The Benefits of Being a # Minimalist

Like everybody else,I too have spent a major part of my life collecting things which caught my fancy,were necessary or were gifted to me.Then came a turning point.My parents,being too old,went to live with my eldest sister and our beloved house had to be sold.But what was to be done with all that furniture and stuff?All three of us sisters had well furnished homes,therefore most of the things just had to be given away.It was very painful for me to even imagine that all the dear things which I had grown up with,were now scattered here and there.

I began to wonder what would happen when it was time for us to depart?I requested my children to take away any of the stuff they fancied.I had a huge pile of crockery,cutlery,utensils,linen and showpieces etc and I told them to shuffle through these things before they had to buy anything of that kind.Some of it I gave to my maid.But I still have cupboards full to the brim.I feel overawed by the heaps of items which crowd my home.There are things which are not currently in use,like books,wristwatches,documents,time-pieces,cameras,cassette tapes and electric appliances.

One day both of us sat down and discarded all our old medical test reports and other useless papers which had accumulated over the years.But this did not make any significant dent in our possessions.I am still racking my brain what next to discard.It is not easy to part with your cherished belongings.

Why did I buy so much?I am not a shopaholic.I merely wanted to have a decent home and provide my children with the basic comforts.None of this stuff is of recent purchase.Some of it was gifted by my kids themselves when they came visiting us after their marriage.So this is how it happened.I have come to the conclusion that I ought not to have bought so many things in the first place.It is best to be a minimalist.A simple way of life can actually be very rewarding.

If this hits home then the tips below will help you to start on this journey.I am well aware that young adults,those who are in the process of setting up their homes have to per force buy a lot of stuff.But this is also the time when one is attracted by every new trend and gizmo in the market.If you keep a few principles in mind,you will not go overboard.

On the way to becoming a minimalist--

1)These days the markets are inundated with new versions of stuff we already have;if possible,stretch what you possess.Kill that temptation to have the latest model.If at all you have to buy it,get rid of the first one-exchange or give it away.I myself use everything till it becomes unusable.

2)Don't go shopping merely to kill time,or because there is a sale on,or because you have money to spare.Trim your shopping lists regularly.

3)Discard duplicates.Do you really need so many wrist watches,mixer-grinders,choppers, mobiles,bags and footwear?

4)Those obsolete,redundant items like cassette players,c.d players,cameras and time pieces etc also deserve to be shunted out. 

5)Then there are trinkets and souvenirs which represent memories from the past.Most of us stick to them but they occupy a lot of space.Keep what is extremely precious to you,which you take out quite often,and discard the rest.

6)The books you have read-- will you ever find the time to read them again?

7)Whenever the urge to buy a new apparel stirs,go through what you already have and see if it can be altered to fall in with the current trend.

8)Whenever you feel the need to buy something look up your inventory,see what will serve your purpose.Innovate,recycle and improvise.These efforts can be very soul-satisfying because you not only desist from adding one more item to your belongings but also use up something which was lying derelict.Find a new use for old things instead of just storing them away.In this way you will create and not consume.

9)Eliminate the social accounts which you do not really need.Turn off the notifications which consume a lot of time but impart little.Also the aps which serve little purpose.

10)Go through your to-do list and cancel what you can do without.

11)Too much of media exposure takes your attention away from what is important to you and your loved ones--snip it too.

The benefits of minimalism

1* First and foremost,minimalism allows you more free time-permission to be your own self.

2*You can relax,you will not feel overwhelmed,irritated or persecuted by the countless tinkles emitted by your gadgets.

3*You can pursue your passions,do what you really enjoy doing.

4*You can give more time to your relationships-which,after all,are what make life livable.

5*You also save the time which you would have spent on shopping,hunting for the latest device.

6*And you save a lot of money.

7*That constant worry about what to do with the old redundant devices which have been replaced with newer ones is no longer there.

8*There is a sense of freedom,of not being tied down,not answerable to every so and so.

9*The house is less cluttered,with more space to move around.You also have more space to store the essential items.It is easier to clean your home.

10*You are doing your bit to minimize the amount of garbage which leaves your home.

11*There is a marked increase in your self esteem.You are  doing your own thing--no longer following the herd.The master of your own choices.


 In a very subtle way,minimalism makes life more simple,enriching and satisfying.Too much of stuff takes away a lot of time.It distracts us from the essentials.We tend to assign excessive importance to material things and neglect the needs of our inner core.Many modern conveniences have clubbed together to make workaholics of us.Instead of allowing us more free time these gimmicks in fact keep us on leash--and occupied.Try to just sit idle in a park now and then,watching children at play,communing with nature.It will refresh you enormously.