Minimalist living—or simplistic living—is nothing new. The concept, which involves freeing yourself from clutter and, to put it colloquially, “stuff,” has been around for some time. In fact, you can find mentions of minimalism throughout history. (Buddhists, for example, tend to shun material possessions, and have for thousands of years.) However, the practice didn’t become mainstream until the 20th century, when writers, photographers, beatniks, architects, and most importantly artists embraced the idea. According to the New York Times, the minimalist movement began in the art world.
That said, as with all movements, minimalism has changed over time, but thanks to Marie Kondo and the advent of tiny homes, the practice is seeing a resurgence. People around the country (and across the globe) are realizing less really can be more. Here’s everything you need to know about living a minimalist lifestyle, including the potential benefits of bringing more order into your orbit.
“A minimalist intentionally focuses on what really matters. For some, this means eliminating the ‘stuff’ that doesn’t make you happy,” Becke says—or as Kondo famously puts it, “sparks joy”—but objects and things are only one part of the equation.
The easiest way to begin living a minimalist lifestyle is to assess both the people and things around you. “When it comes to objects, you should ask yourself three questions,” Monte explains. “Do I use it? Do I love it? And do I need it?” If the item lacks purpose or passion, it probably also lacks a place in your life; however, the application of this is easier said than done.
Start small. Make pros and cons lists, when necessary, and if you are undecided on whether or not you should keep an item, put it aside. Decluttering or KonMaring tends to get easier as time goes on.
8 Benefits of Minimalism
Still not sure minimalism is for you? Check out these eight benefits to see how minimalist living can improve your life.
- Increased relaxation
Your home should act as your sanctuary, but that’s difficult to achieve if there’s clutter everywhere you look. No one wants to clear a pile of clothes off their bed every night or remove half empty shower products before taking a bath. When you’ve adopted a minimalist lifestyle, you can spend your time relaxing in your space, instead of constantly decluttering and worrying about the work that needs to get done. - Increased focus
A clear space leads to a clear mind. Having clutter around your home can impact your train of thought. If you work from home, a clutter-free workspace is key to increasing focus and productivity. You can focus on the work you need to achieve instead of thinking about the things you need to do in your home. - Easier to clean
There’s no need to move clutter around every time you want to dust, because it just won’t be there! When you embrace elements of minimalism it’s easier for you to complete chores like vacuuming and cleaning counters, because you won’t have to do any prep work to clear the floor or counter. This makes the entire chore seem less daunting and enables it to be completed faster. - Everything has a home
When you get rid of items that have no purpose and organize the ones that do, you’ll be able to find everything easier. Long gone are the days of the black hole that is a junk drawer! You wont need to rummage through drawers or end up making duplicate purchases unknowingly, because everything will have a home. - Save money
As a minimalist, you don’t completely give up making new purchases. However, you will become less impulsive and more intentional about the items you buy. Overtime, all of these small decisions will add up and result in a huge amount of savings! - Higher quality items
Since you’ve saved money by limiting and being more intentional with your purchases, you can now invest that money in higher quality pieces. Whether it’s buying more expensive clothing that will last longer, or investing in one quality piece of decor than five cheap ones, you’ll realize that quality is truly more important than quantity. - Increased appreciation for emotional connections
When you start to place less value on material possessions, you begin to realize how important emotional connections truly are. Instead of shopping for your next piece of unnecessary home decor, you’ll spend time with your friends and family, building memories that you’ll treasure for years. - Increased space
Many items we hold onto don’t serve us a purpose and only take up space. Once all the clutter is gone, your home will instantly feel bigger! With this newfound space you have more room to make memories with your loved ones. Whether it’s through hosting dinners, playing games with your kids, or learning new recipes, your space can be a happy place when clutter isn’t holding you back.
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