Old-Age to New-Age

I thought we were just showing our age. I thought we were just following the ‘grey nomad’ trend and trying to beat the empty nest syndrome. I thought we were just selling our house and moving into a caravan because we wanted a bit of an adventure. Actually we were becoming ‘new age’ and embracing the minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism is something I hadn’t really thought about, but since reading about minimalism I like the sound of it. The minimalist lifestyle is the lifestyle my husband and I have been living for the last two years. To quote ‘Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.’ (https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/) 

This new age way of living came about inadvertently, but my husband and myself certainly had to focus on what was important for a happy life when sifting through our stuff. The new age residence was only seven metres long and not so wide. Being minimalist hadn’t been something I had thought about before we decided to continue life in a caravan. This was evident on opening the cupboards in our house. There seemed to be a multitude of bowls and a mountain of towels. Minimalists know the answer to how many pairs of shoes make a happy life. They know the answer to how many knick knacks, books and crystal jugs equal freedom and fulfilment. They know lots of things. 

“How many plates shall we take?” I asked my husband looking at my good dinner set. His mind was more on the number of saws, screwdrivers and drill kits needed for a happy life. Did we need the wheelbarrow? Maybe we needed the spade?

“Where are you going to store your furniture?” asked friends. “What about the new fridge?” “What about those lovely chairs you’ve had for twenty years?

There didn’t seem to be any answers. Then suddenly it all made sense. Minimalism was a tool. It was a way of thinking. We gave it all away!