Pete the Planner: Minimalism means less stuff, more enjoyable experiences

I remember the first time I was introduced to the concept of minimalism. Before the person got two sentences in, I had decided I had enough of it.

The way I figured, as long as I didn’t have a storage unit, or even a garage I couldn’t pull my car into, I was doing just fine. Sure, I had two dozen T-shirts older than the average age of the Colts’ defense, but I didn’t need some pseudo-financial, psychological garbage to clutter my otherwise vacant mind. Besides, who wants to live so frugally and not enjoy all the things life has to offer?

Then Joshua Becker, one of the preeminent thought leaders in the world of minimalism, changed everything when I was interviewing him on my radio show a few years back. It was something along the lines of, “Minimalism has nothing to do with frugality or buying cheap stuff. In fact, minimalism has more to do with buying really good stuff and decluttering your space both figuratively and literally so you feel less tethered to objectively meaningless things.”

It wasn’t his telling me my preconceived notions were wrong that had such a profound effect on me; I was used to that. What changed after that interview was my appreciation for two major elements of minimalism that I hadn’t previously considered.

Before we get there, though, now is a good time to tell you that my experience with minimalism is very much a journey. Just ask my neighbor Brian what my garage looks like right now. Let’s put it this way: If 2004 me returns from some parallel universe, he’ll be happy I have his stuff ready for him.

To begin, I’ve learned the value of buying really nice things and then taking care of them. Mind you, I’m not suggesting you buy only expensive items; instead, I’m suggesting you only spend more on items meant to stand the test of time when taken care of properly. Think automobiles, dress shoes, furniture, kitchenwares and, arguably, a home itself. This requires less of an interest in trends and more of an interest in true craftsmanship.

Unfortunately, sometimes this particular journey can become a game of solitary one-upsmanship in which you keep accumulating increasingly better versions of things. For instance, I have an embarrassingly large number of wine-opening devices that have met my evolving standards of ergonomic utility over the years. In a nutshell, that’s frustrating, especially when I encounter a screw-top bottle.

As you would guess, the second piece of the “buy good stuff and maintain it” puzzle involves getting rid of all the stuff that was replaced by the good stuff. Yet, “That’s my backup,” is often the refrain that justifies its retention. You don’t need six frying pans.

The other main maxim of minimalism I’ve enjoyed revolves around experiences. I don’t want more stuff, unless the stuff is meant to be consumed. I don’t want another sweater. I don’t want another lamp. I don’t want another pair of Bluetooth headphones. I want a bottle of wine. And before you feel like this column is one big cry for help, the wine represents something nice I can enjoy and then be done with its presence. I simply don’t want the very real burden of physical possessions to dampen their forecasted enjoyment.

Minimalism is meant to help you enjoy life more by deemphasizing stuff and all that’s involved with accumulating and storing, and shift the focus of your life to maximizing your utility of the things you do have and emphasizing enjoyable experiences.

Frankly, the best place to start is getting a better appreciation for what minimalism has to offer you. And in order to do that, you need to … accumulate yet another book. Any of Joshua Becker’s books are great, but I’d start with “The More of Less.” You’ll also find a lot of value at his site becomingminimalist.com.

As you will learn, decluttering is a great place to start. It will make you appreciate even more the things you decide to keep. Start with one single space, preferably a small space, so you can create some momentum through easy results. Simply make three piles that represent what you’re keeping, what you’re disposing of, and what you’re giving away. Before you know it, your journey to minimalism will have begun.

Speaking of, check with the Goodwill store on the west side of Carmel; they’re about to have quite a few wine openers in stock soon, maybe.•

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Dunn is CEO of Your Money Line powered by Pete the Planner, an employee-benefit organization focused on solving employees’ financial challenges. Email your financial questions to askpete@petetheplanner.com.