The Minimalist Mindset and Purchasing Furniture

Well the Minimalism topic has won the vote for next article, so here we go!

            I can hear it already, “Mark, how can you promote others purchasing furniture AND also claim to be a minimalist!?” Well, I am glad you asked. Have a seat and grab some coffee because I have some concepts for you to ponder.

            First off, for this discussion I am not referring to minimalism as a style when designing furniture. I like to practice and blend a few different design styles, one of them being a minimalist approach, however, not the topic for today. Instead, I will be speaking about minimalism as a lifestyle goal. I believe this stretches far beyond the topic of consumer goods, although that will be the primary topic as it relates to the purchasing of furniture for this discussion.

In the Beginning

            I think to start understanding what minimalism means we should squash the biggest misconception about the topic. By no means do you need to or must you purge everything from your life including items which you hold dear. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Instead, while practicing minimalism, you will begin further enjoying the items which you do wish to keep. To quickly touch on a vital point, minimalism will hopefully, instead, help you in finding more joy and understanding in all aspects of your life.

            I believe minimalism in its simplest form is the removal of the excess and clutter from your life so that you may become more apt to finding happiness with who you are and where you are in your journey. I have found that without these distractions I have been able to better understand myself and my connection to the world around me, while strengthening my relationship with God.

            Minimalism is different for every person because it’s a concept, a thought process, another lens in which to view the world. At no point can you proclaim that you have achieved a full minimalist lifestyle; I do not believe this is a journey with a definitive destination.

            With this background information, we shift more towards our topic of buying furniture when looking through the glasses of a minimalist.

Quality Over Quantity

            The rest of the article is when we really start getting into the positive aspects of minimalism and the benefits that people may not immediately see or realize. Just a reminder I’m trying to focus more on the furniture and therefore material aspect of it for this article, but I want you to realize that these same notions extend far beyond the material items of your life.

            When you stop trying to spread yourself so thin over quantity, you will be able to start appreciating the quality items. This holds true when measured with time, relationships, experiences, spirituality, and material items. One of the consequences of this is that you may find yourself voluntarily wanting or needing fewer material items in your life to find joy. When this starts occurring you will be able to start appreciating the fewer, higher quality and more meaningful items over the quantities of often useless and forgotten junk.

Value/Care for the Items you have

            As a direct consequence of owning fewer belongings, you will have more space and time to focus on those belongings which mean more to you. Sentimental, meaningful and important items will be given the prominent space to be displayed and viewed rather than tucked away in the attic or storage. Consequently these belongings will then often receive the proper care, upkeep and respect they deserve. This is carried by the attitude of being thankful for the possessions you have been given in this world. This runs contrary to the wasteful notion of the modern era that everything is temporary, able to be abandoned and replaced without commitment or consequences, while the discarded item is made into “someone else’s” problem.

Quality and My Business Practices

            When crafting products for clients it is my goal to embody the quality that we have been discussing. I don’t want you to have to settle for a piece or product in a store simply because you needed something to fill the space or it was the only option.

            I did not choose the business name Heirloom lightly. To me it represents the values of “Quality” that we have been discussing. The Heirloom Quality is represented by our choice of materials, craftsmanship and design. Using beautiful, natural hardwoods over fake patterned particle board, traditional cut joinery over cheaper and inferior mechanical fasteners, and timeless designs to last the ages. On top of this I further personalize Quality for the client by custom designing their pieces to their specifications, while meticulously handcrafting every aspect rather than allowing a machine to simply stamp out a product.

            I refuse to believe that family heirlooms and items passed down with sentimental value can’t still be created today, the journey needs to start somewhere. Often mass-produced items with inferior quality quickly begin to break down and degrade, forcing you to discard it and purchase another, sometimes after a single move. On the contrary, I use methods that resist the test of time, dreaming that they will be passed down from generation to generation.
            These are some of my business’s core values regarding quality which stand above those of mass-produced goods.

On a Personal Note

            I have gradually been rolling down the path of minimalism for about 4 to 8 years. You don’t wake up one day deciding you’ve become a minimalist and now you’re going to obey a predetermined set of rules. It’s an idea that grows with you as you continue through life. I’ve been fortunate enough to have gone through certain life events which have helped and encouraged my thought process towards these ideas.
After my first deployment 8 years ago, I started to become more aware of my impact on the earth and the relationship between all living things. I wanted to eventually start reducing my carbon footprint, and rely more on earth’s natural processes. This by itself isn’t really minimalism, although I believe this way of thinking is what eventually lead me to the path I’m on.

My bigger shift towards minimalism started around the time of my second deployment and then later my career change from law enforcement to woodworking. I was fortunate that my time in the military had taught me that I actually needed very little, not only to survive, but to be content. This made it easier when life started insisting I live on less due to financial issues. Since then I’ve kept embracing minimalism by choice, not only by the stereotypical downsizing of my closet, but also by designing and building a tiny house by myself.

If I have talked you out of purchasing an item from me but at the same time convinced you on a different outlook on life then I can only take that as a win.