I'm middle-aged so kind of have an accumulation of 'stuff'. I like the minimalism philosophy but Im not an extremist- I'll use the principals to simplify my life - but no hard 'rules'.

My goal is not bare bones but it is simplify life & cut excess & have things with intention. Streamline & declutter.

I have to do my whole house eventually but I started with my wardrobe today. Got rid of 90% of my clothes & 60% of my shoes. I wore less than half the stuff regularly- most was just forgotten stuff collecting dust in my closet & dresser drawer. I got rid of 3 big 50 gallon garbage bags of clothes & shoes!!

I'm keeping a capsule wardrobe with 3 main colors & 2 accent colors. I did the rule of 10 was the max for each category ( I made this up). I have up to 10 items in each category. So for nice closet clothes (business casual) I kept: 5 dresses, 8 pants, 10 tops, 4 sweaters, 2 jumpers, 2 coats.

For dresser drawer clothes ( just my house, workout or errand clothes). I kept 3 PJ'S, 7 leggings, 8 t-shirts, 4 tank tops, 2 jeans, 3 shorts, 1 sweatpants, 2 hoodies, 2 hiking pants, 3 long sleeve layering shirts.

I had about 25 pairs of shoes & Im down to 10! 2 of each kind. 2 tennis shoes/hiking shoes, 2 casual sandals, 2 flats, 2 heels, 1 flip flops & 1 hiking sandal. No ice or extremely cold weather where I live so don't need any boots.

I can actually see what I have when I look in my closet & dresser! It feels amazing -- I feel so light & free! Like a weight lifted.

The kitchen is next weekend!

I’m an aspiring minimalist. I feel like I still have to much stuff. If you’d ask me, I have around

~125 clothes.
~ 17 bags (pouches, shoulder, hand, or just backpacks of various sizes)
~30 sentimental clothing items
~A sentimental box
~16 pairs of shoes i occasionally wear. (boots, heels, cheer shoes, sneakers, dress shoes etc.)
~5 sentimental pairs of shoes (softball cleaks, boots, sneakers etc)
~two stands for music (I play the trombone)
~A trombone case, and an electric guitar.
~A sentimental piggy bank
~4 blankets
Probably more stuff I’m missing but yeah.
I have around roughly 203 items (not including the 50 items I’m giving away to smaller cousins!) That wouldn’t be a lot if I was an adult! But I’m only 14… that’s too much stuff.

I’ve done 5 mass declutters from the past 3-4 years. I was literally a mini hoarder. At that time I was pissed at my mom for giving away my shit. But now… I understand. I get overstimulated and overwhelmed easily. If not having a thousand assignments to do at school and being a marching band member and a school cheerleader wasn’t enough. I have to look at 1,000 “souvenirs” once I get home. Plz help! Where do I start.

Hey everyone.

We are so happy to let you know that r/TinyLiving is back, we welcome you to join and be part of our amazing community.

A while back, my nice set of Bose noise-canceling headphones broke, and I have no other over-the-ear headphones. I considered buying a new pair and then decided, nope, I’m simplifying, I have my AirPods, and I can do fine with just them. Yesterday, a friend gifted me a Kindle ebook, and I charged my Kindle and discovered that it has fallen out of support and won’t let me download books to it. But I have an iPad with the Kindle app and can read the ebook that way, so I think I’ve settled on not replacing the Kindle device either. So some niceties I enjoyed for years and years, I’m starting to live without, for the sake of simplification and getting rid of stuff opportunistically.

Are you finding yourself doing this? What kinds of belongings/gadgets/toys/luxuries have you quietly abandoned? What did it feel like to do that? Any regrets?

I’m not talking necessities like laundry detergent or hand soap. I’m talking the things that are new and don’t necessarily replace something.

I’ve now completely stopped buying things like clothes, jewelry, candles, tchotchkes, art/craft supplies, decor, and lots more.

But I’ve purchased a few tech items that I probably would have deemed “too expensive” in the past. These things being: a Kobo e-reader, an iPad, and most recently a fitness tracker to count steps and other activities.

I have the funds to buy stuff like this now because I’ve stopped buying all those other things that I now find unnecessary. They added little value to my life. But I use the iPad and fitness tracker daily, and the Kobo a few times a week. They all get so much more use than the things I used to spend money on.

Have the types of things you buy changed? My suspicion is many of you now spend more on experiences, or maybe put more money in savings (which I’ve also been doing). But if you do continue to buy objects here and there, have you noticed a change in what those things are?

I'm working on making everything in our house as minimalist as possible but I'm stuck on whether to keep 1 set of guesting bedding/air mattress.

We don't have a guest room, but have kept an air mattress and bedding just in case. The last time we had someone stay over was when I was in labour with my second and by sister in law looked after our first which was 2 years ago.

My husband is quite the opposite of minimalist and thinks we should keep it but I am not seeing the point as it so rare that anyone would stay over. The only possible time I could see someone staying over is if we were to have a babysitting watch the kids over night but even then I'm not sure where we would even fit an air mattress, our house is small and we would have to push the dining table up against a wall or put it in the hallway.

What would you do?

It's pretty wild to get to a place where you feel good about where you are as a minimalist... and then realize you can live with even less. During my third minimalist journey I am learning so much about myself. Granted, I'm also AFAB and going through perimenopause while neurodivergent. It feels like I'm in need of ripping off a giant bandaid or maybe just running off into the woods only to never return hahaha.

Each of the three times I've "become" a minimalist, I've learned so much about myself. This time is by far the most I've been able to reconnect with myself. Each time I decided I can live without an item, I feel like it brings me closer to, well, me. Removing the stuff leaves me with myself, unclouded by the image I created with the things I surrounded myself with.

The first time I went minimal and began floor sleeping, a friend had helped me donate a carload of clothing. She taught me "one in, two out" and, yet, I still had so much to learn. The second time allowed me to part with things, and in the timespan of just one weekend, but I didn't really have the awakening I've had over the past few years. The third time, as I've shared before in comments and other posts, I'm going slowly but I'm shocked at how fast I've reached a great place. It feels like yesterday that I read and re-read Goodbye, Things. I cannot stress enough how the lightness of owning less and less and less has given me a space within myself that words cannot describe. I feel as if I'm looking at the world through a new lens. We moved recently and I was able to realize that I can sever myself from even more of my belongings.

I still own things I need, of course. I have music gear because I make music and produce/record other artists. However, every other category of things I own has dramatically decreased in size and quantity. I have shared items with my husband that I wish to part with, but they belong to him as well so I can't just gift or sell what he wants to keep. Regardless, I will continue to part with the things I do not need and I can continue to do so when I feel the need. I don't buy things I don't need. When I get the urge to buy something, usually clothes or shoes, I ask myself if I like it more than the small amount of things I already own. Sometimes, I even try on things in my closet to make sure I don't want the new item. I usually don't. If I do, then I will allow myself to purchase if I remove more items I like less than the new item. It's working! Over two years in and it's really working!

I’ve had OCD this past decade of my life and while at some points I started collecting CDs and Books and Box Sets, albeit a small collection, lately I just feel too drained to want to keep them and they just become dust collectors in my room. I don’t play them anymore. Most if not all is on streaming.

Anyone else feel similar?

My husband and I have drastically less furniture than we used to, but recently I had the urge to rearrange it to better suit our needs. The result ended up being we can get rid of another piece of furniture (the TV was on a coffee table, but by moving it to the top of a low bookcase we have, now we no longer need the coffee table). Rearranging made me realize we could do with even less.

I used to use one of card cases / sleeves, but it finally broke after 10 years. These normally come with birth control pills and Idk if it can be bought anywhere; no luck in my searches. https://di2ponv0v5otw.cloudfront.net/posts/2022/06/24/62b65ec36914128894079073/l_wp_62b65ecf5e46b0a68b1af12b.webp

I want something almost exactly like those specs: WxH of a single credit card, with clear ID windows, as low profile as possible. But most "real" wallets, even minimalist ones, are way too bulky, have huge gussets, snaps, zippers, and other junk sticking out. Rubber bands may be low-profile, but it's insecure and fiddly (for my situation).

Any ideas?

EDIT: I liked these options below:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/minimalist/comments/1v2ub36/comment/oyynlt2/ - Haiku Women's RFID Mini Wallet 2.0
• https://www.reddit.com/r/minimalist/comments/1v2ub36/comment/ozqnmh3/ - "Infinity Wallet" Minimalist Wallet for Men and Women (Black with Black Silicone)

For now I got this other one I found. It has 3 pockets, fairly flat and CC-size. It does have a keyring thing but it's very small and can be cut off: https://a.co/d/0clmXDqp

I wonder if you live below your means and believe in saving/investing for future. Do you still make exceptions for something 'cause skimping on those aren't worthwhile in long term.

For example, currently I use public transit but I think I'd save so much time if I get a car. I know most people are against getting a car but is it an okay sacrifice if it provides you a lot of convenience and saves time. I don't live downtown or in a area close to station. Nearest bus stop is 12-15 min walk away. I have to use bus to go to a laundromat and carry groceries.

Some other examples could be Investing in a good chair or bed or shoes as someone said the thing that's between you and the ground, should be good quality.

Or spending on experience or eating out to socialize as it's good to connect with new people and have fun. Or good quality food, skincare etc.

What are you thoughts about this and do you have anything you don't think twice about spending on even if you are in geenral living a frugal lifestyle?

I apologize if this might not fit this community but I was curious about something.

I have found I am completely addicted to my iPhone. Like, my screen time can be a full time job on some days. I can’t seem to shake the mindless pick ups and scrolls throughout the day.

I sort of realized, with the new phone plan I switched to I can do cellular on my Apple Watch for a minimal amount more a month. This got me thinking: why not just keep my phone at home and use my watch for the things you actually need: texts and calls. If I do this right, my iPhone can just sit on a charger for the vast majority of the days and really only used for things when they come to it.

Does anyone in here do this sort of setup?

it was just the junk drawer. took 15 minutes. now i keep opening it just to look at it. and now the drawer next to it looks chaotic by comparison. this is how people become minimalists isn't it

How many people are hair minimalist especially women? I am and my hair has been great last 9 yrs of hair minimalism

I was watching a video on minimalism this morning and people in the comments were sharing anecdotes about how some folks in their circles became insufferable due to their minimalism because not only did they act like they were a sort of paragon because they were minimalist, but they'd habitually not have an item and keep borrowing it(and often not return it in a timely manner). Things would get to the point that the commenter would tell the minimalist they didn't have xy or z because they got tired of lending things to said minimalist.

Individualism, for lack of a better word, definitely holds me back from getting rid of some things. The tool set my abusive mom gave me when I graduated high school because we very occasionally need something from it for the house(but so rarely!) when about 80% of it I can use my multi-tool for. Same goes for my power-drill. Very useful when I need it for something, but that's also so rarely. But I also wouldn't feel comfortable asking to borrow someone else's.

I know the easy answer is to just sell the tools and borrow them on the occasions I do need them, but I'm wrestling with it a bit more on the emotional side than that(so those suggestions won't actually be helpful in this instance. Heck, I could probably borrow the tool from my local makerspace, so long as I bring it right back. I want to get a bit deeper than that). Perhaps it's a need to never need to feel dependent on others, despite my goals to live an extreme minimalist lifestyle(already a minimalist, notice how I'm wrestling with things I actually use, albeit only once every 1-3 months, instead of something that's been in a closet for 1+ years entirely untouched).

Do you also struggle with the worry of how others might perceive you with being a minimalist? How do you wrestle with that? Do you also struggle with an emotional need to be hyper-independent? How do you handle that in conjunction with your minimalism?

Edited for clarity

Real talk. This experience has been a reminder for me that being a minimalist does not mean depriving myself. It means making sure the items I own bring value to my life.

The thing was an iPad, and the reason I wanted it was to have a larger screen and a stylus for a coloring book app I’ve had on my phone for two weeks. Day one of using it, I knew it would be way better on an iPad.

I used to have a closet packed with art and craft supplies. Years went by without me touching it. So I got rid of most of it in my big purge. One thing I kept was my large Ohuhu marker set, because I was still using it for coloring books. But my most used colors ran out of ink after about 6 months of use. I stopped coloring because of it, and donated the working markers.

But I’ve been missing it. Like many others, I love that’s it’s a creative outlet that’s relaxing and stress free. I’ve tried a handful of coloring book apps over the past few months, and finally found a good one. It was bringing me joy, but it was difficult to use on such a small screen and my finger rather than a stylus.

I told myself that because using the app on my phone was an option, there was no need to buy a second device. But two weeks had gone by and the desire for it hadn’t gone away (though music was a brief respite!). So I got it. And guess what? It was worth it. I have already spent three happy hours coloring today, and I look forward to many more. I wish I hadn’t tortured myself so much with the decision.

TL;DR: Minimalism is not asceticism. If your desire remains after time has passed, and you believe it will bring value to your life, just get it. Don’t obsess over it.

Title

I know, given our lifestyles we only keep the essentials or things that bring us a lot of joy.

This is about an essential that you need but don't like.

I'll go first. Mine is my work wardrobe. I can't exactly wear lolita fashion to a construction site, so I have a separate wardrobe for the day-job. The money and work environment is really really good, so obviously I'm not going to change careers just to be able to wear frilly clothes full-time.

What about ya'll

I find myself doing this sometimes. Mainly in the categories of books and clothes, even though I already own just a small fraction of what I used to.

I also find myself daydreaming about moving to a smaller space, but in a nicer part of town.

I try to stop myself when this happens. It gives me vibes similar to thinking about buying things, which I’ve mostly eliminated. It has a similar striving/wanting feeling that I find unpleasant. I’d prefer to stay in a state of gratitude.

I’d probably be fine with only me, my husband, and our dog ever stepping foot in our apartment. Having a guest over usually feels vaguely invasive to me. This is true even with people who I care for very much.

Luckily, it doesn’t happen too often. We almost always go out to meet people, or go to their place. There’s not much seating at our place anymore anyway!

If you have an ereader, do you mostly use it to check ebooks out from the library? Or do you have a large ebook collection? i.e. Does your minimalist lifestyle extend to objects that don’t take up physical space?

I'm an American who owns a car and have been entertaining the idea of minimizing my car/removing it from my life.
Have any of ya'll done it? How have ya'll gone about it? When did you know for certain that your car/truck/etc was free to go?

When I think about how much my car costs per year, my personal financial goals, and the amount of crap I need to own to maintain it(fluids, tools, etc), AND the stress of a potential breakdown as she nears 175,000 miles and the transmission is starting to act wonky...

I now live 1.5 miles away from work and the grocery store is along the way. The bus stop is 2 miles away, although the public transit system here is TERRIBLE(I know two people who walk and uber everywhere and have never driven; they slam on how bad the local public transit system is).

As for how I'm thinking of doing it, I'm tempted to go a full year of trying to use my bike everywhere I can and pretending my car doesn't exist, namely because winter just passed and that'd be when I feel like I'd regret parting with the car the most.

Our 680sqft apartment has a bedroom closet, an office closet, kitchen cabinets/drawers, bathroom cabinet/drawers, a small freestanding cabinet in our main room, and four cube bookshelves (6 cubes each).

We do use all the storage space, but there’s lots of breathing room and everything is easily accessible. No things stacked on top of other things. No drawers stuffed to the brim. Everything has a place. It’s very different than the way I used these spaces before I became a minimalist. I no longer throw random items in there just to have them out of sight. All those types of items are gone now. We also used to have a dresser and more bookshelves that we were able to get rid of after discarding lots of clothes and books.

How much storage space do you have? Do you use it all? I’m particularly curious about minimalists who live in larger homes!