It sounds like an oxymoron but I am starting to feel like I am a Consumerist Minimalist.
I am still trying to figure it out, but I think I’ve hit on exactly what minimalism means to me.
There are other Minimalists out there who are pure in the sense that they REALLY don’t give in to their wants and desires.
They’re really trying to live without anything at all and while I admire that, I think “what’s the point of my working for all of this money if I cannot enjoy it a little”?
I am not saying I should go into debt, or buy things I don’t want, need or use, but I do want to enjoy my money and my life with the comforts of things.
We all desire things, be it a book, a DVD, a pair of shoes or a new car.
I really don’t believe that things don’t make us happy and you can be deliriously happy without anything at all.
Maybe it’s true for some people, but they’ve ascended to a level of nirvana that I can’t quite grasp yet.
You need some sort of level of comfort for your lifestyle, and that requires having things.
To be clear, even a table is considered a thing, to me. And if you decide to live without a kitchen table, kudos.
But for me, it’s a necessity.
Where I find the balance is that I figure out my priorities and stick to them.
There was a big point in my life when I wanted too much and I couldn’t figure out what made me happy or not.
This was also when I had a television, so I’m going to draw a vague correlation to advertising pressure to my wanting more and more.
But ever since I gave up my television (and all the commercials that come with cable TV subscriptions), I have seen a drastic drop in my desire for things.
I don’t see the newest gadget out there dancing its way across the screen, and I don’t want it. When I read or hear about it, I find it interesting, but I’ve since learned other strategies to cope with discerning whether or not I really want it.
I have been unplugged from my TV, I don’t miss it and I definitely don’t miss paying $60 for cable every month.
That isn’t to say I don’t watch television shows any longer. I do — just online & without commercials. 
Eventually, I found minimalism. A name to something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
I wanted to live with less, but with the best.
But I had a real problem with the way everyone kept preaching how minimalism is living with less, less, less.
Or nothing at all.
That wasn’t what I wanted. I don’t like extremes and I don’t do well with them.
One of the problems was that I loved fashion & style, and I couldn’t imagine having such a small wardrobe as a so-called minimalist.
Then I realized that I could find my own balance in minimalism — I could still have a rich, colourful and varied wardrobe and call myself a minimalist, because that was where my priorities in wanting stuff lies.
For example, I don’t really care about having beautiful decorations for the home, or fancy kitchen utensils even if I love to cook.
Or extra makeup and toiletries that I don’t really use or want.
Or a fancy new car.
I now look at my needs versus my wants, and but even if it’s still a want I don’t immediately say “No”.
I just put myself under heavy scrutiny first to ask if I really want it.
And if my budget allows, and it makes sense, I buy it, love it, and am done with it.
So do I need another necklace or a pair of shoes?
Of course not.
But I cannot deny that having things makes me happy, and that’s where I think the paradox of being a Consumerist Minimalist lies.
I am able to use minimalism as a way to filter out my true needs and wants, rather than being lost and confused in a world of desirable things, or feeling angry that I cannot live with less.
Meg
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 10:21 am:
I don’t consider myself a consumerist, but I admit to being a bit materialistic or at least picky when it comes to things. I like having nice stuff. I didn’t become minimalist to be an ascetic. I became minimalist because I wanted to focus on those things that are important to me — and sometimes those things involve material goods.
It’s not that the stuff itself is so important, but rather what it does for me. For example, my musical instruments give me hours and hours of entertainment. My computer connects me to lots of great people. My car takes me places I couldn’t go to by bus or walking (like to visit family or go to chorus rehearsals). Nice clothes make me feel admired even just walking down the street. And nice furnishings make me feel very comfortable at home.
Being minimalist, though, means that I carefully consider what I bring into my home. I don’t go ga-ga over freebies just because they’re free anymore than I’d go ga-ga over expensive brands just because others value the brand. I even leave plenty of stuff I like in stores because I know I can’t and shouldn’t have everything I want. Instead, I buy the stuff that I think will best help me reach my goals and still leave plenty of breathing space at home.
ozzy
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 11:29 am:
Couldn’t agree more
I don’t want to stick on black and grey in winter and on beige in summer just to be a minimalist. I love having space in my life but I also love buying a lovely handbag or some more childbooks to my daughter. It’s a matter of priorities and self-control.
By the way I love your site
ozzy´s last blog ..J’adore (Bayildim)
Tweets that mention The Consumerist Minimalist | The Everyday Minimalist -- Topsy.com
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 3:32 pm:
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fabulously Broke, Jaka Merriman. Jaka Merriman said: Good stuff! @brokeinthecity The Consumerist Minimalist http://bit.ly/1qx6B3 [...]
Jennifer
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 4:22 pm:
I love reading your blog. It gets me back on track!
Jennifer´s last blog ..Words
E
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 4:48 pm:
“I wanted to live with less, but with the best.”
Now we’re on common ground.
I’m just a bit more of sentimental fool (and perhaps too practical) so I tend to hang on things minimalists wouldn’t.
Omg, I walked into a Best Buy/Future Shop on the weekend to pick up a cable for my laptop, and looked around. So many goodies I want!!! These new toys called iPhones/iTouch, a digital camera that I don’t have (stuck in the stone ages still – ah film my love), a Mac book (well maybe?), huge flat screens…candy I tell ya. Note to self…definitely stay away from those stores…then again, I’m pretty strong willed.
RowdyKittens
on Nov 16th, 2009
@ 5:14 pm:
Great post. You are right on!
I love purchasing high quality items. But I usually think about purchases for a few months before I take the plunge. It’s helped me keep my life uncluttered.
I’ve kept my personal things under 100 and it’s worked really well for me. I feel like I have balance in my life. For me that’s what minimalism is all about, balance.
Love the blog!
RowdyKittens´s last blog ..Simple Living News Update: Week of Nov 9
everydayminimalist
on Nov 17th, 2009
@ 8:02 am:
@RowdyKittens: I think your idea of things under 100 should be something that we should all consider.
For me, it’s 3 suitcases.
That’s my limit.
@E: Hahah! I was never crazy about going super minimalist, I just don’t like decorations or unnecessary furniture to clutter a space.
But I do like THINGS.
everydayminimalist
on Nov 17th, 2009
@ 8:02 am:
@ozzy: Thank you for loving my site!
I like things. Period. And being too neutral makes me sad.
everydayminimalist
on Nov 17th, 2009
@ 8:03 am:
@Meg That’s exactly it. I just liked the way Consumerist rhymed with Minimalist
Megan "JoyGirl!" Bord
on Nov 17th, 2009
@ 12:34 pm:
Your post was so well conceived and written… Wow! I really related to your views on being a minimalist consumer. And like Meg, I soul search before I buy things now, asking myself if I really (REALLY) want and/or need it. I also ask myself, “Is this sustainable?” But that’s a comment better geared toward an environmental blog, I guess. (smile)
I love the idea that being TV-less may have contributed to you buying fewer things. I feel the same way — somehow the pressure is off to keep up with the Jones’s.
Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..Read. LAUGH! Repeat.
Lawgirl
on Nov 18th, 2009
@ 10:31 pm:
What helps me keep my purchases down now is that I am not trying to fill up some sort of emptiness in myself with stuff. I am fulfilled in other ways now.
Lawgirl´s last blog ..Lawgirl Product Review
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on Nov 20th, 2009
@ 3:02 pm:
[...] The Everyday Minimalist: The Consumerist Minimalist [...]
Simple Living News Update: Week of November 16th
on Nov 23rd, 2009
@ 9:04 am:
[...] The Consumer Minimalist [...]
Abhishek
on Nov 23rd, 2009
@ 2:41 pm:
I dont think you are being a consumerist. Quality is something to be considered when living any form of lifestyle. Aggressively pursuing minimalism may not work with most people.
I keep modifying the objects around me by the frequency of usage. For example, I donate things when they no longer fit. I am moving to a new apartment. It wont have room for the hand-me-down dining table I have. I will have to buy a new one, so I will be donating the current one to a local group. The new one I buy will have a smaller footprint since I dont use it that often.
I am still fighting to not buy a coffee table. I will use several wooden foot stools instead. They have a smaller footprint and do not provide a large flat surface for clutter to accumulate.
everydayminimalist
on Nov 24th, 2009
@ 8:10 am:
I think aggressively pursuing minimalism doesn’t work with me.
As for fighting not to buy a coffee table — I don’t have a couch, so I don’t need a coffee table for example. We just sit at the dining room table..
Meg
on Nov 24th, 2009
@ 8:44 am:
@EverydayMinimalist
LOL! Our “dining room table” is our coffee table
Eventually we’ll want something different, but until we find just what we’re looking for we’re sticking with what we have.
Abhishek
on Nov 24th, 2009
@ 9:19 am:
No couch!
Thats pretty minimalist.
everydayminimalist
on Nov 25th, 2009
@ 7:12 am:
@Abhishek No couch because I don’t have a TV
I mean, most people have couches because it’s in front of the TV right?
Meg
on Nov 25th, 2009
@ 10:03 am:
@Everyday Minimalist
No t.v. here, but my husband and I do cuddle up together on the couch (or couches, depending on if we have the sectional split up) to watch stuff on our laptops. And the seating is nice for company. Even makes a nice place to take a nap or have guests sleep.
However, we did go about a month or so without couches after one of our roommates moved out and took hers. We used fold-up camping chairs and it wasn’t too awful. We still use some, in fact, for extra seating when we have more guests over than spots on the couches.
everydayminimalist
on Nov 26th, 2009
@ 7:27 am:
Just not a fan of couches..
I’d like a big arm chair for me, but a full couch? No real point for me. 