12 benefits of material minimalism: why you should own less stuff
While there are many aspects of minimalism, owning less stuff is certainly at the core of the concept. Material minimalism has been a hugely popular idea in the past few years with vloggers like Matt D’Avella swearing by its benefits. Different folks apply different forms of this concept; from Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg wearing the same thing every day to digital nomads to travelling the world indefinitely with just a backpack and extreme minimalists in Japan living without furniture but are there really any benefits to it?
Although I have been on a journey of minimalism for the past few years, I’m not an advocate that to be a minimalist you need to donate all of your possessions or live a monastic life (although that is fine too if that’s what makes you happy). For me, material minimalism equates to intentionality and a consideration of what possessions one needs to live happily. In this post, I share 12 benefits of material minimalism that I have personally experienced.
So, let’s get into it.
12 benefits of material minimalism
01 Reduced clutter leads to less stress
A cluttered house full of possessions makes me stressed. About two years ago, I rented a modest two-bedroom apartment. While the space itself was great, the landlord had filled it with unnecessary cabinets, built-in wardrobes, a dining table, a breakfast counter, and a huge sofa. I had been living there for about three years when I began looking for a new abode.
I came across an apartment that was a little larger and unfurnished and decided to take it. I intentionally furnished it step by step to determine what I really needed. My current apartment has much less furniture and much less clutter than my previous one. This has had a hugely positive effect on my stress levels. I know it sounds cliché, but the lack of visual distraction has brought a sense of peace to my home.
Now, don’t get me wrong, my apartment does not look like this.
…but I have all that I need and no more.
02 Cleaning is way easier
Another benefit related to this is that cleaning my place is much easier. With little furniture or unnecessary possessions lying around, keeping my place tidy is a breeze.
03 Getting dressed is way easier
Decision fatigue is real and although I’m not Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs, crafting a wardrobe that allows me to get dressed and get on with my day without much thought is advantageous. A capsule wardrobe containing classic pieces and a subdued palette makes looking good efficient and effortless.
You can learn about my 15-item capsule wardrobe here.
04 Laundry is way easier
Nowadays, my daily wear consists of items that can be machine-washed together saving time and energy sorting clothes and putting them out to dry. I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy visiting the dry cleaners every week.
05 Packing is way easier
Having an interchangeable wardrobe has also made packing for traveling much easier. Nowadays, I hardly have to think about what to pack. I can fit all that I need in a backpack, safe in the knowledge that I’m prepared for whatever might come up.
06 Traveling is way easier
Instead of lugging around a bulky suitcase, I can explore freely with a light backpack.
Instead of rooting through the said suitcase to put together an acceptable outfit and then ironing the clothes that had become wrinkled from being bunched into a suitcase(yes, I had tried rolling the clothes), I now pack a few core items which can be dressed up or down, resist wrinkling and dry quickly.
I no longer wait in line to check-in bags, worry that an airline has misplaced my bag, or wait to collect checked-in luggage.
07 Finding things is way easier
Because I no longer have tons and tons of stuff, finding things is easier. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that misplacing things is hard! Having fewer things means that I can keep track of things more easily. For me, at least, this reduces a lot of stress.
08 Being organized is easier
Keeping and organizing lots of possessions is stressful and almost a job in itself. In reducing the things that I have to organize; I have become more organized, simple as.
09 Avoiding procrastination is easier
Putting off tasks like doing laundry, washing the dishes, or cleaning up has become a thing of the past for me. With fewer items, such tasks become more urgent but also much more approachable.
10 Being productive is easier
Less time organizing and procrastinating, and more time doing has made me more productive both at work and in my personal life.
As well as this, small tasks, such as the ones mentioned in point nine, being made more approachable has allowed me to rack up small wins. This momentum, along with other changes, has flown through to my job and free time encouraging me to cross off important tasks more quickly.
Minimalism can also be applied to your workspace. Check out my minimalist work from home setup.
11 I am less overwhelmed.
With fewer choices to make, a less cluttered living and working space, and fewer household chores on my mind, I can relax fully. Even small, seemingly unimportant tasks and choices can cause overwhelm when there are too many to take care of. Reducing these has allowed me to relax more fully.
12 Goals seem more achievable
Somewhere along my exploration into living with less, I noticed that larger long term-goals began to seem more and more achievable. First of all, there is the obvious benefit that I spent less money than before, allowing me to save more money. However, a less obvious, and I think a more important one, is that I learned that I don’t need as much as I thought to be happy. This is probably the biggest benefit of owning less. Everyone’s definition of enough is different but it may be less than you think. Knowing that I can be content with less than I previously thought has opened my mind to new possibilities, fostering a sense of optimism and encouraging me to pursue projects that are driven by desire and passion as opposed to financial reasons.
So that’s it for today. To be honest, there are many less obvious and knock-on advantages of owing less which will be explored in more detail in upcoming posts. For any of you considering owning less, I hope you found this account of my experience helpful and encouraging.