"Happier Without" - a blog post from Miss Minimalist on 15 things she's happier not having...

[Flaxbee]

Just for interest: http://www.missminimalist.com/2012/10/happier-without/#comments

The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things. -Elise Boulding

What a wonderful quote, and so true! We’re constantly bombarded with the message to buy, buy, and buy some more—it’s hardly ever suggested that we might find greater satisfaction in not owning something. Yes, you read it here, week in and week out; but I’m just one tiny voice questioning the status quo—hardly a match for the marketers and advertisers that command so much of our visual and auditory attention.

So after three years of blogging, I’ve been inspired to look back and celebrate the things I’ve learned I’d rather not have. I’ve included links, and hope you enjoy my walk down memory lane. Better yet, I’d love it if each of you would share one post (or more!) with someone else via email, Twitter, or Facebook.

My website stats say I had 93,971 unique visitors last month (!)—imagine if all 93K+ of you passed on the minimalist message to someone else? We might actually create a ripple effect to drown out some of the more-is-more rhetoric, and introduce a greater audience to “the happiness of not having things.”

So here they are: 15 Things I’m Happier Without (and you might be, too!)

1. Television. In Life Without a TV, I wrote about how my husband and I gave up our television when we moved overseas in 2009. See my No TV Update: Three Years and Counting to learn how we feel about pulling the plug.

More at link above.

[cbayer]

1. Nice article and some good advice.

I just did a purge and it felt great. I love having only what I need in my kitchen and in my closets. The one thing I struggle with most is paper. I sort through it, but often keep way too much of it.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. Sounds like you just need a scanner

and a flash drive. Well.....you and me both. I also keep too much paper. Anyone want to see my 1975 tax returns?

[cbayer]

3. I know, right?

I keep thinking I will sort through it and throw it out. Most of it is on my computer (somewhere) anyway, but when I go to find something (like that coupon code from iGourmet), I can't find it anywhere.

OTOH, I have 20-30 Trader Joe's receipts. Don't ask me why.

[Curmudgeoness]

4. OK on the coupons, but

toss those receipts. Some things really aren't worth keeping. I have no receipts (not even ones that I would like to have to return something) but my kitchen table is full of coupons that I never remember to bring with me. Occasionally, I get pissed enough to toss it all. My problems are more the utility bills, bank statements, and other crap that I throw into a big box. I am surprised that you have any clutter at all since you live in such small quarters.

[cbayer]

5. I used to be a big coupon cutter.

I had one of those organizers that sorted by type, and I used it a lot.

Yeah, my problem is that I save paper when I don't have much space. I'm so good about other things. One issue is that I am involved in a lawsuit due to a boat accident 4 years ago. We were hit and, although my claim is not that big, it's part of some other really complicated cases, so the amount of crap I get from lawyers is unbelievable. I have no idea what I should keep or what I can safely throw away, and that is the bulk of it.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. I would save all that garbage too.

But digitally. Especially with the mountains of paper they send. Hope that resolves one day soon.

[cbayer]

7. As to the coupons, I know some of the stores out here have digital coupons,

which is pretty cool.

You click on them after signing in, and when you get to the store, they have them stored for you.

Do you have anything like that around you?

[Curmudgeoness]

8. I am going to admit something.

I don't even have a cell phone, and I think that you have to have one to use those coupons. But I have heard of them, so they must be available here too. But I have no idea how it works.

I also still have a console TV.

I know, it is amazing that I even have a computer AND internet! I blame work for that.

[cbayer]

9. I'm not sure that you need a cell phone.

I only used it a couple of times (Albertsons, I think), but I joined the site, then just clicked on the coupons.

Might be worth looking into to.

I have a TV but no reception, lol!

[Kaleva]

10. My list

1. Television.

I do have one on which I watch Netflix

2. Couch.

Don't have a couch.

3. Desk.

Nope.


4. Bed frame.

Just a mattress on the floor is what I got.

5. Other furniture.

A tv stand, three chairs in the living room, a kitchen table with two chairs, a cheap dresser and 3 small folding tables

6. Curtains.

Don't have those. There are some insulated curtains at my ex's place which she said I could have and I would put on the living room windows.

7. Collectibles.

Lost all that when the house burned down a few years ago.

8. Books.

Same as collectibles

9. Hobby supplies.

None

10. Specialty kitchenware.

Just the basics.

11. Heirlooms.

Nope. Lost them in the fire too.

12. Large wardrobe.

No.

13. Mail.

I do get mail but not much.

14. Perfume.

No.

15. Gifts.

No.

[cbayer]

11. I did not know you had had a fire, kaleva.

That's tragic and I can't imagine.

My father had a big fire a few years ago and lost some things that were very important to him. I am sorry to hear that you went through that.

[Kaleva]

12. I was in the hopsital when the house burned down.

My wife at the time was visiting me and a nurse came running into the room saying they heard on the scanner that the local fire departments were on their way to our house. My wife became so distraught, I got out of bed with my heart moniter still attached and put her there and wouldn't let her drive back home. Shortly later her daughter called the room and I asked her to come and get her mother which she did and they left for home. I lay back in the bed and wondered what was going on till I got a call from my mother-in-law asking how her daughter was doing. I said she was at the fire but my mother-in-law said she had a seizure there and an ambulance was called and she was taken to the hospital where I was at. I got out of bed, went to the nurse's station and the nurse said my wife was in a room just down the hall. So we both spent the night in the hospital together.

My wife was discharged the following day and I was transported by ambulance to another hospital for further tests and was released from there a couple of days later.

I've never had much attachment to material things so all the things I lost didn't mean that much to me as I still have the memories in my head. For my wife, it was a different story and it took her a long time to get over it.

[cbayer]

14. Wow, what an experience

and you haven't even talked about what it must have been like to go back to the house.

I'm glad that no one was injured and that you were able to easily let go of your material possessions.

[dimbear]

13. I would have to be counted as a major fail here. I have an enormous count of tools and

wish I had more.

My friends are glad from time to time.

[cbayer]

15. I think tools are ok....

as long as they are organized and taken care of.

What drives me nuts is draws and cabinets full of a mess of tools where everything has to be pulled out to find one thing (hint, hint, dear).