Minimalism is a rejection of consumerism and a move toward a more purposeful life.
This week on the podcast we spoke with Angelique Christopher (@smokeygordon on instagram) who is a self-described extreme minimalist. Coming from a family of hoarders left her with a complicated relationship with objects. When she first lived on her own she found herself accumulating a lot of bric-a-brack and items to replicate a homely feeling in the early days of her life as a renter. But with each move and each new rental Angelique found herself driven by a desire to reduce the clutter and the hassle of carting belongings from space to space. Ten years later she has reduced her belongings to a carry-on bag and a storage tub and now finds solace in a clutter-free existence that enables her to move from place to place with ease.
In this episode we delve into the some of the big issues around minimalism including the link between hoarding and trauma, how to detangle yourself from the trappings of consumerist culture and how to reduce what you don’t need to make room for what you love. Check out Angelique’s tips to start your minimalist journey below:
· Start with getting rid of cheaper things like items worth less than $20 – $50 that you’re not using and are not sentimental.
· Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle. Try not to dump everything in the bin, consider donating and gifting and selling the more expensive items
· Start thinking about what you’re buying, ask yourself ‘do I need this?’
· Get rid of the things you don’t need to make space for the things you love
· Have a motivation – a reason that you’re making space. Some people want more room for their children to play, some are travellers and want to be more mobile.
Check out the podcast to hear more about her story! You can find some interesting links below to articles and resources that we mention in the podcast.
May Contain Traces of Soy 