“THERE are two ways to get enough: One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” — C.K. Chesterton, an English writer amid many other vocations.
Somewhere between birth and death, we are sucked into a zone called “More”. From needs, we progress to wants and then suddenly without realising it, these wants become “must-haves”. And so, we have more, need more and want more.
It was no shocker when I heard an advertisement on buying new tiles being aired recently. According to the salesman, the sole reason to get new tiles was to impress the neighbours!
Look at the refrigerator. It is bursting at its seams with new food, old food, good food, bad food and, not surprisingly, mouldy food that have escaped our attention in our eagerness to keep the fridge well-stocked.
We buy bigger cars, bigger houses and bigger “everything” as we get on in life and we have very good reasons why we do so and justify our purchases.
Suddenly, we are more senior in age and sanity bids us to downsize.
Just like human bodies shrink with age, we start to downsize the house because it has become a hassle to mow that big lawn where we used to have birthday parties. We trade in the grand-looking car for a smaller version so we can nip around easily in the city.
But the question is, where do we start?
Enter the revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organising, and storing as spelt out step by step in The Life Changing Method of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
The New York Times calls this book the greatest thing since sliced sushi.
The idea behind downsizing and minimalist living is living very intentionally and allowing your surroundings and possessions to become an expression of yourself.
Many of us have that jar of loose buttons and writing paper that we have carefully kept away on the shelf. In fact, they have been sitting on the shelf for quite a long time. Let’s face it — when do we actually need a spare button or hand write letters anymore?
Even so, when one of our coat buttons falls off, we might not find an exact replica in the said jar.
To quote Marie Kondo: “The best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: ‘Does this spark joy?’ If it does, keep it. If not, dispose it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”
The end result?
When we own less stuff, it frees up the space around us. By clearing the clutter, we can enjoy the magic of a tidy home and calmness of the soul. If that is not real freedom, I don’t know what is.
When we focus on fewer jobs, it frees up the time that we have so we can pursue our passions and make real relationships.
I heard of an elderly lady who suffered broken ribs because of an accident. After she was discharged from the hospital, a good rest would be most vital to speed her on the road to recovery. But alas, her healing was slow, because she was so used to doing almost everything in the house by herself despite having adult children who were well able to help her out.
Minimalists like Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, point out the personal anchors like debt and clutter that weigh us down and prevent us from moving forward. We need to hoist those anchors up if we want to sail.
I must begin purging the cupboards and store room. Pronto.
Dr Koh Soo Ling was a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara and now spends her days enjoying life as it is