minimalism

In the past year or so, I've tried out few different methods to organize my living space. It started when I moved into an apartment near Marine Dr Station. It was my first time living on my own, and the first time I had an unfurnished place. I started with very little decorations and furniture because I don't know how long I would be renting this place for, and therefore I want to be able to move my stuff as easily as possible. I also didn't have a lot of money to spend on home purchases. Not only that, I have never been taught how to do DIY projects properly, plus I am too lazy to learn and put effort into decorating my place.

So what started out as living on a budget and being lazy turned into this whole "minimalist' concept that apparently is pretty popular now. I am hopping on the bandwagon, but honestly it's only because I don't have a lot of disposable income (all my money goes to rent, lessons, travelling, food...). And then my friend lent me a copy of Marie Kondo's guide to cleaning up, so I ended up discarding a lot of stuff I didn't need. What's more important that I am now thinking a lot more critically about the objects around me, and putting a lot more thought into what my possessions do for me. It helps me identify objects that are unnecessarily, and after cleaning those out, I have more room to store things that actually improve my quality of living. 

My living room is furnished with the cheapest table and shelf I could find. The chairs were hand-me-downs from my parents, and I opted to buy the smallest Kallax shelf I could find. This limits how many books I can own at a time, so it forces me to donate the books I no longer read. 

My kitchen and bathroom follow a similar idea of keeping counter tops as clear as possible. This makes cleaning easier and helps create the illusion that things are shiny. I also got rid of a need for appliances by buying an Instant Pot. That one device replaces frying pan, pressure, slow and rice cookers. I also tried living without a microwave and I survived, so now I don't even have that nor a kettle. 

I like my bedroom looking as boring as possible. So I have blank walls and just the necessities. This environment actually makes me feel the coziest so I can just pass out as quickly as possible at night. (probably not the best for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle?)

I try to keep my desk pretty focused on 'productive' things. However, the piano does collect dust because I've switched to violin but I still can't bring myself to throwing out the piano. I try to keep T. S. Eliot and a few photos around to prove that I do indeed have a soul. 

My couch is more colourful than the rest of the areas in my apartment. The couch was the cheapest couch I could find anywhere, and IKEA sold it to me by calling it a couch that you can bring on the bus! Well after you had taken apart the whole thing, you could possibly transport it if you make a few trips... My friends hate it, but I like how simple and cost-efficient it is. Because it comes with minimal padding, I have to use a blanket to cushion it out a little bit. Works for me! My "LOVE" cushion was hand-made by a friend 11 years ago, and I have not found a cushion I like more than it.

After going through the Konmarie method, I eliminated most of my clothing needs. That leaves a half empty closet, which is great because my vacuum cleaner and ballroom gown are so big. There's still room for all my shoes too.

I also realized I spent a lot of money on expensive perfumes, but I rarely use them. Partly this is because common soap is heavily scented already, so I don't wear more perfume after I get out of the shower. So I switched to fragrance free regime. I also don't have any plants around, not even a cactus. I'm channeling the "Dostoyevsky" vibe, where nature is absent and the only thing left is the human mind. (time for self reflections)

What you also don't see here is the lack of home internet. I cut the service a year ago and waited to see if I was going to break down with the lack of connectivity. But it has actually been a very good experience. I cook, clean, practice violin, read and sleep more at home. And I also feel like my home is a getaway from the rest of the world, completely disconnected and isolated. It makes me feel like being on that fictional submarine in "20,000 leagues under the sea" book by Jules Verne, without the cool adventures in nature.