Minimalism can mean different things to different people. Life tends to take us in different directions over the years. These changes come with new and evolved mindsets that can better serve us, our wellbeing, and our surroundings. Sometimes, living with less can help us pursue other dreams and goals more purposefully. 

For me, minimalism became a meaningful and attractive idea when I started entertaining the idea of moving countries. Even though I knew it wouldn’t happen for another 2-to 3 more years, the notion of decluttering, clearing, packing, and moving from a home with belongings that I had collected since I was practically a child seemed daunting and overwhelming. I remember hearing stories from people who moved cross continentally and shipped their belongings overseas and realized that I probably had too much if I needed a ship to carry my things.

Additionally, as I’ve grown older, I’ve realized I’m the type of person who makes better decisions with fewer options. This attitude applies to clothing, home décor, beauty products, vacation destinations, choosing food from a menu, or looking for a new place to live. I do best when I can focus time and attention on a few clear choices and study which one would work best for me.

Out of curiosity, I recently researched and talked to some fellow minimalists about what first inspired them to make the lifestyle change to living lightly. Below is a list of some of their primary responses.

COMMON REASONS FOR BECOMING MINIMALIST

You don’t like consumer and capitalist culture.

The continual buying and consuming of material possessions have become normalized in our culture beyond the point of return. In response to this unpleasant phenomenon, escaping excessive consumerism is a fundamental goal many people have taken on as an essential part of their lives.

Seasonal trends, over hyped sales, holiday shopping, and the conditioned need for more are something that we can all turn a blind eye to, and many have turned to minimalism to accomplish precisely this.

Choosing to live more frugally.

Prioritizing one’s financial goals is a significant reason many choose to support the “no buy” or “buy less” life. Whether that goal is paying off your mortgage, saving for retirement or your child’s education, or enjoying the peace that comes with having a certain amount of money in the bank.

Debt can hold our life in bondage and weighs heavily on our minds. If it’s not getting out of debt, there are numerous other ways your hard-earned money can be spent rather than accumulating more things that only hold our interest temporarily with no long-term returns.

Environmentally conscious.

Minimalism reduces our footprint on the environment. Living minimally required fewer resources in both the production and the disposal of things. One such example is fast fashion which I’ve discussed in greater detail in a previous post.

You want to live in or travel to multiple places throughout your life. 

If you’re interested in living and working in different places, owning too much can hold you back from making a move. As I mentioned in the introduction of this blog post, feeling overwhelmed by organizing or getting rid of too many belongings can deter you from taking action.

If it’s travel you’re interested in not moving long-term, then saving money for that goal rather than physical items can be very appealing.

You find it more aesthetically pleasing.

Sometimes the sheer sight of bare countertops, empty(ish) cupboards and clear floor space can release happy chemicals in your brain as nothing else can. Rooms packed with furniture and too much décor don’t appeal to every taste, so becoming minimal is the preferred choice.

Less stress.

Physical clutter usually equates to mental clutter. Reducing the number of things in your space can help to alleviate anxiety and stress. Sorting through, organizing, and getting intentional about the items you acquire can create mental peace and a much more relaxed state of mind.

You were inspired by something you watched, read, or heard.

One factor that has made minimalism so ubiquitous is the documentaries, books, podcasts, and well-known personalities that promote it. I remember watching The Minimalism Netflix documentary in 2016, and it taught me a lot more about the concept than I already knew.

Other well-known names are the famous Minimalists – Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus – who have made a name for themselves as thought leaders on the concept of minimalism. There have also been many books written on the subject to inspire those anywhere along their journey of living lightly. Some popular titles include: The More of Less, Goodbye Things, and Digital Minimalism, to name a few. My current read is The Organized Mind by Daniel J. Levitin.

Be more organized/spend less time cleaning.

Trying to organize or thoroughly clean a crowded space with too much stuff can interrupt what is supposed to be a gratifying experience. It’s common sense that the less you own, the easier it will be to maintain a clean and tidy home.

You grew up minimalist.

The families we grew up in help shape our attitudes and behaviours that stay with us well into adulthood. So if you grew up with a parent with a strong preference for living lightly and was decluttering, donating, and disposing of every other weekend, then it might just be precoded in your genes to continue the tradition.

Other scenarios could be moving a lot as a kid. If your parent served in the armed forces or had a job that relocated your family, this could explain why you’re not attached to holding on to too much as a grown-up.

You grew up non-minimalist.

Or things could have been the complete opposite, and you might have grown up in a home with a parent(s) that could just not let things go (In the physical sense for the purpose of this article). Whether you had a very sentimental mother who wanted to hang on to every last piece of your childhood clothing or a father who impulse bought every tool, appliance, or gadget that caught his eye – These early years might have taught you a lesson a two about how you don’t want to live as an adult.

A significant life change.

A breakup, a health condition, and downsizing after your children leave home are significant life changes that reduce the need for extra living space and unsuitable items in your day-to-day life. After experiencing such a change, many people realize that they prefer living with less and choose to remain to do so long-term.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this post. I hope this article provided you with information that educated and inspired you in some small way.

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