Having too much stuff might sound like an oxymoron to some people but the reality is that too much of anything can be a bad thing. In fact, this is pretty much the central maxim of minimalism!
What you learn as a minimalist, is that the more you cut back on unnecessary ‘stuff’ and clutter, the less stress you have, the more free you become and the more you can appreciate the few items that really matter to you.
But what is ‘too much’? Take a look at this checklist and let’s find out together if you fall into this category…
- You Dread the Thought of Cleaning Surfaces
- Isn’t it time you dusted the shelf in your bedroom?
- If the very thought of that is starting to make your stomach do summersaults, then you have too much on that surface. It should take just a couple of seconds to wipe down a surface and otherwise, you’ll spend your whole life tidying!
- You’re Considering Moving to Fit Your Things In
This is something a lot of us do without a second thought. But if you’re buying an entirely new house just to store more of your items, then this is really something of a worrying sign. You should be able to store everything you own in a small flat – let alone a house! But the Thought of Doing it is Terrifying. Think about moving house right now. Is this something you would be able to do on your own without too much stress? Or would you have no option but to spend a lot of money on a removals company?
If the latter is true, then this is a very clear demonstration that your possessions are limiting your freedom. You should be able to just up and leave to go wherever the wind takes you – your belongings shouldn’t trap you in one part of the world!
You Have Boxes Under the Bed and on the Wardrobe
This doesn’t sound like a big deal but it actually has a big psychological impact on how big and spacious a room feels. It’s important to include space in your home to let it breathe and this is a very important space that you should prioritize.
You Can’t Perform a Mental Stock Take
Run through everything you own in your head…
…Done yet? If you find this virtually impossible or you miss out large numbers of things, then clearly you have more stuff than you can keep track. Time for some of it to go!
I’m going to paint you a picture of what life could be like if you decided to go just a little more minimal.
Minimalism is something that can sound a little boring or a little unfulfilling for some people – but that normally just means they don’t understand it.
Instead, imagine that you’ve decided to prioritize quality over quantity and that you want to start doing less with more. Instead of yearning after every item you see in magazines or on TV, you have decided exactly what matters to you and you know how much money you need to get it.
For many people, this will mean moving into a smaller home or perhaps even a more affordable area. Perhaps near friends and family in order to cut the costs of travel.
Right away, you can reduce your living costs by $400 to $1K dollars a month between you and a partner. This makes a massive difference to how wealthy you ‘feel’ and it means you can afford to do a job that doesn’t include huge amounts of stress and one that doesn’t involve working incredibly long hours.
It means you won’t struggle with debt, or with missed mortgage repayments. And it means that you can go traveling more!
A lot of people will find the thought of doing less at work hard. This is where they get their sense of fulfillment and progress after all!
Except do you? Why is it that you feel the need to work for someone else to feel like you’re doing well?
Sure, being a manager is exciting and all (is it?) but if the company is just supplying packaging for a cereal company… is this really something that you take such pride in that you’re willing to sacrifice time with your family?
Imagine an alternative scenario where your sense of reward and progress comes from painting, or raising your child, or exploring the world!
Suddenly, you begin to feel much more fulfilled because you have the time and the energy to enjoy life. And this is when you need to learn the most important part of the entire process: learning to appreciate what you have.
Too many of us feel constantly antsy because we need to move on to the next thing to be happy. But what if you could be just as happy with the things you already have? Once you accomplish that, life becomes truly amazing.
Minimalist lifestyle has gained a lot of popularity lately, especially with the Millennial generation. In my new eBook you will learn how Minimalist lifestyle manifests in the home decor and your home, how to create your zen and relaxation spaces, how to sort clutter and get organized, how to decorate your home with minimal decor items yet make it impactful and aesthetically pleasing and so much more!
And while you are thinking about simplifying your life, consider more simple wall art with a purpose: Maxwell Alexander’s fine art sculpture photography collection is inspired by the idea of mind travel through the Universe and provides an opportunity for visual meditation in every room or space in your home. The aesthetics of this collection are meant to bring elements of peaceful harmony with the solid yet comforting and infinite rounded edges, shapes, and surfaces. Each item in the sculpture collection is hand-carved from the plaster of Paris, structurally enforced with steel wire, and finished with acrylic paint and gold leaf. Read the story about how the sculpture collection made its way onto 2D canvas medium in this Hudson Valley Style Magazine article >>