Minimalism

Is this going to be another story from a privileged white male tech worker about how he’s “a minimalist by choice” and about how brilliant it all is? I’m afraid the answer is going to be yes.

However I do think that my form of minimalism is slightly different. Most self-proclaimed minimalists made a conscious decision at some point to get rid of stuff. They had to clear out attics, basements and closets. They had to hold everything they owned in their hands and either throw it away or keep it.

I never had that moment, because I’ve always disliked ‘stuff’. I could never deal with a cluttered room when I was young. I always preferred saving money or spending it on travel than on stuff.

I did get more extreme about it when I started living on my own. I avoided filling my room with too many things. I tried not to buy anything I didn’t absolutely need.

My minimalism in not buying stuff ties in with my frugal habits. I don’t like spending money, especially on things. I get this odd feeling of guilt and regret whenever I buy something that I don’t need. It’s why I walk around with holes in my underwear and only have one pair of shoes.

This habit is saving me a decent amount of money and it’s made my life simple. If I had to move out right now I could pack in a very short period of time and would only need an Uber to move all my stuff around.

This sense of minimalism extends to packing for travel as well. I traveled for 2 months across America with a 25 litre backpack. Whenever we go for weekends away my friends tend to have massive bags. Then I turn up with a tiny backpack with just the essentials.

Even when it comes to admin type stuff I’m a minimalist. I don’t have any paid subscriptions or memberships. Even my phone is prepaid. I like having fine-grain control over what I spend, without the inevitable administrative headache that comes from having to cancel a magazine subscription or gym membership.

I love the sense of freedom that comes with not having too much stuff. Knowing I can pack up and leave quickly. That I could move countries with a days notice. Life is simple like that. And I love it.