Extreme Minimalism

I’ve drawn an unusual amount of attention to my minimalism project this week. First, Dan Patterson of ABC Radio News interviewed me about my 15 things. Dan is one of those amazing interviewers that you wish you were just watching instead of getting interviewed by. Each question was eloquent and succinct. Then came my answers. I think I did a pretty good job; it was fun to do. The interview has become one of their most popular posts ever. Interesting to see how minimalism connects with people.

Then came a post by Scott at LaughingSquid, which really showed me the power of Tumblr. Its community makes me want to switch over completely (but then I would have to make gifs all day and play in meme culture, which doesn’t sound too bad).

That night I had drinks with someone who had seen the story (on Reddit, which I can’t find), and I realized the story had spread.

Alex Hillman let me crash on his couch after a panel last week on Rethinking Shelter at P’unk Avenue. After a cheesesteak we talked a lot about his kick-ass new project on co-housing that has me jumping up and down hoping for the best. I asked him to take a picture of me (for ABC Radio News). Here’s the shot:

Here is me with everything I own.

The winning caption in a contest is “floordrobe.”  This shot caused some more coverage with LifeHack and a few others (thanks!).

The first question someone asks me when I tell them about the project is “How do you define something you own?” Great question, but that is a lie. The first question is always “Do you do laundry? How many pairs of underwear?” I’ll never get a stranger’s obsession with my knickers, but that is *always* question #1. Question #2 is the “What do you own?” countdown, which is both fun and annoying to answer.

I don’t have a permanent address or a second pair of jeans. Forgive me if I don’t want to answer it, but it takes a bit of emotion to go from an overconsumer to a minimalist, and perhaps even more emotion to think about it all the time. When I get up in the morning, I wear what is clean. That is my thought process. Then I’m out the door. When I am asked about what I own, I have to think about it deliberately. Imagine everything you own? Name it. Longer list than mine, but you still have to justify things as you list them, which is exhausting in a way that makes you pair emotion with physical objects.

It’s how I imagine telling someone my child’s name would feel like.

So, back to everything I own. The “rule” of ownership is the express-lane checkout rule. If you were checking out in a grocery store, what would be counted as one item in your bag? A six-pack of beer would be one, right? I count my things as resellable items I would be pissed if someone took.

Coffee cup? No. Jacket? Yes. iPhone and headphones? One thing. Simple enough?

Here is the list, as of May 2, 2011. I made a similar list in Colombia. Scott Berkun also did an interview around that time too.

  1. Arc’teryx Miura 30 backpack
  2. NAU shirt
  3. Mammut rain jacket
  4. Arc’teryx tshirt
  5. Patagonia running shorts
  6. Quick Dry towel
  7. NAU wool jacket
  8. Toiletry kit
  9. Smith sunglasses
  10. Wallet
  11. MacBook Air
  12. iPhone 3GS
  13. NAU dress shirt
  14. Patagonia jeans
  15. Running shoes

There are a couple things not on the list – like socks and underwear – that I can easily replace and could not resell for any value. I have extra headphones not listed here (will give those away soon) as well as cables, business cards and knickknacks (like a small lock for when I go to the gym). It is imperfect.

So what is there to learn from this?

Minimalism is equally easy as it is boring to do. What shirt today? The one I didn’t wear yesterday. “How tough is it for you?” You mean, to pick the shirt I didn’t wear yesterday? Once you get used to simplicity, the complex normality others have becomes the audacious thing.

Update January 2012: I updated the list of things and made some additional comments here.  Thanks for all the comments and kind words.  Feel free to reach out to me via email [email protected] or twitter.


Posted

in

by

Comments

149 responses to “Extreme Minimalism”

  1. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it. Unless you really want to see every McDonald’s restaurant in the world and nothing else. 4 year olds have no appreciation for new cultures. They do love chicken mcnuggets though.

  2. Vi @ Travel Tips Avatar

    Extreme? I would say it is very normal list for backpacker. Except I am missing any photo camera. Can’t count iphone as camera.

  3. Grombo Avatar
    Grombo

    I appreciate this aesthetic.  I do not practice it when at home (books are my weakness), but there is nothing better for travel.  For years I went only with a duffel bag on trips, but more recently I have pared it down to just a backpack and jacket.  It is a wonderful thing.

  4. Cakesy Avatar
    Cakesy

    I am down to 2 bags, plus one box at my sisters house. That is everything I own. I do like having a few different clothes. I travel a lot, so the less I have the easier it is to get around. I do rely on living with friends and share houses, so do rely on other people having normal stuff.

  5. opentokix Avatar

    This is stupid, for real. 

    You live in the western world, and for 2+ billion people this is not anything to be proud about. 

    And it is also largely bullshit. 

    Here is why it is bullshit: 

    1. You can SELECT this style of life and you are still dependent on many things provided by others. 

    2. You choose to remove certain items from your 15 pieces-list. Like chargers, cables etc. etc. 

    Maybe look at the big picture and not your white-guy-doing-something – mediabuble 2000. 

    And no, this is not “net hate”. This is me giving you a grip of reality. I also live a minimal lifestyle, however I do not have a blag about it. And I don’t limit my life to 15 items. I live a comfortable life and use the benefit of being in the western world. 

  6. Michael Karpeles Avatar
    Michael Karpeles

    No sleeping bag?

  7. Krunoslav Leljak Avatar

    Watch out of geting wife (and kids), 15 items easily become 1500.

  8. B3809515 Avatar
    B3809515

    LOL. A MacBook Air and iPhone 3GS. Minimalists use Internet and mobile phones?

  9. Tristan Avatar
    Tristan

    Sorry guys, this is not minimalism.

  10. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    I’m having a nice cup of coffee this morning, appreciating life. Cheers to you.

  11. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    I look forward to this day 🙂

  12. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    I added one this September. I don’t know why I didn’t pack one earlier.

  13. Dt Avatar
    Dt

    How do you “dabble in photography”? iPhone pics?

  14. Kenny Kaczor Avatar
    Kenny Kaczor

    Fuck off with the smarmy bullshit, you goddamn hipster.

  15. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    Sure is minimal, couldn’t get something half decent for a phone or laptop..

  16. Soulcutter Avatar
    Soulcutter

    Nice, I made a list of everything I took backpacking for 6 months and listed it here: http://www.bradandbrigid.com/2009/10/the-bare-essentials.html . A picture of it here: http://twitpic.com/jmmoh . Funny thing – I too brought along Smith sunglasses 🙂

    Anyway, your post reminds me of my experience (which was great).. when I got back to all my stuff that was packed away in a storage unit a lot of it felt silly. It definitely feels better to have less stuff than to have more stuff, but I also just appreciate the things I do have now that I’m living a more-normal lifestyle.

  17. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    Fantastic post!

  18. Maxwell Cabral Avatar

    I’ve been going through a process like this recently because my plans for the next calendar year include two different internships and a univeristy in two or three different states (for some reason, 20 gallon fish tanks with fish don’t pack as well as one would hope).  My friends think I’m nuts when they watch me donate and/or throw away boxes of clutter and obsolete items.

    Its initially weird but when I have less stuff I feel better.  My current rule is to throw/give away anything I haven’t touched in six months.  While I think I don’t think I’ll get down to fifteen biggies I’ll probably be down to about 40 (using your count methodology) posessions in a month or so (I have a lot of textbooks and sports equipment I don’t want to give up).  All I need is for most of it, besides two bicycles and my rifle, to fit in my hatchback haha.

    Seriously, more people should try it.

  19. JD Avatar
    JD

    Hey Andrew, how much stuff you have at yr mom’s house?

  20. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    Nothing.

  21. toko Avatar
    toko

    Each item in your “toiletries kit” and each pair of underwear is a fully functional item you’re using as such. A shoelace or a screw is not.

  22. Andy Avatar

    But then, how would his shoes stay on?

  23. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    Should I get the fiber count of the laces?

  24. Steve Jobs. Avatar
    Steve Jobs.

    Im sorry but if your going to write an article. say the truth.

  25. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    alright Mr. Jobs.

  26. Markthetrigeek Avatar
    Markthetrigeek

    15?? As a Father of 2, doesn’t compute. Heck even Dick Proenneke had more then that.

  27. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    Does your iphone fry eggs?

  28. GT Avatar

    Why does EVERY ‘minimalist’ list have to go to excruciating lengths to show that they got HOSED by buying ‘saw you coming’ brand names?

    So it’s never “T-shirt” it’s always “Some fuckwit trailwannabe T-shirt”.

    it’s never “Notebook”… it’s ALWAYS “Macbook Air”.

    In other words, ‘minimalism’ is the same ‘look at me’ism that hipsterism, Gothism, .

  29. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    My first few posts were very vague, and the first question everyone asked was the quality / sustainability / brand. Most of the clothing is organic, for instance.

  30. Krystle Avatar
    Krystle

    Are you single?

  31. Krystle Avatar
    Krystle

    Let me add to my previous comment, are you really single? Really? 🙂

  32. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    Happily.

  33. PJ Brunet Avatar

    He needs a “hot plate” in there somewhere.  

  34. di Avatar
    di

    3 tops x 3 bottoms = 9 outfits

  35. DonFahquidmi Avatar
    DonFahquidmi

    Aloha Andrew
    I was a minimalist for many years and in many capacities, perhaps all of my life. Since I lived outdoors for the greater part of my decade of living “in a backpack” I required a little more than you, things such as a sleeping bag, a hammock, a tarp, etc. Sometimes i would squirrel away items such as a cooking utensil at one of my camps so that it would be there when I returned the next year and that would save me from having to carry it. I fashioned cooking stoves from a large peach can and a tuna can and used discarded candles to fuel them.

    People would often try to give me things such as a can opener but did not realize the weight consideraqtion of taking on new posessions. I earned money for the most part by melting plumbing pipes over a campfire and fashioning them into didjeridoos. I sold them for $20 a piece. I never wanted for money or food.

    There is so much to be learned from the lifestye that we can apply to life beyond these phases.  

  36. Joseph Mock Avatar
    Joseph Mock

    I have only recently found your site. I must say I am rather impressed, that a person as young as yourself would be so open to owning so little. It has been my understanding, that today`s young people is the more that is “give-to-me” and less of “what I can earn for myself” and the outstanding quote is “large, lots and more”! Not to mention, how the “Occupy Wall Street” movement has made the above statement ring even more truer than Hollywood could! I salute you, Mr. Andrew Hyde!  For speaking out on over owner-ism, it is such a waste of money, time, energy to build the wanted item, ads to sell the item and people to buy the item, only to throw it away after a short time of owning it! I am just 51 years young and I have found the path of life leads me to also owning a just few items. I have three pairs of pants, one dress shirt, two pairs of shoes, I merely rent a roof for over my head and I only buy something I plan to use with in a two day period. My life is simple and neat. I have found that I have no wants, that is not met by what I have at hand. I have my own garden to grow fruits and vegetables, when I have more than I need, I give the surplus to local food banks, churches that feed the homeless and so on! So Good Luck to you, Mr. Andrew. I hope your message gets out to as many as it can, I will be sharing a link to your site on my blog.

  37. Dave D1967 Avatar
    Dave D1967

    why are you so angry?

  38. Michael Venske Avatar

    Nothing short of inspiring. Thank you, sir.

  39. Twoten11 Avatar
    Twoten11

    wow that’s some incredibly expensive and wastefully produced gear you’ve got there. I’m sure that this ploy to get sponsorship from some of those companies may in fact work out for you, but I don’t think any of us who actually live on the road; hitchhiking and dumpster diving, will ever see you and your gear on the journey with us….

    poser.

  40. Smevion Avatar
    Smevion

    Andy are you from California?

  41. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    No. Grew up in Oregon.

  42. The Young Urban Unprofessional Avatar
    The Young Urban Unprofessional

    I’m also into minimalism and did a 100-item challenge, also didn’t count socks or underwear.  It has made life extremely simple and straight forward.  I had to pack for a week-long trip from Boston to Boulder and it took 3 minutes, packing my only two pairs of pants and my only four t-shirts. If you’re going to try to minimize your life start with the items you haven’t used in one year, then six months, then go into monthly, weekly, and daily items.  I found breaking it into stages was easier to manage, otherwise it gets overwhelming if you have a large collection to start with.

    http://theyoungurbanunprofessional.com/category/november-the-100-item-challenge/

  43. confucius_frog Avatar
    confucius_frog

    Ive thought about this concept from a very early age, and always been seduced to be a wannbe-yet-not-quite-adventure-minimalist. I applaud you for the balls to take the first step (always the hardest). As you say, im sure it then becomes easier as you look at others and wonder how they keep sane with all the choices and decisions that come from owning stuff. And, owning a sweet cellphone / camera and computer makes it even better…no need for keeping photos, theyre all stored on your machines. Thoreau would be a facebook fan.

  44. Adrian Avatar
    Adrian

     When you buy a toiletry kit in a supermarket it is one item–in one bag.  Is a box of Smarties one item or is it 50 items?  (if you count each Smartie).

    I find your comment very pedantic.

  45. R Stenhouse Avatar
    R Stenhouse

    Language Kenny, heavens!

  46. Adrian Avatar
    Adrian

    Is Andrew trying to ram his lifestyle down your throat?  Is he pointing a gun at your head?

    #1:  Yes, this is a nomadic option.  But I know people who have apartments with a frying pan, dishes and not much else.

    #2.  Because your computer comes with a cable that should be a separate item?  Now THAT is stupid. 

    Grow up.

  47. Diana Avatar
    Diana

    Great article. I wonder, my biggest issue is receiving things from loved ones.  Or even just people I appreciate or respect in some way or another.  I never have the heart to get rid of them, no matter how useless they may be. What is your approach?

  48. NULL Avatar
    NULL

    I keep some of them! I have a Red Sox hat someone gave me that I couldn’t pass away. My family and friends know about my minimalism and get me Kiva loans if they really feel like giving me a gift!

Leave a Reply