Jerry Seinfeld was recently interviewed on the Today show, when asked how he was going to celebrate his 70th birthday he said, “I don’t really have any interest in it, you know what it is? It’s boy, I could really live with a lot less stuff. Things, people, activities. I’m not doing nothing anymore. We’re going to essentialize now. I like to essentialize, I like to purify, I like to streamline. This is where life gets better, not adding more. Add less.”

Joshua Becker founder of http://www.BecomingMinimalist.com. Says “minimalism means less stress, less distraction, fewer decisions, more freedom, more space, more time, more money, more contentment, and more gratitude”.

William Morris said, “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.”

I love that quote, and it is how I live my life. Many of us start out as accumulators, when we move into our first home, we fill it with everything we think we need, unnecessary possessions that monopolize our time, energy and attention. I did this and years later I was surrounded by way too much stuff. 10 years ago, I purged everything in my home, garage, and my digital life. Now I have only what I need, or love and I am at peace.

I never realized how having so many possessions affected me mentally and emotionally until I let it all go. I felt like a weight had been lifted.

I am now very thoughtful about what I own and what I bring into my home. We live in a country where materialism is embraced and considered normal. But things don’t make you happy and when you let go of most of what you have you realize that.

Here are some of the reasons you might want to try minimalism.

Freedom

You are tied to what you own, you spend time caring for, maintaining, and worrying about what you already have and are constantly collecting more. Without the burden of my stuff owning me I am free to do so much more. I spend less time cleaning and organizing and more time doing what I want.

“The things you own end up owning you. It’s only after you lose everything that you’re free to do anything.” From the movie Fight Club.

Less Stress

Even though you may not realize it you spend a lot of time worrying about your things which causes stress. The more you have the greater the stress. I view what I have as just “things” I remember reading an article about a woman who lost everything in a house fire and as she was thinking about what she needed to replace she realized she did not want to replace most of what she lost. She said that she wanted to be able to fit everything she owned in the back of her pickup truck. That really stuck with me and while I might not be able to fit everything I own in a truck I love that idea, and I am always looking for ways to eliminate more and accumulate less. Your environment affects how you feel. If you are surrounded by clutter it can lead to anxiety and depression. A Sage Journal Study found that women living in cluttered and stressful homes had higher levels of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress) and heightened depression symptoms.

Saves Money

When you buy less you save more. I spent so much money before on non-essential things when I could have been saving all that money. A study done by the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services in 2023 found that adopting a minimalist lifestyle can save a substantial amount of money. By implementing a minimalist mentality, we become more aware of our actual needs versus our wants. This way of thinking leads us to make informed decisions about our spending, distinguishing between essential items and unnecessary indulgences.

Sets a Good Example for Children

It is healthy for children to grow up in a home that is not focused on consumerism. It teaches them to be appreciative and grateful and helps them to understand that happiness is not found in what or how much you own. When children grow up in a home that is not overflowing with toys, they are more likely to be creative and explorative. Growing up appreciating the value of experiences and their connection with others over possessions.

Sense of Contentment

I feel so much more content now than I did before. I am grateful and at peace with my surroundings, empty space feels serine.

More Intune Emotionally

Your entire focus changes when you are not interested in what you own or what you will buy. A quiet, uncluttered environment is conducive to healthy reflection and thought.

Less Comparison with Others

To some extent I think we all consciously or unconsciously compare ourselves to others. Minimalism has taught me to embrace uniqueness. I don’t spend any time comparing myself to others or wishing I had what they have. I make my own rules and live life the way I want to. Instead of always wanting more I now look for ways to get rid of the things I have that are unnecessary or that I don’t love and enjoy.

Reduces Decision Fatigue

The National Library of Medicine found that American adults make 35,000 decisions a day which can lead to decision fatigue. They say decision fatigue is much like muscle fatigue after exertion and can lead to a depletion of internal resources. The fewer possessions you have the less there is to decide.

Less Work for Someone Else

The Swedish practice döstädning which translates to “death cleaning” sounds morbid, but it is simply the process of decluttering and organizing your belongings before the end of your life. We should not leave our family with years’ worth of accumulated stuff. And if you practice minimalism throughout your life there will be no need for döstädning in your golden years.

Environmentally Friendly

When you own and buy less you throw away less which is beneficial to the planet and everyone on it. According to The New York Times there are over 300,000 items in the average American home. 

A Huffington Post article said that Americans throw away 65 pounds of clothing per year. And according to dumpsters.com “Overall, the U.S. produces 268 million tons of trash annually. The average U.S. resident produces about 4.5 pounds per day, and most of it is comprised of recyclable items”.

Makes Traveling Easier

When you own less, you pack less when you travel. If you already have a minimalist wardrobe and lifestyle, you can easily fit everything for a short trip in one carry-on bag.

Makes Moving Easier

Packing for a move is probably one of the jobs we dislike the most, but when you own less it makes moving quicker and easier. I could easily pack up my entire home in less than a day. In the movie Heat, Robert De Niro says “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.”