Wednesday, November 06, 2013

How Little Can I Live With?

Much more than I thought or want.  Really.


My thought was to purge a lot of unwanted stuff and start over this part of my life by living more simply but I still ended up with...say it again?  Much more than I wanted.  This is what was left after a packed-car trip to the new place!


Does not include the furniture that I will take! 


The biggest space hogs among my moving boxes are the six and a half boxes and plastic totes devoted to sewing books and fabric.  That is even more than the space devoted to my finished items of clothing!  That does not even include the two sewing machines, a table and a wardrobe dedicated to hold everything.  For sure, this is not a hobby suited for minimal living!



I guess I will never be able to live like this:


http://webecoist.momtastic.com/2011/12/26/ultra-compact-interior-designs-14-small-space-solutions/
All-in-one unit. Designer unknown.

let alone this apartment in 300 square feet.


The funny thing is that I really thought I had less sewing "stuff n' stash" than most  bloggers I read until I combined the stuff from my bedroom closet, under the bed, in the wardrobe/armoire, on my bookshelf, and next to and in the sewing table. Yes, in denial, was I.  So can anyone show me a seamster/sewist* that does live minimally?  I'm serious, I dare you!



*Of adult garments, not quilts, children clothing or stuffed animals.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I did my thesis on voluntary simplicity, I had to deal with the dicotomy of people who were living simply but might own a designer handbag. The response to that is "anything that brings true joy into your life should accepted and embraced".

Until the amount of sewing stuff you possess makes you unhappy, then you should keep it. Once it becomes a burden rather than a joy, then it should go.
Diane Drexel

Ana Stepalica said...

I live in a 322 square feet apartment and I am a dressmaker. I had to sacrifice some things, but I've managed to make a tiny sewing studio for myself. Most of the space is occupied by sewing magazines and fabrics, but I try to keep them to the minimum. What I miss the most is a nice cutting table, since the one I'm sewing on is a tiny one, so I cut on the floor instead.

K.Line said...

Oh, this is a really good question! I say that I "live minimally" (for a seamstress!) - but I think that still means I have hoards of stuff.

The Slapdash Sewist said...

I tremble at the thought of moving. Tremble. The mountain of stuff would be terrifying. I definitely do not live simply!

Kyle said...

You're doing great!!

Anonymous said...

So..I have a similar issue, and I think that in order to quilt well, it helps to build up a sizeable stash. But I don't really have room for that. I think one solution is to have a little shared studio space somewhere....like can't you envision an open loft space that you share with like three other sewers? Shared machines, shared dress forms, trade opportunities for stashes? I think it would be awesome!