I consider myself a realist, and I’m generally pretty moderate in my views of various things (i.e., I like to find the “happy medium”). This applies to my view of minimalism as well. I don’t necessarily think that the “own only 100 things” or “only have 33 items of clothing” ideas can logically apply to everyone. I don’t personally abide by these popular ‘minimalist maxims’. That said, I do agree with the overall ideas of minimalism. I like Joshua Becker’s definition of minimalism best: “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” There are a lot of benefits to adapting this mindset; here are a few that are important to me!
o Less Stuff = Less Stress
Research has actually shown that clutter stresses us out! Clutter impairs the brain’s ability to process information, affects our mood, and reduces our ability to think creatively. Yikes! When you have a lot of stuff, it’s harder to be organized, which means you’re likely to waste a lot of time looking for things you need. Which leads to my next point…
o Less Time Maintaining/Cleaning, Etc.
Physical items are basically dust collectors (if you have a dog like us, you know this all too well!). The more things you have, the more things you have to clean/clean around. Just think about how much easier it is to clean an empty countertop as opposed to one that is covered in mail and small appliances! When it comes to clothing, have you ever noticed that even when you have an overstuffed closet, you feel like you have ‘nothing to wear’? Too many options is overwhelming and there’s always the guilt about that shirt you paid a lot of money for, but never wear. L I’ve pared my wardrobe down significantly over the last couple of years and find that I spend way less time figuring out what to wear (and I rarely need/want to shop).
o Save $$
When you’re intentional about buying fewer things and bringing less into your home/life, it logically follows that you’re also saving money. You could easily put that money towards things like DEBT, travel, charities/causes that are important to you, etc. Going back to the stress thing…I think everyone would agree that having a little extra money in savings relieves a lot of stress! Heck, you might even realize that you could take a more meaningful/less stressful job because you don’t actually need as much money as you thought. ;)
o Better for the Environment/Less Waste.
Though I am far from perfect in this regard, I do believe that as humans we are to care for God’s creation. He put us in charge of it, in fact! That said, a quick Google search will show you just how much waste we send to landfills every year. All that trash has an impact on our soil, water, and air quality. On top of the fact that at some point, we are just going to straight up run out of space for all of it! The fewer things you own, the fewer things that will one day become trash.
o Consumerism is Addicting
Consumerism is defined as "the equating of personal happiness with the purchasing of material possessions and consumption." There’s a reason “retail therapy” is a thing. Buying new things is basically like a temporary ‘high’, but just like with drugs or alcohol, the aftereffects are not so great (see all the points I’ve made above). :-/ You truly cannot buy happiness, so stop trying! I highly recommend Nancy Ray’s Contentment Challenge if you want to ‘beat the cycle’!
o More Time/Money for What Matters !!
There is so much FREEDOM in owning less! Because you’re saving time and money, and you’re less stressed, you’re able to enjoy the things that are most important to you. Like family, and hobbies, and sleep… All of this applies even more when you also minimize your schedule, but I’ll save that for another post! ;)
I like to use the following quote when deciding what to keep or bring into my home: “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” {William Morris} Maybe it will help you too. Have you tried intentionally living with less? What are the benefits you see in your life? If not, what’s holding you back? I’d love to hear YOUR perspective!
***Additional Reading:
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/trouble-in-paradise-new-ucla-book
http://bebrainfit.com/declutter-stress-health/
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/06/08/the-psychology-of-consumerism/