I’ve been thinking a lot about “doing with less” lately — not in the extreme minimalist sense where you live with one fork and a mattress on the floor — but in the very normal, very human sense of actually using the things I already own.
Like coats. Let’s start there.
I have a friend named Amy (yes, her real name), who once said her goal for the year was simply this: “To wear more coats.”
Not buy more. Not organize them. Not color‑code them by season. Just… wear the coats she already owned.
Uncomplicated. Attainable. Sensible. Way to go, Amy.
And honestly? She was onto something. Because if your coat closet looks anything like mine — and I’m guessing it might — you probably have enough outerwear to outfit a small expedition team. I’ve been known to buy coats off‑season when they’re drastically reduced, which is how I ended up with… well, let’s just say “several.”
So yes, I’m wearing my coats. All of them. Even the ones I forgot I owned.
And this whole “use what you have” thing has me looking around my house with fresh eyes.
How many muffin tins does one woman need?
Because apparently I have seven. Seven. Different sizes, different shapes, different levels of “I swear I’ll use this someday.” Why? I don’t know. I don’t even bake muffins that often.
And remember when people used to eat cereal out of repurposed Cool Whip containers? Now we all have these fancy ceramic bowls that cost more than the entire grocery haul used to. I’m not saying I’m going back to Cool Whip couture, but the contrast is… worth noting.
And then there’s the infamous moment I discovered I owned thirteen nearly identical red lip glosses. Thirteen. And don’t get me started on the shoes. I wrote about that too — the excess, the absurdity, the gentle slap of realizing I had become my own tiny department store.
So, maybe minimalism — or my version of it — isn’t about deprivation. Maybe it’s about awareness. About actually using the things I’ve already chosen to bring into my life. About wearing the coats. Using the muffin tins. Finishing the lip gloss. And not buying another pair of shoes just because they’re on sale and whispering my name.
Minimalism, for me, isn’t about owning less. It’s about using more — more of what I already have, more intentionally, more often.
Now… which coat should I wear to the grocery store tomorrow? That was a joke people, it’s June and in the South, no one needs a coat in June.
Bottom line, I’m not going full pioneer woman, but I am rethinking my stuff.
Today’s post inspired by the WordPress daily prompt: Do you believe in minimalism? Cover image created with Jetpack AI … pretty amazing what “he” is can do with the right description/ask, isn’t it.
DISCLAIMER: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice. Also, I’m a writer and an editor. And I try my best to make sure every post is articulate and free from errors. However, being that I edit my own work—and it’s next to impossible to properly edit your own work—I admit, occasionally there may be an error or two I miss. But doing so doesn’t make me an idiot so don’t be mean. Just smile, pat yourself on the back for finding an error and be glad you’re not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes … xoxox
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