Nishanth S Coontoor
Whether you had to move to a new city or a country, the chances are that most of us have had to rationalize our belongings to hand pick what we truly need, often keeping in mind the weight restrictions placed by the airline or your bag’s handle. My story is similar.
Fresh off the plane, now abroad, I recall pulling two large 50 lbs bags and the cabin luggage filled with clothes, books and snacks. Setting up my corner in the shared apartment meant simply unpacking what I could bring. This, like for most, was new having lived in a fully furnished apartment back home.
Not many immediately go around shopping for furniture. Especially if you are a grad student with an income of $600/month. You’ve got to prioritize what is really needed in terms of stuff around the house.
As the days roll by, as you find the need for a study table or a chair or a fan, you pick them up either from a store or from a graduating student. I recall a video call with my roommate’s parents. They were concerned that there were no beds and mattresses in the apartment. In their mind, these counted as basic needs and lack of them meant we were in a bad state. To us grad students, these were a liability when we needed to move. We caved in and ordered. That was the last of the furniture. We spent money of road trips and trying new cuisines with no hesitation but debated if we really needed a coffee table.
Over the years, this has subconsciously continued because, like most, I’ve tried to be mobile and reduce having to throw/scrap stuff due to a move. The laptop was a good substitute for a television. I chose a comfortable lazy boy instead of a bulky couch. I had even purchased two wine glasses, because two was all that was needed. At that time.
Unbeknownst to me, this nature of consciously purchasing only if it is truly needed is the concept of minimalism. Minimalism means getting ridding of excess stuff that are not needed and decluttering.
I am not a minimalist though. I buy the stuff I need when I need it.
I’ve got to jump in and clarify some of the misconceptions around minimalism. Following minimalism does not mean you are broke or have no goals and interests. It does not mean you are a money hoarder. From my readings, it means you prioritize what is needed and spend the money so saved on your interests – travel, hobbies or even the stock market. You can still do it all.
Being the adaptive minimalist has meant buying if needed to stay comfortably and buying it for life. No returns. It’s an investment. If I am expecting visitors and if its going to be an on-going activity, I might as well buy a good quality, even if it’s a higher priced, sofa-cum-bed that I can take with me. At some point, I want to buy a fancy cupboard with glass doors and fill it with fancy china plates and cups, like on Netflix shows, but it can wait for later. Not a priority.
Benefits of minimalism:
1.Makes you feel free and light. There is freedom from worrying about things and wastage. You’re not overwhelmed.
2.Makes you mobile, if you need to move again.
3.Makes you re-evaluate essential vs non-essential items around you.
So, what stage of minimalism are you at? Or are you just a conscious buyer like me? Or neither! Hey, whatever makes you happy.
Image by Daniel Nebreda from Pixabay