The idea of “less is more” has always been foreign to me. I wanted more and more books to show off in my library. I wanted more and more clothes to look good.

But eventually this lifestyle wore on me. My journey began with a sense of disquiet in my soul. I took one instinctive step after another, and there I was: A minimalist.

I only realised that there was a word for what I was when, yes, I stumbled on a blog about minimalism. It was an, “Ah-ha, so that’s what this is!” moment. Totally validating to discover that you’re not the only person who thought that shucking off your worldly possessions is the most liberating act in the universe.

Almost 10 years after becoming a minimalist, I can safely say that it has changed my life for the better.

My debt crisis

I didn’t become a minimalist because I read some minimalism influencer’s blog. Back then, the word minimalism had more to do with interior decorating than a lifestyle.

Still, like most minimalists, my story began somewhere. And that somewhere was a four-letter word: Debt.

More than a decade ago, I had a RM12,000 credit card debt. When I added that amount to my car debt, it became an amazing RM25,000. When I added that amount to my house loan, well, my brain exploded.

One day, I just snapped. I was tired of this weight on my psyche, this fear that if lost my job, I’d be f***ed, this struggle of living paycheck to paycheck My life was constant anxiety and worry.. I want it all gone.

Becoming a minimalist … by accident

I worked double time to do get rid of the debt and refused to listen to popular financial advice. (For example, people said it was a bad financial move to get rid of my car loan fast because of the low interest rates). 

After a year, I managed to get rid of that icky RM25,000 debt.

All that money that would’ve gone to minimal credit card payments now went to my savings account.

It felt like I could breathe again. 

By then I had changed.

Stuff, I realised, got me into debt. Stuff that I didn’t use.

What accelerated my move towards minimalism was the sudden need to dispose all of my things.

You see, in 2012, I decided to quit my job and move to Australia. That meant I had to reduce all my worldly possessions to one luggage bag.

Decluttering at the speed of light

Emptying my 1,000sq feet apartment turned out to be an arduous, insanely difficult process.

I had nearly 2,000 books, possibly 1,000 DVDs. The tragic thing about it all was that I had not read or watched 50% of that collection. 

I got into debt for this? 

Fortunately, a church was looking for someone to donate things for a charity sale. My library went to them. 

After that, I was allergic to stuff. That switch in my head that said, “let’s shop for fun” was flipped off.

I realised then that I had been using stuff to feel happy, but stuff didn’t make me happy. It cluttered up my life, making it hard to move easily, which means my nomadic soul was anchored unwillingly to one spot. I couldn’t just pick up and move to another state if I wanted to – I had all my stuff to think about. 

What is minimalism?

I used to keep a cupboard full of perfumes. It’s not that I love perfumes or go out of my way to buy them. It’s just that as a journalist, I kept getting free samples and I felt like I had to keep them because they were expensive brands.

Did you know how I used the perfumes?

To play a little game with my dog.

He’d come to the cupboard of perfumes, sit there expectantly as I take one bottle after another for him to sniff. I loved watching him wrinkle his nose and sneeze or give me a delighted, “Oh wow!” look.

Yes, that’s what I did with the bottles of Chanels, Diors and Shiseidos. I can hear some of you beauty lovers scream now.

You see, minimalism isn’t about living with just 30 possessions or wearing the same thing again and again. Yes, while minimalism embraces “less is more”, it’s more about living with and spending money on things you value.

The thing was, as much as I enjoyed goofing around with my dog with bottles of hundred-dollar perfumes, it would have been much better for me to give it to someone who loved them. I didn’t value them and they were cluttering my bedroom. Each time I opened the cupboard I would sneeze. (So would my dog!)

Now, I no longer have that cupboard of perfume bottles. Mostly because I had to throw them all away after moving out from my parents’ place and they were all expired.

What does a minimalist lifestyle look like?

It looks different for everybody. You’ll have, at one extreme, folks who live a life of voluntary simplicity like Rob Green who doesn’t keep more than US$5,000 in his bank account. And on the other end, you’ll have folks who look like ordinary Joes and Janes who doesn’t have a Muji-inspired home with empty tables and white-washed walls.

I fall somewhere in between, though some may argue, towards the extreme side of things:

1. My room is an oasis of calm, I’m not as messy and tidying up is a breeze

I’ve always been a messy person. I just have this nasty habit of never putting back things in their original spots. Fortunately I found Marie Kondo, whose practical tips on tidying up (especially the wardrobe!) so invaluable! She makes my life so much easier!

I think this video below will speak volumes:

2. I rented out my apartment and downsized to a room.

Your mileage may vary, but I no longer live in a 1000sqf apartment by my own lonesome. Instead, I share an apartment with someone. 1000sqf of space for one person seemed excessive to me. This living arrangement is better for my finances and cleaning is so much easier.

3. I have simplified my wardrobe

Back when I had to go to a physical office, I wore a work uniform. Meaning, ala Steve Jobs, I would wear the same thing to work every day. Now that I work remotely, it’s just comfy T-shirt and pants. My mum is so worried that I’m not buying enough clothes that she threatens to buy me new clothes every week.

4. I drive less and walk more now

After living a year without a car, I realised that I prefer walking around rather than driving. This has slashed my transportation costs and I believe it’s better for the environment. I still have my (fully paid-off) car, though. I think having one on standby is always useful.

5. I am financially stable

I no longer live paycheck to paycheck, for one, and that massive, six-figure house loan debt?

GONE.

I got rid of my six-figure debt, saved a lot of money and a healthy emergency fund thanks to minimalism. It helped me realise that I don’t need stuff to fill the void in me. This mindshift was crucial in my journey towards financial independence. Watch my video below to learn how I got out of debt with minimalism:

Minimalism helps you create a more intentional life

My friend once asked me how in the world I got so much things done.

Besides having an organising system that you can take to like a duck to water, minimalism was also a factor.

With minimalism, the world is now full of possibilities. The space taken up by stuff before I now spend on my interests, passion and on self-actualisation.

All that white, neutral empty space formerly cluttered up by knick knacks and trophies allow me to go into a calm state that allows me to think deeply about my life and about where I want to go.

That’s why I’m a minimalist. It makes me happy.

This post, originally written in 2016, has been updated in 2020. I’m still very much a happy minimalist.