www.theminimalist.com In my quest to get organised and help others overcome their collection of stuff, I came across
a movement that is gaining momentum in the United States of America.
The Minimalists
It is called "The Minimalists" and it is being spearhead by Joshua Fields Milburn & Ryan Nicodemus, who spent their twenties climbing the corporate ladder, making 6 figure incomes, and yet when they got there, they realised they were miserable.
Why would this be so?
We all strive for success, and want a good family, friends, job and lots of money to buy nice things.
They realised that the meaning and purpose to life didn't come from the stuff they had filled their lives and homes with, but from the connections that they make with the people they love, like family and dear friends.
Seems simply right? But why are we not all living like this? Should we declutter our homes?
One of the reasons is advertising, and our conditioning to want to have the latest of everything, from cars, homes, clothing and electronics. We see over 50,000 images a day, and as humans we are wired to hunt and gather, making this unstainable, with a desire to get the promise of what these expensive things bring us.
Just look at the interest in the Kardashians or reality TV housewives.
In an age where we are all constantly on our electronic devises and rushing from one appointment to the next, whether it be work to home, kids sports to doctors appointment or the gym, there never seems to be enough time in our lives. Then we come home and buy our kids stuff to fill the guilt of not spending time with the, or purchase that top or shoes to make ourselves feel good about "keeping up with the jones".
In the long run this is not making us happy, but miserable.
The movement is about how can we all live more deliberately with less.
Doesn't this sound like a great idea?
So why have we gotten to this huge phenomenon where we are occupying homes that are 3 times bigger then our parents, yet we have so much more stuff, that we are filling over 2.2 billion square feett of personal storage in offsite rental rooms?
Beginning mid 1990 we embarked on a buying spree because of the cheapness of products coming from china. These items encompassed fashion, electronics and household goods. They were available to order online 24 hours a day, with free shipping and guaranteed to arrive within days.
The Minimalist Movement is not asking you to not consume, but its mindless consumption that doesn't make us happy. So next time you purchase an item, ask yourself on the way to the counter.
Why am I actually buying this item. Do I really need it, or am I just trying to keep up with the everyone else?
Surely the benefits of financial freedom, with smaller spaces that cost less to run, a life with less distractions and stuff to think about , like maintaining your house, cleaning, painting, tidy or sorting stuff would be worth the effort. It would make you become present in your current activities, and not feel like you are living in a haze of rushing and overwhelmingness.
We need to change our desire for the philosophy that " bigger is better". and redefine what it means to be successful in life.
This information is free and transferable - so please please pass it on to your friends. or look me up at www.organisingspaces.com
Thankyou to www.theminimalists.com for the informative documentary
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