I’m a Bad Minimalist: 5 Areas I DON’T Follow Minimalism

I am a staunch believer that minimalism isn’t a label or a one-size-fits-all ideology. Just because someone gets rid of all their hats, books, throw pillows, kitchen utensils, etc. doesn’t mean that you have to also!

I do prefer simple living, but there are definitely areas of my life where I don’t follow the typical standards of minimalism.

1. Photos and Photo Albums

I love having physical photos to look through with friends and family! I don’t know about you, but I never sit down with friends and say, “who wants to look through a hundred photos on my iPhone with me?” I find that if I have tangible photo albums around, we spend time looking through them, reminiscing, and sharing stories with others.

2. Sentimental Items

Check out one of my recent blogs on how I cull and sort through sentimental items! As I mentioned in that previous blog, what I choose to keep probably wouldn’t be labelled as minimalist—my love language is words of affirmation, which means that I enjoy keeping many of the handwritten notes and cards I’ve received. I find these extremely special and it’s very fulfilling for me to look at them from time to time. I also keep a few dresses and jewellery from special occasions.

3. Books

I have always loved reading, and seeing a bookshelf full of books that I love, have read, will continue to read, and plan to read makes me so happy. We have a bookshelf full of books in our living room, but we also have a few storage boxes packed to the brim (and I’m planning on keeping ALL of them).

4. Coffee Mugs

We love tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lattes, and all types of hot drinks! Over the last few years, we’ve amassed more coffee mugs than most—but we use them every day and love the memories and stories that are associated with each! We also love letting guests choose their own mug and having lots of options.

5. Board Games

My husband and I both come from families that love board games. We’ve collected a few of our favourites and are always on the lookout for fun ones to try.

Tip: We like to check thrift stores to find games we enjoy at a cheaper price!