I decided to adopt a minimalist lifestyle about 12 years ago. The decision coincided with giving up full time work for the first time in 50 years, a change which required it's own emotional adjustments.

Then i searched around, found, and moved to a small town up the coast, my first experience in a small town. That was in 2009 and 2010, and there were no problems with that. I had already become tired of the traffic and day to day challenges of bigger city life.

Once I moved, and over the next 3 or 4 years, by 2013, I had divested myself of all those things i had previously wanted, including the house and car i had purchased to move and live here. The truth is however, that in the great apartment i found, I still have a spare room full of boxes filled with books, texts, notes, and who knows what else which I haven't managed to let go of, yet.

In adjusting, I did buy a hybrid electric bicycle to replace the car when i was surprized to find that my 70 year old legs and knees no longer had the strength to get up those hugely steep hills common to many coastal towns and cities. If you've ever been to San Francisco, you'll know what i mean.

I have lived my minimalist lifestyle comfortably now for 5 or 6 years, and miss nothing. I've always felt free, at least since my 20s, but as i moved into my 70s, freedom meant minimalism, and it was certainly different, but equally pleasurable.

This may have been more information than people wanted, but these memories were what the question triggered.

Downsized a few years back. Gave stuff to my daughter if she wanted it, rest went to Habitat for Humanity store.

Kind of. Yes.

I have even gotten rid of many of my books. It's very liberating.

Should be the lifestyle that everyone should espouse too.

For professional musicians it just naturally happens.

Downsizing has been liberating! And it continues. I love living with less. Still on the fence about my books, though. ?

I spent the first half or more of my life collecting stuff and now I plan on getting rid of it all...almost...I want to be able to be free of taking care of it, cleaning it, insuring it, moving it around, getting rid of it, etc. etc. My approach has been to keep what I love and what makes my life happy: books, sewing and knitting supplies, my pets, and a few things to be able to clean and feed myself....I am done with STUFF!!! Set a goal...mine is June 1, 2019. I am about half way done.

I sadly use only about 10% of the things I own. Minimalism sounds nice but it would be a very,long process for me.

Aspiring. Poorly.