Beginimalism Workshop

Tuesday, August 28th | 5:30pm | Our Lady of the Snows | Free

Minimalism for beginners, because we all have to start somewhere!

What the heck is minimalism, anyway? Are there membership requirements? Do you have to be able to count your belongings on your fingers and toes, throw out your baby photo albums, fit your entire wardrobe on a stylish DIY copper pipe rack, or switch out all your favorite books for an e-reader? Well, as it turns out… No, you really don’t.

It’s easy to see curated Instagram galleries or shots in Kinfolk magazine and think, “Aha! This is minimalism!” Though these images can be covet-worthy (or at least make us feel bad about our junk drawers), this workshop focuses on moving away from aesthetics and looking at minimalism as a mindfulness practice.

Minimalism isn’t about depriving yourself of the things you like or projecting an external image; it’s about creating an intentional relationship with what you own, what you don’t, what you consume, how you consume it, and what you produce in the process. Through the process, you up with more time and space for that which is truly meaningful.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to identify the thoughts and patterns that contribute to the accumulation of “stuff,” assess what adds genuine value to your life, and use mindfulness meditation to cultivate a sense of “enough-ness.” Additionally, we’ll discuss issues of consumerism, privilege, sustainability, and waste within the minimalist movement, and how we can begin to address them on a personal level.

Whether you’re living in a small space and looking for breathing room, a frequent traveler trying to lighten your load, or just want to check if you *actually* have an outdoor gear-hoarding problem, you’ll leave with a fresh perspective, inspiration, and practical how-to info on minimizing and decluttering. See you there!