This Blog is dedicated to journaling my lifestyle changes i.e. from typical American consumer to eco friendly minimalist. A book I'm currently reading titled "Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism" by Fumio Sasaki, has also made me want to further explore the reasoning behind my need to acquire stuff and also the need to let the stuff go. Because the goal is not just decluttering but re-evaluating what possessions mean and what can be gained by Minimalism.
New Digs, Less Stuff
I Moved out of my apartment after 5 years when I lost my job and couldn't afford the rent. I was dismayed at all the stuff I had acquired during that 5 years. My one pick-up load had turned into 4 or 5! To save money on rent I decided to move temporarily into a shed at my daughters home that was equipped with a sink and electricity ( I think the total floor space was about 8 X 10 ft). I got rid of some of the larger items at a substantial loss, put as much as possible into the shed I was living in and placed everything else I couldn't bear to part with into a storage unit that charged a monthly fee. Living in a shed was cramped quarters but I was starting to realize I didn't need a lot of room if I didn't have a lot of possessions. I found not having all that stuff around was actually quite nice.
Newer Digs, Even Less Stuff
After about a year in the shed, I was offered an opportunity to be a companion to an older person who wanted to live at home but couldn't live alone any more. This meant I would have my own room in exchange for housekeeping, cooking and just being there when I was needed. I could also maintain my home business from there, so it was an offer I couldn't refuse. I locked up the shed, took a few clothes, toiletries, my laptop, supplies/ equipment for my business, and moved. I was still paying rent for the items I had in the storage unit, though...When I added up what it was costing me to rent storage I had to rethink how valuable all that stuff was. In the mean time rats had gotten into the shed and destroyed everything I had stored there. Long story short, I've gotten rid of everything I had the storage unit and in the shed. It feels great!
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