Minimalism: The Path to an Organized, Stress-free and Decluttered Life

by Gwyneth Snow

Minimalism did not begin simply as a philosophy; rather, the origin of minimalism begins within the art community in the 1960s. The previous art era had begun to offer little in terms of innovation. The art of the previous era could be described as abstract expressionism, and rather academic in the sense that there were conventional ideals that had to be met for art to be considered “good”. Imagery, symbolism, and emotional appeal were all key aspects of what comprised the abstract expressionist movement.

Denial of expression of any kind meant for most artists that the artwork to the untrained eye appeared plain and simple. For example, there was little story behind the piece itself. The meaning within the work could be found through the material of which the work was comprised, as well as the shape of the piece. This meant that some works of art were simple geometric shapes, while others were pieces of the world taken and put into a museum.

You may be surprised to learn that one of the pillars of the minimalist movement included ideals that were mostly found within a Russian art movement. Constructivism emphasized the technical abilities of modern building materials.

Another key aspect of the minimalist art movement was the idea that the viewer might experience an actual physical response to the art in question.

Minimalism has also touched the fashion world, and this can be best seen through the broad qualities of accessibility and austerity. One of the key characteristics of minimalism within the fashion world was the idea that fashion should be accessible to all people, regardless of wealth or status.

One fashion connoisseur writes about how the kimono was the perfect representation of this type of fashion standard during the minimalism era. “‘…the kimono…eliminates gender distinction, and negate(s) the sexuality frequently imbued in Western clothing’…its emphasis on proportions and volume paints a picture of a genderless, ageless, and weightless body”

This means getting rid of the unimportant things that cloud both our immediate space and our minds with stress and clutter.

While owning certain material things and living a certain lifestyle can achieve a sense of temporary fulfillment, the urge in all of us to want more and have more can cause stress.

It is logical to say that the things we spend the most amount of time on are the things that are most important, or things that help us achieve what’s important in our lives. For instance, if an important goal in your life is to save up and buy a house as quickly as possible, then it is logical to assume that you will spend most of your time at work, earning money, trying to get promoted, etc.

The modern day minimalist movement means to be content with less – to be truly happy and appreciate what you already have, rather than define your happiness through comparison to others.

Millennials are those who fall within the age range of eighteen to thirty-four years.

Minimalism is not something that Millburn and Nicodemus created out of thin air; rather, minimalism can be seen as a millennial reaction to the cards that a large percentage of the American population has been dealt. Minimalism suggests that the American Dream is less of a reality than we may like to admit.

Spend less, own little tangible goods, and lead the happiest life that you can. It’s that simple.

The many advantages that minimalism can provide to your life including more conservative spending, less stress, a greater sense of environmental awareness, house cleanliness, and greater consideration for your family and friends in the future.

Let’s say that you’re someone with a high pressure corporate gig or a job that is extremely fast-paced. In these types of environments, we tend to be conditioned to work in the most efficient way possible and in the process lose our ability to slow down and appreciate small pleasurable moments. The trick is to allow yourself to be patient, to give yourself permission to slow down, and enjoy the small moments of joy and happiness that always inevitably surround us.

A great way to put your expectations in check is to think about your worst-case scenario. By imagining your worst-case, rather than your best-case scenario, you’ll be able to visualize a life where your circumstances are only going to become more favorable. You’ll force your brain to quit daydreaming and come back down to earth, and you’ll also become more content with your actual level of progress in the process. If you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy thinking about worst-case scenarios, find a ‘half way mark’ to your expectations and try reaching that first. Think about your best-case and your worst-case scenarios and meet these two standards in the middle. This will help you to reach a minimalist conclusion that not only makes sense but also is doable.

at scientific evidence that seeks to explain what clutter means in your mind. This is a growing field, and organizational psychologists are now employed to teach people not only about the importance of decluttering, but also how clutter influences the mind. It turns out that there is a lot of emotional tension behind what we choose to keep and what we choose to discard. What you end up saving rather than throwing away can have an emotional impact on how you’re psychologically able to interact with the world. The idea behind the validity of this social science is that if you know the reason why you are keeping certain goods, then you will be better equipped to let go.

When we decide to let go of our stuff, we are at the same time emotionally indicating to ourselves that it’s time to move on.

Exercise: As a minimalist, do what you enjoy the most when it comes to exercising. Figure out what fulfills you the most while ensuring an active lifestyle. And do that proactively. Cut out all other distractions.

Food: Maximize efficiency when it comes to food by some of the following techniques: Keep a clean and decluttered kitchen; plan out your week’s meals; maximize use of cooked food, reduce wastage; use simple techniques such as freezing rice, flour, and even fresh produce and herbs to maximize their usability.

I’ll be honest – in my opinion, money is important. Whether the concept of wealth is a big corporate conspiracy (!), or a meticulously devised social construct, I have to admit that money plays a big role in my life. Not the amount of it, just the concept itself. I equate money to time and freedom. When I think about earning money, I feel like I sacrifice my time, and in some cases, my freedom, to obtain it. And therefore, in my mind, when I spend money, I feel like I am giving up my time (and sometimes freedom) to obtain a good or a service.

I personally use an app called “Wally”, which is a daily expense tracker. So, every time I spend some money, or my credit card is charged, I just whip out the app, and make a quick note. It takes less than 5 seconds to record my spending, and I ensure that every single purchase is noted – not matter how small. After a couple of days, recording this becomes second-nature. And the end of the calendar month, you can go back and see where you’ve spent the most amount of money.

The term “unplugging” refers to a situation where you as an individual choose to remove yourself from a situation where you interact with technology. Unplug to disconnect. Some people decide to commit to going one day out of the week without turning on a technological device or using the internet in any way.

One of the biggest reasons why unplugging is considered to be a positive idea in the eyes of prominent researchers today is that interaction with technology and, in particular, social media can leave an individual with feelings of jealousy or loneliness. Let’s take a minute and think about Facebook. If you have a Facebook account, ask yourself how much time you spend looking at other people’s photos and updates. Then ask yourself how this information can often make you feel. The reality is that while Facebook does certainly bring the world closer in the sense that you can be friends with people all over the globe, people often only post personal updates on Facebook and other forms of social media only when they’re proud of something or when they are looking to show-off in some way. You might end up feeling even more disconnected from the people you know, which is ironic as technology is supposed to solve the disconnectedness. You might start comparing yourself to the situation and circumstances of others. And all of these feelings are negative, and chip away at your self-esteem. Taking a couple of days out of the week to just unplug can be healthy and relaxing.

FOMO is an acronym that stands for “Fear of Missing Out”. When you are on social media and can see other people having fun without you, you might wish you were included. Also, when you’re not on social media for a while, you feel anxious about missing an update from a friend or about an event, and becoming a late recipient of that information. Researches are actually starting to identify FOMO as a disorder. These researchers also largely think that one of the primary reasons why FOMO is becoming more and more prevalent in young people is because of the constant advancements that are being made within the technological realm. Instead of constantly thinking about what other people are doing and wishing you could take their place, wouldn’t it be even better if you were able to enjoy what you were doing at that time? This is another simple pleasure that unplugging can offer you.

Having a space and a time when you can have your thoughts to yourself without the distraction of technology can be a truly liberating experience. When you don’t have distractions like text messages and emails bombarding your brain every three minutes, you’re able to find clarity, calm. Sitting in silence can help us to abstain from giving into the constant noise that’s around us. If you experience a lack of solitude in your life, then this tactic of unplugging truly does help. For more advice on this topic it would be a good idea to go back to the chapter on minimalism and health and consider giving meditation a try.

Reducing Physical Books from Your Life I know, some people out there (myself included) love the feeling of a good book in their hands. The pressed pages and the physical feel of the book itself both contribute to a better reading experience. These things are nice, but the reality is that for a minimalist, books are largely seen as giant space takers. While it may take some time to get used to reading your books on a screen, when you replace your large stock of books with a book reader or other type of mobile reading device, you are able to clear so much of the clutter away. These days, you are even able to get newspaper and magazine subscriptions delivered to your devices, which makes it easier than ever before to read without having to have the clutter that comes with this otherwise relaxing activity.