I didn't use to be a minimalist, in fact, I used to collect a lot of silly things. My DVD collection is impressive and now, completely obsolete. It kills me to think about the hundreds maybe thousands of dollars that I spent on stuff that is useless now. Don't get me started on my Broadway Soundtrack collection!
I was well into my Debt Free Journey when I discovered the book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo and her amazing TV show "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo". I became hooked! Basically, if you've lived under a rock and don't know the KonMari method, the idea is that you go through literally every single thing that you own and ask yourself if that particular item "Sparks Joy". If it does, keep it! If it doesn't, you "thank it" and donate or sell it.
How did this effect my budget?! Well, I began going through item by item and deciding what actually "sparked joy" for me. I realized that I prioritized experiences over things ultimately. Now, I budget for travel (which I treasure!), eating out with friends (pre-Covid, lol) and going to the movies (one of my favorite activities!). By adjusting my budget to allow me to focus on what sparked joy, I realized, I could lower my shopping budget and began buying less things. I even now have a rule that if I buy a new item of clothing, I have to get rid of something.
For those of you that know me in real life, the fact that my room is still pretty minimalist is wild. At one point in my life, it took 2 friends to help me clean my room to get it ready to move out. In this clean, we found 87 pens and over 40 dollars in change! What a mess!
In summary, I challenge you to figure out what "Sparks Joy" in your life and budget for that! When my budget allows for my fun times, it doesn't feel restricting in other areas.
Have you Marie-Kondo'd your house? Your budget? Tell me about it!
PS- There's also something so satisfying in her folding methods. It sparks joy for me :)
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