Cozy-ing up the Cottage: Why I’m not really a minimalist

Minimalism.  It’s trendy.  And actually, I get it.  

In this super materialistic and consumer driven culture that we are living in, it’s only natural that there should be some kind of revolt against it!  

I considered true minimalism

Yes, I have through about going full on minimalist.  Like one-change-of-clothes and a toothbrush kind of thing.  I was reading about the kind of complete freedom that people were experiencing with this lifestyle and it sounded…cleansing.  After my experience with going cold turkey on all second hand shopping, I was feeling like I need something shocking.

But the more I thought about his, the more I realized that true minimalism, or the pursuit of less, just wasn’t for me.  You see, I know now that I’m a homebody.  I love my home and I love being home. I wanted my home to be the most comforting and comfortable place for our family than it could be.

Lots of people love being minimalists…

All these families were having such a great experience as minimalists?  I noticed that they were doing lots of things to fill up their lives outside the home.  Sports, activities, family trips, going to concerts and plays and picnics and all manner of “out and about” things.  They loved it, and it was working for them. No stuff, to them, meant freedom to go anywhere, anytime, and be just as happy there as in their house.

Well, I did end up going through every single item in our house and asking myself if it I wanted it.  I got rid of so, so, so many thing that I owned that I found I didn’t really want to own.  It was awesome.  Empowering.  It made me a little giddy.

And then, I just let things be for a while.   Walls stayed bare, without art.  Sections of a room had no furniture.  There were (horror of horrors) gaps in my wardrobe.  I bought nearly nothing.  No new toys, clothes, home decorations, kitchen goods or much of anything besides groceries.  And we were ok!

Home beautiful…

I started to be able to see how I truly want my home to be.  A few words come to mind:  Beautiful, cozy, restful, comforting, tidy, artistic, colorful, functional, and interesting.  No pure white walls and clean lines and bare, open rooms for me.  Those really work for some folks, but  I wanted each space of my home to feel grounding, comforting, and above all, like home.

I love old quirky things, hand crafted things, rustic colors, splashes of gold and copper, things that smell good and move beautifully and bring joy to the beholder.

And I’m learning to make a home all these things, entirely without the stressful clutter of my past creeping back in.

I know just what I like…

I understand that the aesthetic I enjoy will seem cluttered to some people.  That’s ok, each thing that I place in my home is now carefully considered and placed where it can be enjoyed without clogging up the functionality or visual serenity of our home.  My home is taylored to me and my family, and no less purposeful than crisp and modern space.

 Slowly I’m finding the balance between simplicity and comfort.  Rather than striving to just own less, I want to own the right things, and to let go of the extra.  And I vigilantly keep watch on myself, lest I unconsciously slip back into the “more, more, more” way of life I’m recovering from.

I’m loving what’s happening here in the Cottage this year.  All over my home are little areas that are perfectly style to my own particular taste.  Not what someone else told me to have or not have, but just exactly and only what I love.  It’s truly becoming a home, sweet, home.  

What style do you find brings a sense of home to your dwelling place?  Are you for clean lines and shiny surfaces, or the weathered wood and tattered book bindings, or crispy linens and polished coppers?  What do you love to see (or smell) when you walk into your favorite room in the house?  Me?  A gilded picture frame, a ticking clock, fresh flowers, an open window, and something made by hand.

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