I don’t know how much “worse” consumerism is in North America compared to Europe but the fact that I grew up in France certainly shaped my mind in a way that is less focused on stuff and more focused on “living well”. I grew up learning to appreciate life’s pleasures: a delicious homemade food, a great wine, a beautiful table setting, the company of loved ones, and daytime meals that extend into the evenings, filled with love and laughters. To me, that’s what life is all about – no matter how cluttered or uncluttered our home is. It’s mostly the reason why I don’t worry so much about the stuff and about conforming myself to the generally accepted ideal of what a minimalist home ought to be (as small as possible, no spare bedroom, etc.). I grew up in a large family so hospitality is a big thing in my value system. A home isn’t just four walls and a roof (or a metaphor) where I eat and sleep. And it isn’t just for me and my boyfriend. It’s a place of communion with friends and family, a place where they come if they need a bed for the night, a place where we create our own rituals and traditions. It’s our little world in the world. And I think it’s more important to make sure my friends and family feel welcome and comfortable in my home than to have a perfectly decluttered space.

Stuff doesn’t make us happy. We know that. Things were initially meant to improve our comfort level, and that’s exactly what they should be considered – tools that make our life more comfortable. Nothing wrong with that. It bugs me when people talk about stuff like it’s some kind of evil force. Stuff only becomes a problem when it invades your life in an unhealthy way, when it becomes a way of filling a void in your life, of dealing with your insecurities and unresolved issues.

I’ve never believed that minimalism is the key to happiness. As far as I’m concerned, happiness is a personal choice that comes from within. If you can’t be happy in your heart, you will never be happy, whether you have a million dollars in the bank or nothing at all. Anything else that you get to enjoy, be it a nice home, a good bank account, an amazing friendship or a hobby, is like the cherry on the proverbial sundae. They make life more fun. If you’re a Debbie Downer – rich or poor -, paring down won’t be of any help. I do however believe that minimalism will make you happier because it helps you to focus on what matters the most (to you).

Minimalism has become an intimidating concept because we’re seeing more and more examples of “extreme minimalism”. It’s becoming unhealthy to the point where people feel pressured to measure up. This is what Karol Gadja called “a sick game of keeping up with the Joneses” in a recent post (make sure you read the readers’ comments; they’re quite interesting). I think Karol summed up perfectly what minimalism is all about: “I have exactly what I need. Nothing more, nothing less”.

Just a quick update on my 500 things challenge (more info here). This weekend, I reached the 100th thing mark. It happens to be a DVD of one of my most favourite movies: “things you can tell just by looking at her” by Rodrigo García Barcha (son of novelist Gabriel García Márquez). If you’ve never seen this movie, I highly recommend it.

I’m really enjoying this last round of purging. It challenges me to question everything I own and to redefine the way I see my life. Very cathartic.

I love this – the idea of starting over and the feeling of infinite possibilities.

Via Swissmiss

In my family and among my friends, I am the “not normal” one. My boyfriend (who doesn’t share my enthusiasm for minimalism) teasingly reminded that to me a few weeks ago. All I know is I want to live my life as beautifully and peacefully as I can, which involves setting priorities, and using my time and money to support my life goals. For me, it means spending my money on travels to learn more about the world around me instead of buying shoes and handbags and home accessories; decorating my home in a way that promotes focus and serenity; and spending time only with people who nurture positivity and genuinely encourage me to be and do better. Every single day, I make a conscious decision to make my life even better than the day before by choosing inner peace over chaos and experience over stuff.

When it comes to home décor, I’m generally not very keen on fussy designs. To say it simply, my brain is more receptive to simplicity. I actually didn’t realize it until a few years ago. Chaos and clutter (figurative or literal) stress me out. I can appreciate the beauty of a more ornate interior but I could never live in a house that screams “overdecorated”. Me, I like my walls white and my home free of unnecessary stuff. I remember right after we bought our house, we furiously got to work to make it home, painting walls and ceilings (in white), removing dirty carpets, etc. A friend who was visiting noticed our white walls and said: “Oh you’ve just begun applying primer”. I know she didn’t mean to be rude but it still took me aback, kinda like when you congratulate someone for her pregnancy and realize too late she isn’t pregnant but carrying a few extra pounds. Awkward.

That was the first time I realized some people will never understand my vision of an ideal home. People usually don’t understand that behind the “spartan” aesthetics (relatively spartan because I’m by no means an accomplished minimalist -yet- ), there’s a philosophy and a conscious lifestyle choice. Which is why I refuse to debate with them. It’s one of those things that fall in my list of pointless arguments. But here’s what I would say:

Where you see blandness, I see beautiful simplicity.

Where you see boring white, I see purity.

Where you see emptiness, I see serenity.

What about you? What do people around you think about your minimalist lifestyle? Do they think you’re crazy? Or weird? And if you’re not a minimalist, what do you think about minimalism? I’d love to hear your opinion.

Anyway, I hope you had a great weekend! I did despite the rainy weather.

I went to the Miles Davis exhibition (held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts – last day is August 29. More info here). It was great, lots of good stuff, beautifully done. Since it was a rainy Sunday afternoon, the exhibition was packed so I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I wanted, but I had a great time nonetheless.

I also made bread. Yes, real bread. It’s so easy a child could do it. And it’s seriously as good as what you’d buy at an upscale bakery. It took less than 5 mn to prepare the dough (then you’ll need to let it rest for at least 12 hours). I didn’t have wheat bran so I coated the dough with just a bit of flour (which I like better anyway). And I was afraid our Le Creuset French oven would be too small, but it’s actually the perfect size (I’m not sure what size it is… maybe 2L or 3.3L). I love quick, simple recipes that make me feel like I can actually cook!

The whole process is explained in the video: (there’s a slightly different version of the recipe here)

THE JONESES
It isn’t Oscar-material but it’s actually better than I expected. I was going to say it will speak to most minimalists and aspiring minimalists but I guess it would be preaching to the choir. Still interesting to watch.

MARY AND MAX
I love, love, love stopmotion animation, and Mary and Max is my absolute favourite. You’ll laugh and cry. Sometimes both at the same time. It reminded me of my relationship with my friend Guillaume, whom I met on a trip to Ireland when we were teenagers. He and I became best friends from day one and maintained our long distance friendship for years thanks to regular 10 to 20 page letters. (We didn’t use email back then, kids.)

HALF NELSON
I watched this movie several times and never get tired of it. Shareeka Epps and Ryan Gosling (hello total cuteness) are both amazing. Some may find it boring but I find it powerful.

500 DAYS OF SUMMER
One of the only “romandic comedies” (beside Love Actually and a few others) I can watch without rolling my eyes every 5 seconds.

SHOPGIRL
It’s a simple little movie that isn’t mind-blowing but I feel connected to Claire Dane’s character.

INCEPTION
If you’re into visual arts, this movie will be a nice treat. It takes imagination to a new level.

In reply to a commenter who wrote “That’s ridiculous. How does technology substitute for a decent place to sleep and heating in the winter?”, someone made a valid point: “According to the article, he now couch-surfs at friends’ houses. That’s not downsizing, that’s mooching. He kind of reminds me of people who claim they aren’t materialistic/live simply because they don’t own a car or some other big ticket item, but then constantly borrow from friends or beg rides.” Moochers disguised as minimalists? Hmmmm…..

Anyways, the writer (Gregory Han) asked the following question: “If you had to live with just 10 possessions, what would they be?”. You’ll find my list below – just for fun because there’s no way I’m ever going to live with just 10 things. Maybe when I become an ascetic nun but the chances of that ever happening are very slim. (I assumed that possessions don’t include personal stuff like underwear, family jewelry and winter gear – hey I live in Canada!)

- iPhone
- Laptop
- Swiss army knife (I don’t own one, but if I had to live with just 10 things, it would definitely be on my must-have list)
- Sketchbook
- Pen
- Toothbrush
- V-neck cashmere sweater
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 pair of ballet flats
- Purse

Did you read the Apartment Therapy post? What do you think?

It reminds me of my late teenage years (I’m a kid of the 90s) when I couldn’t wait to be a grown-up. What I didn’t realize is I was actually living the best time of my life. There’s something magical about being a teenager. The spontaneous crushes, the special bond shared with friends, the feeling of endless possibilities, the fearless attitude. Where does all that go when we grow up?

Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekend! I’ll be back sometime in the next couple of weeks.

(ps: I’ll be MIA for a few days but as always, you can leave a comment or contact me at hasinafr[at]hotmail.com.)

Via AT