Musings of the Minimal Kind

Long before Japanese organizing consultant and author, Marie Kondo sparked joy I already knew how to find mine. No clutter lived in my organized, everything-in-its-place bedroom. Being a minimalist from a very young age did not sit well with my post-depression era parents. Hold on to what you’ve got, because this-could-be-it philosophy, although completely understandable, did not seem to apply to a new generation. As a teenager I purged clothing taking up residence in my closet that no longer fit, much to their dismay.

This was always a battle. “But that pink sweater still fits you.” My mother insisted, going through my donate pile. To prove a point I squeezed myself into the sweater, which if truth be told, was small from the get-go; “return” apparently not part of our lexicon. Resolutely I pushed my head through the opening, took in a deep breath, wiggled my arms through the not-going-to-give-an-inch sleeves, transforming my limbs into pink sausages. What little breasts I had, flattened into pancakes, my midriff exposed, while my mother, exclaimed, “It fits!”

So, while I may have had a difficult time being understood, as an adult I am free to be as minimal and simplified as I desire. It gives me great comfort and a clear head when everything has an appropriate place to live. I write better when the house is in order first. Socks, in the sock drawer, apparel in my closet, sorted by color, pantry items, nestled neatly in their bins. And I would rather have quality over quantity. Life is simpler that way. Less is more.

And what some may say is a need for control, I find quite liberating. I recently found a way to simplify my makeup drawer, thus saving me valuable time in the morning. I have banished the need for a pencil sharpener. I really thought this was a stroke of genius and why I didn’t think of it sooner is beyond me. Twist up eyebrow, eye liner and lip liner pencils are the way to go. It’s a game changer.

So, we all have choices. We can make our lives complicated and messy or simple and neat. I choose the latter.