Although it’s been awhile since I blogged about my minimalism/simplicity journey, don’t let that fool you–
It’s still as much on my mind as it ever was.
Here’s the problem with where I’m currently at though—I’ve realized that when you’re about to have a baby, you suddenly acquire a LOT more stuff. Like, a disproportionate amount of stuff compared to the size of the tiny human that will soon be entering your realm.
I remarked to Matt (right as we were going off to register for the baby) that it seemed to me that registering for all this stuff seemed kind of superfluous–I mean, didn’t babies just need somewhere to sleep, something to eat (and something to eat it with), clothes to wear (including diapers), a toy or two, and some good picture books? I didn’t understand how on earth we were going to be able to create a whole registry just from those things.
Apparently I was wrong.
Apparently nowadays, raising a baby is a lot more complicated than you think—apparently I need nursing pads and Boppy covers and Diaper Genies and tiny hangers. And don’t forget the diaper bag, swaddle blankets, carseat cover, infant thermometer, Pack & Play, baby carrier, and car window shade. (And that’s not even getting into any of the “cutesy” stuff–coordinated bedsheets, artwork for the nursery, and those impossibly soft little stuffed animals you just want to rub your cheek against all day long.)
Basically, I’m quickly discovering that it “requires” a lot to raise a tiny human in today’s modern world. Or at least the marketers and a large majority of the population try to convince you it does.
This accumulation of an enormous amount of stuff in a small amount of time is making my brain panic a bit–here I’ve spent the last two-plus years trying to pare down our possessions as much as possible, only to be acquiring what seems to be hundreds of new items in the space of a few short months. (Don’t get me wrong–I’m incredibly grateful for the generosity of so many that will allow us to provide so well for our baby girl at very little expense to ourselves. It’s just a bit overwhelming for the minimalist in me, is all.)
Currently, I’m trying to strip down our apartment to the essentials and most-loved possessions of mine and Matt’s, and I’ll let the baby stuff rest until I know what’s really necessary and what’s not. I’m still not as ruthless with my own possessions as I’d like to be, but I’ve come a long way over the past 27 months. And, judging by the small-ness of our apartment and the ever-growing mountain of pink things, I will have to learn to get even more ruthless, and pronto.
Guess the next several years will be pretty crucial in answering the question–is it possible to be an aspiring minimalist while raising young children?
