MINIMALISTYLE

minimalist

style

Trade living space and possessions for mindspace and freedom. The Finleys did it, and so can you. Here's how one couple consume less, but live more.

by JADE O’TOOLE

photos by NASH + KIM FINLEY

If clutter makes you crazy, if you avoid the mall like the plague, or if you’re frequently filling garbage bags with stuff to donate, you could already be on your way to living a minimalist lifestyle. What is minimalism? Well, in short, it’s living with less stuff. Some people do it for environmental reasons, others for the freedom and reduced stress. But as the authors, podcasters and full-time proselytizers for minimalism, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus say, “Minimalists don’t focus on having less, less, less; rather, we focus on making room for more: more time, more passion, more experiences, more growth, more contribution, more contentment, more freedom. Clearing the clutter from life’s path helps us make that room.”

One way to have less stuff is to not have the space for it. Tiny homes, often less than 500 square feet, offer only the basic living arrangements (a kitchen, a bathroom, and a sleeping area) and have little space for possessions. Small spaces force their inhabitants to keep only what is absolutely necessary. Such was the case for two people living in a 50-square-foot home on wheels.

Imagine waking up in the morning, brewing a coffee, and opening your front door to a new location whenever you want. This scenario is a reality for Nash and Kim Finley (thenomadicpeople.com and @thenomadicpeople on Instagram). The couple live a minimalist life on the road in their 1978 VW bus named Rusty. Nash is from Arizona, Kim is from Germany. The two met while travelling and have been moving around ever since. How do they do it? Both ditched most of their possessions, gave up their apartments, and pursued the “van life,” living on the road for three years and counting. Why did they do it? “Freedom,” replies Nash, “It’s quite exhilarating to just drive on the open road without any plans.”

Nash is a freelance graphic and web designer, but they both pick up odd jobs wherever they

In an informal poll of Capilano University students, we asked: “Are you happy with how much stuff you own?”

No, there’s still a couple things I would like.

31%

6%

Yeah, I think I have enough. No, cleaning out my closet is way overdue.

go. Dog-walking, babysitting, and Lyft driving are just a few of them.

Living in a van of course has its perks and downfalls. The perks include the ability to move from place to place. The downfalls include lack of space and resources (even a toilet). “Living in a van, you have to make conscious decisions about everything you want to buy, since you will need to find room for it. It is quite surprising how little you need to survive and how consumerism had such a large effect on our [previously] sedentary lives,” Nash observes.

Their adopted lifestyle made the couple more mindful of the resources they use, like power and water. In their VW bus, Nash and Kim can store only five gallons of water at a time, and must make every drop count. In fact, Nash remembers visiting a friend’s house and doing the dishes: “[He] looked at me with a big smile and said, ‘I was wondering why you turn off the water after every dish, then I remembered you live in a van.’” Without electrical appliances that we take for granted, like a full-size refrigerator, they are mindful of any perishable items they buy, and never let them go to waste.

They don't have long-term plans to live on the road, but Nash says that “the awareness that comes from living in a bus will stick with us for the rest of our lives.” ■

Taking Steps

Many of us like the idea of minimalism, and even want to pursue it “someday.” Letting go of our possessions is daunting and thinking before buying can be hard. But you can take steps to move yourself in the right direction: •Start small: Don’t dive into being a minimalist. Writing down all the reasons you want to live a simpler life is a good place to start. •Eliminate clutter: Start with what's visible on your counters, tables, bookshelves and desktops. Before you simply stash the items away in drawers and cupboards, consider whether you will use them again and, if not, start a box to take to friends, give to a thrift store or charitable organization, or take to the recycling depot. •Use a system: There are many first steps to take, one of which is Project 333. This is a minimalist fashion challenge where you only wear 33 items (or fewer) for three months, including clothing, shoes and accessories. You then put the rest of your items somewhere out of sight, and repeat the challenge every three months. What doesn't get worn at least once during the year is probably something you can donate or recycle. •Ditch the car: Though Nash and Kim’s vehicle is their home, many of us can manage without a car. People living a minimalist lifestyle often choose to ride a bike (electric ones, with a motor and battery, make uphill pedals a breeze), carpool, or use a car-share service instead.

The Benefits of Minimalism

1Minimalism will save you money: most of us have bought something at some point in our lives and immediately asked ourselves if we really needed it, or if it was just “a want.” Some of us have piles of things that were purely wants, not needs. The majority of these purchases only provided us with a fleeting feeling of joy. So why do we indulge? Because we are surrounded by others who want to acquire stuff, and by media messages that exhort us to buy new things, whether it's a car, an iPhone, a flat-screen TV, or a pair of designer shoes. Material wealth is seen as a normal aspect of life. Time to change your thinking. 2 Minimalism will save you time: Bestselling author Joshua Becker says that, on average, Americans spend about 12 hours every month shopping. Once the items get home, organizing and caring for them becomes another burden. Shop less: fewer possessions in your home makes it easier to clean and easier to find the belongings that are important to you.

3Minimalism keeps you from looking backwards: Becker also found that minimalism allows you to move away from your past. Think about it; how much stuff do you have from your high school days or earlier? Do you still use them or are they sitting in your closet? Of course, there are things we choose to keep for sentimental reasons, but there is also a lot of stuff we may keep just for the heck of it. According to Becker, “clutter keeps you tied to the past. Your thoughts tend to dwell in the past as the things around you force your mind to reminisce.” Maybe some of it doesn’t even bring back the fondest memories. By getting rid of things that are irrelevant to your current life, you’re able to move on from yesterday and focus on today and tomorrow.

4Minimalism can reduce stress: Many people don’t like being surrounded by clutter, and owning less makes it easier to be tidy, creating more reflective, serene living spaces.

5Minimalism will make you happier: The Simplicity Institute, an education and research centre that strives to “seed a revolution in consciousness that highlights the urgent need to move beyond growth-orientated, consumerist forms of life,” conducted a study to prove that happiness can be achieved through less. In a survey of 2,500 people who self-identified as minimalists, 87% said they were happier now, living with less stuff, than they were when they had more possessions. ■