come from, but I couldn't do it.
I think the key is to have what you need, minimal for a 22 yr old college kid is a lot different from what I need. I think it's more important to decide what you need and what in your life and purge the rest.
I got big into one day, and just started dumping and purging and irradiating piles, it was liberating but like anything else you have to keep it up. I find now I just make sure I don't have extra of what I don't need, but don't mind holding things that are worth it.
Example I used to love converse sneakers, I have them in lots of colors and styles, over time the lack of support hurts my feet and only last year did I finally donate the last pair. I still have dress shoes, running shoes, biking shoes, flip flops, work boots and my everyday boots. Sure to a hardcore "look at me" minimalist that's a lot more the. His one pair of shoes, but me personally can't do that.
But on the flip side, in my shop I have hundreds of switches, wire scraps, wood bits, scrap steel, but I keep it because it can and will be used or changed into something I will use.
I also have stock piles of food, I'm not a crazy end of the world guy I just hate shopping, and have the room in my otherwise unused basement so it makes my life easier.
The trick is to just let go of things you don't need, and that's the hardest part. I recently got rid of 4/6 suits I have. All very nice custom made (was over seas and custom suit there is cheaper then off rack here). And as good as I look in them I NEVER WEAR them, so away they go, once they left I never think about them it was just getting over the hump of admitting I don't need them.
As my tshirts get stained and stretched, I accept that's it for the. And make them rags, and then eventually fire starters.
I like to watch videos of the extreme but that's just it, the extreme. And they may be happy but the bar for your minimalism shouldn't be set by them it should be set by you ad where you feel at ease.
I'm a minimalist. Not in the way that it has come to be defined (a persona who counts their possessions) but as a general philosophy of living. My rules are; Keep everything simple, classic, and small. If life is a journey, you should travel light. If you're going to own it, make sure its high quality (but it being a status symbol is never a justifiable reason to own it.)
I don't own a car. I travel everywhere I go by foot or bike. My wife and I life in a 400 square foot studio apartment. Compared to most we have very few possessions, but we don't count them.
I do have possessions an "item-counter" would discard. I have a small baseball card collection, a small coin collection, a small library, a small toolbox of household essentials, golf equipment, etc. But even in theses areas, I maintain my rules of minimalism. For example, the average golfer carries 14 clubs, and owns several more he chooses between. I own six clubs. My baseball card collection is just four cards. My coin collection is maybe ten coins.
One post Jacob made on the blog that I heartily agree with is to "own classics." My mantra is, "if you're going to own stuff, own good stuff." For example, though I make less than 20k a year, my watch is a Rolex, my suit is custom tailored, my baseball cards are all rare, valuable, classics etc. BUT none of them are owned as status symbols. I don't own them so people will admire my possessions. I own them since because if the stuff is worth owning, it shouldn't be cheap junk.
That's my minimalism.
I don't own a car. I travel everywhere I go by foot or bike. My wife and I life in a 400 square foot studio apartment. Compared to most we have very few possessions, but we don't count them.
I do have possessions an "item-counter" would discard. I have a small baseball card collection, a small coin collection, a small library, a small toolbox of household essentials, golf equipment, etc. But even in theses areas, I maintain my rules of minimalism. For example, the average golfer carries 14 clubs, and owns several more he chooses between. I own six clubs. My baseball card collection is just four cards. My coin collection is maybe ten coins.
One post Jacob made on the blog that I heartily agree with is to "own classics." My mantra is, "if you're going to own stuff, own good stuff." For example, though I make less than 20k a year, my watch is a Rolex, my suit is custom tailored, my baseball cards are all rare, valuable, classics etc. BUT none of them are owned as status symbols. I don't own them so people will admire my possessions. I own them since because if the stuff is worth owning, it shouldn't be cheap junk.
That's my minimalism.