I believe a common misconception about what minimalism is, is that you can't own much.
When you say "Minimalism", most people almost always and automatically think of someone who may have a couple articles of clothing, a pair of shoes, a table setting for one, a few books to read, NO television, and maybe a lawn chair. And yes, that a type of minimalism... but not the definition of minimalism.
"Extreme Minimalism" (although I think the word "extreme" is very subjective here we will use it for the sake of making a point) is definitely not the type of minimalism I am interested in, nor do I believe that it is the type of minimalism I can ever attain.
(Although I do dream of living in a tiny house one day when my kids are grown and gone, just me and my husband. And maybe a cat).
And I don't want to.
I enjoy being surrounded by beautiful things... even if they don't serve a purpose.
I love design by nature. I enjoy making my house a home, complete with small elements of my specific taste and personality.
But I can do it with less.
Much less.
And that's when I figured out that "Cozy Minimalism" was much more my type of minimalism.
Cozy Minimalism is not getting rid of everything. Cozy minimalism is getting rid of the excess. Cozy minimalism is still having a beautiful home... just with less "things".
Cozy minimalism is about reducing your options by a few... taking a couple things off the menu, if you will.
See, you still have options... choices... things... just not an unnecessary excess of it. And life just sounds so much more enjoyable that way. It sounds like a lot less stress. A lot less noise. A lot more fun. A lot more calm. A lot more peaceful. A lot more palatable. A lot more reasonable.
Let me ask a question.
Could you let your things go? Could you get rid of your stuff? Some of it? A lot of it?
Your answers are a good measure of if you just own things... or if your things own you.
I asked myself this same question when I started entertaining this idea.. this minimalism thing.
After spending some time sitting in my house and thinking about it and being totally honest with myself, the answer is yes... but it would be very hard. And it would take time.
But here I am. And it is going to be hard. And it is going to take time.
And lucky you, you get a front row seat!
