I am a minimalist and my husband is a pack rat, any advice?

1. 77

   dandelionweedsposted 9 years ago

   I am a minimalist and my husband is a pack rat, any advice?
   
   He is neater than I am but we are running out of room.
   
   

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2. 59

   C.V.Rajanposted 9 years ago

   Take a stock of all unwanted things once in a while and throw them away. If it includes your husband too, I can't help it!

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3. 81

   peachpurpleposted 9 years ago

   Good thing that he is neat. If you are untidy, try to accommodate his style. Then both of you don;t have to sleep in different rooms

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4. 78

   dashingscorpioposted 9 years ago

   Generally speaking people don't "change" unless (they) are (unhappy) with the results of their actions.
   There are only two ways to experience joy and peace of mind in relationships: We either get what we want or we learn to be happy with what we have. Accept them as is or move on.
   The choice is up to us.
   Only you know if his being a (pack rat) is a "deal breaker".

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5. 94

   peeplesposted 9 years ago

   Is he a pack rat or does he just keep what minimalist find unnecessary? I've been working on becoming a minimalist in some ways, but my husband has no desire to follow in my steps. I find the best way of dealing with it was dividing up what is his, mine, and ours. Then dividing up what is considered "ours" based on who really uses it. The kitchen stuff for example is considered ours, but since he NEVER cooks he agreed that I could minimize all I wanted in the kitchen. I am a pack rat when it comes to things the kids have made. I have boxes of paper the kids have drawn on. My compromise with my husband was to agree to go though it once a year and determine what was still important enough to keep. Try sitting down and writing out what you both own, and working on a compromise so he doesn't feel forced to follow along with something he doesn't like.
   If that fails, remember he likely had these same behavior traits or something similar when you married him. Just because you do something doesn't mean you can expect him to change for you. I would love if my husband would become a prepper, but I know that the chances of that ever happening are slim since he wasn't one when I met him. Give and take. If it becomes a battle, ask yourself if it is really worth it.

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6. 57

   Snøwmanposted 9 years ago

   Separate everything you have into 3 sections. Need it, maybe, and don't need it.
   
   Everything in the don't need it section gets thrown out or given away. Just find some way to get rid of it.
   
   The items in the need it section go back where you got them.
   
   Keep an eye on the maybe section. If you find that you actually use the items in it more often than you thought, keep it. If you rarely use them or not at all, get rid of them. The maybe section is a big help for pack rats so they can clearly see what they need and what they don't need.

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