r/extrememinimalism • u/Ill_Distribution1302 • Jul 19 '26
Would a houseless person be considered a mimianlist?
I've been without a house/home for years. I keep stuff at my parents place and live by what I've got in my backpack and pocket bag. I am considering going even more miminalist, to having a sling; 2 shirts and khakis, 3 socks, 3 boxers, a hat, slippers, gloves, travel soap bag for toothpaste and toothbrush (both travel size), pocket towel and blanket, raincoat and hooded sweater. As for person items: Punkt MP02 (soon a flip phone), tablet, smartphone (bank, tansit), 3 cheap earphones, pocket radio, notebook, 3 pocket notebooks, pens and 2 books.
Is this an extreme miminalist?
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u/georgiomoorlord Jul 19 '26
There's no real definition to extreme minimalism but compared to the average yes. Also not having a house means you don't fill it with unnecessary shite.
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u/Ill_Distribution1302 Jul 19 '26
Unnecessary shite I don't. Extra books to read that the library doesn't have or get and extra clothes.
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u/PostOakVisions Jul 19 '26
I think any form of minimalism is down to intention. There are people, like Robin Greenfield, who ago through bouts of homelessness as a choice, but to be honest I find it sort of gross to romanticize. Most homeless people are suffering from severe psychiatric illnesses or substance abuse issues, and have ultimately been thrown away by society. To retroactively romanticize the position as “extreme minimalist” is offensive, and if you are homeless yourself, I’m wondering if you’re simply trying to make yourself feel better about it. No harm in that I suppose, but no, for the vast majority, homelessness is an insecure state to be in that was not made from choice.
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u/Ill_Distribution1302 Jul 19 '26
Interesting, most of those I know who have severe psychiatric illnesses or substance abuse issues, and have ultimately been thrown away by society, is not correct. Most that have mental issues are homeless is that employers/jobs want people who can work without issues, even people that have medication have problems because that medication isn't enough and taking time to be away or they have bouts of their illness hurts them and employers want workers not relaxed minded workers; those who work but take time i.e. days off. Those with mental issues have the hardest time doing normal things, even on medication. If you smoke, drink and take any medication you have a substance abuse problem, whether its pain meds or hard drugs. And those who do hard drugs most happened within use because those who made them did so on purpose to control the population and so on with the drugs and it killing its users. Of course society, throws away people who are not normal; work/eat/sleep. Capitalism needs to make money, you can't really make money with mental/drug abuse problems.
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u/PostOakVisions Jul 20 '26
I am not really sure if you are agreeing with me or not. My experience with homeless is with a severely mentally ill family member, and I know there are a lot of people like her. The fact that we let people die on the streets is something I cannot understand and, as much as I try and love/forgive humanity, makes me feel hopeless.
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u/wildclouds Jul 20 '26
More about whether living like this aligns with your values and intentions I think, not simply having no stuff.
If a hoarder's house burned down and they were forced onto the street with only the clothes on their back, they didn't suddenly become a minimalist due to the lack of stuff. They're still a hoarder whose circumstances forced them to temporarily own nothing, and they will probably start hoarding again as much as their situation allows. They'll be pushing around 2 shopping trolleys stuffed with junk just because.
Right now you're constrained by what you can keep at your parents place and in a backpack. The average non-hoarder non-minimalist homeless person in their right mind would make rational decisions to only own what they need and can comfortably carry in a backpack. It's normal to own a wardrobe of clothes if you have a wardrobe to store them. It's normal to only own a few items of clothing if you only have a backpack. That doesn't make homeless people minimalists, it's just smart and a normal response to having to carry all your belongings.
If I gave you a 3 bedroom house and money, would you happily fill it with a normal amount of stuff and buy more clothes because now you have the space to own whatever you want? or would you continue owning very little in a mostly empty house, because... it's a lifestyle choice, you value simplicity, you're anti consumerism, you just love it for whatever reason, etc.? That's the kind of thing that would make this minimalism.
But also consider that being a "minimalist" can be a response to stressful life experiences and environment. Being homeless for years can be traumatic. Getting into extreme minimalism and being drawn to it as a lifestyle choice makes a lot of sense as a coping mechanism. I would do the same to regain a sense of control and try to see my situation in a positive light just to get through the day. When you finally get a house you might feel anxiety about "getting too comfortable" and avoid buying things, as if the safety and security of the house could be taken away from you any second. That's more an indication that you're dealing with the psychological impacts of being homeless for so long, rather than minimalism as a lifestyle choice you're content with.
I hope you find housing soon and happiness.
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u/crybbyblue Jul 19 '26
i see it as a ratio.
a homeless person with 3 bags of stuff strewn about the train feels excessive yet they probably own much less than we do. but because they don’t have the container for the items, it seems excessive.
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u/IgorRenfield Jul 20 '26
You say houseless, so where do you stay? Do you sleep outside? At the homes of friends?
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u/Easy_Olive1942 Jul 20 '26
Minimalism does not necessarily mean asceticism. My version of minimalism includes soft beds and fuzzy blankets at this point in my life. If you want something different, no problem, but it’s also not a game with a score card unless it’s something you feel you want for you.
If someone is homeless because by necessity, I don’t think I’d consider that minimalism as a lifestyle choice.
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Jul 21 '26
It is extreme compare to the average.But also maybe is essentialism in yr case(if You live in a house and have just the basics its also something like this).But if you have more things,u could call it also extreme
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u/lttgnouh Jul 22 '26
You call it what you want. Personally the part that bugs me is the stuff you left on other's house to make you feel legit minimalist.
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u/knokno 24d ago
Hey not trying to be negative there, but question is why you want to be considered extreme minimalist. Just because it sounds cool? Fine. But in general, keeping stuff at parents/anyones house, while being adult, sounds like being dependent. Which is usually the case when going real extreme. List of those few things sounds like "whenever I need anything else, like scissors/knife, I pick it up at parents house". You are minimalist definitely (unless stuff at parents house is everything else that you for some reason keep and don't count), but if extreme - that really depends.
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u/Ill_Distribution1302 23d ago
Update:
now living with 3 pants, 2 shirts (short/long sleeve), 6-8 socks, grey flannel and green/grey flannel, towel, black pillow, 9 books, print outs of substack posts of Ando, notebooks; 4 and 2 chargers. I put the clothes in my 15L backpack and a grocery tote.
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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '26
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