5 Good Reasons to Embrace Minimalism

We’ve all heard minimalism discussed as an interior design ethos, but did you know that this concept can also underpin your entire lifestyle?

However, a minimalist lifestyle isn’t something that’s necessarily being embraced by the majority of people, especially in developed countries such as the US and UK. One poll conducted by CivicScience polled US adults in August 2018 and found that 65% of respondents had no desire to become a minimalist, while there are approximately 300,000 material items in the average North American home.

Ultimately, minimalism is focused on procuring and owning only what adds tangible value to your life, as well as the existence of those closest to you. This also creates a more focused and selective mindset, and one that’s free from clutter and far more mindful and intentional about the decisions taken each and every day.

In this article, we’ll look at the most compelling reasons to embrace a minimalist lifestyle. Let’s get into it!

Enjoy Far Greater Time Efficiency

Regardless of your precise tastes and how your minimalist outlook impacts on your everyday decisions, such an ethos will definitely see you procure fewer material possessions and goods. This is because you’re focused on buying items that offer tangible value, rather than being a slave to frivolous or impulsive purchases.

This can translate into far greater time efficiency and productivity over time, in more ways than you may think too.

For example, the relative absence of material possessions may well make it easier to clean and organise your home, meaning that you can devote less time to these tasks. In many cases, extensive cleaning and similar tasks can eat into your work or family time, impacting your ability to earn and cultivate a balanced lifestyle.

More fundamentally, buying and owning fewer possessions may also ease the stress caused by decision making and free up some mental capacity to focus on more important things.

It can certainly be argued that the process of decluttering aids your ability to focus, minimising procrastination and the daily distractions that can weigh on our cognitive abilities.

Clutter-Free Living and the Ease of Navigation

While a clutter-free home and lifestyle can definitely aid your ability to focus, it also introduces more pratical benefits in terms of maintaining the property.

A minimalist and clutter-free space is certainly easier to navigate, both from the perspective of walking around your home and locating items or possessions that you may need. This fundamental example of minimalist mobility is beneficial for both your outlook and mental wellbeing, especially if you spend large amounts of time within the space.

A clean, tidy and clutter-free home is also likely to be aesthetically pleasing, while simultaneously designed to maximise the illusion of personal space.

In this respect, clutter-free living also optimises your home environment for every single resident, while potentially making the property easier to sell with minimal work in the future (by creating an immediately positive impact in the minds of aspiring buyers).

The Need for Less Maintenance

Not only do the benefits of decluttering include creating a living space that’s easier to clean, but this process also means less maintenance and repairs of individual possessions over time.

This is part of the convenience of managing a smaller inventory of possessions, as you’ll simply have fewer items to maintain and repair within your home.

A smaller inventory of goods also makes it far easier to replace items as and when required, as you’re more likely to be able to afford such purchases rather than constantly forking out cash to upgrade existing products or buy new alternatives.

Of course, this also unlocks superior planning through minimalism, while making your your interior space much easier to manage. What’s more, you can simplify this process without having to compromise on your lifestyle or fundamental ethos, as minimalism lends itself to concepts such as simplicity, and greater wellbeing.

Flexibility, Mobility and Spontaneous Living

The term ‘minimalist mobility’ has several potential descriptors, but it’s most commonly applied when discussing the flexibility offered by a minimalist lifestyle. This is tied to the idea that it’s much easier to travel, move or even relocate abroad in instances where you own fewer belongings, creating a more flexible lifestyle that’s adaptable to change and spontaneity.

Certainly, minimalism reduces your reliance on material possessions, which in turn, negates the risk of you being tied down by such items and restricted in your movement. So, you can react far quicker to the various opportunities that arise in life, whether these pertain to international travel or overseas jobs.

This could prove central to your future happiness and fulfilment, as depending on your life circumstances, it can be hard to miss out on opportunities due to a debilitating mortgage, spiralling living costs or obsession with material possessions.

In Conclusion

These are definitely some compelling reasons to embrace minimalism, while some of these factors also tie into one another.

For example, avoiding excess consumerism and creating a clutter-free life can unlock significant practical benefits, while simultaneously reducing the need to maintain or upgrade expensive items.

As we can see, a minimalist ethos also lends itself to a simpler and more fulfilled lifestyle in many instances. Make no mistake; there are numerous advantages of enjoying a simple lifestyle, particularly as this can help to alleviate brain fog and the lack of focus that impacts all of us from time to time.

So, now is the ideal time to start decluttering your life and home, while embracing minimalism as a way of boosting your mental performance and wellbeing!