What does minimalism mean? And choose that lifestyle? Doesn’t it mean a sacrifice of comfort?
Being a minimalist can mean a lot of different things. It’s something you can apply to your home, life, and mental wellbeing. It has infinite manifestations throughout the world. Minimalism is a way of approaching life that can bring you more joy and shave hours off your never-ending to-do list.
Origin of Minimalism
The term “minimalism” first came about in reference to artwork. In the 1960s, it was used to insult artists whose art was too bare-bones, according to philosopher Richard Wollheim. Later the word was used to identify the movement of those artists.
The term stuck around and seeped into culture. It became a recognizable style in all walks of life: fashion, décor, architecture, food.
Now minimalism has become a way of life beyond what’s in your closet. It’s a way to simplify your life, usually down to the essentials. You could say it’s opting out of consumerist culture and focusing on experiences rather than belongings.
In Your Home
Minimalism is mostly used to clean up clutter. It became wildly popular in 2016 when Marie Kondo released her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She presents the idea of only keeping things that “spark joy” in you.
This is something that I’ve brought into my own home. I’ve “Kondo-ed” my home twice. The “spark joy” approach is a little extreme and it’s not a project to be undertaken lightly. The first time I did it, I eliminated approximately 650 pounds of stuff. The second time, I didn’t measure. Though I’m willing to bet I doubled my record.
All you have to do to create a minimalist home is start somewhere. In one of my favorite podcasts, Slow Your Home, the host Brooke always says to start small. Usually with one drawer, or your purse or wallet. There’s no need to get rid of all your excess stuff in a weekend. Just get started and keep with it, one drawer at a time.
In Your Life
Busy is the most common trait today. It’s also the easiest way to make small talk.
“It’s been a while, how are you?” A friend might ask.
“Oh, busy, you know. So busy these days.” You might reply with a harried look on your face and frequently glance at your phone.
It’s so easy to be busy. There are a million things to do and it’s hard not to fill up your time doing as many as you can. Minimalism is about not trying to do all the things.
Minimalists focus more on life experiences and relationships. Rather than spend extra hours working to buy the newest gadget or car, they’ll work fewer hours and spend that time at home with their loved ones. Spending less time on work and extracurricular activities is something minimalists do well. They choose to have less so that they can experience what they do have more.
The easiest way to do this is to schedule less. I practice this in my life by mindfully scheduling get-togethers with friends and family. My husband and I always leave one day free on the weekend. We don’t make plans to see anyone. We don’t create a massive to-do list. That day is all about spending time with our son and having fun in the moment.
I wouldn’t be able to have a free day if I said yes to everything. So, I started saying no. It’s not as hard as it seems. And I let go of the guilt about keeping up with friends. If someone is important in your life, you’ll talk to them when you talk to them. There’s no need to fill your calendar.
Create white space on your calendar instead.
In Your Mind
Minimalism can benefit your mental health. A study found that minimalism can significantly increase your life satisfaction. That same study also found it was easier as a minimalist to live eco-friendly.
It’s proven that half-finished tasks weigh heavily on your mind. They’re easier to remember than those tasks you did finish. Decluttering your home and minimizing half-finished tasks by not starting them or letting them go can lift that weight.
Recently, when I decluttered my home for the second time I let go of a ton of half-finished tasks. Some of these were:
- Knitting a sock
- Scrapbooking
- Candle-making
- Learning woodworking
- Learning Italian
- Writing a family history with historical documents
- Writing a young adult novel
- Deep cleaning my kitchen to Martha Stewart standards
- Canning surplus tomatoes
I used to be someone who tried to do all the things all the time. On my last website, I was known as The Multitasking Missus. I tried to be the perfect homemaker and homesteader, doing everything myself from grinding my own flour to building a shed.
When I realized how unsustainable that lifestyle was, I let it go. It didn’t drift away. What happened was more like huge bursts. One day I let go of all my craft supplies. A week later, something else would seem obviously unimportant and I’d let that go.
A radical shift in your mentality like this isn’t something that happens all at once. It’s a continuing effort that becomes easier with time.
How Minimalism Compliments Mindfulness
Minimalism is the perfect compliment for mindfulness. It’s hard to find a minimalist that isn’t mindful. With all the white space in the calendar and nothing left to clean, what else is there to do?
It gives you the opportunity to live in the moment without the noise of chores, appointments, never-ending lists. You still have obligations, everyone does. But cutting back to the essentials in your life can give you the freedom to experience it fully.
Is There a Right Way?
There’s no right way to practice minimalism. Anyone can do it and like I said, it has infinite manifestations in this world.
You can still be a comic book collector, or a master gardener, or a woodworker. There’s no need to dump all your worldly possessions.
Find whatever way minimalism works for your life. Whether it’s saying no to something you don’t need to attend or clearing out your garage. One small step is all it takes to build momentum.
How will you embrace minimalism?
