Minimalism - the Holy Grail to Happiness?

-
Anyone who knows me, knows I am no minimalist.

I love stuff – pretty stuff. Lots of pretty stuff --furniture, dishes, paintings, books, do-dads, knick-knacks, you name it.

Nancy's Daily Dish







































Pinterest







































But recently, I have been intrigued by the minimalist movement. Mainly because so many of my friends say their children don’t want grandma’s china or silver or an old dresser set or any family heirloom. They are so disheartened – they gently saved and protected these heirlooms for years to pass along to children who now want no part of them. 

Pinterest







































So, I had to investigate.

What is a minimalist?

The website The Minimalists gives their definition:

       "Minimalism has helped us…

      Eliminate our discontent
      Reclaim our time
      Live in the moment
      Pursue our passions
      Discover our missions
      Experience real freedom
      Create more, consume less
      Focus on our health
      Grow as individuals
      Contribute beyond ourselves
      Rid ourselves of excess stuff
      Discover purpose in our lives

       By incorporating minimalism into our lives, we’ve finally been able to find lasting happiness—
       and that’s what we’re all looking for, isn’t it? We all want to be happy. Minimalists search for
       happiness not through things, but through life itself; thus, it’s up to you to determine what is
       necessary and what is superfluous in your life.

Ok. That sounds really noble and good but does it really help you find lasting happiness?
Can I, by getting rid of my stuff, become happier?

The bigger question I have, Why aren’t people already happy? I am happy.

I love my dining room. It is not super-cluttered but does not fit the definition of minimalism either.







































It is one of those rooms that when I walk into it, I smile.
Every. Single. Time.

However, Chris Fultz, co-owner of Nova Liquidation, in Luray, Va. says dining room tables and chairs, end tables and armoires (“brown” pieces) have become furniture non-grata. Antiques are antiquated. “Old mahogany stuff from my great aunt’s house is basically worthless,” 



























Now, let's see. 

Could it be that we did this ourselves? We gave these these children so much that they had rooms so stuffed with stuff that they are now eschewing possessions? 

Pinterest






My guess is when you grow up in a room like the ones above, you may feel the need to live like this.

http://eyphoto.net/20161003053320_minimalist-apartment-minimalism/







Or this:

Ca-Na-xini



























A quote from GQ Style on minimalism:

      "It has been said that minimalism is not a style that precludes possession, but a style that
       precludes careless possession. Only the essentials, thank you very much."

Then we have this:

Ivan Terestchenko; Fernand Léger's Le profil noir © 2016 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris

One of the greatest maximalist rooms of all time is a collaboration between two of the most stylish men of all time—Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. That's their legendary Paris apartment above. ~drool~

Rooms like this are the expression of a life well lived—a celebration of objects and design—things that have been collected with a combination of care and wild abandon.

I like rooms with items of interest. With texture, color, and light.











Rather than these rooms. (I really think I would go stark raving mad.)

Pinterest

Pinterest



Some claims to minimalist living:
  • Minimalist Living Is The Key To Meaningful Living - not sure about this one. I can certainly find meaning with or without stuff
  • You’ll Become A Whole Lot Less Stressed - there may some truth in this one. I do get stressed when I have drop-in company and I know things are a bit untidy.
  • Focus on Health and Hobbies - hummmm, I think my hobby is decorating and a good 4 hrs of house cleaning certainly helps you break a sweat.
  • Promotes Individuality and Self-reliance - disagree with his one. How can you have an unique home when everything is grey, white and from Ikea?
So, is minimalism the Holy Grail to happiness? Maybe for some. 



Pat






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Seaside Hotel or Badehotellet

-
Image
Amazon Prime had an offer for Season 1 of Seaside Hotel so I thought, why not? It is a delightful series and one I am really happy I found. In the series, the woman go to Skagen for a girl's afternoon out. Never heard of it. But in usual Pat fashion -- I knew nothing about that part of Denmark. I marveled while looking a the pictures of sea oats and sand dunes that look just like the Georgia Coast. Naw, this is Denmark -- where did they film it? Denmark is cold. It couldn't possibly have sand dunes and sea oats ---  I investigated. With my old friend Google Maps, I first had to locate Jutland. Silly me, I checked the south side of Denmark first. Finally I just asked and there it was -- way up on the tip top part. In reality, the show was filmed in Jammerbugten. The hotel is a set. But Skagen is real. Anyway, here are a few things I discovered. There really are some adorable beach cottages. House in Skagen, Denmark   © Gunvor Eline Eng Jakobsen / Alamy Stoc...
Read more

1848 House...Haunted?

-
Image
Originally a home, then a hospital, then a warehouse, then a restaurant, and now...back to being a private residence after being sold to a physician in 2006 and remodeled by Todd Architects -- this 8 bed, 8 bath beauty is still with us. From the book, Marietta, 1833-2003 by James Bolan Glover, descendant of the original owners and Rebecca Nash Paden: “Charleston planter John Heyward Glovers, Jr. built Bushy Park, a Greek Revival plantation house, on his 3000 acre property in 1848. The house had 17 rooms and many outbuildings, including a stone kitchen, which still exists. Heart Pine floors and hand-hewn beams are featured in the house. William King* and his servants occupied the mansion during the Civil War battles in 1864. The house was also used as a federal hospital.”   (*son of Roswell King and Catherine Barrington) Is it haunted? A lot of the paranormal activity is contributed to the fact it was used as a hospital during the Civil War. When it was a re...
Read more

1856 Beauty in Acworth - The Lemon House

-
Image
As we often do on Sunday afternoons, we went for a drive today and visited Acworth, GA. Driving around the various roads in the historical area, we stumbled on this beauty. The sign out front reads "James Lemon Antebellum Home ca. 1856." Immediately I was taken by it. I had to find out more. A few things I learned: James and Mary Davenport Lemon purchased 800 acres of land and built a small frame house.  Just before his marriage, their son, James Lile Lemon, expanded the house to a Carolina style, modified Plantation Plain house. After the Civil War in 1890 the two story porch was replaced with with neoclassical Doric Columns we see today. Why didn't this house get burned when Acworth was burned? Well, for 5 days in June 1864,  Maj Gen William T Sherman took over the homestead and stayed during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain in June of 1864. Some sources say that after he left, it was used as a hospital. Capt.,Co.A,18th Ga.Inf.Regt.-CSA. One of...
Read more