Life

Is Minimalism Extreme and Radical?

Friends and family that know my minimalism journey always ask me.

“A’ishah, how do you know when to stop de cluttering OR how minimum is finally minimal and ideal? Is it living with only 100 items? Is it living on a backpack? Does it means you can’t own a car, a house and kids?”

Oh boy..

Owning less things is only the result of minimalism but what minimalism really is – the key – is knowing and consistently evaluating our priorities so we can strip away the excess stuff.

Yes, there are guidances of how many things you should need in order for you to live functionally or practically but everyone’s priorities are different. What is necessary and what is considered excess are also different.

It’s fun to know (read blog and watch Youtube) on how people live with their minimum stuff. How many shoes and clothes they have. What are the furnitures they live with. What are the thing they can live without. That can be your inspiration. Also, it goods to know that you’re not alone in this journey.

However, after all, you just need to ask yourself about You. If you are pressured to follow certain minimalist on how they live their life, I guess it beats the purpose of minimalism itself.

For example, a minimalist painter might need 48 colors of acrylic paint while for us who don’t paint at all, why do we keep at home even one color?

I need shawl, 5 or 6 because I wear hijab on daily basis. A boy who only wear scarf during his winter travel once every three years might not need it as much as I do.

So, is minimalism extreme and radical? The answer is NO.