What minimalism means to me...

Minimalism looks differently to each of the people who embrace it.  For some, it means only owning a set number of possessions. For others it means scaling back their lifestyle to free up time for the things they love.  This is what minimalism means to me:

• a garage I can park in.
• wearing practically every single thing in my closet every two weeks.
• empty drawers and cabinets with breathing room.
• being able to appreciate things in a store without having to buy them. 
• preferring a curated collection of memory items that is enjoyable instead of boxes that overwhelm. 
• a schedule with margin.
• awareness of the "energy cost" of owning physical things.
• a change in my expectations of what I need.

Minimalism has been a gift to me. What started as a simple exploration to blog about has changed my perspective in ways I didn't realize needed to be changed. 

If you are new to the minimalism idea there are five writers who have inspired me: Courtney Carver, Leo Babauta, Lorilee Lippincott,  Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus.  With regard to the last two, I just finished their book, Everything That Remains: A Memoir by The Minimalists which details their journey on this path. It is a really engaging book—definitely an inspiring story about choosing your life. (Note, this is not a "how to" on minimalism.  For that, click on Lorilee Lippincott.) Millburn is a vivid storyteller and it was fun to read Nicodemus' interjections in the appendix.

If you are just exploring minimalism or have been on the path for awhile, I would love to read your story in the comments.