The change to minimalistic living

[kattsand]

Hope this is the right section to post this in.

My dorm room is 22 square meter (including the toilet)

This is what it looked like about 6 months ago

What you see is:
Two arcade machines
One pinball machine
Surround System
Hundreds of dvds
And loads of crap stashed away in the closets

(I almost grasp for air looking at that picture)

One day I came to the conclusion that I don't need that stuff. So I started to sell everything I didn't need.

This is what my home looks like today. Pretty much everything serves a purpose and I feel a lot better without all that stuff.

For all the money I got I bought a bigger bed (Love it!)


I still enjoy playing some Xbox occasionally so I kept it with just the one game I play. Without the Xbox my TV would not have served a purpose so I would have sold it too


My coffee corner and the glass cabinet that contains some stuff that I really enjoy.


Closer look on the cabinet. I like whisky so I've got some glasses. Thinking of selling the ones in the middle because I really don't need 8 glasses.


Other than that I pretty much only own clothes, books and some random stuff in the closets that I don't need but I haven't found any buyers or people I can give them away to.

People ask me all the time why I got rid of everything. All I say is that I didn't need it. They usually think I'm crazy but I just love it!
I really enjoy the stuff I have and the new things that I buy because now I only buy things that serve a purpose.

All the furniture is from IKEA btw!

I hope some of you people have made the same change and are willing to share you experience.

[kattsand]

Could some moderator move this thread to the "Personal Effectiveness" section? Think it fits better in there

[Angela]

Love it, kattsand!

Why don't you submit your photos to Apartment Therapy -- we love example of small space ingenuity over there!

[kattsand]

Sure, love to inspire people.
But you'll have to guide me through that website, don't really know where to do it?

[Daffy Duck]

Awesome work! Where did you sleep before?

I'm curious, what is your one Xbox game? Halo 3? Call of Duty?

I just recently moved to a new apartment and it was so easy. I moved everything I had within 3 hours. If it weren't for my mass collection of Power Ranger collectibles (yes I'm serious), I could have fit it all in my modest size car. My ex room-mate also moved to a new apartment. It took him multiple days and one day he even had three other people helping him.

And I still think I have some useless possessions I'm hanging on to. Need to clean them out soon.

I had a realization the other day. If everything I own was taken from me right now, it would an inconvenience, but it wouldn't really be so bad! I'm not attached to my possessions, and I know I have the resources and capability to replace them if needed. It's a great feeling!

Have you ever read about the Peace Pilgrim? She took minimalism to the extreme! See here: Welcome to the Peace Pilgrim and Friends of Peace Pilgrim website

[kattsand]

I play Call of Duty 4. Add me on Live if you wanna play, my gamertag is "kattsand"
I'm gonna check out that website. Sounds really interesting.

Edit: I slept on a bed behind the couch. It was a lot smaller.

[Daffy Duck]

Originally Posted by kattsand

I play Call of Duty 4.

That was honestly my first guess, though I wrote it second.

Add me on Live if you wanna play, my gamertag is "kattsand"

I don't own CoD4 anymore but I'll add you as a friend regardless. My name is BSG Daffy.

[Vertigo]

Wow! You have a very beautiful home. If I were to own my own place, I'd want it to look like that!

[kattsand]

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Wow! You have a very beautiful home. If I were to own my own place, I'd want it to look like that!

Thank you!
You can get your own place like this. IKEA is very cheap (is it cheap everywhere or just in Sweden?) so most people should be able to afford these stuff and don't forget to clean on a regular basis

[Daffy Duck]

IKEA is considered cheap in America too.

[kattsand]

So when are we gonna see your crib Daffy?

[Daffy Duck]

I now live with my girlfriend in her apartment and she has a ton of stuff!

It's going to be such a pain when she moves. If you want to visualize my old room, imagine a 13x12 empty room with a sleeping bag and pillow in the corner. No desk, no bed, no dresser, no furniture, no computer besides my laptop. I kept my books and clothes in the closet.

Before that I lived in a furnished apartment. Had a bed, desk, dresser, small table. It was nice enough. It was especially nice to not have to take all that stuff when I moved.

[sk8joyful]

Good job!

Yup, families can fit nicely into a 480-sq.ft.house with
a huge deck,
surrounded by 5 acres, of Garden-beauty, & animals. Living simple... is so kewl!

[Inthon]

Excellent! Lovesit!

[kattsand]

Originally Posted by Daffy Duck

I now live with my girlfriend in her apartment and she has a ton of stuff!

It's going to be such a pain when she moves. If you want to visualize my old room, imagine a 13x12 empty room with a sleeping bag and pillow in the corner. No desk, no bed, no dresser, no furniture, no computer besides my laptop. I kept my books and clothes in the closet.

Before that I lived in a furnished apartment. Had a bed, desk, dresser, small table. It was nice enough. It was especially nice to not have to take all that stuff when I moved.

Awesome man, awesome!

[kattsand]

Check this out! I cleaned out my closets and found loads of stuff I'm gonna get rid of.


This is what I found:
Gamecube
Tripod
Some arcade parts and games
A box of rare Alice Cooper records and stuff
Headset
Digital tv reciever
Some IKEA lamps
Coffee grinder
Nice jacket that's way to large for me
On The Road Audiobook
And some random cables

I've already found a guy who I'm gonna give everything away to. Except for the Alice cooper records and the tripod. I'm gonna sell 'em

[Daffy Duck]

I have a Gamecube I need to give away too.

I gotta say, although it took up a lot of space, your pinball machine was pretty sweet!

[kattsand]

I loved that pinball machine Got it for like $250 and sold it for $300.

[Liveformx64]

Well done Kattsand! Less is more buddy! I even feel more relaxed when I look at the after pictures, as I am sure you do too.

[BeyondtheWrap]

I really like these ideas about minimalism, simplicity, and not having a lot of possessions. I would like the possibility to just up and leave spontaneously whenever I felt like it.

I own a lot of stuff. I have accumulated more and more over the years.

Almost all my stuff has some sentimental value. I tend to save everything, because I am completely attached to my past and the things of it. I have this idea that someday in the future I will write my life story, so I don't want to leave anything out; I have held the belief that holding onto these things will help me toward that end.

Every time I come home from college I have more than I left with. My room is full and our storage space almost is too. Aware of this, I have recently decided that I can start throwing away things without losing them completely by scanning my paper goods and taking pictures of objects. That way, I can have my cake and eat it too; I remove the clutter while preserving my souvenirs in electronic form. Replace either/or with and!

I've already gotten started by going through my schoolbag from last semester, and I'm excited about getting to the rest, going through my closet soon.

[zenmasterben]

Love it, great job

and IKEA is also cheap here in Iceland Love that store

[Andrew Brunelle]

I love the minimalistic lifestyle. It's just so quaint and perfect. It can be a low or high budget lifestyle depending on the quality of the items you choose to own. I did it for awhile and got down to the bare bones and I was as organized as I had ever been in my entire life. Then I backslid. This thread has inspired me to take up the minimalist way again. I still don't own much, so it will not be as extensive a transition as last time. The only things I will keep will be the necessities and things I enjoy. I will probably make some money if I choose to sell the things I no longer use or need.

Nice pics. Dorm rooms are the breeding grounds for minimalists. Small rooms and lots of stuff...something has to go. The IKEA nesting instinct...nice furniture.

[kattsand]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheWrap

I really like these ideas about minimalism, simplicity, and not having a lot of possessions. I would like the possibility to just up and leave spontaneously whenever I felt like it.

I own a lot of stuff. I have accumulated more and more over the years.

Almost all my stuff has some sentimental value. I tend to save everything, because I am completely attached to my past and the things of it. I have this idea that someday in the future I will write my life story, so I don't want to leave anything out; I have held the belief that holding onto these things will help me toward that end.

Every time I come home from college I have more than I left with. My room is full and our storage space almost is too. Aware of this, I have recently decided that I can start throwing away things without losing them completely by scanning my paper goods and taking pictures of objects. That way, I can have my cake and eat it too; I remove the clutter while preserving my souvenirs in electronic form. Replace either/or with and!

I've already gotten started by going through my schoolbag from last semester, and I'm excited about getting to the rest, going through my closet soon.

I used to be the same man. I had hundreds of video games that I never played. I collected loads of garbage around video games. My life was about the collecting and not the gaming.
Nowdays I buy a game and when I'm done with it I just sell it right away.

When you start getting rid of some stuff that you don't need it might feel bad but after a while it feels good when you realize that it's not that bad. After that you can "advance" to stuff that you are (think you are) more attached to.

[kattsand]

Originally Posted by Andrew Brunelle

This thread has inspired me to take up the minimalist way again. I still don't own much, so it will not be as extensive a transition as last time.

Great. I love to inspire!
Keep us posted on your progress

Edit: Now I have to go to bed. Got to get up early and meet the guy I'm giving away all the stuff to

[Beuford]

This is great! When I have to move out I am not going to pack all my useless childhood posessions in to boxes and cart them around I'll probably have like a backpack and a suitcase for most of my stuff. I'll end up just chucking out most of the stuff I have. What do you really need? A wallet, some clothes, your birth certificate and other valued posessions.

[tsjechov]

I like the space you created, the room looks more light and it is easier to breath.

But... I miss one of the machines... those where special. And i miss something really 'you'. The room looks like an appartment with furniture you can rent. Any man of your age could live there (i would never expect a woman to live like that). What is really you?

Ah, and plants... more and bigger plants would give more life too...

[kattsand]

I have my sunglasses, whisky and coffee corner that is 'me'. I think I will get one machine again in the future when I get an real apartment.

Thank you for your inout!

I'm gonna move again in about a month. I'm thinking of a small cabin (10 square meters!!).

[Daffy Duck]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheWrap

Almost all my stuff has some sentimental value.

I used to feel the same way until one day I just didn't care anymore about sentimental values. I don't imagine myself in the future sitting on a couch wishing I had a bunch of old random things to look back on. Hopefully, my memories alone will suffice. I hope I'll be too busy living in the present to get upset over such things.

[kattsand]

I've just read 15 pages in the book; The Way of The Superior Man and it made me put my couch up for sale

[Liveformx64]

Originally Posted by kattsand

I've just read 15 pages in the book; The Way of The Superior Man and it made me put my couch up for sale

Awesome perspective changing book I recommend it to any young man finding their way in the world.