There are a few things I don’t like talking about in public with people I’m not familiar with:
Vegetarianism
Religion
Politics
Minimalism
That last one may be a shocker, but it’s true. Here’s what they all have in common: an immediate negative vibe. Bringing up any of these topics and the other person will automatically tense.
Sometimes they’ll go on the defensive as soon as you bring up the topic, hoping by the end of the conversation you’ll have the same opinion they do.
That’s because the topics listed above are very personal and everyone has a different view. You’re not likely to sway one person on these topics. They have to get there themselves, if they want to go there.
But I want to focus on minimalism.
Many people within the minimalist community tend to think their view on minimalism is the best. They’re the one with just the right amount of things, and everyone else is doing it wrong.
Not true.
There is no correct way to be a minimalist, just like there is no correct side to politics or religion. Everyone has their own way of being, and everyone has a degree that works for them. It’s individual, and personal.
So if you’re afraid of calling yourself a minimalist or feel as though you’re not good enough to try, don’t be. If you just decluttered your living room, you had a minimalist moment. No matter what way you look at it, it’s a good thing.
Don’t be afraid to embrace a more minimalist lifestyle. People will probably start asking you about it, and you’ll get to share your opinion. Sometimes people will say, “That wasn’t very minimalist of you,” and you can ignore them. No one is perfect, and I don’t think most of us are trying to go Gandhi on anyone. Just enjoy the journey!
There’s a gray area between minimalist decor and clutter. I would consider my decorating style somewhere in the middle.
As far as simplifying your life, I think it’s important to bring a room down to the bare minimum you can handle. Some people can get rid of everything, others need more to stay happy.
The easiest way to figure out what works for you is starting with a bare room and gradually decorating until satisfied. It’s much easier to do things this way rather than take away from what already exists, because you’re likely attached to many items.
Why is this important? Walking into a room with just the right amount of objects for decor can provide various benefits:
It relaxes you. The view eases stress, rather than immediately overwhelming you with eye-candy overload.
You focus on art. Having only a few items allows focus on special pieces or artwork, rather than having too much competing for attention. Quality versus quantity!
You’re inspired. Until I decorated my area of the office, I wasn’t inspired to blog. The right amount of decoration will neither overwhelm or underwhelm you, which allows room for inspiration and ideas to flow.
It centers your mind. You should have functional pieces and decorations, but not too much of each. You should feel comfortable and happy walking into the room to focus on why you walked in there in the first place.
After unpacking from my move to a bigger place, I found it too minimalist for my taste. I’m still adding quality pieces that make me happy, and I hope soon that I can experience the points above in every room!
If you’re having trouble limiting the amount of decoration you have, look out for a post on handling collections and holding onto items for decor.
Where is your line between minimalist and clutter? Do you need to do some organizing?
I always catch myself looking to see if I have a stray hair using the reflection of my iPhone. Or checking if my lipstick has faded by using the front-facing camera.
I can’t be the only one! If I am, my coworkers must think I’m insane.
It got me thinking how amazing these phones are. Not only can you get an app for everything, but they’ve replaced the pocket mirror. I don’t even know where my pocket mirror is, at this point.
So imagine my surprise when I saw this screen protector from the website I bought my iPhone case from, SwitchEasy:
How cool is that? Now your phone can replace yet another item in your purse. Though I do wonder if this would get annoying and how well the screen would shine underneath. Does it work like a two-way mirror?
I hope one day my phone can also open my apartment door, turn on my car, and pay for me at checkout. I would have a major problem if I lost that, wouldn’t I?
Do you use your smartphone as a mirror? And would you ever buy a mirror screen protector?
This blog entry was posted in Beauty, Minimalism on Apr 11 2012.
I prefer to shop in places where I can walk in the door and already know where everything is. Psychology 101: People like the familiar.
When I shop, I’m a girl on a mission. I’m not looking to spend extra change — I’m looking for a specific type of item, and I want to go home after I purchase it. You may have guessed correctly that I’m not much fun to go shopping with.
When I walk into Loft, Gap, Banana Republic, etc. I like that I know where to get what I want.The new arrivals are all in the front of the store. Jeans are in one section. Essential tops and tanks are in another. Clearance is at the back of the store, along with shoes.
So when I walked into Forever 21 last weekend hoping to get a basic t-shirt and new pants with whatever I had left on my Christmas gift card, I nearly had a heart attack. I easily get sensory overload. Walking into Forever 21 has gone from a teenage, “This is exciting, I don’t even know where to begin!” to an adult, “Holy crap, I need to get out of here.”
Long story short, I left with a basic gray t-shirt (which took me over an hour to find) and three other shirts. Now that my conscious/gift card is cleared, I think my Forever 21 days are coming to an end. The styles are becoming odd and ill fitting, and I can no longer empathize with the teenagers congratulating each other on a “good find.” I prefer not to dig through 50 different tops crammed onto a rack for a “good find.”
My point being that a shopping experience should not be like this because:
If you come for something specific, you usually leave with something you didn’t come for instead.
The prices are low, so you feel you can grab as many as you want and not feel the burn.
How are the prices so low, you may wonder? Truth is that shops like Forever 21 aren’t as innocent as they seem.
If it didn’t come out within the past month or so it’s on a rack and there are a limited number left, making you feel like you have to take anything good you find. After all, what are the chances it’ll still be there next weekend, or that you’ll even find it again?
It’s a type of marketing that tries to put your mind into shopaholic mode.
You’ll pull something off the rack and not be able to cram it back on. We’ve all been there. It’s ridiculous.
Quality of the clothes aren’t the best because everything is overproduced. My Forever 21 clothes last about 3 months.
A shopping experience should be easy, fun, and straightforward. It should not make you feel like you’re trying to find a needle in a haystack.
I’ll take my shopping simple, please.
What are your thoughts on Forever 21 and shopping layouts? Let’s Discuss!
