Less is More: A Trial in Minimalism

After 28 Days of piling up the stuff I’ve accumulated after years, I’ve tallied up 312 items to remove from my life. The number was never the goal. Recognizing how easy it is to collect what will be nonessential in a short amount of time was what I wanted out of this. Minimalism is a philosophy that some may consider extreme, but I think it can be a beautiful thing. Forget about the stuff for a moment, and focus on what matters.

Practicing Letting Go

Following the Minimalists’ game, I found and removed an incremental item each day. One on day one, two on day two, etc. I was hoping to make it through all 28 days of this trial, but on the 25th I just couldn’t let anything else go.

When I did add items to my list, letting go of so many things without value had been surprisingly cathartic. Especially early on. Most of my early picks I had to question how I ended up with it in the first place. I’ve told friends recently that not having stuff stored under my bed is one of the most satisfying feelings I’ve had in years.

Throughout the duration of the trial, I was swinging back and forth between the idea that I don’t have nearly enough and that I have more stuff that the trial would even come close to addressing. One of the strongest muscles of strengthened over the past few weeks has definitely been quieting the voice in my head that adds value to the junk in my life.

Beyond Stuff

Minimalism doesn’t have to end with just physical stuff, but it can be a philosophy applied to any facet of life.

As mentioned before, the strength in recognizing what things are actually important is what minimalism builds. It’s a muscle that gets worked out every day with regular practice.

If a certain activity or relationship isn’t adding joy or value to my life, I put it on the chopping block. Life’s too short to put ourselves in situations we don’t want to be in. Those that hold up to the scrutiny are those that I believe are the most important thing to be doing or person to be with at that time.

Minimalism: A Lifestyle, Not Just a Game

That’s a wrap for this trial. It has been a blast cleaning out and organizing the things I’ve held on to for years. Now comes the exciting part of actually getting rid of it all from that pile in the corner I’ve been photographing throughout the trial.

The big takeaway I want to emphasize to both you the reader and to myself is that minimalism goes beyond this 4-week trial. Without applying it as a lifelong philosophy, I will find myself in the same place I was before. Luckily, a lot of beliefs I follow build on each other, making each easier to practice as another grows stronger. These include Mustachianism and stoicism.

Next time, I’ll be trying something a little different. I’m going to be shooting for a daily writing goal of 750 words, per the website appropriately named 750words.com. Writing every week has definitely improved my ability, and so I’m interested in what writing every day will do! Give it a try yourself and let me know in the comments how it goes!