Minimalist Lifestyle - Page 5

gidgetgh · ‎03-09-2010

@willdob3 wrote:
I don’t want clutter or lots of excess but Minimalist is more extreme than I’m ever likely to be interested in.

@willdob3 - that's where I am also. I don't like clutter at all and we don't have any, but we definitely have stuff. I just don't want to have cabinets and drawers overflowing with stuff and things and papers crammed everywhere.

Why is it, when I have a 50/50 guess at something, I'm always 100% wrong?

Trinity11 · ‎11-16-2014

@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
Look, I’ll soon be 73 years old.

I have no intention of living minimally. I buy what I want. I go where I want.

My girls will be plenty provided for when I’m gone.

If if they need something I give it to them so I can see them enjoy it.

My friend lives very frugally. She has lots of money, is a widow, has no children and one sister with very spoiled adult kids.

I’m constantly telling her to get rid of that stupid flip phone. It doesn’t take pictures, no texts, etc. She’s constantly out of the loop when her family does group texts. She misses out on family pictures. Can’t do face time, etc.

Live minimally...no way!

Better enjoy every minute of life you don’t know when it’s gonna end.

My late husband dropped dead in my arms. My brother’s girlfriend died driving him in the car.

Life is meant to enjoy and live.

@Annabellethecat66...living a minimalist lifestyle has nothing to do with doing without nor does it have anything to do with how much $$ we leave our children.

Having a minimalist lifestyle is about having what you need but no excess. It's about not having a spare room full of boxes and incidentals that you have no idea when you bought them or what you were thinking when you ordered them and then trying to find someone to give them to.

Actually, being a minimalist has nothing to do with income and everything to do with refusing to clutter up your life with a whole lot of unnecessary "stuff." After many years of being bombarded with advertisements promising a better, happier life many have come to realize that things do not bring happiness. Being able to have "experiences" vs "stuff" is why my children travel year round. Do they have beautiful homes? Of course but neither of them have a home stuffed with material possessions. I guess you could say that they learned young that "stuff" isn't what brings happiness......

ILTH · ‎05-18-2015

@Trinity11 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66...living a minimalist lifestyle has nothing to do with doing without nor does it have anything to do with how much $$ we leave our children.

Having a minimalist lifestyle is about having what you need but no excess. It's about not having a spare room full of boxes and incidentals that you have no idea when you bought them or what you were thinking when you ordered them and then trying to find someone to give them to.

Actually, being a minimalist has nothing to do with income and everything to do with refusing to clutter up your life with a whole lot of unnecessary "stuff." After many years of being bombarded with advertisements promising a better, happier life many have come to realize that things do not bring happiness. Being able to have "experiences" vs "stuff" is why my children travel year round. Do they have beautiful homes? Of course but neither of them have a home stuffed with material possessions. I guess you could say that they learned young that "stuff" isn't what brings happiness......

But, that's where it gets tricky. One person's unnecessary, is another's necessary -- some people like having lots of stuff. It's stimulating, comforting, etc. to them.

The problem comes when you start feeling uncomfortable. That's when you know something has to change and things have to go. (ETA -- or, you need more stuff to feel comfortable and things have to come in. )

proudlyfromNJ · ‎05-01-2010

@ILTH wrote:
@Trinity11 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66...living a minimalist lifestyle has nothing to do with doing without nor does it have anything to do with how much $$ we leave our children.

Having a minimalist lifestyle is about having what you need but no excess. It's about not having a spare room full of boxes and incidentals that you have no idea when you bought them or what you were thinking when you ordered them and then trying to find someone to give them to.

Actually, being a minimalist has nothing to do with income and everything to do with refusing to clutter up your life with a whole lot of unnecessary "stuff." After many years of being bombarded with advertisements promising a better, happier life many have come to realize that things do not bring happiness. Being able to have "experiences" vs "stuff" is why my children travel year round. Do they have beautiful homes? Of course but neither of them have a home stuffed with material possessions. I guess you could say that they learned young that "stuff" isn't what brings happiness......
But, that's where it gets tricky. One person's unnecessary, is another's necessary -- some people like having lots of stuff. It's stimulating, comforting, etc. to them.

The problem comes when you start feeling uncomfortable. That's when you know something has to change and things have to go.

@ILTH I agree with what you say about some people like having lots of stuff. I lean more this way than having less.

However I think this thread was about being a minimalist. Are you or aren’t you was the question. I don’t think it was putting down people who aren’t.

ILTH · ‎05-18-2015

@proudlyfromNJ wrote:
@ILTH wrote:
@Trinity11 wrote:
@Annabellethecat66...living a minimalist lifestyle has nothing to do with doing without nor does it have anything to do with how much $$ we leave our children.

Having a minimalist lifestyle is about having what you need but no excess. It's about not having a spare room full of boxes and incidentals that you have no idea when you bought them or what you were thinking when you ordered them and then trying to find someone to give them to.

Actually, being a minimalist has nothing to do with income and everything to do with refusing to clutter up your life with a whole lot of unnecessary "stuff." After many years of being bombarded with advertisements promising a better, happier life many have come to realize that things do not bring happiness. Being able to have "experiences" vs "stuff" is why my children travel year round. Do they have beautiful homes? Of course but neither of them have a home stuffed with material possessions. I guess you could say that they learned young that "stuff" isn't what brings happiness......
But, that's where it gets tricky. One person's unnecessary, is another's necessary -- some people like having lots of stuff. It's stimulating, comforting, etc. to them.

The problem comes when you start feeling uncomfortable. That's when you know something has to change and things have to go.
@ILTH I agree with what you say about some people like having lots of stuff. I lean more this way than having less.
However I think this thread was about being a minimalist. Are you or aren’t you was the question. I don’t think it was putting down people who aren’t.

@proudlyfromNJ

No-one said anything about putting anyone down. Nor was a question posed by OP. OP was expressing her positive feelings about being a minimalist.

Minimalist Lifestyle [ New ]

‎10-12-2019 01:22 PM - edited

I've been excited lately about living more of a minimalist lifestyle. There's a buzz about it and it really got me thinking. Why do I need all of these "things"? The consent bombardment of feeling the need to purchase the newest gadget and possibly getting into debt buying things I don't really need. Recently I started getting rid of clutter and extra "stuff". It's so cleansing. Even decorating for the Fall season I put out only a few of my favorite things and it looks so much better.

Some of us are just expressing our feelings about it. If we weren't, what's the point of this thread. Just to say, "Good for you?"

Porcelain · ‎02-19-2014

I'm not a minimalist. I don't need much. I want plenty, but not too much. So if I tried living a minimalist lifestyle, I wouldn't get to keep all the nice things I enjoy but don't strictly need. Like a TV and fuzzy colorful socks.

When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.
"Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Shanus · ‎05-17-2010

When I enter a hotel room, I get that "AHHH" feeling. I look around and notice there's only the necessities on the night tables, a simple (often neutral, solid) color palette and the desk has the phone, writing pad and a pen. The bathroom is the same with only the toiletries that will be used daily.

It's so relaxing, I tried to redo my bedroom and bath that way. I must admit there are more extras than in a hotel, but less than before.

San Antonio Gal · ‎05-18-2017

@Annabellethecat66 - My dad has a very comfortable lifestyle, but chooses to use a flip phone. He's not interested in Facebook or posting pictures. I don't find this choice stupid at all.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

@San Antonio Gal If that's your picture you are lovely.

OK, so I figured some might miss my reasoning. Did you not read that my friend constantly is upset because she misses out on all of the 'group texts' her large family send out about meetings, parties, etc?

I eat with her at least 4 (or more) times a week. She's always telling me about their get-togethers and tells me about the pictures that are taken but she is upset because she has none to share with me.

I'm glad your Dad likes what he has....but she doesn't. Yet she doesn't have faith in her ability to know how to push the buttons (because that's all there is) to working an iphone (or technology for that matter).

I always find it interesting how we/you/other's/myself included zero in on one particular thing relating to their life or those around them.

Perhaps I didn't explain it clearly enough. She WOULD LIKE to get an iphone (or whatever else there is) but she doesn't think she can 'work' (her words) the thing.

I've offered to go with her to get one. I've even offered to give her my previous iphone when I moved up....but she keeps saying, "No! No! I will break it".

That was my point. There are people who would like to do or use something yet they are afraid.

I just posted about how technology has become a real problem in society.

Obviously, I'm conflicted about technology. When my husband died (in the early 2000's) it had only been a few years (when he could no longer find phone booths) that he decided to get a cell phone.

He knew first hand how they can be good but also the privacy one looses when one get it....

So, to finalize this. She wants one. She's not happy that she doesn't have one. She'd rather not have a flip phone. She misses out on a lot of her family (large family) gatherings because she can't get texts or can't take pictures.

Phew! I think I've covered everything.

I'm sorry to be so flippant. I am glad your Dad is happy with what he has. My point is and was some people don't have iphones (or whatever) because they think they'll break them (in her case...her words)......Oh! And she doesn't want to spend the money....(which she has plenty of).

Jinlei · ‎07-25-2010

@simplyfriends wrote:
@Annabellethecat66 wrote:
Look, I’ll soon be 73 years old.

I have no intention of living minimally. I buy what I want. I go where I want.

My girls will be plenty provided for when I’m gone.

If if they need something I give it to them so I can see them enjoy it.

My friend lives very frugally. She has lots of money, is a widow, has no children and one sister with very spoiled adult kids.

I’m constantly telling her to get rid of that stupid flip phone. It doesn’t take pictures, no texts, etc. She’s constantly out of the loop when her family does group texts. She misses out on family pictures. Can’t do face time, etc.

Live minimally...no way!

Better enjoy every minute of life you don’t know when it’s gonna end.

My late husband dropped dead in my arms. My brother’s girlfriend died driving him in the car.

Life is meant to enjoy and live.

@Annabellethecat66 It always amazes me when people completely misread a post. I didn't say anything about not buying what I want or going where I want. I just don't want or need as much. I enjoy every minute of my life. Maybe your friend likes her flip phone. It's probably not stupid to her at all. In fact it's probably what she prefers so that she doesn't have to talk or be in the loop with certain people.

Miss Cat, who are you to tell someone they need a better phone? Just because you buy everything you want, does not mean other people do. Good for you that you have all the latest gadgets, some people have what they are comfortable using. Sheesh!