Personal development to change the world: Simplify and grow
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.
—Henry David Thoreau
image by psd
On my recent roadtrip, I discovered many things: I love to hike, everything tastes better when cooked outdoors, and living minimally is wonderful.
Having fewer choices, less stuff, and few obligations made for very easy decision-making. What do I wear? Whatever’s clean. What’s for breakfast? Oatmeal and tea, just like yesterday. What to do? Well, the weather’s nice, so let’s go for a hike. This was all deliciously simple.
One side effect of this minimalism was that I had plenty of room in my head for noticing beautiful things and thinking deep thoughts, which are among my favorite pasttimes. I liked the empty space, and I started wondering, how can I get more of it? What if I could have it all the time?
By the time I got back to New York, my intention was clear: I was going to downsize my stuff, reduce my expenses, and simplify my life. Within a few days, I had found a new place to live with a new friend.
This was a somewhat scary decision. I was at a low point when I moved into this beautiful apartment, and it gave me the safe environment I needed to figure things out and reinvent myself. I might even venture to say that my years here have been the happiest of my life.
But my happiness isn’t dependent on one specific flat, especially one that takes up so much of my paycheck and my time. I’m moving to free up more of both of those precious resources so I can put them towards whatever is next on the horizon. Put another way, I want to simplify and grow.
Of course part of me is hesitant to leave, and I will dearly miss many things about this place—the church bells I can hear from my bed, the gorgeous cabinetry and woodwork, the beautiful little yard. At the same time, I’m also looking forward to spending time with my new roommate, socking away a good bit of cash, and having more ideas than stuff. I have a feeling that my new home will be every bit as inspiring as this one has been.
So, the big move happens in about 6 weeks. In the meantime, I’m selling things and spending as much time in the garden as I can. Today I lay on a sheet looking up at the trees, and I felt pretty darn lucky overall.
Have you ever downsized to free up energy and money? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments.
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See more articles by Megan Dietz.
I tend to live minimalist. More so because of my Appalachian roots. I hold on to time markers, ephemera of trips and experiences. I realized the other day as I was moving myself to a new work space that paper is also heavy, sometimes heavier than the memories themselves, so it’s ok to get rid of it. No matter what I dispose of I offer it free to a good home via craigslists or just tagged in the hallway before it reaches it’s final resting place. Stuff gets in the way of the real stuff.
This is exciting, Megan! I really look forward to reading about how your move and shift in living space goes. And I’m happy to hear the realization that came from your trip. You made me want to camp so bad!
See also: Bruce Sterling’s last post on viridiandesign.org: Basically, keep only things that are beautiful, emotionally important, or that you use all the time. Sell everything else.
Hey Madge, great article. Are you moving from P-burg back to NYC? I thought you’d recently made the reverse move, but maybe I’m out of the loop. I miss the other site, as it takes it’s mid-summer slumber. :)
hey laurel, i’m still in NYC—never moved back to pgh, though i’ve been spending more time there lately.
i miss the simple living site too! i know there’s tons of other stuff to read on the internet but it’s not the same. when does it come back, next week? can’t wait!
anyhow thanks for dropping by. :)
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