Wow, it took me this long to have a self titled post.

Minimalism for me personally, is not just about having fewer possessions; not just about cutting out all the excess baggage.  It is not just about “living smaller” in the sense of having fewer things, but it also means “living smaller” in a much more literal sense too. It means for me, a much more fulfilling life, if the actual physical things are smaller. This does not stem from an obsessive interest in tiny things (though tiny things do fascinate me), but rather a strong sense of efficiency.

We live in a world where we still weigh our successes on how BIG our lives are. More specifically, how big our home is, how big our property is, even how big our vehicle is. Sometimes this need for bigness extends to some ridiculous areas like: Big hair, big hat, big heels (high heels actually), big body, big lips, big breasts (I am actually quite fond of this one). We have been conditioned to believe that all this bigness makes us more successful and more attractive.

Unfortunately most of this is just an illusion. That is, it’s all image and no substance. We have all this bigness for the appearance of success to the masses. More specifically, we have been conditioned to believe that bigness=success, and we seek the approval/admiration from our neighbors of our bigness because we need that validation. We need that validation because it’s a bitch to keep and maintain all this bigness. THIS is the ridiculous game we play. The truth is, success itself is measured by our happiness; by our passion/s and relationships (but the details of this are in another essay).

I can see that this is just a game. I have chosen not to take part in it. It’s counterproductive and inefficient. Efficiency lies in having possessions just big enough to suit our needs. It saves time, space, and money. Here are some examples.

I own:

1. A tiny Hyundai Accent as my vehicle. Big enough for me, my wife, my daughter, and if necessary some cargo as it is also a hatch back. Having a compact car saves money as it is incredibly fuel-efficient. It’s size also makes it very maneuverable and easier to clean/maintain. When I need to transport my bicycle, I keep the bike rack in the trunk and strap it on the back when I need it.
2. A two bedroom 825 square foot condo for my home. Again, just big enough  for me, my wife, and my daughter. On house cleaning day, it takes two hours to clean the entire condo. We pay less in land/school tax due to the small size (not to mention mortgage), and it takes less than an hour for one wall mounted air conditioning unit to cool the entire condo.
3. A laptop computer as my only computer. It is mobile so I can use it anywhere in the home.
4. I also take a lot of joy in using my back deck. It’s only 5’X10′, but that is big enough for a BBQ grill, cooler, table and two chairs. Everything I need, nothing I don’t. It’s my little slice of paradise at home. I just recently repainted it for the season; it took about an hour to do two coats.

Living small means living efficiently. Let’s choose not to play the game of bigness. It is really just a socially accepted “penis size” contest anyway. Women don’t need to wear high heels. Men who work desk jobs and have un-calloused hands don’t need to own a pickup truck.

Once upon a time my wife picked up a shirt I had on a pile in a basket on the floor and asked “Is this shirt clean or dirty?” To which I replied “You tell me.” She took a good look at the shirt, gave it a couple of sniffs. “Ah, clean” she said. “Good” I took the shirt, folded it, and put it in my drawer. “I wore that shirt yesterday you know.” I said. “Ew, dirty. Get it out of there and into the hamper.” she interjected.

Argh. What makes a piece of clothing dirty? The fact that it has already been worn since its last washing? I don’t thing so. Are we not really just concerned about the cosmetics of our clothes anyway? How they look, smell, and feel. Unfortunately no.

Unfortunately so many of us are also concerned about “tiny yuckies.” So many of us have been socialized into believing that after an article of clothing is used once it is infected with tiny micro-organisms, sweat, and other elements. Now all of this is 100% true. But you know what else ….. SO WHAT. None of these “tiny yuckies” are in any way doing us any harm. The American standard of living (mostly shaped by corporate America) has influenced upon us a ridiculous and unnecessary standard for cleanliness. This is no doubt in an effort to give us a heavy toiletry supply, and heavy supply turnaround.

How do we combat this? easy. Change our definition of what we consider “clean” and what we consider “dirty”. If a piece of clothing smells good, looks clean, and feels normal: it is clean. If not, then it’s dirty. Simple. Honestly, we mostly only wear clothes for cosmetic reasons, so why should we be concerned about anything more than the cosmetics of them anyway? We also wear clothes for personal shelter reasons, but I’m pretty sure that the “tiny yuckies” will have nil effect on this function.

Furthermore, this same logic can also be applied to us, not just our clothes.

Altering our perception to this more realistic concept of what is “dirty” has the clear benefit of freeing up space, time, and money. To elaborate: We will have fewer laundry chores, less laundry soap, less shopping for laundry supplies. There is also the hidden benefit that by cleaning our clothing less, we actually extend the life or our clothes. Those dust particles in the lint trap didn’t come from nowhere; they are the ripped off remnants of our clothes.

Being overly cleanly has adverse effects on our bodies as well. Particularly our face and hair. So many of us use special soap and moisturizers on our faces to keep a clean and youthful look. But what we may not realize is that those moisturizers and soaps do more harm than good. Without even considering the adverse effects of the potential chemicals in these soaps and moisturizers, soap cleans too much. That’s right, soap cleans TOO much. It washes off the dirt, yes, but it also washes off the bodies natural oils necessary to protect the skin. And wouldn’t you know it, those natural oils do a better job at keeping the skin protected and “young” than any moisturizer can.

So it turns out the only reason we need moisturizer is because our harsh soaps are damaging and drying out our faces. So, lets not wash our faces so much. And when we do, use a gentle natural soap. We also wash our hair every time we take a shower. Doing so robs the hair of IT’S natural oils keeping the hair silky, smooth, and strong.

So we should apply the same rule to our bodies as we do our laundry: If it feels, looks, or smells dirty, clean it. If not, don’t. With this simple change in perception, we will free up a little money, a little space, and a whole lot of time.

Mental de-cluttering means purging ones mind of thoughts and emotions that do not serve their best interests; purging out negativity, unproductive thoughts, and mental “fluff” entertainment. Here are the pieces of mental baggage that we must rid ourselves of in order to prosper:

• Hate – This is the worst kind of mental baggage there is. Has hate ever made anyone feel good? (rhetorical) Of course not. Hate makes us miserable. Acting upon hate only destroys, it never creates. Let us not confuse “hate” with “anger”. Anger can be a very positive motivation if we focus it properly. Even if the hate is never acted upon, it still hurts us internally. It causes us to lose focus.
• Judgement on others – Now this is just a waste of mental energy. First of all, how often do our judgments of others affect our lives? Not much. Second, if we are not walking in their shoes, then the information we are exposed to from which we make our judgement is limited. Unless we are exposed to all the information, we can not make a sound judgment. If you are compelled to judge someone, judge yourself. In fact, that is actually a productive use of mental energy. Periodically ask yourself: Am I the person I want to be? What do I want to accomplish? Am I valuable to my peers?
• Excessive Self Judgement – Self judgement is good only in the sense that it acts as a progress marker toward accomplishing our goals, but it goes too far when we begin to label ourselves. Whether we have judged ourselves high or low, good or bad, it only serves to inhibit us from growing. A person who judges them-self very high will feel a sense of entitlement, develop a strong sense of pride, and may become very complacent in their current standing. All of these things are destructive, ego is self sabotaging. A person who judges them-self low will be depressed and lose motivation.
• Empty Calorie Entertainment – Concerning ones self with “Who’s dating who, and whether or not this person cheated on their BF one night in Cabot” on their favorite reality TV show. Entertainment is great to have, don’t get me wrong. But I have seen too many people spend too much mental energy on happenings that have no impact on their lives whatsoever. That mental energy could have been spent toward contributing to their own growth.

If we have successfully de-cluttered our minds, then our social behavior will work itself out. What we speak about is just a reflection of that we think about. Ah, but we may have to purge who we socialize with. It only stands to follow that we should only be surrounding ourselves with people that are not bogged down by the same mental baggage I mentioned above. For if we do, then we will end up carrying that baggage with them. People like:

• Gossipers – These people are passing judgement on everybody. You too BTW. Destructive and unproductive.
• Ego Maniacs – They put them selves on a pedestal, and often talk down to us. Conversations with these people are not two way. They want to tell you all about themselves, and are not even listening when and if you sneak in your turn to speak.
• Miserables – These people are just too lazy and down on them self to be productive. Twenty minutes with one of these, and you’ll feel you have been listening to The Cure, Tori Amos,  and Nora Jones all day. You just want to hang yourself with your belt.
• War Mongers – People who treat hate and/or violence like a virtue. They have been consumed with hate so long, that its a way of life for them. They don’t even realize that they are unhappy.
• Entertainment Junkies – While these people are often very fun to hang out with, their conversation tends not to go beyond small talk and “empty calorie” information. Fun in small doses, but in no way supportive of our goals.

 

Remember this:

Small minds discuss people.

Mediocre minds discuss events and places.

Great minds discuss ideas and concepts.