This question pops up quite often and the two seem impossible to marry. But actually the solution is a handful of important mindset shifts that will ultimately improve your quality of life.
Some of us are naturally more the collector personalities and inclined towards materialism. And you know thats okay. You reading this means you are dreaming of being a minimalist, because all the clutter and excess stuff overwhelms you and you are lost as what to do. You wont be the perfect extreme minimalist, but this is also not the goal.
NUMBER 1: Why do you collect? or want to collect? Is it because now everyone is collecting labubus or whatever is trendy right now? Are you following a trend or actually some deeper part of you? In the case of the former I advise you to reevaluate and possibly to find other thigns and not go into collecting. If, however, youve always been the collector type and its just in your personality, then this is for you:
Collecting used to be this weird thing a few people do, collections would come together over a very long period of time. Slowly and meaningfully. And this is the spirit you want to come back to.
Mindset shift 1:
Ye good ol' days.
If your collection is very consumerism and buying driven, youre doing it wrong. While it sounds paradoxical, because every collection requires you to buy at some point, it shouldnt be at the forefront of your collection. Buying everything at once will make you feel overwhelmed and empty. Itll make the collection loose its meaning and magic. Avoid that. Speaking from experience.
Dreaming of a thing is usually nicer than the thing itself, so taking it slowly is the key.
Often times itll be WAY more enjoyable to really get into what ever topic. I for instance collect customizable dolls. So a great way to get into it is get acquainted with the genres history, releases, companies and artists. Thats a whole lot of time engaging with the particular collection without really buying anything.
Also, really want to stress the SLOW. Only if done slowly a collection will actually get a meaning and sense of worth to you. Things acquired with an effort have more worth. Thats why you pay for certain resources and coachings, and animals at the shelter*. If something is free, easy or quick it has no value. No if you have to wait, save up, do lots of research etc. DAMN YOU BETTER GET THE MOST OUT OF WHAT YOU INVESTED is the mindset you fall in. ANd you wanna use it for your collection too and savour the process because that is where the real joy lies.
Mindset shift 2:
Decorative collections vs engaging collections.
I think most collections can be classified in two categories.
Decorative collections:
Such as funko pops,figurines etc. that you put on the shelf to look at and thats all. Once in a while they require a dusting. Are mostly about consuming, showing off status and wealth
Engaging collections:
Such as (comic) books, clothes, customizable dolls (my case) etc. that engage you in various activities from reading, styling and wearing clothes, or crafting and more. Involve buying of course, but focus more on certain hobbies and activities.
Now is your moment to reevaluate your collections. In which category does it fall? Here, I would heavily encourage you to stay away from merely decorative collections and instead CHOOSE ONE or two engaging collections. You want it to not be about the buying, you want it to inspire activity. While nothing is wrong with having decorative items, and you are free to do and live as you please, that style of collecting actually DOES NOT go together well with minimalism if you so choose to be one.
I, for instance, collect customizable dolls. I give them names, stories, characters, I make their wigs, their clothes and shoes, their accessories, paint their faces etc. And my collection allows me to get really engaged with those hobbies - yes you can do it without a collections, but it for me gains more meaning this way. Those things connect together in a bigger picture and are not a flood of too many hobbies with no set purpose.
This way you bond with your collection and that is the actual substance of it, that consumerism tries to sell you. The more time you spend with the items, the more experiences you make with them, the more enjoyment and fulfillment you will ultimately get out of it. That will ACTUALLY fill the hole in you vs buying. And whatever dopamine hit buying a new thing brings will PALE in comparison to circling back for the tenth year to what you already have in your collection.
Mindset shift 3:
The size matters.
Literally. You dont want a massive collection, you want a meaningful one (to you). Apply the container concept and dedicte a certain space to your collection and try to stick with it. Items should be added very slowly anyway. And to that its also helpful to add certain restrictions like
- not buying anything new in the next year to focus on what you really have and get the most out of it. Also increases the bond with it and brings more joy and saves money.
- only buying second hand, which can increase waittimes, but man the excitement you feel when you finally, after years of looking and having a want to buy post up, find that special item or release you were looking for is actually priceless and makes it more meaningful.
- Choose a theme. EG. I only buy dolls that fit into my story as characters (all already existing) over buying dolls for simply being pretty (that could make them decorative for me rather than engaging). Doing so will help you keep your collection meaningful and concise.
- planning acquisitions. Treat it with care. Adding something new to your collection is a serious matter. Do you have enough money and space for it? Do you actually want it? Will it actually add meaningfully or is this a not well-thought out impulse? New things shouldnt be added mindlessly. And theres fun in the thinking and planning to and I believe it is a vital part of collecting. Your collection is your little safe haven and should not be exposed to too much consumerism, because thatll kill it.
Final words
Ultimately, there is no real right or wrong. Not collecting or having a smaller collection doesnt make you morally superior. Just as enjoying your stuff doesnt make you less so. Minimalism really shouldnt be about policing yourself out of enjoying stuff. But if too much stuff (and you define what too much is) overwhelms you, minimalism is a great tool and even as a collector type will lead you to discover that most things are not really as exciting as they promise. And you will find how little you actually want. Youll most likely also decide that you just wanna go back to that favourite of yours.
Collecting could be about anything at this point and I like to expand the mindsets previously discussed to all areas of life and treat most of my things this way. All my minimal kitchen supplies are part of my "collection" and I get joy out of using them every time.
So, done right, it can actually drastically increase your enjoyment of life and all the little moments.
*clarification: animals as living beings have inherent value and worth. Not disputing this. However, enough people dont treat or see animals that way, so shelters make you pay a fee - not only to cover expenses - but also to ensure that the animal is actually worth something to the new owner and will receive medical assistancei f needed etc. Heard this in an interview with a worker from an animals shelter.
This is also a great reminder that minimalism is a mindset at the end of the day, and not an endgoal. I love that this post emphasises that you yourself decide wat "too much" is.
As someone that tends to push themselves, it's nice to have reassurance sometimes that you don't have to make yourself miserable for an unattainable goal.
I think its good to push oneself sometimes, but not too far that it starts messing with your well being.
I think recognizing ones own limits is important. I know a person who has like 150-200 dolls and maybe that works for them, but I couldnt handle that many haha
I like how you approached this. It makes minimalism more inclusive rather than it being an exclusive club wherein you must have less than 300 items in your possession to be considered as a minimalist. I also do believe in your belief that minimalism has so many applications and not just in the physical way but also in the intangible way (i.e. well-being, mindset, etc)
This is called "value" <3 __ <3
As a minimalist, I like big this and big that. One huge item > small details that I'll probably need more of which is far from minimalism aldy.
Sculpted statue > small figurine
Big Christmas curtains > small Christmas trinklets
Im glad you liked this post!
And I totally agree! One bigger thing like curtains can create the desired festive mood much more effectively than a bunch of small things! Also a good point you make to focus on the BIG picture lol, what one items creates the most of the desired effect. Really helps with prioritizing
I have quite a few books, but I do make sure I periodically go through them and remove any I’m no longer interested in. This also makes space for new ones. I would say they’re an engaging collection— I reread frequently and am also a huge library user. I do also have some decorative collections. My parents got me some art (hand blown glass balls) from a local artist. They’ve given me them for my birthday for quite a few years. They’re all different and I enjoy looking at them. Someday I might have enough, but they’re very small and I enjoy having something I can actually ask them to get me for presents — they enjoy looking and then getting me something and I get something I enjoy. Art is probably definitely its own category for me.
Thats nice! Yes I agree. And also that art is its own category. I have a few wall hangings myself, an oil portrait of me that I was really lucky to get when modeling for an art class, so while I see how it can be counted as a decorative collection by my own definition I do think art is an exception :)
"Dreaming of a thing is usually nicer than the thing itself, so taking it slowly is the key."
This! I used to collect and hunt the rare things, then when I got it I was over the moon but soon I didn't pay attention to it anymore and started hunting the next treasure...
I've been able to stop collecting (I want to do something else that doesn't take up space). I remind myself that don't do it you'll grow bored of the thing you buy instantly.
But..
I have my old collections and they remind me how much money went into them. I've tried to sell them but no one has been interested. So I'm between of keeping them forever or just tossing them.
Ouff yeah I understand. I also have a hard time getting rid of stuff that cost a lot. But sometimes its best to just swallow the fact that the money is gone and your peace of mind and living space being relaxing is more important than having a lot of stuff collecting dust weighing you down.
Either way its a good insight to have, one thatll definitely stop us in our tracks before something is bought impulsively
I collect tea. I make sure to know its origins and how it is processed and how it differs from all the teas i have consumed before. I try to know everything i can learn about the tea i am drinking before buying a new kind to ensure that my tea collection is well curated.
I also try to keep samplers of all the teas i have consumed in a little tin can. That way, even if the tea is gone, i can just go back to my sampler collection and use that as reference to buy a similar tea to replace the previously consumed one.
Oh wow! That sounds so cozy and wholesome. I love this! I love tea :3
Also whats your (current) favorite
My current fav is a black honey tea i found in Japan. It has the perfect balance of sweet and bitterness for me. A close second is Mansong raw pu-er from China. I ordered a 10 set of 10g sampler teas and that one is one of the few that stood out from the set. I ordered the full size cake of the pu er afterwards and am still enjoying it till today. I enjoy the process of watching how the loose leafs grow and bloom as it reacts with the hot water. Whenever i want to detox from coffee intake, i go for earl grays.
For teas that i dont like, i found that i dont like much barley teas cause i think its too herbal tasting for me. I also dont like lavender much cause i think i am drinking soap. Flower teas are a hit or miss for me.
I have a couple figures. They are engaging for me, I like to draw them! And they just make me happy to look at.
Thats so nice!!!!
colecciona huevos faberge!
I collect[ed] "Rebecca Collection" Victorian-style Porcelain Dolls by ELBY and artist Rebecca Mamoure, but also Porcelain Dolls in general, and other dolls (Cabbage Patch Preemies, 90s Barbies, baby dolls). I am very, very specific about the dolls I would buy. I also collected books. My collections are small. I'm likely going to donate or try to sell four Porcelain Dolls I have, but we'll see. I've also decluttered my books three times this year. I'm trying to figure out if it's possible for me to become a Minimalist while being a collector of, or having collected, (Porcelain) Dolls and books. I'm very specific about the Porcelain Dolls I collect, so I do far, far more looking and browsing then buying, so that is something, I guess. It seems to fill an urge or meet an itch for me when it comes to dolls for me.
My minimalism is about a place for everything and nothing overtaking its place, I collect challenge/hobo coins, I also have a small plushie army, and I have an 8x22 room full of arts and crafts supplies
Of course my dogs have 30+ toys that make my yard look like a toddlers living room, so there is no logic there at all
Hahaha love that though! Your doggos seem to have a wonderful hoem
I collect 50 euro notes. 100 euro notes as well. The only collection I'm willing to have.
I like looking at them, counting and touching them, feeling the weight of them in my hands.
Hahah thats a great one :D
I have a severe weakness for containers. I'm picky about which containers: I love antique glass jars, and old wooden cigar boxes from before the 1950s.
My rule is: have my containers and spots to put things but they must be actively in use. Nothing is sitting here as a dust collecting display for people to go, "oooh! That's neat!"
They all serve a specific purpose, and have a job.
I don't use plastic containers for food storage, I use glass jars and refrigerator dishes.
I use cigar boxes for things like makeup pads, tampons, etc. I have an old ceramic jar from theb1900s with a lid that is my salt cellar instead of a shaker.
Stuff like that.
This satisfies my love of antiques, my hatred of plastic, looks better than plastic, isn't expensive, and makes my autistic brain (fascinated by small spaces) happy to have things in things.
I don't have a lot of them, I have what I need and use them.
And that's how I justify collecting: I make them useful, have a job.
If I allowed myself to have things just because they're pretty or catch my eye, I'd be in trouble. Us autistic types get fascinated by the worst things. Makes sense to us but to anyone else, it's bizarre. I'm worse than a magpie for collecting so this his how I keep it to a dull roar: give it a job.
That sounds awsome!
I wanted to write this yesterday, but work.
Before I embraced minimalism, I collected as a hobby. Originally, I thought I was just collecting, but I had no goal of any kind. I just grabbed.
Then, after I got married and another person mattered as much as my collection did, I got some perspective. My collection ran my life, not the other way around. It took days to clean it, there was no good way to organize it, and so I didn't take care of it like I should. After some self-auditing, some thinking, and some conversations with good friends, family, and my spouse, I reached the following conclusions.
Now, I keep my collection to a shelf in the house that's prebuilt and perfect for the collection. I also narrowed down what characters I collected. Over time, even that shrank down (and has done so again since then). It's down to one character and a few offshoots of that character. Now, when I look at it, I do so with pride and joy. It's curated, it's cleaned monthly and I am nearly done adding to it (about 6 more figures, other than the occasional new release).
And I'm proud of it. I smile every time I look at it, it makes me happy, and it's a joy to have in my home.
Does it make me less of a minimalist? Maybe. Do I care? Not really, because minimalism isn't a race, it's a mindset as others have said. It's about living life with less. For example, I tried the "one single device that runs everything" for years. That just don't work for me. So now I have my laptop, built and customized by me. I have an e-ink notebook for all the handwritten/e-reading things. I have a digital music player for those things. The minimalist in me believes that using one device for each of those things makes it simpler and more minimal rather than trying to shoehorn a variety of different purposes into one device. I had a Galaxy Fold and an iPad Pro (at different points). I never could quite get it to work.
Hopefully all this rambling helps :-)
Collect friends who like to do similar activities that require no consumerism.
perfect
I still find this to be mental gymnastics
There are no minimal collections. It's like the christians that hate poor people, just ignoring the uncomfortable parts of the philosophy so you don't have to change
Well, Id definitely like to read your point. I dont think minimalism should be about deprivation. The philosophy will definitely always lead you down the road of recognizing not needing or wanting many things. And I think I pointed out in my post when you should stay away or drop collections and how they do actually clash with the philosophy. I mean you could literally regard your table ware as a collection. And giving it up and not having anything to eat from in the name of minimalism would be ridiculous. I have also made it pretty clear that as a collector type being into minimalism one can hive up the idea of the extreme minimalism