It all started when I said yes. Yes, Instagram, I want that book that you offer to selected users, that book that I can’t find in a bookstore, that book that I can’t sign out of the library or borrow from a friend, that book that I can’t read an e-version of, or even take an online preview of, because there isn’t an electronic version. It’s exclusive and mysterious. What’s in that book? I definitely didn’t need to know, but I definitely wanted to know.
The elusive Instagram Book
I am a person who imposes many rules of conduct upon myself. I also break my own rules, but mostly I follow them. For example, I have rules related to acquiring new goods, these rules are influenced by my minimalist hankerings, which I have committed more resolve to in the last year. (Confession: I have definitely gone through phases in my life where I bought clothes every season).
So, my rules:
1) Only buy things I actually need, not want. Be honest about what I need. I do not need new jeans because the ones I own are not the trendy cut of the season. Although, I really, really, really want those trendy jeans. Living in a climate that hovers around -20 celsius for a few months, I need winter boots if I want to keep my ten toes.
2) When goods are offered to me or the children for free, I only accept them if we need them and I would have paid full price for them. There is a national marathon that runs each year right past our house, volunteers are always aplenty, offering up plastic noisemakers, temporary tattoos and so on. I would never pay for these items, so I will not accept them for free. Ro and Sen are frustrated and displeased by this every year. But, they forget every year, that I brought along cow bells, a much more elegant noise maker, right?!
It is relatively easy for me to say no to things offered to the children. (Parents take note: minimalism is a very handy excuse to not allow all that crap you dislike into your home). And when the children are witness to my saying ‘no’ they are learning that we do not just willy-nilly acquire things. Sometimes they protest, sometimes there are tears, but usually they accept it. All goods must be produced and have environmental implications. And all the goods we say yes to end up in our crowded home. Environmental responsibility and simplicity of the home space: both reasons motivate me to say no, even when it is so much easier to say yes.
Now, I rarely have things offered to me. But I do follow the same rules. I recently had a publicist write to me with a catalogue of goods that I could choose from that she would send to me for free. Well, really, probably in exchange for a blog post. I do, in fact, need new clothing. As I looked through the items, there were many nice things, many popular brands, but there wasn’t anything that I would choose to buy with my own money. Do I need a few new shirts? Yes. But would I pay for any of those ones? No. So, I kindly declined her very generous offer.
But then there was Instagram offering me an exclusive book, appealing to my inner book lover and my sense of curiosity. There was some hesitation – a few days of hesitation – but ultimately, I said yes. “Yes, Instagram, send me that book!” (Confession: I said yes to something that I did not need, and I knew it. I totally knew it.)
I felt like a child waiting for that package to arrive. Happy mail! But the excitement was peppered with worries, had I started myself on a slippery slope? Was one ‘yes’ going to lead to another, to many more ‘yeses’?
So, coming back to the opening statement of this post: what all started when I said ‘yes’? After the worries, it was renewed strength. We all have weak spots, areas where our resolve may be diminished, where temptation finds an easy target. I fell off the horse. But I got back on. I got back on, more determined to stay on that horse. Wait, does a minimalist ride a pony? I’m riding…that’s the point.
Now, it’s time for a few more confessions:
1) There are a few areas in our home with piles of stuff. When a pile is referred to as stuff, it’s safe to assume it’s not needed. Not to mention piles…hmm.
2) Sen has more toys than he can possibly play with. Ro has more pencils and pens than she’ll use up before college. (Paper on the other hand, there is never a blank piece to be found. Ro has doodled on every potential writing surface in our home.)
Slowly, but surely, I’m tackling those piles of stuff and all the toys, getting them down to a minimum.
But we always need more cowbell, right?
(If the cultural reference is not coming to you, search “more cowbell Christopher Walken” on You Tube).
Read all my posts about minimalism here.
***
If you liked this post please consider sharing it!
Let’s be friends! Please come find me in other places:
- Bloglovin: to subscribe to my blog feed
- Instagram: @hippieindisguise
- Pinterest: Hippie in Disguise
- Twitter: @hippieindisguis
- VSCO: HIPPIEINDISGUISE “Wanderlust and Minimalist Fun”
- Facebook: Hippie in Disguise
- *New* Private Facebook Discussion Group: Slow, Eco, Minimal Living just ask to join, we love to welcome new people
Love this post! I believe in minimalism and am always downsizing and also refusing plastic toys such as you said that are offered to my two kids. My mom is the opposite, she came to my house and kept exclaiming, you need more of this, you need more pans! Etc. I told her I only need the amount of pans that I need to cook one meal and no more. I try and keep the least amount of things because I feel they just clutter my soul! I’m obsessed with organization and having a place for everything so it is easy to find every time. I recently tackled the “toy section” of the living room, because they kids liked up a lot on their last birthday and past christmas that they don’t use and donated a ton of things! It was fun getting the kids involved, having them put in a pile what they don’t like anymore and what they would like other kids to have that have no toys to play with. 🙂 Spring cleaning!
Thank you so much Tara! I do feel that the clutter in my home clutters my mind. It is definitely an easy source of motivation to keep the stuff to a minimum. It is great that you are involving your children, they will grow up with a different perspective on how much stuff a home should have. Thanks for visiting the blog.
Reblogged this on The Official David Tyner Blog and commented:
This is what I am pushing for. Simple, meaningful living.
Thank you David. I’m glad we are on the same page.
Good for you for recognizing a weak spot and getting back on track! Also, nice to know HOW you are a minimalist. Excellent.
Thanks Vanessa. It can be challenging to see our own weaknesses and then to admit to them, but it is a good practice. And yes, there are many different flavours of minimalism. xx
Yes, yes, and yes again! Love this post, Danielle and you know we are on the same page re all this. Simplify, streamline, pare down to what it is necessary (as you say) – that is how to live a beautiful and meaningful life. There’s just too much “stuff” in the world. A glut of offerings that, in the end, do nothing to truly enrich one’s existence.
Ellen, thank you. I’m so glad you liked the post. That’s exactly it, when you say “enrich one’s existence” that should be the barometer for “do I need this?” Thanks.
Hi I interested to know how you feel with the instagram book in your hand? Do you enjoy it and feel inspired by it or is it simply filling up a space with no specific use? because sometimes that treat we let ourselves have is important for our well being x
Hello, and thank you for your comment. I did really enjoy reading the Instagram book and found some inspiration in it. I will still admit that I don’t need it, but I will also say that I want to keep it, for now, it is a great little book. I’ll make sure to share it with friends who are interested in reading it too. I’m not sure I could go so far as to say that it was good for my well being, but definitely a pleasure to read and lots of fruit for thought.
Thank you for sharing my post, I really appreciate it.
Haha, I love it. I can identify with so much of this! Ever since my husband and I got pregnant with out first child we’ve been waging a battle against things. There are family members (well, one in particular :P) who inundate us with an almost constant barrage of well-meaning gifts. Toys, clothes, more toys. To get rid of the proffered gifts is to not care about the giver. It’s a huge conundrum, because I value lack of clutter just as much as I value family harmony. Happily, living in a tiny home has given me the ultimate excuse to not be able to accept many gifts. I just don’t have room. 😀 It’s perfect!
PS – I forgot to say, that bottom picture of Ro and Sen is too cute!!
The rule of “Only accept it if you’d buy it full price” is a good way to think about it – I’m going to try to live by that one!