I love the image of wide open spaces, as if we can imagine all of the things we could do if only we weren't weighted down by all of our possessions and created burdens. I am not a minimalist, but I am someone who is striving to have less, to focus on experiences and find my true definition of "enough."
But I sometimes find that my desire for financial independence and my desire to have less stuff are mutually exclusive. For example, I have a closest where I keep boxes. Boxes from gifts I received or packages I've been delivered. And I keep these boxes so that when I need to give a gift or sell something on eBay I don't have to spend money on the container itself. I also have a few tubs devoted to craft supplies which are used to make my own gift cards, saving me money throughout the year.
But the minimalist (or striving minimalist) in me says lose all the stuff and just buy a gift bag and a card when you need one. Keeping these materials comes at a cost as well since you need to store the stuff, and when you add that up throughout your home that can wind up costing you an entire room and creating the desire to upgrade to a bigger home.
But you know what? It's not about being the best minimalist, or about being the most frugal. It's about finding a balance where I have what I need, carefully spend my money on items and experiences I deem worthy, and don't get bogged down with a bunch of stuff and debt that keep me from being the person that I want to be.
It isn't easy though. Finding "enough" seems to be about as simple as balancing an egg on your nose. But I suppose that's why most people don't do it. To be exceptional you have to be willing to do what most are not.