Actually, my minimalist lifestyle started from home. Yeah! Although, It was a backward minimalism and I didn't choose to be a minimalist, rather I grew into it and I am loving it.
My journey into minimalism started unintentionally, influenced by my mother's insistence on organization and cleanliness. Growing up, my siblings and I were required to tidy up whenever things were out of place, or else face punishment. At first, it felt like a chore imposed upon us, but little did I know that it would lay the foundation for my minimalist lifestyle.
When my mother asked us to clean our rooms, we would strategically clean only the visible areas, avoiding the need to move or lift anything. We thought we were being clever, but she always managed to catch us and inspect our work. Sometimes, she would take a broom and sweep underneath the chairs, revealing hidden piles of dirt. In those instances, we were instructed to sweep again, frustratingly redoing the chore while mom watched over us. I am sure she didn't know she was a minimalist while acting like one.
The situation of life can bring out the minimalist in you, my mom brought us up with thrift wears. When we murmur she would always tell us that it's stronger than the new once, we never understood what she meant all wanted was a new wear just like our friends. I think it was because she can't afford the new once then. When our nagging gets loud, she would tell at us, "can you all try to be content?" This is what I can offord okay?
Although I had inklings of minimalism within me, I didn't fully realize it until I stayed with a friend in a one-room apartment in Lagos, Nigeria. She embraced simplicity and organization in her living space, and before I arrived, she had already created a designated area for me. I noticed her meticulous attention to detail when it came to arranging her belongings.
She goes like "do like this not like that" and she would give me multiple reasons why I should do it the way she showed me. Arghhh! Are you my mom or what?
There were times when I would lazily toss my clothes onto my bag without bothering to fold them. To my surprise, when I returned, I found that she had neatly folded them for me. It was clear that she thrived in an uncluttered and well-organized environment. At times, I felt she went overboard, but her desire for order seemed ingrained within her.
There was an incident that frustrated me when she discarded some empty water bottles I had collected to give to a vendor. I thought they would be of use to someone else, but she argued that keeping them would hinder ventilation and disrupt the tidy space she carefully maintained. I didn't argue much, as I was merely a squatter in her home and valued her hospitality. Gradually, I began adapting to her way of life and grew accustomed to the simplicity and organization surrounding me. I discovered she can't live with a hoarder or a disorganized being.
But gradually, I adapted. Probably I was doing it to please my friend because I will be staying with her for a long time. I started practicing all that my mom had taught me alongside what my friend's actions had taught me.
A screenshot of clutterbug channel.
Another person that helped me understand the minimalist way of life was Cass, on clutterbug YouTube. One day, I was scrolling through my YouTube and then came across Cass on clutterbug channel. She caught my attention because she was doing same thing my friend always does, she was creating space and organizing a one room apartment. She reasons just like my friend. So, I calmly watched the video Cass about organizing things and creating by decluttering. Hmm… I love an organized home too but I didn't like the fact that she was way too organized I felt it was too much work to be too organized. But as I began to watch many of her videos I got inspired. I started seeing reasons why I should give minimalism full control over my lifestyle. Cass's videos are therapeutic, I see the reason why I get overwhelmed with cleaning and also she gives you ideas on how to clean without being overwhelmed. She has motivated me a lot, her blogs always come with a doable practical and hacks which you can begin to practice without being overwhelmed.
Her video has also helped me learn the act of decongesting my wardrobe, giving out some of my old clothes to internally displaced people ( IDP), NGOs and some volunteers. It felt good meeting a need for some people. Moreover, I do sell some used items to recyclers and earn some cash for myself.
I got all this knowledge from Mom, my friend, Cass, the Minimal Mom, Connie Riet and many other minimalists YouTubers which I have also viewed a lot of their videos and to be truthful it is worth the subscription and time too, I love Cass a lot and will always be on the lookout for her next video.
These experiences shaped my perspective on living with fewer possessions and appreciating the beauty of an uncluttered environment. Minimalism became more than just a trend; it became a way of life that I embraced wholeheartedly.
Image is mine, designed using canva
