My Experience Living as a Minimalist
To start, I just want to say that the word “minimalist” has never really been a part of my vocabulary. I never sat around reading books on “minimalism”. I never listened to “minimalist” podcasts, or read articles and magazines on “minimalism”. However, when friends and family comment on my lifestyle, the word “minimal” is very frequently used. And with that said, in this article I want to break down what has worked in taking this approach, and why I think it is a beneficial way of life, especially for younger people that don’t have a family and have long term goals and aspirations.
The Start Of It All
The minimalist way of life first started for me at the age of 18. Basically, after deciding not to go off straight to college, I was looking for a way to have the independence and leniency that comes with living on your own without taking on the financial burden. The decision was to have a small efficiency unit installed on my family’s property, which would allow me to have my own space while still being close to home and sharing utilities. The credit actually goes to my mother for this idea. She was the one that brought it up, and even though I was initially hesitant on it, I eventually decided to give it a go. It was a really cool little setup, and I basically had everything that I needed.
Not Doing It Right
However, at this time I would say that I wasn’t totally practicing minimalism in the correct way. Instead of becoming more proactive and focused on my priorities, I became less focused and responsible. My performance in the classes I was taking at the local college dropped, and I started devoting my free time and excess money toward drinking and hanging out with friends rather than actually applying myself in the areas that counted most. And when I had nothing going on, I would basically just sit in that unit and rot. Yes, I was starting to tinker with my music a little more. And yes, I was starting to grow as an adult in some ways such as buying my own groceries and paying my own phone bill. But overall, I wasn’t using my situation to put myself in a position to be successful. Thankfully, I was able to turn things around in time and get my act together, and eventually get accepted into a new University and start taking my life more seriously.
Doing It Right
Fast forward several years later after graduating college during the covid pandemic, the efficiency unit was still there and able to be utilized. At this time I was 23 and accustomed to living on my own and taking care of myself, and with a fresh remodel to the unit’s layout it made for a nice living situation, especially with the pandemic still going on. At this time, I started getting into a good groove and practicing minimalism in the correct way, and this is something I have touched on in a couple of my other articles. It basically started with a decision to get out of the house as much as possible, and to mainly use the unit as a place to hang my hat at the end of the day. During the day I would spend my free time hitting the gym, going to the library to do career research, visiting different nature trails and preserves, linking up with friends and family, and also working my part time job that I had at the time. And in the evenings I would mostly write and record my music, edit YouTube videos, read a book, or also hop online to play video games with friends. Even though I have since moved out of that unit and into a new living situation, I still apply a similar approach to where I’m currently at and what I’m currently doing.
The Benefits
The benefit to choosing this kind of lifestyle is that it gives you the time and space to learn, grow, and be creative while also saving money. Another benefit is that it pushes you to lock in and become more focused and motivated. And it also alleviates a lot of the financial pressure and strain that comes along with living above your means. These are all very positive things when you’re young and still figuring out what you want to do and what direction you want to take. You have the space to start that side hustle you’ve been wanting to start, or get that professional certification you’ve been aiming toward. And ideally, you should have more time to do the things you enjoy and spend time with the people you want to see.
Conclusion
A “minimalist” lifestyle might look different from person to person. It could be living in a situation like the one I mentioned, or it could be something else. It could be living in a small apartment with a roommate and doing music on the side. It could be renting a spare bedroom from a friend and riding your bike to work each morning. Or it could be continuing to live at home with your folks for a few years to save money after college. Obviously, this way of life isn’t for everyone, and it’s important to do whatever makes you feel most comfortable. And if you do find yourself living this way, it’s important to see it as temporary and not a long term way to do things. You don’t want to be in your 50s or 60s still living this way. The whole point is to take on less baggage and debt at a young age so that you don’t have to deal with those sorts of circumstances in the long run.
