The Joy of Less, a Minimalist Living Guide (30 page)

Minimalist living is the opposite. We’ve been learning how to say “no,” eliminate the excess, consolidate, standardize, and delegate not so we can get more done—but so we have
less to do
. We’re not freeing up space in our schedules so we can fill it with something else; and we’re not slashing the time spent on one activity, so we can squeeze in two or three more. Perish the thought! The objective is to leave some time open, empty, and free—instead of always “doing,” we want some time to just “be.”

Just “be”—it’s a foreign concept to many of us. How often are you able to kick back with a cup of tea, and simply let your thoughts wander? How long has it been since you stared out the window and daydreamed? When was the last time you sat on your porch and listened to the birds, or soaked for an hour in a bubble bath? In our “busy is best” culture, we can hardly imagine “wasting” time on such idle pursuits. And God forbid if someone caught us, or otherwise found out—they’d think we have nothing to do!

However, when we set aside time to just “be”, we’re not wasting it—we’re cherishing it. We’re engaging in an incredibly fulfilling pursuit; one that’ll relax us physically, strengthen us mentally, and nourish us spiritually. It doesn’t matter whether we’re meditating, taking a walk, or just lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. What matters is that we’re stopping, tuning out distractions, and embracing the silence. We’re taking the opportunity to
think
: about ourselves, our families, our hopes, our dreams, and our world.

What’s more, we
need
this time. When we’re always “doing,” it’s easy to lose sight of our true selves. We come to think of ourselves as the overworked middle manager, the guy who owns an auto repair shop, or the stay-at-home parent who cooks, cleans, and drives the kids around—instead of the person who loves haiku, dreams of being a singer, or yearns to make a difference in the world. Remember the quote, “Music is the space between the notes”? When we take the time to just “be,” we’re appreciating that space—those moments between meeting clients and paying bills and picking up the dry cleaning. And in the process, we stop defining ourselves by what we
do
—and start to realize who we
are
.

Something wonderful happens when we become minimalists: our efforts ripple out to effect positive change in the world. Every time we decide against a frivolous purchase, make do with something we already have, or borrow from a friend instead of buying, it’s like giving a little gift to the planet (and the rest of its inhabitants). The air will be a little cleaner, the water a little clearer, the forests a little fuller, the landfills a little emptier. We may have embraced minimalism to save money, save time, or save space in our homes, but our actions have far greater benefits: they save the Earth from environmental harm, and save people from suffering unfair (and unsafe) working conditions. Not bad for wanting some clean closets, huh?

Our consumption has both an environmental and human toll. There’s a back story to each item on retailers’ shelves: the natural resources used in its production and distribution, the people involved in its manufacture, the environmental consequences of its disposal. Before buying, we must consider the entire life cycle of a product, to make sure its purchase won’t do more harm than good. With this in mind, let’s discuss some further minimalist habits we can cultivate—not only to lighten our personal load, but to lighten our footprint on the planet, and conserve its bounty for future generations.

Advertisers, corporations, and politicians like to define us as “consumers.” By encouraging us to buy as much as possible, they succeed in lining their pockets, growing their profits, and getting re-elected. Where does that leave us? Working long hours at jobs we don’t like, to pay for things we don’t need. Putting in overtime to purchase items that’ll be obsolete, or out of style, in a matter of months. Struggling to make credit card payments on stuff that’s cluttering up our homes. Breathing polluted air, and drinking polluted water, so that retailers can fill their shelves with more gizmos, and corporate executives can take home bigger bonuses. Hmm, something about that doesn’t seem quite right…

But here’s some wonderful news: minimalist living sets us free! It unshackles us from the “work and spend” cycle, enabling us to create an existence that has little to do with big box stores, must-have items, or finance charges. Instead of toiling away as consumers, we can become “minsumers” instead: minimizing our consumption to what meets our needs, minimizing the impact of our consumption on the environment, and minimizing the effect of our consumption on other people’s lives.

Becoming minsumers doesn’t mean we can never set foot in a store again. I don’t know about you, but I’m not that comfortable foraging or dumpster diving for the stuff I need—and I certainly don’t expect to get anything for free. I appreciate the ease with which we can obtain basic necessities, and the fact that (unlike our ancestors) we don’t have to devote our days to securing food, clothing, and shelter. However, I believe that once these needs are met, consumption can be put on the back burner. Once we’re warm, safe, and fed, we shouldn’t feel compelled to browse a shopping mall, or surf the Internet, to find
more
things to buy. Instead, we could devote that time and energy to other, more fulfilling pursuits—such as those of a spiritual, civic, philosophical, artistic, or cultural nature.

So what do we have to do to become minsumers? Not much, actually. We don’t have to protest, boycott, or block the doors to megastores; in fact, we don’t even have to lift a finger, leave the house, or spend an extra moment of our precious time. It’s simply a matter of
not buying
. Whenever we ignore television commercials, breeze by impulse items without a glance, borrow books from the library, mend our clothes instead of replacing them, or resist purchasing the latest electronic gadget, we’re committing our own little acts of “consumer disobedience.” By simply
not buying
, we accomplish a world of good: we avoid supporting exploitative labor practices, and we reclaim the resources of our planet—delivering them from the hands of corporations into those of our children. It’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to heal the Earth, and improve the lives of its inhabitants.

We’re all familiar with the phrase, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” Of the three “R’s,” Recycling is the superstar. It’s a media darling, and features prominently in environmental campaigns and community programs. When we decide to go “green,” it’s usually the focal point of our efforts. Reducing, however, is the unsung hero of this trinity—because the less we buy in the first place, the less we need to recycle! Reducing neatly sidesteps the entire resource-, labor-, and energy-intensive process, and is therefore the cornerstone of our minsumer philosophy.

Every product we buy involves three important steps in its life cycle: production, distribution, and disposal. In the production phase, natural resources and energy are used to make the item; in some cases, harmful chemicals are released into the air and water as a byproduct of the manufacturing process. In the distribution phase, energy (typically in the form of oil for trucks, ships, and airplanes) is used to transport the item from the factory to the store; these days, that often means a trip halfway around the world! In the disposal phase, the item has potential to clog our landfills, and leach toxins into the environment as it degrades.

The items we recycle have already taken a toll on the environment—resources have been lost, and energy expended, in their production and distribution. By recycling, we’re trying to do some “damage control,” by avoiding the problems of its disposal, and using its material to make new goods. Reducing, on the other hand, eliminates the entire troublesome process altogether; each item we
don’t buy
is one less thing to be produced, distributed, and disposed of. Better to never own the item in the first place, than have to worry about how it was made, how it got here, and how to get rid of it later on.

The best way to reduce is to buy only what we truly need. Rather than shopping mindlessly, we must
think
about every purchase—whether it’s clothing, furniture, electronics, décor, or even food. We should develop a habit of asking “why” before we buy. For example: am I purchasing this because I really need it, or because I saw it in an ad, on a friend, or looking pretty in the showcase? We should stop and consider whether we could get along just as well without it. In fact, regard a line at the register as a blessing in disguise, as it gives you ample time to evaluate what’s in your shopping cart. I’ve walked away from many a checkout counter, after pausing to reflect on potential purchases.

The techniques you can use to reduce your consumption are countless. Enjoy the challenge of meeting your needs in alternative ways, and cobble together a creative solution instead of running to the store. It can be as easy as borrowing a tool from a neighbor, or as resourceful as devising your own drip irrigation system from materials you have on hand. Additionally, favor multi-purpose items over single-use ones. A simple vinegar and water solution can eliminate the need for a plethora of commercial cleaners, and versatile clothing can be dressed up or down to suit any occasion. Finally, don’t replace something that works simply because you want a new one—be proud of keeping your old car going, or getting a few more years out of your wool coat. The less resources, energy, and landfill space we each require, the better for all of us in the long run.

The second “R,” Reuse, is also central to our minsumer efforts. The longer we can keep a particular item in service, the better—especially if it prevents us from having to buy something new. Since resources have already been devoted to its production and distribution, we have a responsibility to get the most use possible from it. That’s why I’m such a big fan of versatile products; the more functions an item serves, the less likely it is to end up in a landfill.

Like reducing, reusing is preferable to recycling. While recycling requires additional energy to make something new, reusing requires none. We simply adapt the product, in its original form, to meet different needs. My reuse hero is Scarlett O’Hara; if she could fashion a gorgeous dress from some old curtains, we can certainly make seedling planters from our yogurt cups, and rags from our old t-shirts. We don’t even need to be
that
creative. We have plenty of opportunities to reuse things on a regular basis: like the packaging materials we receive (boxes, bubble paper, packing peanuts), and the wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows on our gifts. In fact, before you toss a glass jar, Christmas card, or takeout container in the recycling bin, consider if you can repurpose it for something else you need—like a vase, holiday postcard, or hardware organizer.

Of course, as minimalists, we don’t want to clutter our drawers and cabinets with stuff we might
never
use. Therefore, if
you
don’t have need for something, give it to someone who does. Reuse doesn’t necessarily mean that
you
have to reuse it; the planet will be just as well off if somebody else does. To this end, sell your old stuff on Craigslist or eBay, or give it away on Freecycle or to charity shops. Ask friends, family, and colleagues if they can use your castoffs. Offer up your excess to local schools, churches, shelters, and nursing homes. Finding another home for something takes a little more effort than putting it out on the curb; however, it keeps perfectly useful items in circulation longer, and keeps someone else from having to buy new.

By the same token, consider reusing someone else’s stuff for
your
needs. Suppose you’ve been invited to a wedding, and don’t have an appropriate outfit. Before you hit the department stores, try to find something pre-owned: check out the thrift stores and charity shops in your area, and search online auctions and classifieds. Failing that, raid the closets of friends and relatives, or make use of a rental service. Do the same for tools, furniture, electronics, and almost anything you can think of; regard the secondhand market as your default source, and only buy retail as a last resort. You’ll avoid putting additional pressure on our overtaxed environment, and prevent something useful from winding up in the trash.

Our ultimate goal as minsumers is to live lightly on the Earth—using as few resources, and putting as little into landfills, as possible. Our primary strategy is to Reduce our consumption to the bare bones, and our second is to Reuse whatever we can. However, we’ll still sometimes end up with items that are no longer useful; and in those cases, we should make every effort possible to Recycle them.

Fortunately, recycling has become much easier in recent years. Many communities operate curbside programs for picking up glass, paper, metal, and some plastics. Others maintain convenient drop-off stations for recyclable materials. If such resources are available to you, take advantage of them. Remember, when we purchase an item, we assume responsibility for its entire life cycle—including its proper disposal. None of us want our grandchildren to inherit a world of landfills; keep them in mind when you’re tempted to toss that soda can or newspaper in the trash. We want to minimize not only the junk in our homes, but also the junk in our environment.

In fact, don’t limit your recycling efforts to the usual suspects; investigate the prospects for other items as well. Some office supply and electronic stores offer “take-back” services for computers, monitors, peripherals, printers, fax machines, cell phones, and personal electronics. Other companies offer mail-in programs, with prepaid boxes or shipping labels, for returning used products; when I replaced my laptop, I was thrilled to be able to send my old one back to the manufacturer. Look around, and you’ll find programs for recycling eyeglasses, shoes, furniture, batteries, printer cartridges, clothing, carpets, mattresses, light bulbs, and more. In fact, before you put
anything
in the trash, take some time to research recycling options; call your community offices, or search for “recycle” plus the item in your favorite search engine. You may be surprised at the possibilities!