The meaning of minimalism for me is ever-evolving. At first, I thought that it was just a simple concept of "owning less". But as I learn more about it, I realize that minimalism stands for something so much more.

For me, minimalism is a way of life, wherein the basic principle is to recognize what is essential and make conscious decisions to eliminate what isn't.

Without fully realizing it, applying the concepts of minimalism in my physical space changed the way I see the world entirely. Its principles can be applied to health, writing style, habits, fashion, relationships and thoughts etc. Basically anything you can think of!

Some people might assume that becoming a minimalist means I have to narrow down my belongings to 50 items. To some it makes perfect sense to purge all possessions, but not for me. My idea is quite different. I don't want to live a life of scarcity, rather, I wish to be surrounded with the things that bring me joy and fulfillment. Anything more than that is overkill. (this topic will be discussed in my future blog post -- finding the right amount)

The journey of minimalism is different for everyone.

What does minimalism mean for you?

My fiance always took pride on how tidy his bedroom was and how hard he works to keep things well organized. But despite his efforts, I still feel a sense of ordered chaos whenever I enter his room.

He kept a lot of toys, basketball memorabilia, brightly colored caps, packages and boxes from numerous gadgets etc. There were a lot of items in the room that demanded attention. It's so distracting that it overpowers the tidiness of the room altogether.

This got me thinking: What is the difference between a common organized room (example: my fiance's bedroom) and the 'ideal type room' (example: a room from a five star hotel).

The answer is in the minute details. Does each item in the room serve a specific purpose? Do the items blend well with the theme of the room?

Now, if these colorful things bring joy and fulfillment to you, there is nothing wrong with that. But a lot of times we accumulate little things we don't even need just to satisfy the urge to buy. You know, things you think that might be useful someday. A shirt that doesn't fit well. Items that we haven't used for ages. These things add up little by little.

We sometimes forget that 15 pairs of shoes stacked neatly in a shoe rack, will still look like 15 pairs of shoes. At the end of the day organized clutter is still clutter.

It is a point which is commonly overlooked because we just become so accustomed to seeing all those stuff. But what we don't realize is that 'those stuff' still affect and our energy and mood whenever we are in that space. Sometimes we feel like our stuff owns us, and not the other way around.

Take for example, Do you have a big box in your house that is neatly placed on top of a cabinet or underneath a table? Unknowingly, it becomes the central focal part of a room. A part of you want to discard it, but something is telling you to hold on to it because it might be useful one day, It is that feeling of helplessness that often leaves me emotionally drained. And I am sure everyone had felt this way one at least once in their life.

To avoid this scenario in my personal space I ask myself this simple question for each item I wish to discard (taken from the KonMari method): "Does this item spark joy?"

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." -Arthur Ashe

28 years old. Loves fashion and beauty. Scatter-brained. Slightly shopaholic. A little overwhelmed.

That's where I am at right now.

Back when I was living with my parents, I longed so badly to have a place of my own. I imagined a place of solitude and peace. A sanctuary. So when I was finally able to earn a decent amount of money, I decided to rent a place of my own.

There, I crammed my small 26-sqm studio type room with stuff. I even brought my bike with me. It didn't take long before I started to feel a little uncomfortable with my overly packed surroundings.

Everywhere I looked, I find objects that are screaming for attention. A neon green bag, bright colored medicine bottles, bits and pieces of papers strewn all over.

It didn't take long for me to realize that the stress from all the clutter was affecting my mood and behavior.



Desperate for help, I picked up this book called "The life changing magic of tidying up" by Marie Kondo. I then quickly applied its methods to the most problematic area of the room -- which is the dining area.

With every item removed from the dining table I felt a profound sense of joy and relief. As if a heavy weight was lifted from me. It then it becomes clear what I must do to take control over my life.

My goal now is to be surrounded only with the things that bring me joy. And to finally let go of things, habits, ideas and relationships that doesn't serve me well.

I will make it a habit to document my journey in this blog and share the lessons I learned along the way. Hopefully, it can help someone else in their personal journey as well.