Thread: Minimalist Living

Ron, are you going to still be working in a lab? If so, your inability to throw something away could get messy!
Sorry about the situation and I hope everything goes well for you.

I am more of a minimalist than my wife. I was going to give away about 50 lbs of fly tying material the other day when she insisted that I would need it eventually. She is also into the trinkets and tchotchkies that surround her. I relate this to her up bringing, they had five people living in a house unsuitable for one. I am not kidding when I sat that it was built by little people. on top of that it was a one bedroom and every room was full of decorations, still is.

-G

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Living minimally is the best way IMO if you can do it. Try using the "3 second rule". Pick something up and if you can't figure out within 3 seconds whether you NEED to keep it, throw it out without question.

... says the owner of a bader grinding station

Originally Posted by Bruno

... says the owner of a bader grinding station

Well he can't pick it up, so he never gets to decide in 3 seconds. However, I'm sure that's how he got rid of the sandpaper

No, now he has sandpaper on belts
Also minimalist -> 1 razor, 1 strop, 1 touchup hone, 1 brush, 1 soap.
And you could do without the brush as well.

Give everything away that you own and go from there

Originally Posted by Utopian

I guess minimalistic is relative

I think you're right

IMHO there is no value of minimalist living if it is divorced from generousity. The value of minimalist living is in the idea that it might cultivate the attitude that we don't need 90% of our stuff to live a prosperous fullfilling life.....in fact "stuff" will never give us fulfillment which is the great lie of our consumerist society. Unfortunately, you can still be a self serving self centered person without a lot of material things.

I believe that generousity is seriously lacking in our culture and needs to be intentionally sought after....and i don't think that it is gained simply by giving away things that we don't need or value. IMHO only.

I'm a minimalist.

30 odd razors, 12 hones, 15 soaps and three strops. Nothing excessive at all...

Originally Posted by Bruno

... says the owner of a bader grinding station

Hah! I have no desire to own a lot of razors and/or accessories. I do however hate the fact that I currently own so much equipment that moving at any time will present more of a problem. When it is a part of your career though, it isn't easily thrown away. I agree that it is all relative though. I try to use as few tools as possible to do the best job in the most efficient way- that is, in a way, minimalist.

I know buying something generally would not count as minimalism, but since my bed is going to be 903 miles from where I will be sleeping next week, I have placed an order for a futon. The last time I bought a futon was in 1981. Since I put that one into the compost pile about 5 years ago, I'm getting a new one. Like the old one, it will be plain old cotton batting--simple, cheap, and "minimal." Unlike the old one, this one will be lonely.