Recently updated on: September 27, 2023
Living in a maximalist house filled with many things in common for Filipino families.
Anywhere you go, so many unnecessary items and objects are taking up space and filling our homes.
It is even evident in our own house. If I go to the living room, there is a cabinet containing birthday and wedding souvenirs. There is also a space where travel mementos are displayed.
Then moving into the kitchen and dining area, there is a cupboard filled with over fifty seldom-used plates, several dozens of drinking glasses and mugs, and many utensils. However, most of them are just displayed.
Then if I go to my parent's bedroom, there are dressers filled with hundreds of clothes, many of which they will never wear again.
There are pants and shorts that barely fit, several changes of towels and bedding, different colors of curtains, and many more.
But a house filled with stuff is not rare; unfortunately, this home setup is still widespread.
It's just sad that many people still aim to own a house large enough to fill with a lot of stuff.
Table of Contents
My Journey to Minimalism.
I've been trying to adopt a minimalist lifestyle for a few years, learning a lot from it.
I realized that our consumerist society had brainwashed generations to think owning more is the right way to live.
The problem with that thinking is that many things we buy, receive, and store does not add value to our lives; some can even add stress.
Eventually, those items become things we purchase to spend money on, including those we don't have, but somehow give us some dopamine to make ourselves happy.
With minimalism, I began to look at life from a different perspective. I realized that I have more than enough for my own and can be a channel of blessings for others.
Contentment is the key to a better life, after all.
Living in a Maximalist House.
The biggest challenge in my minimalist journey is the house that I currently live in. Since I returned to the province, I have been living in my parent's house again.
Though I can live independently, I choose to stay in my childhood home to maximize my time with my parents while still single and because it is more economical.
However, part of my decision to stay will also include occasional stresses over the stuff around the house.
That is also why I have a personal space in the house to feel in control -- that is my room.
And in that small portion of our home is where I can feel that owning less provides a bit of peace of mind that whatever I need will be within my reach.
Common Problems Among Maximalists.
A common problem with people who loves to collect things is the tendency to hoard.
Many people would love to collect items they will display in the foreseeable future, hoping they can pass on those things to others one day -- which, in some cases, are not appreciated.
Another problem is storage. It's funny that when we can't find spaces to store our belongings, our initial response is to buy additional storage spaces such as cabinets and drawers.
However, the problem is not where to put the overflowing items but the items themselves.
The lack of space in the existing cabinets and boxes is only a symptom of potential overconsumption and inability to let go of old, excessive, or unused items.
And lastly, the tiring process of cleaning. Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com got the lightbulb moment while cleaning his garage.
He realized he spent more time cleaning his storage than with his family.
Since then, he began his journey to minimalism and started inspiring millions of others in their minimalist journey, including myself.
We Can’t Change Others.
Another lesson I learned in my two years of living with maximalists while trying minimalism is that enforcing our values on others is impossible. We can only try to influence them.
And since we can't change others, we can only do the things that will hopefully inspire them to try minimalism.
When Is the Time To Leave?
Though it will be much easier to implement my lifestyle changes in my own space, I am not trying to rush into it just for the sake of it.
Though I get frustrated sometimes, still, I can stay in the meantime. I just want to spend more time with my family.
Another is I don't find economic sense in moving out of our house since the expenses I usually spent in Manila were cut in half.
The time will come when I will have to leave eventually, and that time will be after I get married, hopefully to someone who shares the same values as mine.
I just put my trust in God's plans while still preparing myself that if I meet someone, I will be ready.
Final Thought:
Minimalism is a journey that will take a long time, and the place where we live will significantly impact how fast we transition.
We think we need many things, but in reality, some will add little to no value. So let us be more conscious of what we take inside our house.
Now, look at your house. Do you think you can improve them by adopting a little bit of minimalism? Probably the answer is yes.
thankssss