Practical Minimalism pt 2
Can you go too far?
Imagine a house with bare walls, one chair, and nothing visible in the kitchen or bathroom. This is the thought that comes to most people's minds when they think about minimalism. This picture is a vivid example of going too far with minimalism. Sure, this is an extreme, but a version of this starts to happen to a lot of people that embrace minimalism without considering it practically. So, in what other ways can minimalism go too far? How can you avoid them? Are they avoidable in the first place?
This is the second, in a four-part series about minimalism. I am not trying to preach or force anyone to practice minimalism, just educate. If you do not want to give it a chance, just skip these next four editions – no harm done.
After the first edition in this series, you might be seriously considering practicing minimalism, one way or another. If so, I am glad to hear it! It can really simplify some people's lives, so it is worth trying. Once you are done following my steps: assess, question, weigh, choose, and act, you might feel the impulse to go fast and throw caution to the wind. This might work for some, but it usually doesn’t.
Going too fast and too far with minimalism is a real thing to consider. At first, it feels liberating! It feels like you are shedding weight, old memories, and burdening objects. While you are doing all these things, doing this too quickly usually comes with regret. This regret can be emotional, but it can also be practical.
At first, you might think that having two black sweatshirts is unnecessary, but in practice, you need two, more often than not. Laundry is annoying! You might think that you can donate 90% of your chairs, well, until your friends or family are sitting on the floor. You might even get rid of all your physical photos until you are having an emotional moment and you want to reminisce.
This problem goes further than objects or other physical things.
Shedding that seemingly vapid relationship might seem appealing at first. But consider the work that went into it. It might have a chance to rekindle or present a deeper value to you in the future.
Digital minimalism is usually one that a lot of people dive into without much thought. Getting rid of a subscription to a cloud service that you barely touch seems harmless. But what if that service housed important documents that you’ll need in the future? You might have the urge to drop a service like Adobe Creative Cloud, due to the high cost, I know I do. I think about doing it all the time! But that set of tools, as pricey and buggy as they are, provides immense value to me.
As mentioned in the last edition – question and weigh things before you choose. My wife and I did this with a few key things over the past few years. We got rid of things that didn’t feel needed at the moment, but in a few years, when we get a bigger place or a house, they will likely be essential. So when that time comes we will need to repurchase those items, begrudgingly.
Things to consider
Don’t get rid of all your duplicate clothing. Having 2-3 of something might be applicable for you. If you live in a cold or wet environment, you might need 3 jackets. Consider this with all items of clothing. Does your environment warrant it? Do you travel often? Do you hate doing laundry?
Lessening furniture is pretty common. You see all these large objects and you feel weighed down by them. You decide to get rid of every excess seating surface. But before you do, consider more than your day-to-day needs. If you still want to minimize these, make sure you have alternative seating options. These can be beds, folding chairs, and even pillows.
You will likely work your way to sentimental things. The things buried in your attic or basement. These will feel like an obvious donate/ sell and never think about it again. Yes, most of these items will never again cross your mind, hell, that is why they are in the attic, to begin with. But, I still caution you to go through these with as much detail and rigor as possible. There might be something or a few something’s that call out to you. You don’t want to regret getting rid of things like that.
The intangible should be questioned as well. Make sure that the relationships and digital services that lay on the chopping block get the same amount of thought as a baby album. They might not take up physical space but they might truly matter to you.
These might sound obvious, but when you are caught up in the purge, you tend to skim over logic. The feeling outweighs everything else. This process shows noticeable visual and mental changes quickly, so it can get addicting. You have to fight the urge to throw caution to the wind. Yes, you should strive for less in this process, but never sacrifice the quality of life or happiness.
When your minimalism lens is used often it will focus easier and you will see what is really of value. The thought practice of minimalism might be enough for you. Try not to go too far too fast.