Minimalist. Upon hearing that word, most people think of a person who not only owns very little but also has little character, joy, or creativity in their life. It sounds uncomfortable and even sad to live without so many of the things we love and have accumulated over the years. These are just a few of the reasons that keep people from exploring a minimalist lifestyle. However, what isn’t said enough is that minimalism is a means to an end, not the end in and of itself. It is a lifestyle that has the ability to forge a pathway to a life full of joy and creativity and even to some of your greatest accomplishments.
The idea of minimalism has intrigued me for much of my adult life, but many of the false beliefs above kept me from truly diving into it for several years. I hope to help break down some of those barriers and begin to think about how minimalism can fit into your life. Whether you’re someone who is a self-professed hoarder or you have always had a bit of an inkling that you would like to own fewer things, minimalism has the ability to make an impactful change in your life.
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is so much more than an aesthetic for your home or even about owning as few things as humanly possible. It is not meant to be a strict list of items in which every person “should” or “shouldn’t” own. Rather, it is a mindset of creating a home which is filled with items that actually serve a purpose in your life. This will look different for everyone and is based on your individual values.
For example, one person may really enjoy having different artwork hung up on the walls as a way to make their home feel more cozy and welcoming while another person may feel burdened with having to find, purchase, hang, and then clean anything hung on the walls. Neither is right or wrong, but it is important to consider whether your artwork on the walls in serving you. Are you putting artwork on the wall because others have told you it looks bad to have bare walls or does it actually bring you joy to source and care for that artwork? That is ultimately up to you.
Consumerism has taken over our homes and, in turn, our lives. This is especially true in the United States but is also a problem among many developed countries. Did you know that if we were to put every single person in the United States in the space that is dedicated to personal storage units, each person would have 6-7 square feet of space? That is enough room for the average sized person to very comfortably extend their arms out and spin around.
Keep in mind, this only represents the extra storage unit space that we occupy. It doesn’t even take into consideration the homes in which we actually physically live in every day with all of our belongings. Needless to say, we value our possesions here in the United States.
But is all this “stuff” really serving us or might it actually be holding us back? I will leave that for you to decide, but there are a benefits of minimizing that are worth taking it under consideration.
Minimalism Creates Space
Letting go of some things creates space for greater things. This is by far the biggest argument for a minimalist lifestyle. It is not about what I have gotten rid of, but rather what I have created space for by downsizing my belongings.
Before I embraced minimalism, the mental and physical toll that my belongings had on me were keeping me from doing the things I truly wanted to be doing like spending time with my husband, going outside, enjoying delicious meals, and reading, and doing work that I loved.
For example, as I started removing excess utensils, dishes, and small appliances in my kitchen; I was able to work and move about my kitchen in rhythm. I have always enjoyed cooking, but I would find myself getting frustrated with the process when I had to dig through a clutter-filled drawer or cupboard to find something. It would even cause me to procrastinate on tasks in the kitchen.
Limiting the tools I have in the kitchen to what I actually need and use has helped me create a flow in the space that makes the food preparation process go much more smoothly. This, in turn, means I have more time and energy to enjoy the meals I make with my husband.
This same concept is true in other areas of my home as well. I find it easier to dust and wipe down surfaces because I no longer store excessive amounts of picture frames and decorations on every flat surface in my home (think end tables, book shelves, desks, window sills, and countertops). It is easier to vacuum or mop the floors because we don’t have many items to move or clean around. In fact, I am able to deep clean my house less in general. Since I am more likely to quickly spot clean an area that doesn’t contain clutter, my house cleaner overall.
Cutting back on the amount of time cooking and cleaning is definitely a nice feature. However, the biggest benefit of the time and energy saving measures is what they create space for.
Create Space For What You Love
Minimizing has created a calmness around our home that breaths life into us as we enter. Yes, there are always tasks to be done around the house, but they no longer seem as difficult. This opens up mental space to spend more time with the people we love, serve others, do and create things that we enjoy, and a place to relax and just be.
Growing up, having people over usually meant chaos in our home. We would have to frantically clean and prepare the home to make it presentable. It was a stressful time for all involved. By the time the company arrived, you too tired and frazzled to even enjoy the time fully (especially when you’re already thinking about the cleanup afterword). While I am far from perfect in this area, a home with fewer items simply takes less time to tidy up. I deeply desire our home to be a place where all people enter and feel restful and at peace, not like they just walked into a battleground against our possessions.
Now that we know the benefits of the minimalist lifestyle. Where do you even begin when you feel like you are drowning in your own home? Or maybe you don’t necessarily see your home as a burden. Maybe you are thinking about this for the very first time but are looking for opportunities create more space in your life for the things you love and are most passionate about.
Here are a few questions to consider as you think about where minimizing your home might have the greatest impact on your life.
How To Know If You Have Too Much Stuff
There are a few simple questions you can ask yourself to determine where minimizing can create the most impact in your life.
- Does my home (apartment, condo, dorm room, etc) feel like a peaceful and relaxing place to come home to or do I walk in the door and see all of the things I have to manage?
- Do I buy things because I actually believe they will make my life easier and more enjoyable or am I buying things because someone else told me I “needed” them?
- Do I have areas in my home that I dread or avoid going to because they feel like an out of control mess?
- Do I spend more time than I would like to organizing and reorganizing my belongings?
- Does cleaning certain spaces in my home feel unnecessarily hard because that area is too cluttered or there are too many items to clean around?
- Do I have items that in my home that aren’t serving any purpose but I either haven’t taken the time to toss or feel bad getting rid of for some reason?
I hope this inspires you to take a look at how your own spaces are serving you. No amount of items is the “right amount” for every single person. Find and hold on to those things that help you create the life you want. I see how truly liberating minimizing has been in my own life. I want the same for you. I would love to hear in the comments below how minimalism has created space in your life!
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