Minimalism is nothing new. You’ve learned minimalist theories in school since you were a child first studying art and literature. Your mother taught you the “less is more” phrase when teaching you not to waste too many paper towels.
What you may not know, however, is that minimalist concepts have translated into a lifestyle trend. People are beginning to write books and blogs describing how they’ve given up their material possessions in pursuit of a happier life. Some are extreme, selling their homes and quitting their jobs, for example, to pursue self-sufficient lives where the essentials are all that matter. Others claim that cleaning out clutter and cutting down on spending increases their daily functionality and happiness.
All minimalists believe that adopting this kind of lifestyle in any form is a way to stop the gluttony of the world around us. It’s a countercultural lifestyle as it’s contrary to every advertisement we have ever seen. Our society encourages the accumulation of “stuff”. Consumerism has inevitably led to clutter, noise, distractions, and debt.When I first heard about this new trend, I was a bit turned off. Yeah so what? We like to buy sh*t. Who cares? I’m not going to drop everything I own to go live in a cabin somewhere. After more research, I learned that there are smaller ways in which you can adopt minimalism. For example, cleaning out the clutter in your desk, donating some clothing you never wear, or throwing out that old box of make-up are just three simple ways you can begin to live like a minimalist.
After cleaning out my closet and adopting a “less is more” mindset, I’ve found there is more joy to be found owning less than can be found pursuing more. With help from some blogs and research, I’ve come up with 10 reasons why minimalism is worth it:
1. Spend less.Choosing to accumulate only the essentials allows us to save money. For instance, when shopping, ask yourself, “Do I really need it?” If the answer is no, then you’ll save yourself some cash for something more important. It also motivates you to be careful with what you do own so you don’t produce excess waste and need to buy more.
2. Stress less.A minimalist life is significantly less stressful. We often cling onto material possessions and inevitably create stress for ourselves because we are always afraid of losing these things. By letting go of these possessions, you can lose your attachment to these things and ultimately create a calm, peaceful mind.
3. Be more green.The less we consume, the less we contribute to environmental damage. By sticking to only the essentials, you won’t be wasting materials on luxuries that you don’t necessarily need. Have you ever thought about selling your car? You don’t need it really. You can always car pool or take the bus which would save the world a significant amount of pollution and gas. Plus, you won’t have the stress of paying bills and searching for a parking spot.
4. Save time.If you own less clutter, you’ll find what you need quicker, saving you lots of time. Cleaning and laundry become easy tasks because you don’t have as much to clean. Cutting these minutes from your daily chores will give you time to focus on what matters most to you.
5. Improve quality.By saving money on cutting down on spending, you can invest your savings in higher quality essentials. Yes, you may only have one pair of jeans, but they’ll fit you like a glove and last forever because you invested in the quality pair rather than quantity. More is not better. Better is better!
6. Look good.There’s a reason minimalist homes and minimalist fashion styles are so a la mode. De-cluttering your room will make it much more visually appealing. Space and simplicity are ironically valued in parts of all societies. Therefore, maybe it’s time you ditched that pink sequined dress you wore once to a sweet 16 and toss those queer knick-knacks.
7. Release the past.We hold on to many of our possessions for sentimental reasons. But why? Your memory isn’t tied to that little figurine you bought during your first visit to Europe when you were nine years old. Your memories are tied to the stories and photos you share with your family. By letting go of this clutter, especially those gifts from your ex-boyfriend, you can release your past and open up to attack the future.
8. Free yourself from comparison.Our culture begs us to accumulate possessions in order to show them off to others. Because of this game of ownership, we are constantly comparing what we have to what others have. If you’re able to let go your dependence on possessions, you will naturally let go of this need to compare yourself to other people. Soon enough, you’ll stop comparing yourself to other people in terms of looks and status all together.
9. Focus on what matters.When you spend less time on Nasty-Gal and Amazon searching for the next perfect thing to buy, you open the door to hobbies and activities that you never seemed to have time for before. Everyone always says they don’t have anytime, but if we step back and analyze how exactly we’re spending our time, we realize that taking out the time we spend on material possessions gives us the opportunity to start up yoga or learn a new language.
10. Be happier.If you have more time, money, freedom, and confidence, you’re naturally going to be a happier person. When you have time to focus on what truly matters to you, while benefitting the environment, you’ll be able to enjoy life in a way that you were never able to before. Trust me; by doing the little things like donating the clothes you never wear and recycling your old high school projects, you’ll feel free from the material holds on your life and live happier.
(Sources: becomingaminimalist.com, minimalism.com)