Bare Minimum To live

[Χά�ων]

I hate stuff and am dreaming of throwing everything away. Here are my dream minimums.

 

Personal items:

4 tops and bottoms per season. Shorts for summer and pants for winter type of thing.

 

One package of socks and one pack of underwear.

 

Two pair of shoes. A good midrange hiking boot and a good pair for every day. I wear my hiking boot almost all winter and the other when it is hot out.

 

A smart phone to use to communication via email, text, and phone calls, read ebooks, and listen to audio books. I would not have a computer.

 

A thumb drive for computer files I need to keep, I would use the library to modify documents and print.

 

A bed to sleep on and two sets of sheets.

 

A comfortable chair to sit on. (can be combined with the bed if it is a futon)

 

A very small table.

 

My slow cooker/deep fryer/steamer/rice cooker.

 

My wok.

 

My pancake griddle.

 

A wood spoon with a flat tip (from Ikea)

 

One plate, bowl, fork, spoon, And cup per person in the house.

 

Stove.

 

Fridge/freezer.

 

My weakness:

My spice collection. I debating calling it a cabinet, but it is more like a collection. I love to cook!

[Tap]

How about hygiene items?

[AK_Mom4]

Two sets of sheets is clearly an indulgence.

 

Actually your list sounds fine to me.

[OneStepAtATime]

Small emergency medical kit with bandaids, hydrogen peroxide, etc?

 

Towel?

 

Soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush?

 

Trash bags?

 

Love your minimalist list, by the way. :)

[happi duck]

I think spices fall under consumable ingredients not "stuff".

[MamaBearTeacher]

interesting. You will have time for so many other things.

 

Curious: Will your family also be minimalist? What about food storage containers, a lunch bag, medications, lip gloss, hair brush, luggage and bags, games, sporting goods, extra blankets, cards and wrapping paper, office supplies like tape scissors, envelopes, pens, sentimental items, tools, paint, cleaning supplies, dish towels, sentimental items, any sports equipment? What about knickknacks and other home decor? Do you have thise? just wondering. For me, clothing takes little space in my home and is contained. it is all the other miscellaneous items! I am attracted to the minimalist life and interested in this thread.

[Guest]

interesting. You will have time for so many other things.

 

Curious: Will your family also be minimalist? What about food storage containers, a lunch bag, medications, lip gloss, hair brush, luggage and bags, games, sporting goods, extra blankets, cards and wrapping paper, office supplies like tape scissors, envelopes, pens, sentimental items, tools, paint, cleaning supplies, dish towels, sentimental items, any sports equipment? What about knickknacks and other home decor? Do you have thise? just wondering. For me, clothing takes little space in my home and is contained. it is all the other miscellaneous items! I am attracted to the minimalist life and interested in this thread.

It's not clothes for me either! Beauty products, books, and the stuff from everyone else in my house is 85% of the volume.

[frogger]

My husband and I hope to do bike touring some day when the kids leave home. Right now we just do little trips. I guess whatever I have, it will fit on a bike. We will have to find a way to store some stuff like important documents, photos, hmmm, probably something else too. :)

[mommyoffive]

I am having this dream with you.  I want my empty house that we moved into.  Sigh

[elegantlion]

I could do without the stove and just have a separate cooktop and a toaster oven. 

 

What about washer and dryer? Would you be doing more laundry with that minimal of a wardrobe? I would want a washer at least. 

 

Cleaning supplies? You could get away with one all purpose cleaner, but what about a plunger and toilet bowl brush? (I'm moving and those things are on my mind this morning  :lol: ).

[Χά�ων]

Small emergency medical kit with bandaids, hydrogen peroxide, etc?

 

Towel?

 

Soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush?

 

Trash bags?

 

Love your minimalist list, by the way. :)

Yes, toothbrush, toothpaste, one bar of soap, one bottle shampoo, and one bottle of conditioner.

 

I would allow two towels per person.

 

Two washclothes per person.

 

Emergency kit, not sure. 3-4 regular bandaids. Honestly, the only time anyone needed anything larger it has required a trip to the ER for stitches.

 

A small bottle of hydrogen peroxide. One pair of tweezers. One nail clipper. One bottle each of Benadryl, advil, and tylonal. One bottle of each active perscription medication. Any not currently in use medications can be tossed.

[fairfarmhand]

There have been times in my life when I've thought, If this place burned down, what would I replace the stuff with?

 

I guarantee we'd be more thoughtful about what we put into a new place.

[bolt.]

For wardrobe, I'd go more with 3 bottoms and 6 tops per season. You might also need 'something I'd go to a wedding, funeral or job interview in' -- maybe a long black or grey skirt (either season) paired with a seasonal top of a festive or sedate variety. You may need a third pair of shoes if your 'everyday' aren't quite dressy. Do you sleep in underwear? Maybe nightwear.

 

You can probably do without the stove, given the other cooking appliances you listed. Perhaps a just a toaster oven?

 

You could get some very small spice containers that pack closely into another unit, so that your 'spice cabinet' is more like 48 little stoppered test-tubes or something.

 

I think you need another chair -- for you to eat or work at the table (not your comfy chair) and in case you have a visitor. (Possibly an extra set of dishes too, in case of a visitor.)

 

Body wash is actually soap, shampoo and conditioner all in one product. It helps me minimize for travel.

 

You would need a small tool kit.

[shawthorne44]

I've lived with minimal stuff, and I didn't like it.  Once when I went from having a roommate in an apartment, to buying my own home.  Once when I'd had EVERYTHING stolen while in a god-forsaken foreign country.  

 

It made a lot more work.   For example, you can't wait until the dishwasher is full to wash it.  It is really hard to open a bottle of wine without a wine opener.   When I was in the foreign country I had to hand wash my clothes in the sink every night.   Admittedly, I don't NEED a ceramic deviled egg tray.  

[Χά�ων]

interesting. You will have time for so many other things.

 

Curious: Will your family also be minimalist? What about food storage containers, a lunch bag, medications, lip gloss, hair brush, luggage and bags, games, sporting goods, extra blankets, cards and wrapping paper, office supplies like tape scissors, envelopes, pens, sentimental items, tools, paint, cleaning supplies, dish towels, sentimental items, any sports equipment? What about knickknacks and other home decor? Do you have thise? just wondering. For me, clothing takes little space in my home and is contained. it is all the other miscellaneous items! I am attracted to the minimalist life and interested in this thread.

My family long ago decided I was nuts.

 

No one in my family has hair long enough for a brush. No one wears make-up.

 

I am not a fan of knick knacks, they have to be dusted and I react strongly to dust. I do not collect anything. Home decor is interesting. I have a clock that is both decorative and useful, but it is not a need. I am learning to paint with a couple of friends and use my walls as a canvas.

 

I do not use wrapping paper or paper gift bags. I have never kept cards on hand.

 

I have used one envelope in the past year but I get envelopes every week in junk mail. I still have a box I bought years and years ago and do not plan to buy more.

 

In theory 2 pens/pencils will be enough once I figure out how to keep them from walking off.

 

I am not sentimental.

 

Re scissors and tape: I have lived with a pair of scissors that do not cut and learned to use my beloved kitchen knife that cuts everything. I have only the one kitchen knife. It is seriously that awesome and I paid under $6 for it at the hardware store of all places. The scissors will haunt my for the rest of my life, I have tried to get rid of them and they will not leave. Tape, one roll is sufficient and it is rarely used and I often wonder why I even have it.

 

Luggage I have a backpack. I travel very light and never need anything more.

 

I have never owned a lunch bag.

 

I grew up with parents who were obsessed with having enough blankets for the entire city. I do not share that. 1-2 per bed is enough. I do not have throw blankets for the couch, I do not even have a couch. We are sit around a table people. If I had a couch I would just tell people to get a blaket from their room. No need to have throw blankets.

 

I Store my spices in storage containers because the large bags make the kitchen look cluttered and do not keep them as fresh. I rarely have leftovers to store with a 12 year old boy. Even when I make a massive quantity of food it is gone before bedtime.

[Χά�ων]

I've lived with minimal stuff, and I didn't like it. Once when I went from having a roommate in an apartment, to buying my own home. Once when I'd had EVERYTHING stolen while in a god-forsaken foreign country.

 

It made a lot more work. For example, you can't wait until the dishwasher is full to wash it. It is really hard to open a bottle of wine without a wine opener. When I was in the foreign country I had to hand wash my clothes in the sink every night. Admittedly, I don't NEED a ceramic deviled egg tray.

I do not drink wine, so not having a wine opener is not an issue, but I can see it being problematic if I did drink. ;)

 

I prefer to handwash dishes, I hate going to bed with any dirty, but I am not willing to do everyones dishes and no one else shares my view. They are the get a new plate out 30 seconds after using another for something else types. Makes my eye twitch.

 

I am not against hand washing clothes. When I was in my early 20's I bought a 5 gallon bucket and a plunger to wash them. I swear the clothes were cleaner when I did that. I have a washing machine because other people. I have debated getting rid of it and using the laundry mat, but that would mean I would have to drive people there to do their own laundry.

[marbel]

The first thing I thought of was:  what about guests?   Do you have people over for meals?   Do you have parties, other get-togethers with people?  Would you have them bring their own dishes, utensils, napkins, etc?  Well, food too, maybe, since you would have minimal cooking equipment?

 

ETA: I am not critical of the idea of minimalism.  I'd love to get rid of a lot of the stuff we have, which is mostly not mine.  But I do keep a lot of cooking equipment, dishes, etc because we like to have guests over.  

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by marbel

[Ravin]

I live pretty minimally at my work site. Each week I pack up enough clean clothes for the work week; all my work wardrobe lives up here except a spare pair of pants and shirt down south, and my casual wardrobe is split between the locations.

 

I have a bowl, plate, and mug at work, and use my landlady's dishes in the house where I rent a room, so just have a couple of storage containers which migrated north with leftovers in them.

 

I have a small soft sided cooler that is bigger than a lunch box but not bigger than it needs to be, to bring up my groceries for the week that are less expensively purchased in the city.

 

I have a computer bag, my laptop, kindle, hotspot jetpack, and phone;

 

I have my medications (daily and a few OTCs that I would want if I fell sick in the middle of the week that aren't readily available here, notably sudephederine, or that are much more expensive here, including naproxen, immodium, benadryl, generic zyrtec, and generic nyquil), a basic first aid kit which I keep in the car; and two coffee thermoses--one is a back up for when I forget to take the other one home at the end of the week.

 

I currently have some of my sewing things up here, and my ironing board and iron, so that I could do some mending in the evening. 

 

Oh, also two towels (one in the drawer in case the other doesn't make it back up after I take it down south to wash), and one set of sheets (they get washed over a weekend periodically). One blanket (it's a wool Indian trade blanket; plenty warm; I didn't notice one day last winter when the heat went out until I had to get out of bed).

 

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by Ravin

[Χά�ων]

The first thing I thought of was: what about guests? Do you have people over for meals? Do you have parties, other get-togethers with people? Would you have them bring their own dishes, utensils, napkins, etc? Well, food too, maybe, since you would have minimal cooking equipment?

 

ETA: I am not critical of the idea of minimalism. I'd love to get rid of a lot of the stuff we have, which is mostly not mine. But I do keep a lot of cooking equipment, dishes, etc because we like to have guests over.

My cooking items will make enough for a large group.

 

I will not keep extra dishes for when people come over since we do not entertain often enough to justify it. I buy paper plates the day before.

[Χά�ων]

I think spices fall under consumable ingredients not "stuff".

I like this line of thought!

[SamanthaCarter]

There have been times in my life when I've thought, If this place burned down, what would I replace the stuff with?

 

I guarantee we'd be more thoughtful about what we put into a new place.

 

 

Some days, it's really hard not to fantasize about the place burning down. I know it's traumatic. But man! To start fresh! Sigh. 

[Guest]

My list is a lot longer than yours.  

 

We have a lot of company, a lot of parties.

We live in our home, not outside it, and we do projects and hobbies and so on.

 

That said, I could do with 5% of the pens/pencils I've got.  I don't need to buy new t-shirts or tanks for a few years.  We (meaning my dh) need to come to grips with the fact that we are *never* going to read all these books, or refer to them, ever again.  We need to sell some of the original art we own--this house has 1/2 the wall space of our old house.  I need to face the fact that I am never going to finish that pieced quilt.  Or use all that fabric stash.  Or go anywhere with more than one suitcase.  

 

It's easy for me to point at my dh and ds and blame all the clutter on them.  When really, they deserve only 4/5 of the blame.  LOL

 

 

[Kim in Appalachia]

Since we are getting ready to move, I have been doing a lot of sorting. I've thrown out somewhere close to 20 contractor bags of stuff.  I've taken car loads to Goodwill.  I have taken cases of books to a used book store.  We have also taken 4 pickup truck loads to the dump, with at least one more to go.

 

I am not someone who holds on to stuff, but clearly with 5 kids and staying put for 14 years we have accumulated stuff we don't need.  Right now I am vowing never to do that again. :)  

 

I'm not one for extra or pretty things.  I have never bought a knick-knack, but we have been given a few.  I'm starting to warm up to the idea of making things look nice, but it's hard.  I'd rather have less.

 

While purging, I did find some plates that had been my dh's grandmothers.  I'm not tossing them, but I will use them as wall decorations in my next house.  They are pretty and should look nice.  

 

 

[Wabi Sabi]

umbrella or rain coat
sun hat
coffee maker or French press 
cutting board
musical instruments

gear needed for sports/hobbies (i.e.: our tent and other camping supplies, our kayak with assorted life vests, kids' bikes/scooters, etc.)

a stereo or some sort of speaker that works with my phone/ipod for playing music
a fan 

clothing that would be appropriate for a wedding, funeral, job interview, etc. 

swim suit

a couple of pots and skillets 

laptop and printer (I know you said you don't need a computer, but it would be non-negotiable for me)

 

 

 

[kubiac]

This lifestyle is entirely possible, although you obviously need buy-in from your family members.

 

To see a beautiful example, explore the work of Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by kubiac

[Spryte]

There's nothing like moving to bring out the minimalist in all of us.

 

I'm not a minimalist, but see the appeal.

[Baseball mom]

Watching the tiny house shows have encouraged me to get rid of quiet a bit.  We still have WAY to much. 

 

I really like the concept of minimal living.

[shawthorne44]

There's nothing like moving to bring out the minimalist in all of us.

 

I'm not a minimalist, but see the appeal.

 

That is so true.   "Is this worth moving?"   Is an easy test.  

[elegantlion]

There's nothing like moving to bring out the minimalist in all of us.

 

I'm not a minimalist, but see the appeal.

 

:lol: true

[Desert Strawberry]

We live very much the way you describe. ATM we have a few more items than we need -i have 3pairs of yoga pants, 3t shirts, 3button downs, but 11!dresses, some long, some short. I am getting rid of some. I have an extra pair of shoes (one running, one yoga, one dress, two sandals) because I had trouble finding them, so I bought an extra.

I am decluttering boy clothes today. Too many hand me downs. I should have rationed them out better. 5shirts, five shorts, one pair of shoes, two PJs.

Dishes- just enough for everyone. One of each cooking pot. No dishwasher.

One sheet per bed, fitted only. One blanket. We are short right now. Two sheets have holes, one bed has none. Only two beds have blankets.

One box of medicines, one small cabinet of toiletries (half full).

One small box of makeup, one large box each hair stuff (for luna and me), body products (which really should go in the cabinet), and nail polish.

I do enjoy my assortment of scarves and shawls. They themselves are fairly minimal, Small, delicate, simply styled, versatile.

My big indulgence is Luna's clothes. She has over 55 adorable little outfits. Dresses, tutu's, onesies. I love them. I love packaging her up in gift wrap of ruffles and bows. She is my prize. This time of precious tiny baby clothes won't last. I make no apologies.

[shawthorne44]

...

My big indulgence is Luna's clothes. She has over 55 adorable little outfits. Dresses, tutu's, onesies. I love them. I love packaging her up in gift wrap of ruffles and bows. She is my prize. This time of precious tiny baby clothes won't last. I make no apologies.

 

Totally get that!   I've never much cared for clothes, well as an adult.   But having a cute daughter happy to wear dresses and a Goodwill loaded with adorable high-quality kid's clothes has really brought out the clothes-horse in me.  

[frogger]

I am having this dream with you.  I want my empty house that we moved into.  Sigh

 

 

I love empty houses. I just laid on the floor and stared at it before we moved into this place. 

[frogger]

The first thing I thought of was:  what about guests?   Do you have people over for meals?   Do you have parties, other get-togethers with people?  Would you have them bring their own dishes, utensils, napkins, etc?  Well, food too, maybe, since you would have minimal cooking equipment?

 

ETA: I am not critical of the idea of minimalism.  I'd love to get rid of a lot of the stuff we have, which is mostly not mine.  But I do keep a lot of cooking equipment, dishes, etc because we like to have guests over.  

 

 

This reminds me of the first time I had a BBQ at as a kid in my own home.  They were all young so sitting on the floor using paper plates was not a big deal. 

 

Now though, things are more difficult. I only have two beds for 6 people as we use mats on the floor. I certainly don't mind and neither does my son giving up our beds for a little while for guests but it can be limiting. For anyone who wonders, each individual in our home decides for themselves whether they prefer to sleep on the floor or have a bed. It is not a decision made by the parents. Just so you don't think I'm mean or something. :) That is why only one child has a bed. 

Edited July 28, 2016 by frogger

[Arcadia]

I had stayed at dorms and hubby had stayed onboard navy ships. Our minimal including for our kids would be like

 

Small portable electric stove and pot (link is what I had and used for 4 years)

http://www.dhgate.com/product/german-import-purchasing-0-9l-portable-travel/377885943.html

 

Small microwave for convenience

 

Normal size two door Refrigerator

 

Three sets of clothes per person including socks, jackets (assuming use of washer/dryer)

 

Two pairs of shoes each person

 

We already have a cup, bowl, plate each and about 4 forks, knives, spoons. Guests use disposables as we rarely have unexpected guests for meals.

 

I would prefer each person have their own laptops as we had too many computer virus infections over decades. Besides hubby's laptop is company issued.

 

I am assuming whatever medications, toiletries on a as need basis as we have a supermarket with pharmacy close by. We can top up as supplies run low.

 

A blanket per kid, my kids aren't scared of cold and California isn't that cold in winter to them. I have two blankets, one thicker for winter as I am the only person scared of cold.

[Joshin]

I was very minimalist when I was single. Everything I owned fit into my Geo Prism. This was because I needed freedom. I would sometimes go months without a permanent address when I was backpacking or traveling, so I needed to store everything in my car or a friend's closet. I preferred living out of a backpack. Still do. Plus, I hated stuff.

 

When DH and I moved in together, I brought over my car load of stuff and he brought over his. And then he brought over another. Then a friend with a truck showed up. I was in shock. Our first few days resulted in major decluttering, I just couldn't cope with the visual noise of everything.

 

Fast forward to now, my spaces are relatively minimalist. Just what I need for clothing, for my office, in the kitchen. My decor is simply and streamlined -- no real knick nacks or clutter. DH's spaces are overflowing. DS15 is like me, he carts stuff off as soon as he outgrows it. DS11 is like dad -- won't let go of anything. I also have a ton of hobbies, but they aren't stuff-heavy hobbies.

 

Fortunately, now that we are getting serious about downsizing to a small cabin or yurt in the next two years, DH is purging like mad. He is seeing stuff as a weight keeping us from our goals. Even DS11 is getting in on the decluttering.

 

We are also a zero waste household, which means we have to balance minimalism with a pledge not to generate unnecessary waste. For us, this means no paper plates. Instead, when we entertain I borrow from friends and neighbors. We are very involved with out local sharing economy, which benefits both minimalism and zero-waste goals.

[Guest]

I was very minimalist when I was single. Everything I owned fit into my Geo Prism. This was because I needed freedom. I would sometimes go months without a permanent address when I was backpacking or traveling, so I needed to store everything in my car or a friend's closet. I preferred living out of a backpack. Still do. Plus, I hated stuff.

 

When DH and I moved in together, I brought over my car load of stuff and he brought over his. And then he brought over another. Then a friend with a truck showed up. I was in shock. Our first few days resulted in major decluttering, I just couldn't cope with the visual noise of everything.

 

Fast forward to now, my spaces are relatively minimalist. Just what I need for clothing, for my office, in the kitchen. My decor is simply and streamlined -- no real knick nacks or clutter. DH's spaces are overflowing. DS15 is like me, he carts stuff off as soon as he outgrows it. DS11 is like dad -- won't let go of anything. I also have a ton of hobbies, but they aren't stuff-heavy hobbies.

 

Fortunately, now that we are getting serious about downsizing to a small cabin or yurt in the next two years, DH is purging like mad. He is seeing stuff as a weight keeping us from our goals. Even DS11 is getting in on the decluttering.

 

We are also a zero waste household, which means we have to balance minimalism with a pledge not to generate unnecessary waste. For us, this means no paper plates. Instead, when we entertain I borrow from friends and neighbors. We are very involved with out local sharing economy, which benefits both minimalism and zero-waste goals.

 

I have long wished for a group of neighbors to come together and share out ONE lawnmower, ONE fertilizer spreader, ONE wet-vac, ONE chain-saw ONE power-washer, ONE leaf-blower, and find ONE place central to store them.  We could actually do this in our neighborhood, if we got down to it.  Just 4 houses.  Each of us is running over with stuff; only one family can put their cars in the garage, and so on.  I suppose we would have to have a maintenance schedule and all, but it would still be cheaper than owning all this stuff that we use...rarely.  

[Jennay]

I have long wished for a group of neighbors to come together and share out ONE lawnmower, ONE fertilizer spreader, ONE wet-vac, ONE chain-saw ONE power-washer, ONE leaf-blower, and find ONE place central to store them. We could actually do this in our neighborhood, if we got down to it. Just 4 houses. Each of us is running over with stuff; only one family can put their cars in the garage, and so on. I suppose we would have to have a maintenance schedule and all, but it would still be cheaper than owning all this stuff that we use...rarely.

We have a couple neighbors that we do this with on a smaller scale...we have the tall ladder, they have the post hole digger. A few houses have snow blowers that are shared. But I also have long wished for more. Also for kids' things such as rain boots, snow boots, snow pants, sleds, ride-on toys, sports equipment, puzzles, games, etc.

[shawthorne44]

I have long wished for a group of neighbors to come together and share out ONE lawnmower, ONE fertilizer spreader, ONE wet-vac, ONE chain-saw ONE power-washer, ONE leaf-blower, and find ONE place central to store them.  We could actually do this in our neighborhood, if we got down to it.  Just 4 houses.  Each of us is running over with stuff; only one family can put their cars in the garage, and so on.  I suppose we would have to have a maintenance schedule and all, but it would still be cheaper than owning all this stuff that we use...rarely.  

 

There is a wood-workers co-op two towns over.  They have all the machines in a warehouse.  You have to use them there, obviously.  

[Hilltopmom]

If I didn't have little kids again, I'd be all over this.

Somehow, with littles, came preschool toys, puzzles, books, craft supplies, clothes, gear....

 

The teens are minimalists, expect for hobby gear.

[Joyofsixreboot]

If it works for you go for it. We only have 1 towel/dish/set of sheets per person but times 9 people that was a lot. I don't have a dishwasher but wash dishes 5 or more times a day. I line dry our clothes. The nearest laundromat is 20 miles/away. Planning is a must. Minimalism is minimalist, not necessarily easy.

Edited July 29, 2016 by joyofsix

[kubiac]

I have long wished for a group of neighbors to come together and share out ONE lawnmower, ONE fertilizer spreader, ONE wet-vac, ONE chain-saw ONE power-washer, ONE leaf-blower, and find ONE place central to store them.  We could actually do this in our neighborhood, if we got down to it.  Just 4 houses.  Each of us is running over with stuff; only one family can put their cars in the garage, and so on.  I suppose we would have to have a maintenance schedule and all, but it would still be cheaper than owning all this stuff that we use...rarely.  

 

Would be great if more towns organized tool libraries:

 

 

[Laura in CA]

Would be great if more towns organized tool libraries:

 

 

Wow, Berkeley's has been around for decades! Our local library (not far from Berkeley) is just now starting a "Library of Things" – they had an open voting period, with quite a few ideas. I voted for sergers :) ... other options were board games, musical instruments, tools, and other things. I think it's a great idea.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Laura in CA

[ktgrok]

My issue becomes, what about weather changes, or needing to go to dress events versus casual clothing versus pajamas, etc. So during the week I wear shorts and a tank top. I have 4 pairs of the same shorts, and about 5 tank tops, all different colors. I call it my summer uniform, lol. But, when I go somewhere to eat with my mom, I wear a different pair of shorts that is slightly nicer. (don't make fun, in florida we have causal shorts and nice shorts, lol). So I have two pairs of nicer shorts. Plus sometimes you need jeans. Two pairs of jeans, one lighter for camping/hiking/parks, one darker for dressier stuff. 2 dressy blouses, for church or eating out. 2 dresses for church, eating out, date night, party, whatever. Once more formal dress for formal events. It adds up! Oh, and in the winter I wear t-shirts, either short or long sleeved depending on the weather, with the above mentioned jeans. So 4 t shirts, plus 4 long sleeve shirts. 

 

I don't see how to eliminate any of that, but it's certainly not minimal. And I didn't even mention pajamas!

[nevergiveup]

I have long wished for a group of neighbors to come together and share out ONE lawnmower, ONE fertilizer spreader, ONE wet-vac, ONE chain-saw ONE power-washer, ONE leaf-blower, and find ONE place central to store them.  We could actually do this in our neighborhood, if we got down to it.  Just 4 houses.  Each of us is running over with stuff; only one family can put their cars in the garage, and so on.  I suppose we would have to have a maintenance schedule and all, but it would still be cheaper than owning all this stuff that we use...rarely.  

Yes, and you and your neighbors would be running over to us to have us fix it for you since we own all the stuff necessary to fix EVERYTHING.

[Garga]

I had a rare day when the boys were out for about 8 hours and dh was at work.

 

Without them all home all day, the house was so easy to keep clean. It was pretty astounding actually.

 

I looked around while I was eating lunch, thinking of all the kitchen stuff I could get rid of it was just me. My kitchen is small with very small storage space. Everything gets cluttered in the small space pretty fast. I could get away with a lot less stuff, but my dh and ds love kitchen gadgets. :).

[SereneHome]

If I lived by myself, I could easily live in one room. 

 

Me too.  When I got married, I moved into my husband's apartment using just my 2 door car.  All my stuff fit in it and he already had the furniture.

 

Now I have resigned myself to the tact that as long as I am married to my wonderful husband I will be living in the middle of Hoarders. 

 

On top of that I think my children are taking after my husband.....and not willing to part with ANYTHING!

[StaceyinLA]

I could pare down a lot. I haven't because I have a 5 bedroom house with only my husband and myself, so I have room. My upstairs is basically storage right now for my daughter that lives in a 2 bedroom house with her husband and 3 kids. I'm storing their out of season clothing, her kids' clothing that she's saving for possible future children, and a Christmas village she got from my mom.

 

In my downstairs, I have a spare room with a bed and one other piece of furniture. I keep a spare blanket or two in that closet for guests. I have a playroom that is pretty full (but organized) for my grandkids because they are here a LOT. Our room has our bed, nightstands and a chest. Neither of us keeps a bunch of clothing or shoes. I have one set of sheets per bed (take off, wash, put back), and I keep a few extra blankets for cold weather in our closet. If I don't wear it regularly, it's gone!

 

I think I could get by in the kitchen with my Instant pot, toaster oven and either a stove top or a couple of plug in burners. Oh, and I would have to have my espresso machine and Blendtec.

[KungFuPanda]

We were displaced for five months during some extensive home repairs. We needed very little. We needed basic furniture, clothes, toiletries, towels, medicines, electronics, and ALL of my kitchen stuff. I'm not kidding. I needed it all.

[Desert Strawberry]

My issue becomes, what about weather changes, or needing to go to dress events versus casual clothing versus pajamas, etc. So during the week I wear shorts and a tank top. I have 4 pairs of the same shorts, and about 5 tank tops, all different colors. I call it my summer uniform, lol. But, when I go somewhere to eat with my mom, I wear a different pair of shorts that is slightly nicer. (don't make fun, in florida we have causal shorts and nice shorts, lol). So I have two pairs of nicer shorts. Plus sometimes you need jeans. Two pairs of jeans, one lighter for camping/hiking/parks, one darker for dressier stuff. 2 dressy blouses, for church or eating out. 2 dresses for church, eating out, date night, party, whatever. Once more formal dress for formal events. It adds up! Oh, and in the winter I wear t-shirts, either short or long sleeved depending on the weather, with the above mentioned jeans. So 4 t shirts, plus 4 long sleeve shirts.

 

I don't see how to eliminate any of that, but it's certainly not minimal. And I didn't even mention pajamas!

First, it doesn't sound like you have a lot of things. It sounds like you have a lot of kinds of things.

The way to simplify would be to eliminate some categories. Instead of having nice shorts, and blouses, and, jeans, and skirts, and dresses for various occasions, invest in some very basic dresses. Layer them with leggings and a cardigan when it's cold. Add a scarf when it's cool. Wear accessories appropriate to the season and occasion.

Replace the t-shirts with slim fitting, simple shirts that can be worn alone or under a dress. Again, accessories are your friends.

A nice, plain black dress can be dressed up with stockings, heels, and jewellery, or dressed down with sandals and a pony tail.

When you are choosing items, ask yourself how many ways you can wear it. Today I was playing with my shawls. I slipped on lightweight ponchos the normal way. They are great to add a bit of coverage when wearing a sundress in cold AC or in the spring and fall. In early winter, I can wear them as a scarf or cowl around my neck. On cold days, I will layer them with a dress, long sleeve shirt and possibly a sweater. Or, I can use them as a hood. Scarves and shawls can be used in my hair and as a belt, or as a swim suit cover up.

It is better to have a few versatile items than to have many single use items.