Minimalism: About Boundaries, Not Stuff

Do a search on minimalism and you will find post upon post about getting rid of your stuff. Some, like Everett Bogue, encourage you to throw away almost everything you own to gain freedom. Others like Tammy Strobel focus on stuff but also on eliminating big ticket items like your car.

Continue to read and you will find whole groups of people living with almost nothing. It's enough to make one run for the hills!

Seriously, once you read some of these stories, you feel like there is no way that you can become a minimalist, there is no way you can give up everything so why bother, you know?

I am a minimalist. I do not own a television or even a traditional bed yet sometimes I feel like there is no way I could be classified as a minimalist. Why? Well, I own my home, my car, have a kid and lots of other stuff that I don't choose to get rid of right now!

I was talking to my cousin today and while we weren't discussing minimalism she made a point about setting boundaries in our lives. I saw the proverbial light bulb--she answered the question I didn't realize I was asking!

Minimalism isn't about your stuff. While most people pick on stuff that is NOT what it is really about.

Minimalism is about boundaries.

Boundaries are limits that you impose to keep from getting overwhelmed. By setting boundaries on your obligations you are preventing yourself from getting overworked and taken advantage of.

By setting boundaries on your money, you are controlling where your money goes and when, saving money in the long run by not spending more than you have, or pay bills on time to avoid late fees.

By setting boundaries on home size, you limit how much money you spend to heat and cool the place and limit how much you can spend filling it up.

By setting boundaries on your stuff you control how much time you have to work to earn the money to purchase things. You control how much time you spend caring for things, cleaning them, moving them, repairing them and moving them around while you hunt for something else.

Minimalism is about limiting yourself to what you can handle. It is about not burdening yourself with stuff and obligations that do not benefit you or give you pleasure. It is NOT about how low you can go, or the peeing contests that some minimalists like to enter into.

Becoming a minimalist means that you drop down to the minimum that you want and need for an enjoyable life, and set boundaries in order to maximize not just your productivity, but you.

This minimum will not be the same for everybody. For some, it means giving up their cars in favor of bikes. For others, like myself, that would make life a lot more expensive and complicated.

For some, it may mean living out of a backpack and a hard drive, sleeping in efficiency apartments or on people's couches. For others, it means owning your own home to avoid paying rent.

Others may live in an RV. Some may camp outside. Some minimalists may forego everything and live life naked!

To some, minimalism may mean having the traditional house, furniture and pets but limiting their wardrobe and knickknacks. The possibilities are endless!

Don't feel discouraged when another minimalist tells you that in order to be one you have to throw everything away. While there is a specific cadre of minimalists that do this YOU do not have to! Just set the boundaries to what you want and do not want, and go on with your life.

If clutter is bothering you, set boundaries on it. Force it to stay in one spot on the table and eliminate other clutter traps.

If you can't find your favorite shirt when you want it, thin out your wardrobe to make location easier by paring down the stuff you don't like and don't wear.

If you feel like you don't have enough free time, pare down your activities until you feel able to breathe.

Start setting boundaries on yourself and your life. Decide that you only want as many clothes as will fit in your closet, and don't allow your wardrobe to breach that limit.

Allow your keepsakes one spot to show off and limit them there. Make a box to keep them in and rotate them in a place of honor every week or month as you desire.

Set boundaries on your paycheck by insisting that you put some in savings first, pay bills and refuse to spend more than you have.

This is what minimalism is about. These boundaries allow you to control your life instead of letting life control you. Allow only the minimum that you want and need for a pleasant life, and leave the rest alone.

Stop focusing on how much you own, and don't even consider entering that peeing contest on who has the less stuff. It's childish and will only make you miserable while you attempt to be King of the Minimalists. Who cares if you have two outfits or 20; how will it feel when the Laundromat is closed and you've just spilled something on your ONLY clean outfit?

I am Annie, and I am a minimalist. I sleep on a futon on the floor and watch television on my laptop. I even talk on the phone with my laptop but I have a closet full of clothes and other stuff that I enjoy but some of it may be whittled away because I no longer want the responsibility of caring for it. I have never counted all of my stuff and while I have considered it I am not sure I even want to go down that road.

By setting boundaries on my expenses I am able to work at home and be a stay-at-home mother for my child.

By setting boundaries on my stuff I reduce how much time I spend cleaning, caring and digging through the crap that is in my home.

By setting boundaries on my time I am able to maximize my productivity, and have managed to write and publish several ebooks.

You can do this to if you like. Just set a boundary and keep it. Your boundaries may ebb and flow as you grow and change and this is both normal and acceptable. All you have to do is just choose one thing. Pick an expense to limit, an overflowing drawer to corral, or just decide to toss your worn out socks. It is YOUR game so don't let anyone tell you that you're not a minimalist because you still own your car or you own your own home!

YOU call the shots so forget about the bigwigs. Set some boundaries and keep them. Oh-and stop focusing just on STUFF, focus on you instead.