Here is a peek inside my 511 square foot apartment that I refer to as “attempting” minimalist. Or rather, I refer to myself as an attempting minimalist. I’ve been very interested in minimalism for the past few years and try to only own items that add value to my life (or “spark joy” as Marie Kondo would say).
In my opinion, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” minimalist. We are all trying to live simply with purpose and intention, which looks different for everyone. I am definitely not immune to consumerism, but minimalism has caused me to think much more intently about each item I bring into my life. Conversely, it also helps me question when something isn’t providing value anymore and is time to let go.
I work in retail, which is both tempting and ironic. As The Minimalists say, everything you do is steeped in irony when you start calling yourself a minimalist. Buy a bag of lemons at the grocery store? That’s not a very minimal amount of lemons…
As for the apartment, I live in a studio in Minneapolis, which I really enjoy. It is the perfect amount of space for just me. It is very functional as well, which enables me to entertain friends and have guests sleep over.
That being said, everyone’s recipe for minimalism is different! I may own something that doesn’t provide value to someone else, and they may own something that doesn’t provide value to me. What makes you a minimalist is questioning why you own what you own.
