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3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

theguardian.com

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Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#81

Post by shermanyo »

fhood wrote: post #76

This is great, except for tools. I can't imagine living without enough tools to accomplish most tasks that I am faced with. This means having everything from a soldering iron and shrink tube, to a table-saw. I just can't imagine wanting to build something and not being able to do it. In fact, I see a tig welder in my future for that very reason. I know quite a few people who are completely reliant on others for somet…

I think a good approach is to buy things if/when you need them, not in advance. Your example of a tig welder, wait until you have a specific project that requires it, and then look at your options. For fixing a toilet seal, only buy the parts you need, don't accumulate a 'spares' draw of parts you can pick up easily the day you need to work on something.

Maybe a friend buys a welder you could borrow, before you yourself need to use it. What if you need to unexpectedly fix a different problem? (roofing, tiling, etc...) Could you need another tool instead that you hadn't planned for?

I group tools with things like PC hardware, into "under $20", "~$50", "~$100", "~$250" and "~$500". I normally have $500(AUD) set aside for my next project (rather than a collection of tools of similar value), so its always there when I actually need something specific.

I've started working on a hardware MIDI controller with my little brother, so spent around $250(AUD) one afternoon on a soldering iron, arduino, book and a few bits and pieces (buttons, pots, LEDs). I avoided huge packs of LEDs, Resistors, etc... and just bought a few I knew I'd need (10k resistors for the buttons, etc...).

Anything left over, I'll donate or leave with him. If I don't have another HW project, I'll probably give him the soldering iron and multimeter too. Plus, I'll know who to ask first if I need to borrow one in the future ;)

I probably cost myself an additional $100 on this project, but I don't have to pay for a shed, or 'spare room' (like most of my friends have) to store various things, so it probably evens out over time.

Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#82

Post by kluck »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #31
kluck wrote: post #9

It is possible to legally own a lot of stuff but still be cool if you lose most of it.

It doesn't seem to be an issue of legality as much as morality. Items don't make the man. The man makes the items.

I meant that the actual problem is the emotional attachment to the things you own, its not the things themselves. That beeing said, it does not matter, how much someone owns, just how attached he/she is to it. The lesser attached the happier, I guess.

Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#83

Post by shermanyo »

lmm wrote: post #71
chrisseaton wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Minimalism sounds admiral, but how do you stop it limiting your life? For example someone invites you on a hike but you can't fit decent hiking boots in your two suitcases. Or someone invites you to a semi-formal dinner but you can't fit a proper evening jacket in there. You can't even hire boots as they need to broken in.

It forces you to make these choices - either you're someone who enjoys formal dinners enough to own a formal jacket, or you're not. Either you enjoy hiking enough to own hiking boots, or you don't. Either you enjoy playing squash enough to own a squash racket, or you don't. Either you enjoy snorkeling enough to own a snorkel, or you don't. It removes the ability to keep these things in the back of the cupboard and te…

Also, in most cases the alternative is to hire equipment.

I could never justify owning even a cheap set of golf clubs, pool cue or bowling shoes, but I'll never turn down an invitation by friends or family. If I do something rarely, but still enjoy it, I'll treat it like planning and budgeting for any other night out or holiday.

Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#84

Post by bowlich »

struct wrote: post #13

As much as I like the idea of living with only a few possessions, it strikes me as a constant struggle: where do you put the 50 pack of envelopes you had to buy to send one letter? Are scissors for opening packaging included in his possessions? Nail trimmers? Toiletries? A formal pair of shoes? Do you have to hire all this stuff when you need it, or just keep in a drawer out of sight? And this is what I didn't get ab…

You can buy single pre-stamped envelopes at the post office. The mark up is only a couple cents so if you're not doing hundreds of mailings it's worthwhile to just buy what you need.

I just finished reading KonMari. I move a lot for work and wanted some inspiration for cutting down the cruft that I've been hauling around over the last decade.

The minimalist idea runs very contrary to how I was raised in a rural community on the plains. The attitude was that you needed to always be prepared. Which meant keeping spares and extras for anything that you might need. Stockpile food, because a blizzard could delay the trucks and the grocery shelves run bare. Keep a water buffalo or at least several 10 gallon drums of potable water stored in the house because the pump on the well might go out or the well might go dry. Always be prepared for having to go without electricity. Keep several gallons of extra gasoline handy. Keep spares for tools or anything that might break down because you don't want to end up driving 100+ miles to the city to get a replacement (Amazon Prime though has done me a world of service).

Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#85

Post by neverknowsbest »

mikekchar wrote: post #28
hellofunk wrote: post #5

If I had a choice, I'd prefer 4 shirts and 3 pairs of trousers.

It sounds strange, but I was actually thinking, "What the heck is he doing with 4 pairs of trousers"? I suppose 2 pairs for work and 2 for relaxing if he changes at the end of the day... But then why only 3 shirts? I wonder if this article got slashed to the minimum by the editor because I'm actually really intrigued by what things he finds essential and why. But there is nothing in the article other than to assert t…

It's probably to keep him on top of washing the shirts. More clothes = more temptation to just wear something else and let the laundry pile up.

Re: 3 shirts, 4 pairs of trousers, meet Japans hardcore minimalists

#86

Post by kakakiki »

codev wrote: post #41
kakakiki wrote: post #20

I envy them for their minimalism. I am not able to achieve that with years of trying. Items will start piling up unknowingly.

I spent six months travelling and working remotely recently, in Japan, Taiwan and Australia. I only had a carry on suitcase and I never missed anything. I'm now back in London and after two weeks I have bought at least three small suitcases worth of new things. It's amazing how quickly things pile up. Once I had the space I started accumulating possessions. I go into shops and come out with things I didn't know I nee…

this post has some more images of the minimalist approach - http://www.thisisinsider.com/inside-japans-extremely-minimal...
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