1. Less to carry or drag to the car on move-out day.
When I first took the plunge into minimalism, I noticed that it only took my family two trips to the car compared to the almost dozen trips just semesters prior. I don’t worry as much about moving day or even visiting my family for the holidays, simply knowing that there is less to pack and less to carry. I now know what is important and what is not!
2. You save money.
Being a minimalist means you won’t be browsing your favorite clothing sites or using amazon prime every other day! You save tons knowing you already have everything you need. After months of that mindset, you’ll realize how much money you’ve saved.
3. When you do buy, you invest in the higher quality version.
If I am going to buy something, I buy the best quality and longest lasting brand. The higher price is an investment that will allow me to avoid buying this item again anytime soon. Rather than owning 50 cheap dresses, I have 4 beautiful and high-quality ones that are fair-trade, organic, and are made in the USA. By this, I take better care of and appreciate my clothing (and other things) even more!
4. No more clutter.
When you look around a minimalist’s room, you will rarely see clutter to the degree most college students are known to have. It is nice to have a space that sparks joy the moment you walk in as only the things that make you smile are around you. It allows you to relax and concentrate on your schoolwork when you don’t have any clutter around you!
5. You can find things when you need them.
A great part about having fewer things is knowing now where everything belongs. It is difficult to lose anything when there is no clutter or valueless things filling a space. If I ever need something, I know exactly where is is without hesitation! It saves me time and stress.
6. Fewer things to focus on means more of your attention for those that matter.
Having less means appreciating more. I enjoy being able to really revel in the my awesome headphones or smiling at the violin tucked away in the corner. And because I can name everything I own, I don’t forget that those things are there to be appreciated and used. Instead of having 50 different things to keep me entertained, I have 3 or 4 options that are always there to bring me a smile. I like solely possessing what I actually put to use. It allows me to concentrate on what really matters in my life!
7. Easier and faster cleaning.
Less clutter and stuff means faster clean-up! No stuff on the floor means a quick sweep with the vacuum, and the clear counter spaces means only a few minutes of dusting! You take better care of your stuff when you remember that you have it.
8. You learn to use school resources for renting and borrowing.
Why drag your entire DVD or CD collection when your college library has such a vast collection? Who needs a blender when you can borrow one? When you know you can do more with less, you become willing to find ways of accessing things that you know you only need a few times a year. If you use a blender every day, buy your own…but if you’re just looking for the occasional smoothie, borrowing saves space and another trip to the car!
9. Less choice means less time deciding.
When I used to have a huge wardrobe, I hated deciding what to wear because there were so many choices and I would forget if I even liked the way it made me look. To make the matter worse, my wrdrobe was cheap and thin because I liked to pay as little as possible for what I wore. It got to the point that I wouldn’t wear half the things I owned simply because there wasn’t enough time in the world for everything. Now, I invest in the best quality clothing so that pieces will last a long time, create numerous different outfits, and make me look my best! I still spoil myself every once in awhile with a new article piece, which makes it feel even more special knowing that it is a rare treat to myself.
10. You buy into experiences over stuff.
When your money goes toward creating memories and experiences, you realize how little meaning physical things have. You will not remember those leggings 50 years from now or that fancy new phone…you’ll remember the experiences you had. I invest in student trips, wilderness adventures, and working with others! These memories will live with me forever, so why not put your time and money toward making more of them?!
11. You don’t feel tied down by materialistic things!
Escaping the belief that we need to be surrounded by physical things to feel happy is freeing! It makes me more appreciative for what I have and the relationships I create. We make life so much more complex than it needs to be. Having less means living more! I have more money, more time, better relationships, and feel less tied down. I can now travel the world and carry around a carry-on suitcase with everything that is truly necessary. For every college student, this is the age we discover who we are and where we wish to be…for me, to feel free is all I need!
Images source: https://experiencelife.com/article/essentialism-my-new-minimalism/