What is minimalism?

In some cultures, the idea of minimalism was established in ancient times, and they are expressed not only in relation to things but also in the way we think. For example, take the Scandinavian countries into consideration.

Let’s recall the Scandinavian style of interiors that has maintained a great deal of popularity with bright, spacious rooms that are “filled with air”, and have laconic decor. Simplicity, modesty and having a careful attitude toward nature are important life basics in these countries.

The same can be said about the Scandinavian style of clothing. They use natural, quality fabrics, simple forms, and organic prints.

People were fed up with having a huge assortment of pieces and for the first time in seven years began to spend less money on clothes. What’s the point of buying another fashionable jacket of average quality if you can wear it for a maximum of one to two seasons, and it’s not any easier to buy than a simple base top made of good material?

Many famous and successful people prefer not to waste time choosing clothes, and would rather spend it on business or communication with the family. A simple and clear example can be seen in Mark Zuckerberg’s style. Zuckerberg wears the same T-shirts almost every day and Steve Jobs didn’t like having a wide variety of choices in his wardrobe either.

Minimalism is not about saving money and being cheap. Minimalism is about rational and reasonable consumption, freeing space from unnecessary things and unnecessary details.

Beginning with the “scrapping” of the house and space, many people do this to “unload” their own heads. Of course, this is not a solution to all your problems, but why not try it if you won’t lose anything?

5 Reasons why minimalism simplifies life

1. Convenience

Things are found faster when they are left in their place. Superfluous objects distract attention and ruin your concentration as they only “overload” space. Moreover, most of these extra items we do not even use at all.

The more things you have in your house, the more time you need to put things in order. And do you really need a collection of statuettes that are gathering dust on the shelf, or school diaries that you decided to pass on to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren?

Actress Cameron Diaz once confessed that analyzing her things and her wardrobe coupled with cleaning really helped her to escape from her problems, and at the same time organize the thoughts in her mind. Order in the house leads to order in the mind.

2. You save time, money, and natural resources.

Your wardrobe will not get worse if instead of 20 bags in your closet there are just three to four of them — because face it, you don’t wear most of it anyway. By buying good, high-quality items, you use them longer which means you care about the environment.

As the English say, “We are not so rich as to buy cheap things.” This may sound a bit snobby, but we admit there is something to this. Even the Duchess of Cambridge goes out multiple times in the same dress.

Minimalists spend less money not because they are stingy, but because they ask themselves questions before buying and make decisions rationally.

3. Things are not an investment.

In stores, items become obsolete, barely having time to get on the shelves before they go out of style. And even the fanciest car is unlikely to be a profitable investment. Of course, it’s not bad when there is an opportunity to invest money in antiques and jewelry, thus ensuring a comfortable retirement somewhere in the Bahamas, but it’s not always about these exceptions.

Among celebrities, if there is at least one person who does not invest their money in random things, it’s Keanu Reeves. He travels on public transport, dresses modestly and, doesn’t seem to pursue brands at all.

The anticipation of buying sometimes brings much more joy than the thing itself, and the euphoria of possessing it goes away too fast. Of course, this does not mean that one should completely renounce buying things that satisfy them. Just remember to ask yourself whether or not this is a purchase that is truly necessary.

4. Learn to enjoy the simple things.

No matter what other people say, our memories live primarily in our heads or sometimes in photos and videos — but certainly not in things.

For colorful impressions, money is not always necessary — what will you remember more: choosing the perfect curtains on a day off or a going on a long-awaited picnic in nature together with old friends?

A good example of a person who has their life priorities straight is David Beckham. His Instagram is full of photos of his children with whom he spends tons of time traveling, playing football, and doing homework with. He even acts as a hairstyle model for his daughter, Harper.

Therefore, it is much more promising to invest money in one’s own development or in impressions and emotions — in the end, it is these things that are remembered best in life.

5. Less is more.

The less unnecessary things you have at home and at work, the less distracted you’ll be and the less time you’ll spend on annoying troubles. You want to free your head of unnecessary thoughts and stop talking with “superfluous” people who just suck up your energy.

Lessening these things results in having more time, space, money, and enjoyment in life. It brings order and conciseness into your life without making things too complicated.

How to bring minimalism into your own life

• Put things in order at home and at work. Your space gets mercilessly cluttered up with clothes, books, cosmetics, and even tabs in your computer browser!If it is difficult for you to part with your favorite things, try to put them in packages or boxes and hide them. If for one to two weeks you constantly remember the items and regret that you got rid of them, then safely return them to your space. But if there’s a 90% probability you will forget what was put in these boxes, it’s time to get rid of them for good.
• You can donate unnecessary clothes and items to charity, sell them in second-hand shops or over the Internet, hold a garage sale with friends, or you can even bring the items for processing to the H&M network and get a discount.
• Withdraw from any gossip, speak honestly and speak business. Over time, you will see toxic people disappear from your life.
• Take responsibility for your thoughts, try to think in a positive way.
• Concentrate on your goals and values, do not rush to keep up with everything at once.
• At least once a week, turn off your phone and its annoying alerts and spend time with those who are dear to you.

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