After my big “purge“, I was ready to go full minimal. I had enough of having too much and I was ready to get rid of it all. I got down to nothing more than a Jeep full of stuff, and that was it. I had casual work clothing for a week, some casual clothes, my workout clothes, some kitchen goods, personal items, and some memento’s that I just could not purge.
After a couple years of unemployment I was ready for a full time job. I decided at this point to become a truck driver. Wow, a big change from my vocation, but it allowed for a minimalist lifestyle. At some point I’ll post about my short-lived experience as a truck driver, and why I made that choice, but for now I’ll keep on subject. After a short, one month stint as a truck driver, I gave it up. About six months later I found a job that I could enjoy. The new job paid well, but that didn’t mean that I was going to go crazy consuming again.
I interviewed on Friday morning and accepted an offer Friday afternoon. I believe one of the reasons that I was chosen was my ability to be in a different state on Monday. I would not have gotten the job if they had to wait. By living minimally I was able to pack the remainder of my stuff, put it in the Jeep and hit the road. As I mentioned in my post “The Purge“, I was minimizing so I could be mobile so when I found the right job I could be there without the hindrance of having too much stuff.
I stayed at a hotel for the first week at the new job, and then moved into an apartment. I wanted to make sure that the job worked out before I started buying some comforts. After six months I bought a bed (mattress only). I had been sleeping on my camping mat which was fine, but the bed was better.
So now I have a decision to make. The job is working out so I can afford to settle down a little, but what does that mean when it comes to stuff? One of the minimalist theories is to have quality over quantity. This is when I decided that living kinda minimal would suit me best. I bought some kitchen items so I could cook instead of eat out. And then I scoured Craigslist for other items. I got a TV since Netflix on the computer was getting old. I got a La-Z-Boy and a bicycle. I eventually bought a drone for fun, but this is about it for what I need. A friend came to town and wanted to stay a couple days, so I bought a futon.
None of the things that I bought would be hard to get rid of in case I needed to move again, so I didn’t worry. The bicycle I would keep, and it could go on top of the Jeep. But for the bed, chair, futon and TV I could put these on Craigslist, or I could just give then to friends. This is where “kinda minimal” comes into play. If you look at my life style, I am living minimal, with the exception of comfort items that I am not attached to, and which I can get rid of with little notice or effort.
If you struggled with this issue or can inspire others on this subject I would like to hear your story. Please comment below.