How to be a minimalist

There is an ordinary bedroom in the Herman Twin Towers in East Berlin, Germany. The sun shines through the spacious and bright floor-to-ceiling windows, and all the furnishings in the room are only a white bed and a yellow floor lamp. Other than that, there is nothing else. This is Eva, a German female architect? Maria? Stadell's home in East Berlin. She lives and works in it, but she doesn't have a dazzling array of items like other designers. Don't be surprised, Eva is neither a believer in some eastern religions nor a frugal ascetic. She is just a minimalist designer and has turned this minimalist aesthetic into her life belief.

There are no unnecessary furnishings, and daily necessities are reduced to a minimum. Eva said, "This extremely reductive way makes it easier for people to focus on a few objects in the room." This kind of environment makes people feel calm and makes your senses sharper. "This is the basic belief of minimalists. Also believe in minimalism is our great Mr. Jobs. It is said that Jobs had very few things before his death, except the black coat he wore all the year round, and only a set of expensive audio equipment. Jobs is also a Zen believer, and the decrease of things reflects the cleanliness of his mind from one side. There is no clutter, no distractions, so there is a perfect state. Apple's simple and fashionable product style and corporate culture are inseparable from Jobs' ideas. It can be said that it is because of Jobs' simplicity that Apple is popular all over the world.

We live in an era where garbage is rampant. Every blink of an eye, thousands of mobile phones, thousands of computers and thousands of clothes are transported to garbage stations all over the world. These items were not discarded because they lost their use function, but because the enterprise released an updated version to replace them. These new versions are just stories made up by enterprises in order to earn more profits. They use various modern means of communication to trick consumers into paying for them. And these so-called newer and better things will soon become yesterday's flowers on garbage trucks. So, what do consumers get? A real improvement in the quality of life? Or show off the fashion and decency of capital? Is it the gentle enjoyment of inner pleasure? Or endless desire to buy? Is it a smell? Is it texture? Is it necessary? Is it a manifestation of self-personality? Or foam? Is it fast food? Are you chasing the wind? Is it unwilling to lag behind?

The proliferation of materials involves not only environmental protection, but also our mental problems. Advertising enslaves and catalyzes our desire to buy things we don't need. To this end, we work hard. I exchanged 100 hours of overtime for a donkey bag, and then spent more time in exchange for a diamond necklace and a luxury car, perhaps just for a propaganda word in the advertisement. Once upon a time, before diamonds entered the consumption field, people lived well. Later, I was brainwashed by a diamond company, saying that diamonds are the endorsement of love, so we have another goal in life: diamonds. Later, more and more industries brainwashed people, and our life goals began to become huge, including clothing, mobile phones, perfume, digital, cars, beauty massage, star-rated hotels, and coming here. Only missing: ideal. On the material level, we know that we want this, that and everything. But once we get back to the essential level, we are at a loss. We know nothing about the concepts of life and time, and our perception of the surrounding environment is weakening day by day, sometimes even worse than a kitten. All this depends on the alienation of matter. We trade our lives and time for meaningless industrial replicas, and these replicas have become a burden, because we need to spend more time cleaning, using and taking care of them. When we complain about being buried in the trivial things of life, maybe it is our own things that are buried. This is the alienation of things to people.

Therefore, for minimalists, they know what they want and can better distinguish what they don't need. He would rather spend 100000 yuan on a painting by his favorite artist than spend 4000 yuan on a tablet computer he doesn't need. Because things must serve their own life ideals, not change their life ideals for things. Shu Guozhi, a writer in Taiwan Province Province, has rented a house so far, and there is no air conditioner or TV set at home. This is shabby in the eyes of ordinary people, but it is the basis of Shu Guozhi's happy life. He drinks expensive wine with friends in high-end hotels during the day and sleeps soundly in clean rooms at night. There is nothing to disturb. Walking, eating and drinking tea are really pleasant. Free yourself from external things and cultivate a rich heart. His life concept has become a fashion that young artists in Taiwan Province Province are scrambling to follow.

Except in the material field, we need to liberate ourselves from endless items; In life, we also need to streamline our lives and liberate ourselves from endless desires. Modern people don't have many hobbies (if watching TV, shopping, partying and eating online can also be regarded as hobbies, I am speechless), but I always feel that time is not enough. Apart from working overtime to earn money and spending money on shopping, we spent all our time on happy Weibo soap operas. Turn off the computer, close your eyes and feel that life is nothing. Only in remote villages can you still see the joy of life brought by various folk arts. It is a pleasure to savor, a pleasure to dance with life and time. In the city, calligraphy, poetry and dance art have become the patents of a few people, or the past they once owned. Not only art, but also our ideals and pursuits have been defeated by modernity. Modernity gives birth to desire and squeezes inner peace and comfort. We are addicted to the Internet, games, shopping and watching TV. How comfortable a person would be if he didn't have all these addictions. He can concentrate on what he thinks is important, such as planting flowers and raising fish, learning photography and starting a business. He will live every minute and every second, and will not feel that life is wasted.

However, many of us are not in this state, so our life is very chaotic. Dance for a while, learn to play the violin for a while, go to church for mass, and burn incense and worship Buddha with others for a while. I want to do everything, and finally I have no time to do anything. Looking back, I think I lost something. Therefore, we might as well put everything down and let life return to blank. Without any interference, our hearts will show up, know what we want and know how to spend our lives. In this way, we can live as we please.

To sum up, minimalism is not asceticism, it is not to ban our desires, but to liberate us from all kinds of oppression and thus live a better life. Minimalism is not asceticism, it does not deny the function of things, but to make better use of things and serve life itself. It pays attention to life itself and resists the alienation of things.

I am not a minimalist. Because of the complexity of life, I am always full of troubles myself. Although I have always wanted to throw away things I don't need in the room, the room is getting more and more crowded; Although the Zen master taught us to let go of all sources, I still have a lot of thoughts. But I believe that minimalism provides us with a healthy lifestyle. Like Zen, it is a belief leading to the ultimate beauty.

On the road of pursuing a minimalist life, my current situation is:

Room decoration

The main color of the living room is white, with sofas, coffee tables, computer tables and chairs, shelves and potted plants.

There is nothing on the computer desk except the computer. The shelves are full of work-related items.

The main color of the bedroom is light pink, with a bed, two bedside tables, a coat rack, a wardrobe and potted plants. Personal belongings are mainly kept in the bedside table and wardrobe.

Kitchen and bathroom furnishings are the most basic, without redundancy.

There is no decoration on the wall.

Private goods

Since last year, I have challenged the lives of 100 items. At present, the list of personal belongings is as follows:

Electronic products: computers, stereos, mobile phones and chargers, cameras and chargers, card readers and charging treasures.

Toilet supplies: toothpaste, electric toothbrush and charger, mouthwash cup, comb, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, facial cleanser, depilatory cream and three towels.

Skin care products: sunscreen, lipstick, skin care water, hand and foot cream.

Clothing, shoes and hats: three sets of underwear, three pairs of socks, four T-shirts, five pairs of trousers, two skirts, four coats, two sweaters, two sets of pajamas, three pairs of shoes, two pairs of slippers and two hats.

Entertainment books: harmonica, African drum, fear and thriller.

Stationery: pen container, pencil, pen, ink, red, blue and black signature pens, 24-color lead, eraser, ruler, pencil sharpener, notepad and pad.

Card type: ID card, temporary residence permit, passport, two savings cards and a credit card.

Bags: shoulder bags, shoulder bags, wallets (with change, keys, pads, pens) and travel bags.

Others: hair dryer, weighing scale, nail clippers, sewing kit, umbrella, glasses, water cups, clothes hangers, glasses, sanitary napkins, paper towels, three teas, Indian incense, two incense seats, matches and storage boxes.

There are many clothes and paper books, but they have been disposed of some time ago, and I am going to start Kindle in the near future.

dietary respect

Egg yolk has been used for many years.

I hardly touch other drinks except tea and boiled water.

I hardly touch other snacks except fruits and nuts.

Dress aspect

After leaving school, I have been a freelancer or entrepreneur and spent a long time in minority areas. Most of my clothes are cotton and linen, which is biased towards ethnic customs. Color elements, not fancy.

interpersonal relationship

I like being alone by nature, and I have two close friends from different places in my life.

But because of my work, I often use social networking sites and meet many people. Recently, I am adjusting my status, and I plan to transfer to another industry that can make me quiet.

Living habits

Recently, efforts have been made to cultivate the habit of going to bed early and getting up early to keep accounts.

Object view

1, don't hold: things that are beyond your management ability, unloved, can't be recycled or transferred to others, don't suit you, and don't conform to your lifestyle. Life without holding has a great influence on me. )

2. Cherish everything I have, treat it with care, and cherish them as I did when I had it.

Try to buy the best items within your ability.

4. Be normal about the loss and damage of items, and don't have too much regret and sadness.