Minimalism

Alright, I've been wanting to talk about this 2017 resolution of mine for like... ever. But anyway here I am now! Okay so yeah this year I strive to be a minimalist. Not suddenly turning into one but I suppose slowly. Even if I don't become one, I want to implement this lifestyle into mine.

So at first I thought the word "minimalist" is only given to designs. Like you know minimalist house, minimalist clothing and designs. It was only until around last year when I discovered a video on Facebook about how many Japanese and Koreans are implementing this lifestyle. That's when I found out that there's more to just design that minimalism has in offer! And I became super intrigued by it.

What is minimalism you might ask? Well basically, my interpretation of it is that to be happy with you have and not wanting more. And not only that, I think it is also to be able to organise what you have and utilise them to the fullest. Also, minimalism is the art of getting rid of things you don't need.

When I was young, I used to have bombastic and ridiculous "goals" of my dream home. For example, I want it to be 3-story high, I want to have a swimming pool, a hot spring and jacuzzi. And I even want to have my own bowling alley HAHAHA. Too much playing Sims obviously (keyword: motherlode). And I want to own like 5 cars. One sedan car for those nights out, one outdoor car if I'm feeling adventurous, and a normal one for my family and so on. That is so ridiculous haha. 

But yeah basically as I grow older, I got introduced to minimalist house designs (interior and outer) and I fell in love with it. Like I realised why do we need so many things and grandeur houses when all these simplistic houses make me feel happy. I realised that being happy with what you have is the greatest joy we can have. So this was sort of my first "touch" to minimalism. I want less things.

And yup last year I came across that video and I was like wow okay there's more to minimalism! I looked around my room and I was kinda shocked at the amount of things that I have. That's when I started planning what to do and stuff. So the first step for me this year, was to donate my clothes. I emptied my wardrobe and took out all the shirts that I don't want to wear and so on. I gave them away to other people who might need them more than me. My wardrobe is now left with like 10 clothes or so.

When it comes to clothings, I've been carrying out this minimalist habit for years actually. For like 3 years or so here, I only own and wear the same clothes that I have. I will buy one shirt like a year. I have the philosophy that if my clothes are not torn and so on, then I don't need a new one. The same one goes with my bags. I've been using the same ones since I'm back from Singapore.

Next I collected the stuff that I don't need and sell them away. I know this kinda sad but since I rarely do photography now, I sold away my lenses... They are not sold yet though. But yeah, I'm trying to sell them away. I am even planning to sell away my camera but urgh I'm so emotionally attached to it. But of course, I am going to get a new one. But not a DSLR, most probably a mirrorless.

And of course I have re-organised my table as mentioned in my previous post. So yup this goes to my de-cluttering progress. I have a new favourite mantra now and it's called "clutter free".

I am taking this one step at a time of course. I would say that in today's world, it's kinda difficult to become a minimalist because well, we live in such a consumer-driven world. I don't think I'm fit to call myself a minimalist because I still own and desire more things. I'm still reading up on this topic!

But basically, I think minimalism is the art of....

"The less things I own, the happier I will be"

Which is my goal in life basically! Hah. As the years go by, I want my house to be as empty as possible mwahaha. Okay not blatantly empty but well just a clean, very spacious and empty house. I'm now even thinking of getting rid of my bed! I don't even own one actually, I slept on a mattress, that's all. I want to sleep on a futon haha. We'll see how it goes. But yeah I have a picture of my future house and it's gonna be empty hah. I hope to make my room kinda empty too.

Although I feel that some of the concept of minimalism conflicts with my hobby. For example I collect lots of physical records. I think this can be excluded right haha. I know some like "hardcore" minimalist who doesn't want to buy any physical stuff. So for music they listen to Spotify/iTunes, for books they use a kindle and so on. But hmm, I won't stop buying physical records, till we no longer have them.

Okay that's all for this post of mine! Right now I'm still trying to implement this lifestyle slowly. I think the first step will be room and I'm trying to tidy and empty it haha. There are lots of videos about minimalism on YouTube and blog posts on the net. I love to watch them! Alrighty, I hope you are interested in this too. It's gonna take a while but slowly but surely, I'll reach it! See ya soon.