Preparedness can often seem like the collection of stuff that you might need in a SHTF scenario, so on first glance, it appears to be in conflict with any kind of minimalist lifestyle. However, in this article, I am going to look beyond the surface and show how my minimalist philosophy does, in fact, allow me to be more prepared than the average person.
In my own life, I have embraced a motto of “less is more” going back more than two decades. Back in the early 2000’s, people would look askance at anyone who was not fully striving for the American dream and collecting up all their stuff to show they had made it. Somehow, I swam against that tide to find my own way to my own dream. As my dream is related to freedom, really, how much more American can you get?
Twenty-five years ago, there wasn’t much internet and not much minimalism. Pop the word “minimalism” into your search engine today, and it’s a different story. You can stream a Netflix series dedicated to minimalism, (or read a best-selling book) along with what appears to be thousands of websites. While perusing some of these while researching this article, I came across this, well, minimal definition that I liked:
Minimalism is a philosophy and practice of reducing material possessions, distractions, and clutter to focus on what matters most.
Own Less
In my own life, I always had a hankering to live in a little cabin in the woods. I mean LITTLE! I would often poke my head into wooden garden sheds for sale at the local hardware store and see Move In Potential, as in “Hmmm, a little cot in the corner and some kind of cookstove and I’m good to go!” Now, realistically, that wouldn’t get me through the winters here in the American north, but you get the idea.
Today, I live in a small-footprint cabin of under 500 square feet. Because I choose to own less, I can spend what money I have on what I value. Quite often, that is quality items related to preparedness. I am also able to keep my pantry well-stocked, even though I don’t have a lot of money.
If I need to buy something, I do my research and reflect on which one I will buy. If I think I want something, I reflect on whether I really do need it, because due to my small amount of storage, something else will often have to go to make space for something new.
Want Less
I come from a long line of inspiring and strong Irish women. My grandmother is one example: she kept teaching after her marriage at a time when it was “forbidden” for married women to continue working. Even though this directed a great deal of consternation towards her family, she held her head high and continued. Greeting mourners at her wake, I heard story upon story from her former students and how she impacted their lives.
In my own life, I always had an adventurous spirit and questioned society’s definition of success being equal to stuff. Even though I could afford more, I drive modest beater cars. I prefer to live without a payment, thank you very much! I was shaped by my religious upbringing, and felt led to grow in the spiritual dimension, rather than just this world. At one point, I even considered becoming a nun, but abandoned that idea when I realized that I was far too headstrong to take orders from anyone.
Still, my focus on growing spiritually, becoming a better person, and being of benefit to others has shone the spotlight on how I am being, rather than what I am owning. I simply want less because I don’t believe it defines me.
Freedom
This is where owning less and wanting less hits the rubber. My modest needs and independent thinking have bought me something precious: freedom. I have the freedom to define what success looks like to me. I have the freedom to spend my hard-earned cash on well, let’s just say solid firepower and leave it at that!
I don’t give a crap what you think of me in the grocery store! I’ve been known to head down for some groceries right after milking still in my barn coveralls. Yes, they might reek a bit of “eau de cow,” but I’m busy, gosh darnit! All of this boils down to a heck of a lot of freedom. I’m free from many expenses other women my age might undertake: eye lashes, make up, waxing kits, hair dye….I look how I look when I wake up, when I head out, and when I go to bed. That’s how I look.
Can Do Without
I had to laugh the other day. Two kitchen electrical outlets had blown and I was on the phone to book my electrician. He wondered if I could live without them until he arrived. “Of course I can!” I replied. I didn’t mention to him that I had lived off-grid, without running water, in a 165-square-foot tiny home on wheels for five years while I was building this cabin. Ya, I think I can do without two outlets for a few weeks. Ha ha!
There is a strength that comes with testing your limits. I know I can make it through difficult times. I know what stuff I’m made of and it isn’t the stuff I own. I can ignore all the ads that tell me I’m not good enough without X and choose how I live.
That is satisfying and that is my freedom. And if that isn’t preparedness, then I don’t know what is.
Minimalism: Less is More Prepared
I think having less allows me to be more prepared. I can direct my resources to what really matters to me: quality preps. What about yourself? Would you call yourself a minimalist? Why or why not? Please tell us in the comments section.
About Rowan
Rowan O’Malley is a fourth-generation Irish American who loves all things green: plants (especially shamrocks), trees, herbs, and weeds! She challenges herself daily to live her best life and to be as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible.
7 Responses
Wonderful advice and example.
Minimizing material possessions, whether they be stuff, exotic vacations, or social standing gives us freedom.
The 2nd most popular Christian book of all time, after the Bible, is the Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis. In it, your point is stressed over and over; peace comes from disconnecting from the pursuit of riches, honors and high society. We have to meet our obligations to food, shelter, and clothing, but that’s it.
My wife is much like you in rejecting the fashion trends. It’s remarkable because she worked for Calvin Klein in the fashion industry in NYC. Being presentable is all that is necessary. Nothing sadder than a 70 year old trying to look 20. So much stress.
I continue to be impressed with your strength & resourcefulness. Wish I knew you more.
I feel the same and am reminded of this lyric from “I Got Plenty o’ Nothin'”:
I got no lock on the door
That’s no way to be
They can steal the rug from the floor
That’s okay with me
’cause the things that I prize, like the stars and the skies
Are all free
Minimalism in prepping does not always make you more prepared, unless you concentrate on items that can be used in multiple ways. l
Look at the lawn and leaf (heavy duty) garbage bags. They can hold garbage, or supplies, they can be used to make solar stills, they can be improvised into a rain coat. they can be taped up to insulate windows, darken rooms for day time sleeping (essential for someone doing the night shift guard duty), etc. Plus they don’t take up a lot of space in storage.
The potential problem in minimalism in prepping is in how you apply it. If you only have one unit of these bags (in trying to keep things minimal, that could become a problem).
Minimalism in Prepping is best when coupled with multi purpose supplies, tools, etc. It requires : thinking outside the box and making do with less.
Minimalism as a general way of life is great also. No one really needs the latest and greatest fad phone, newest car, clothing, etc. This is why so many people are head over heels in debt.
Oh yes- I can totally relate. Well maybe not the nun part but all the rest. I think freedom is based a lot on what you can do without. Those who “need” large houses, lots of furniture, expensive cars etc are locked into earning large incomes. Needing less means needing to earn less.
And yes, I’m a minimalist prepper. I don’t feel the need to endlessly shop thrift stores, estate sales, etc to acquire stuff to add to preps. Yes those things might come in handy but I can do without them. And for sure we never know if a SHTF event will destroy our home or require us to leave it so huge stockpiles of preps might be for naught.
If you ever visit the Museum of Appalachia in KY, there is a small “cabin” that is about 8X8. It has one door, one window, and a very small wood stove. There was a mountain man who lived in this until his passing, and the owner of the museum took the cabin and put it on the museum grounds, along with the contents. He had one frying pan, a narrow bed with quilt, and a couple of pegs to hang his clothes on. He lived off what he could grow and shoot and forage. It was small and easy to heat. I think you can look this up online and read the story of the man who lived in it. Now THAT was minimalism! I personally have a real problem with “stuff” and have a very hard time parting with it. I have to do better! I would love to be at the point where my preps were well organized and the extra crap was just gone. I tried to sell a lot of crafting supplies, because I had a bunch of money invested in it, but end up just donating most of it. I have come to look at the “I’m-a-gonna” stuff and realize that “I’m-a-NOT-a-gonna” which helps to keep me from buying more. It is hard to part with items of value for cheap, but then again, I have to pay for the upkeep of my home, so I need to get what I can for it and move on!
I just have a problem of being a REALLY GOOD SCROUNGER! So I acquire stuff for next to free on the idea that I might use it. I have picked up a lot of free used fencing that way, but there is a time when you have to actually use it.
Sorry, the museum is in Tennessee…