Maybe you know my/our story from this blog: I quit my job, we sold our large and overflowing house, gave away our possessions and moved to a two bedroom apartment. Living on the beach in Grand Haven, Michigan. I had started a 200 day countdown blog when few people believed I was serious. I continued writing as we embraced minimalism and decluttering. Living in our paradise. A simpler life. But something changed in just the last two weeks. In only a few days we made the decision… goodbye minimalism!
The setup
Thirty-five years of owning houses, moving every few years from state to state. Four kids, each born in a different city. All our accumulated “stuff” making each move because it was free and easy. Company paid moves, so load it all up. The extra stuff went to an ever growing basement collection.
But finally… I was just done… done with “work hell”. Done with all the maintenance of a house and grounds. Longing for a simpler life. Give me Willoughby, from the classic Twilight Zone episode.
After finding a way to escape we engaged our plan. The heavy lifting of decluttering and minimalism fell to my wife while I closed out work. A monumental task. “Stuff” we had almost forgotten we owned. We donated 17 end tables. Still shake my head at that thought. Who in the world has 17 extra end tables… we did.
A true believer
“If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” ― William Morris
With her relentless drive, and our brutal focus on minimalism, we arrived here with so very little. For two-plus years living in less than 1/4 the space we had before. A truly uncluttered, small but comfortable two bedroom apartment.
Some true believer minimalists will dispute 1,106 square feet of living space plus a garage to be “small” for only two people. Yet our last three houses averaged 3,800 square feet of living space and three car garages.
So calming to live with very few possessions. Only what we believed we truly needed or thought was beautiful. Lots of inspiration along the way. “Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism” by Fumio Sasaki caught my eye. James Altucher’s stories of traveling the world living only with what he could fit in a single backpack took things to the extreme, but was inspirational.
Later, when I read Altucher announce he had finally decided to give up life permanently traveling from one Airbnb to another with only the clothes on his back and one single backpack… I remember being a bit disappointed.
But who could really live life with only 15 possessions for more than a few years? And what were the implications for our own less severe version of minimalism as Altucher withdrew from his?
But again, the true believers of minimalism may dispute our lack of possessions. We didn’t get rid of stuff just to be rid of it. We triaged everything. Kept the most useful and beautiful things that would fit in an apartment. Virtually nothing on the walls. Nothing on the counters. Visually sparkling clean. But our limited storage was organized and full.
Drip, drip drip
Instead of progressing further down the road of brutal minimalism, we began to very slowly buy a few more things. Our apartment began to feel smaller.
And while we adapted to the realities of apartment life, and our complex is almost resort like, minor irritations have grown.
The first year we had a professionally trained ballerina (really) living above us. Never would even know she was home. Now we have “The Thundering Herd” living above us. A guy, two women, a very large pit bull, and who knows how many other creatures. For awhile we were subjected to drunken mud wrestling bouts that went on for hours. And the pit bull chasing balls above our head, crashing to the floor and bouncing off walls. Eventually, they calmed down… for the most part.
Then “The Slammers” moved in across a shared wall. Never knew the quiet people before them. But “The Slammers” are passive aggressive to the extreme. Proudly announcing their presence by purposely slamming their door again and again and again. No matter how well built an apartment complex may be… determined people can annoy the crap out of you.
And the occasional neighbor walking thru the landscaping, peering into our windows. More than once, waving a friendly but clueless “hi” as they caught our eye as we stared back at them.
So in retrospect, some minor seeds of change were sown.
Still Happy?
Happy yet? Oh hell yes! Life continues to be fantastic every single day. Even in a pandemic. We signed up to stay another year in our little apartment. Western Michigan remains amazing. One of the reasons to originally move to an apartment was the ease of picking up and moving anywhere we desired. Anywhere in the world. Freedom, even if not always utilized, still feels great.
Our time remains our own. Minimal maintenance chores accomplished quickly. Time invested in creating or enjoying life.
So why change?
But by now, it is clear we won’t be adventuring life in Panama. Or Portugal, Italy or Spain. And… a hard no to Florida or Arizona. Michigan is our home now. Permanently. There is simply nowhere in the world we would rather be. Flexibility that comes from renting has evaporated as an important benefit.
Why leave paradise? Especially a paradise that is so huge and diverse. An almost endless number of beaches, light houses, communities, vineyards, brewpubs, shops and restaurants most still unexplored. All within a day trip drive.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, it is quiet and peaceful. We still live in paradise. We had gotten used to the realities of apartment living.
I get a chuckle out of walking by “Jeff Spicoli” on my daily walks to the dog park. He stumbles out of his car, saying “hi” to Shilo and myself as the skunk smell hits us. A thousand bucks a week in unemployment for months, and legal pot, meant you can be publicly high all the time.
Suddenly
But then it happened. Talked to one of the many, many incredible people at our private dog park. He was extolling the building of a brand new house. In a wonderful community. Big beautiful houses… that we had zero interest in ever owning again
Then he mentioned the condos that were also in the sprawling 500 house subdivision. They were really small detached houses set up for maintenance free living. I listened with interest.
Stopped by the next day and toured the showcase. And was astonished. Beautiful, spacious, private. Living in a home where everything external was covered by a $243 per month condo fee. Sprinklers, landscaping, mowing, snow removal, water, sewer. All the maintenance covered by the fee. As is the insurance on the roof, siding… everything external but the deck.
Surrounded by friendly people in a beach community. Lots still available on the small lake / large pond sandy beach, or backing into tall trees. How much would all this cost?
Doing the math, again
So just for fun… what if we did an 80/20 mortgage? Principal, interest, condo fee, HOA, insurance, property tax… all in. And all significantly less than what we are currently paying for our apartment and garage.
Never having to worry about roof, gutters, siding, driveway etc. Still eventually, someday, the brand new appliances would age, and potentially need replacement… yet it made financial sense.
A home without most of the maintenance. Two and a half times the space we have now. A beautiful setting. Private. Peaceful, but with much to do… the little lakes, pool, clubhouse, miles of trails.
Goodbye minimalism
Then came the options. The glass “Michigan room”, designer kitchen, fantastic shower, finishing the basement. Stunning flooring. Light fixture, hardware upgrades… on and on. Are these the decisions of a minimalist?
Dramatically expanding our living space. Spending to make it more beautiful and long lasting. Knowing that we would eventually furnish this space in the coastal style we love. Buying more “stuff”.
If I ever received a “minimalist card”, I would have to turn it back in with shame.
Or is it?
A friend asked, “Are you going to blog about walking away from minimalism?” Yes, yes I am. But not in shame. After all, what is minimalism if not choosing yourself ahead of possessions. It is not living in a cabin in the woods, sleeping on a cot, gathering firewood for the pot bellied stove.
Yes! That is our minimalism. We are moving and building forward, still acquiring and possessing what is beautiful and useful in our lives. But not letting possessions control us. Enjoying life stress free in our paradise.