You’ve seen it in your Pinterest and Instagram feeds. Minimalism is not a new mindset, but it is becoming more and more popular in recent years. The trend has seen a rise, especially in millennials. It has inspired many people to declutter, maintain small homes, and trim down their belongings.
This is not to say that having material possessions is inherently bad. It will depend mostly on what you want to achieve and what you are looking for in life. Millennials, for instance, are more likely to spend on experience and technology.
People are also more likely to look into the functionality of an object rather than its grand aesthetic. Why buy chairs that take up lots of space when bar stools can do the same job? Why buy a big dining table when there are only three of you in the house? Do you really need to own more than 20 mugs, when at the very least, you’d only need five?
Minimalism allows you to examine the excess in your life. These extra things do not just make your home more crowded than it should be. You will also need to constantly clean them, wash them, and find space for them.
Why Minimalism Is Becoming Popular
By definition, minimalism refers to a lifestyle characterized by simplicity. It refers to a stripped-down style, dominated by spareness. People employ minimalism for several reasons. Some do it for easier home maintenance. Others do it for freedom. Some do it for the comfort and ease of living that a minimalist lifestyle brings. Some do it for the simple practicality of a minimalist lifestyle and to focus on more important matters in their lives.
Here are other reasons why many people are falling in love with a minimalist lifestyle.
- Financial Problems. The rising rates of unemployment and bankruptcies have people reviewing how they spend and live in general. Families, in order to survive, learn to live with leaner budgets. More consumers are becoming more critical of their purchases. They are choosing to prioritize essential buys over non-essentials that will just take up precious space in their homes.
- Personal Debt. Excessive lifestyle has pushed many people to excessive debts as well. After many years of living in excess, these people are starting to see the reality. They are buying less and focusing on saving more money to get out of the debt trap.
- Increased Environmental Awareness and Concern. Because of the speedy transfer and availability of information brought by the Internet, more and more people are becoming aware of what’s happening across the globe. Lesser consumption means lesser natural resources are being used. They know that by choosing to use and consume what they only need, they are contributing to preserving natural resources. This will also result in lesser wastes going to landfills.
- Technological Advancement. So many things are being digitized nowadays. Instead of owning CD’s, you can just purchase digital albums of your favorite artists or stream them through a streaming service. Instead of purchasing DVD’s, you can own digital and licensed copies of your favorite movies or simply stream them. There is also no need to store physical folders of files since you can safely keep digital copies of your files from work. Photo albums are also a thing of the past because pictures are now stored digitally. You can now read your favorite magazine subscription from your tablets. There is no need to keep physical things in your home that can be stored digitally.
- Simpler Life. Life is simpler if you just have the things that you really need. Everyone is aware of the reason why Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg wears the same shirt every day. He did not want to waste his precious time and energy deciding on a matter as simple and as insignificant as his clothing. Be honest, out of the many shirts that you have. You have at least five favorites that you often wear, more than the others. Ditch those that you have not worn in the past 6 months. Sell them through a garage sale or donate them to charity. You’d have earned additional money or helped others, both of which can make you feel better.
- Happiness And Possessions Are Not The Same. Consumerism tells people that owning things equate to satisfaction and happiness. However, people are starting to see through these self-serving claims. They have experienced it themselves. They did try to find happiness and fulfillment in material possessions but still ended up feeling empty.
One thing is sure, owning less stuff will not only make your home less cluttered and orderly. It will also give you a clearer mind. Of course, rewarding yourself once in a while is not a bad thing. It can even make you more productive in your endeavors, so remember to strike a balance and find what works for you.
