Less is More

My journey with minimalism started at the beginning of 2020 when my housemate had a go at me for being a mess (rhymes with Jess). Which was very fair. I grew up in a not so clean household, (if you know y’all know) so my standard of clean is way below most standards of clean. So I started to take some action towards being a tidier housemate. I got to my room and started to clean out my bed side table draws. Most of the stuff in them was junk that I ended up throwing out. It felt good. So I kept going. I had a small room in this Maroochydore unit, with a build in wardrobe but I also had a chest of drawers. I chucked a bunch of clothes to the Op Shop pile and therefore the chest of drawers were no longer necessary. I dragged them out of my room. I then cleaned underneath my bed. I had such drama trying to move the bed that I thought “do I even need this bedframe?”. Next the bedframe was dragged out.

By the time my housemate came home from work there was only my mattress on the ground and a small bedside table left in my room. There was so much room for activity.

Me being me. I don’t do things in halves. I always have to do the extreme of everything. 111%. I got so addicted to the feeling a shedding old stuff that I kept at it. I had been in that unit for nearly 3 years and I had been the only tenant that has stayed the whole time, having many housemates move in and out over the years. The unit had accumulated lots of stuff that they had left behind. And now it was on me to get rid off. I had 6 months left on the lease that I know I was moving on from. I also knew I wasn’t going to be on the Sunshine Coast the following year so I had to start sorting my shit out. I didn’t want any stuff holding me back or being a burden when opportunity calls. I wanted to be ready to go. At first it was quite overwhelming. I hadn’t really been conscious of all the things I had allowed and kept into my space over the years. But I had a very clear goal I was working toward with a strong ‘why’.

I dove deep into minimalism theories. Reading a heap of books and watching all the videos. They all push the same message. Live a more purposeful live with less. Keep things you actually use and value, lose the excess. You start cleaning out your stuff then you move onto minimalizing your expenses, commitments and finally relationships. Hard in a capitalist society that leads us to believe we must do more, to earn more, to spend more, to have more. Consume, consume, consume. It’s important to see beyond the world that has been handed to you.

Every week I filled my bin with useless house crap, was constantly selling things on marketplace and doing weekly OpShop runs. Goodbye Harry Potter Collection, goodbye 2 broken surfboards, goodbye silly Vans I bought to be like everyone else, goodbye double of every piece of camping gear, and the list goes on. With every item I let go of, I gained more space not only physically but also energetically and I was able to direct this extra energy into building deeper and honest relationship with myself. All of the sudden I was becoming aware of things, people and situations in my life that didn’t align to my true values. I became clearer on who and what was deserving of my space and time. This, I discovered is what minimalism is all about.

For the last couple weeks in that unit I had no furniture other than my mattress. I was great, I did handstands in the lounge room and ate meals on my yoga mat. I had got rid of a good 80% of my stuff. Yet I was so free and happy. The rest of 2020 I lived with a mate who had all the furniture so I didn’t have to worry about stuff and I had breathing space to finish uni and organise purchasing a big old car, my escape vessel. When I packed everything I owned into the Troopy, I had minimised so hardcore I could have honestly easily fit all my stuff into a Hyundai Getz. Great success.

There’s such a freeing feeling of having everything you own in the world in one small place and for this Sagittarius moon girl, that place having wheels is just THE BEST. My level of minimalism does border on deprivation. I have a wickedly strong will and sometimes I have to remind myself I’m not homeless and I actually have money to buy nice things if I want. It’s not a competition on proving how much you can go without Jess, chill. For example I had to go buy myself casual shoes because I had thrown so many pairs out my only options to wear to somewhere nice were my pink crocs, steel cap boots, joggers or velcro sandals. My main handful of clothes that I wear over and over are starting to get holes in them and I have a pretty strict, no new clothes policy. So OpShops are where it’s at.

For me minimising my life was fun and kind of easy actually. Being at this stage in my life is an advantage, young, no kids and no plan to settle anytime soon. The thing I love about minimalism is that anyone can do it and therefore looks different for everyone. You may think my growing crystal collection goes against these ideals but I value my crystals and they are important to me. Just like I don’t quite understand the need for people to collect hundreds of stubby holders. Each to their own. But holding onto unused items out of obligation, just “in case”, memory or any other reason that you just can’t justify anymore, is creating stagnant energy in your life and y’all need to let that go.

Working and living out in Arnhem Land this year has confirmed and strengthened my already strong minimalist beliefs. These beautiful Yolŋu families have so little material items yet are so full in spirit. No furniture, lounge rooms or kitchens. Just mats under mango trees where families come together and cook on fires. Yolŋu people are champions at making do with what they have got. Kids make fun without all the shiny toys most of us grew up with. Their playground is a bunch of old rusted cars. Fun is made with the most simple of items or just in the bush. I’m here to teach, but these kids are truly my biggest teachers.

And here’s the twist in my minimalism story. I’ve done all this hard work over the past couple years to minimise my life and maintain that minimalist lifestyle. I was even set on living in a tiny house eventually! But life happens and I met my boyfriend Mitch (chief HOARDER) this year and we have decided to share lanes in life. However his lane contains a whole lot of STUFF, like 2 containers worth! Our views collide in this department. He reckons I’ll thank him one day for hanging onto all his stuff (eye roll)…I will be the judge of that. This could be a good lesson for me in compromise and balance. Maybe I won’t be a stingy Gypsy forever.

Stay tuned.

All I know is that my possessions do not define me and I’m here to create, not consume.

Jess

25/08/2021