Minimalism: Why Less is More
Minimalism might be best known as a trendy design aesthetic, marked by sleek modern furniture and lots of neutral colours. But minimalism is much more than that—it’s a philosophy and way of life that says less is more; minimalists pursue less of what is unimportant and more of what can provide a better and more fulfilled life.
We live in a consumeristic society, where anything we could ever need or want is just at our fingertips—quite literally, with the accessibility of online shopping! There is always a push towards more, more, more. Minimalism combats this idea by promoting the ideas of simplicity, only owning what you need, and slowing down.
Minimalism has become popular in recent decades, but it can be a hard concept to fully define or grasp. Some of the most famous minimalists in the world—Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, called The Minimalists — define it this way: “Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom.”
Minimalism provides space for freedom because there are less things to get in the way of pursuing the things that truly matter in life: relationships, passions, goals, and values. There is no right or wrong way to pursue a minimalist lifestyle, although there are some underlying principles. Here are seven ways to incorporate minimalist living into your daily life:
1. Saying No to More
Most people will agree that minimalism starts with less stuff. It is about being content with what you have and fighting the urge to always have more. And it all begins with a mindset shift: you need to stop desiring more and work on being content with what you have.
This means starting to say “no” to things and thinking about purchases before buying them. It means purchasing high-quality things that will last for a long time so you don’t need to replace them over and over again.
You can also practice this when it comes to accepting gifts or presents from others. While you don’t want to offend people by refusing a gift, you can request things that are experience-based, such as a concert or massage, instead of more physical things to clutter your home and life.
Saying “no” also means following your own style or path, not just following along with what everyone else does. Just because the new iPhone came out and your friends are rushing to buy it doesn’t mean that you need to! Slow down, consider what you need, and make purchases wisely and deliberately.
2. Declutter your home
After you have worked on changing your mindset, the next logical step in this process is to declutter your home. There are a number of guides to help with this, such as Marie Kondo’s famous KonMari Method. She encourages people to ask what “sparks joy” for you as a guide for what to keep and what to get rid of.
For some, decluttering will mean dramatically simplifying their belongings to just a couple pieces of clothing or fitting all their belongings in a suitcase. For others, it means going through your items and asking yourself if it’s something you use, need, or love. Decluttering has the added benefit of creating a clean and calm home; external order brings internal order and can help reduce stress and anxiety.
3. Giving
As the saying goes, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” We have all experienced the amazing feeling of giving the perfect gift to someone we love or helping out someone who is in need. Giving can help you feel part of something bigger than yourself and take the focus off of your own life.
Giving has a practical use, as it will help you with the previous step of decluttering. You can give away some of your belongings to others you know will love them or to people who are in need.
But giving is also important in a more philosophical sense, as it can help achieve one of core tenants of minimalism: to not be too attached to material things. It allows you to detach from your belongings and not obsess over gaining more for yourself.
4. Simplify Spending
We discussed the mindset shift in tip #1, to say “no” to more. The main way to do that is through simplifying spending and controlling our wallets. It’s recommended to take a look at your finances and truly understand where you spend money. Do you have a bunch of TV subscription services? Or maybe you love your daily latte? Does new clothing make up a large part of your budget?
Start by understanding where your money goes. Then, think about your values and what is truly important to you. Minimalism is not about taking all the fun out of life! You can certainly make space in your budget for things you enjoy. However, becoming more deliberate and thoughtful about what you purchase is an important step towards minimalist living.
5. Talk About Your Journey
Minimalism is something that will touch all aspects of your life. It will affect your daily routine and social life. Your friends and family might notice changes in your behaviour as your priorities begin to shift.
For this reason, it’s important to talk about your journey towards minimalism. If you live with other people, they need to understand where you are coming from and what your goals are. After all, they’re not going to be happy if you throw out the TV without any warning!
Ideally you have some people in your life who also want to start implementing the principles of minimalist living. You can encourage each other and go through it together. But even if you don’t, stay open and respectful to those around you. The more you can converse and share ideas, the more likely that others will begin to understand what you are trying to do. Since minimalism is about creating space for things that are truly important, make sure you use this time to build relationships instead of create any challenges or roadblocks to them.
6. Learn and Grow Together
There are so many different variations of minimalism. Since each person has different needs and wants, their concept of minimalism will look different. Consider the lifestyle of a family with four children in the suburbs compared to a single person living in an apartment in the city—their needs are going to be dramatically different!
Because of the beautiful diversity within the minimalist movement, seek out leaders, educators, and people who inspire you. You can learn from their journey and apply tips or ideas that will work with your life. You may have some friends to walk alongside you in this journey or you may not. Luckily, we live in the age of the internet and it’s easy to connect with others on social media! Find some like-minded people to learn and grow together with.
7. Stay True to Yourself
One of the most important aspects of minimalist living is to stay true to yourself. Minimalism should make you into a better version of yourself, not a completely new person! It’s not about pretending to be a certain way or just trying to achieve the perfect Instagram minimalist aesthetic. Instead, use minimalism to get in touch with who you are as a person, what is important to you, and how you want to show up in the world.
The Way Forward
Minimalism is truly about the journey, not so much the end goal. Start incorporating these tips into your life as you embark on your minimalist journey. See how they impact you and make your life better and full of the things you love. By embracing minimalism, we can make space for what is truly important say: less is more.
