Want vs. Need : My Dream of Minimalist Living

Greetings.

I have been thinking about this topic for a while now.

What does it mean to be a minimalist?

I'm SO intrigued by the concept.

According to the online Dictionary, a miniamlist refers to:

1. 1.

   a person who advocates or practises minimalism.
2. 2.

   a person advocating moderate reform in politics.

Obivously when I refer to minimalism I am in no way talking about politics.. hahaha...

Urban dictionary refers to a minimalist as:

• one who puts forth as little effort as possible

"I'm a minimalist, make your own example."

Hehe. 

Ever since I was young, I had a problem with having too much STUFF!!!!

There's just to much stuff you can have. I seemed to have more stuff than anyone else, which is probably not true, but maybe it was.. I did have a lot. My brothers had a lot of stuff too. So did all my friends.

I think it was just seen as totally normal.

I truly believe that we 100% live in a consumeristically-driven society.

It's not as if I have researched it, but I have been on this planet for almost 23 years and I can see the obsession with the NEW. People are made to believe they constantly need the next best thing.

Look at the Toothbrush market. We talked about that in my Media Studies classes at University.

A toothbrush is a toothbrush, but they are constantly bringing out newer and better models.

How?! Why?!

ITS A TOOTHBRUSH! YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH! Yes, you are supposedly meant to replace them every 3 months. But I don't do that. I can't be bothered. My toothbrush can last ages. In 3 months its barely had a chance to be used to its full potential. But I digress.

There are things other than toothbrushes that people want to constantly replace.

Look at the obsession with cellphones. Every year there seems to be a newer and better model that people get their knickers in a twist over. A phone is a phone. If you have one, great. Don't just go out and get a new one every time it has some new functions. Your phone is perfectly good.

I had my dumb phone since I was in Second Year before I finally joined the Smartphone craze, and it was only because my phone couldn't survive without being charged for more than a few hours. It was impractical. I was worrying about dying in a ditch somewhere if I got into an accident and my phone died when I tried to ring for help. Seemed like the better choice just to get another one.

I don't intend on getting another phone til this one blows up. Should last me at least a few years.

I am so sick of having so much stuff. The consumerist culture makes me sick to my stomach.

I don't need all this stuff. I don't WANT it!

When people ask me what I want, I just say nothing.

There are obviously things I want, but its all stuff I'd have to buy myself.

A few examples are:

• A new handbag - mine is falling apart and looks TERRIBLE! But I am currently saving for a new guitar so the handbag will have to wait

• A new wallet - same as the handbag dilemma. My wallet gets constantly laughed at. Its hot pink and I've had it for almost ten years. Its looking a little worse for wear, but it still works so like the handbag, it can wait.

• A NEW GUITAR - this is a big one. I have wanted a new guitar for a very long time, but I've always told myself its not practical. I have a lot of things I need to pay for. 

There are my continual costs that go toward my car; petrol, oil, WOF, new tyres, etc.

A car is a bit of a money pit, but I need one.

I have my rent and food expenses, and I've also invested a lot of money in recording my first album.

This summer I am going to get physical copies of the album made and that's going to cost even MORE money.

It just never made sense to me to spend a lot of money on a new guitar.

But I REEEAAAALLY want one.

So I finally decided to bite the bullet and make my own 'Guitar Fund' bank account to slowly put a bit of money aside every paycheck and EVENTUALLY get my new guitar.

Its also a great way to satisfy those who insist on getting me presents.

Please donate to my New Guitar Fund!

Its pretty perfect.

EVERYONE WINS!

I don't expect to have enough to buy this new guitar for a while. And I do have Isabelle til then (Isabelle is my current guitar).

Don't get me wrong, I don't NEED  a new guitar, and I know that full well. But I want one.

I guess that's the difference between want and need.

I need to buy petrol, pay rent, etc. I don't need to buy a new guitar.

I also don't need to buy new clothes - so I haven't been.

I don't need to go to fancy restaurants to eat fancy food, so I don't.

There are a lot of things I don't need, so I do my best not to indulge in that stuff.

But I do want a new guitar.

You could say I NEED a new handbag but my one still works so I don't reckon ;-)

On a larger scale though, I don't need a lot of the STUFF I have accumulated in my life. I want to just sell/get rid of most of it. I don't want so much stuff.

When I get married and move into my own house, I don't want it to be full of stuff.

I want to be a MINIMALIST well and truly. The less stuff the better.

Only what you NEED.

No knickknack-y things, I have enough of those to fill a house. I want sleek and empty shelves, windowsills and tables. I don't want stuff everywhere. 

In my 5 years in Dunedin I have managed to accumulate boxes full of stuff. It makes me feel very frustrated and disappointed that I haven't adhered to my dream of being a minimalist. Its so difficult sometimes.

But I will keep working towards it.

Some people think that having more stuff will make them happier, I feel like the opposite is true for me.

The less I have, the more satisfied I will feel.

We don't need stuff to make us happy and fulfill us.

Some things are necessary.

Some things are just for fun.

And some things just aren't needed at all.