Minimalist living is counter-cultural. It stands contrary to the life pursued by most people in the consumer-driven society within which we live.
But there is more joy to be found owning less than can be found pursuing more. Consider just some of the benefits of living with fewer possessions:
1. Spend Less | Choosing to accumulate only the essential often results in financial freedom.
2. Less Stress | A minimalist home is significantly less stressful.
3. Easier to Clean | The fewer things in our home, the easier they are to clean.
4. More Freedom | The sense of freedom that comes from minimalism is truly refreshing.
5. Good for the Environment | The less we consume, the less damage we do to the environment.
6. Be More Productive | Our possessions consume our time more than we realize.
7. Example for my Kids | These are valuable life lessons they will never learn in the media.
8. Support Other Causes | Money is only as valuable as what we choose to spend it on.
9. Own Higher Quality Things | More is not better… better is better.
10. Less Work for Someone Else | Create a less stressful life today and lessen the burden on someone else too.
11. Be Happier | Owning fewer possessions makes you happier.
12. Do Work You Love | Own less stuff. Choose work you love.
13. Freedom From the Comparison Game | Our culture begs us to own more.
14. Time for Things that Matter Most | The more stuff you own, the more your stuff owns you.
15. Visually Appealing | Make your home more appealing.
16. Not Tied to the Past | Release the past to create a better tomorrow.
17. Less Places for Your Heart | Invest your heart into meaningful things.
18. More Opportunity for Rest | Take a deep breath.
19. Find Things Easier | Own less clutter. Find stuff quicker.
20. Live in a Smaller Space | For most families, a house is the costliest investment they’ll ever make.
21. Display What You Value Most | Communicate what is most important.
About Joshua Becker
If I have 20 white shirts, then I don’t have to do laundry 19 days, instead do them all in one setting, time and water saved…
Fantastic advice, I only wish it was equally applicable to digital hoarding. I have far too many apps.
I have many duplicates of photos. I have them organized kind of in pretty shoe box style decorator boxes, but there are so many – like 30-40 boxes full. I always think I’ll give them to my grown children but they have so much clutter, or two of them are not in their own places, that I don’t feel like I can give them more stuff to figure out what to do with. I have plenty of storage space but it still distresses me!
My other problems is clothes. I wear 1/3 of them… and move them back and forth from closet to closet as I change seasons. I have too many. I don’t know why it’s so hard to get rid of them!!!
I appear organized and I guess I am, but I can drive myself mad because I like everything picked up all the time. So I clean and straighten more than relax and recharge.
I believe some of us have great anxiety and can’t concentrate because of our clusters and mess! Great post, thanks.
Thanks, Joshua. Newspapers, and magazines become a clutter in our house. I receive them and just don’t have time to go through them. I bring them in my car, that my spot to sit and enjoy them. You do guess that right, my car is overly covered with papers. I can hardly take anyone in. This is where i take nap and read, and eat lunch, rather than be in the break room. It is just the smell of them that stir me away from them, not the bad news,
Thank you Joshua. Your list is impressive. I have in the past received something from my aunt that I wish i didn’t have. The jewelry was putting pressure on me to do more so it totally owned me. I couldn’t return it to her. Now i am stuck with many nights not knowing what to do in the future with this. I can’t give, can’t wait, and can’t wear it. So i am thinking of giving this responsibly back to my cousin. I just don’t really like it this way. Finally, this list here means pretty much everything to me. One thing, some few things I just have to have around the house. And this will always be. I just can’t be without those.
biggest benefits for me is additional TIME and FOCUS. Space to focus on what’s important
I like number 14 the best. The more stuff you buy the more you have to work to pay for them and maintain them.
14. Time for Things that Matter Most | The more stuff you own, the more your stuff owns you.
I have collections that bring me joy. I actually have trouble thinking of my life without thm. Any thoughts.
Me too. I grew up with much of nothing. I love a huge house and spending time in my home. I love decorating and changing things out for seasons. Living in a small place would be claustrophobic. Owning less does not make me happier. I agree only on a few, in that money could be saved. I would need more in depth discussion to find out if any of the others would work for me. I enjoy stuff. I don’t work and don’t want to for any reason.
I, too have collections,lots of different ones. I have lotsofbooks, baskets, pictures, (change them out in seasons), white dishes, pottery , terra cotta, small white pitchers,candlesticks, more sweaters than I need. From time to time I edit but mostly I just enjoy them. Editing them makes me go through them and know what I have and what still gives me pleasure.
Hello, I would say that depends on where you are in life. For instance if you are say in your 30s, then whatever brings you joy I would hold onto. But if you’re retirement age, you may want to start downsizing. Especially if you have children, it will make it easier for them as time passes. I have a collection of white porcelain angels. I’m in my 60s, so I thought I might let my daughters in law look first. Whatever they don’t want I may consider giving to a Nursing home or retirement community to be distributed. Just my thoughts:-)
Great article. Provides lot of food for thought.
Loved reading your blog. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and insipiring..
This is a great article, thank you for the reminder :-)
Completely agree Joshua! Thanks!
I have been trying to owning less things. It’s so easy to be discouraged but this post really made me motivated again to seek this lifestyle!
Cat
start small. and commit to sticking to it staying that way. many people start with the junk drawer, silverware drawer or their sock drawer. once your in the habit and see how it feels and how easy it makes things, get bigger a closet, large shelf stick and commit. than start with one room bathroom is a good start get in the habit of clearing the counter everyday even stuff you use everyday takes a second and gives you clear peace of mind for the 15 hours you don’t use it. clean drawers and get rid of the hotel soaps, extra shampoo you haven’t used in years or don’t like, donate the 20 extra tooth brushes, expired meds and buy when needed. than try the living room or kitchen do a 10 minute tidy up every night you’d be surprised when you realize what you don’t need or what your tired of picking up every night example my house we had a cube with extra blankets there was 6! there is only two of us so now it houses 2 blankets and an extra in the closet for guests and the rest were donated. so i pick up 2 not 6! i also got a bucket for remotes and the ones infrequently used stay in there so only one remote needs to be picked up. overtime i started getting rid of the tons of frames because i got tired of dusting it all! now one quick wipe of the end table and shelf and its done. Many people also suggest starting with your bedroom, that is a place of relaxation less stuff means less visual stress which makes relaxation and rest easier, less clothes in the closet means the door will shut, less to hang up after laundry less to thumb through to choose what to wear. i could go on but my comment is becoming clutter of words ;)
i could have wrote
start small one room at a time and focus on keeping it that way. once you get a taste of how it feels you will naturally move to the next room. this is not an over night change but will keep the motivation once you experience and live it.
which did you prefer to read???
simple is good! good luck in your journey remember it looks different for all of us!
This is so true! Owning less is freedom. Time is the most valuable asset.
Why is owning stuff taking away freedom? Makes no sense. I have stuff and freedom too.
because your not owned by it. more to clean, organize, store, maintain, move. if you have 20 white shirts that’s a lot of laundry taking up your freedom because you have to than take time to do 2 loads of laundry fold and out away verses one. if you own 5 you will spend less time doing laundry and making a choice of what to wear. therefor giving you more freedom to do what you choose with your new found time in the day or week.