The one with an eye for the essentials
03.09.2020
A pen, two trousers, a computer, a cell phone, seven shirts, a knife, a spoon and a fork. Alan Frei doesn’t need much more to feel at home. We met the 38-year-old entrepreneur in Zurich.
Alan Frei, once you still owned 500 things, now there are 119. What is your goal?
I don’t follow a fixed number, but go through different phases. In the beginning, it was simple: broken and useless things? Get rid of it! Then, three years ago, I packed most of the household contents in the attic as an experiment. And you know what? Out of sight, out of mind! I didn’t need him anymore.
«My lifestyle is not a consumer criticism, but a quest for happiness.»Alan Frei
What stage are you in today?
Today I think very carefully about what I need to be happy. The last thing I saw no use for was my little spoon. You can also eat yoghurts with the big one.
You’re talking about luck. Is that your inner drive?
Yes, exactly. I want to live as simple a life as possible. The better I do this, the freer and more independent I feel.
I can imagine that the practical implementation of this insight required explanation for those around you.
Of course, but my friends quickly accepted it. My family is the same, although my mother still wants to cheer me on utensils such as pans. So far, however, I have been able to successfully defend myself against it (laughs).
How did the idea of the little grow in you?
I grew up in a household that lacked nothing. On the one hand, I wanted to remove my navel with my ideas, but on the other hand I also found approval from like-minded people. It finally clicked after my father’s death: During the evacuation of the house, we disposed of things that hadn’t been used for decades. That’s when I knew I was on the right path for me.
Is this also about protecting the environment?
I actually live like everyone else, and I’m good at getting out of hand. My lifestyle is therefore not a consumer criticism and has nothing to do with environmental protection, but solely with my personal pursuit of happiness.
What role does media attention play in this? You give regular interviews.
None. Of course I’m an extrovert, but it was never my plan to see myself on TV one day. It just happened.
Last question: I’m invited to dinner at your place. What do I bring with me?
Cutlery and plates. Everything else is well taken care of.
More about Alan Frei: www.alanfrei.com