Less is more — Declutter your life
A mattress, a desk, a chair and some clothes. Is that really enough to live a happy life? For some people, the so-called Minimalists, it is! They only need a few chosen things in their lives, and even widen this concept to food and relationships.
Minimalism is about decluttering your life completely!
The point is that Minimalism is not about being forced to give up your possession. It’s about choosing simplicity in contrast to burdens. Of course, some people could argue that happiness can be reached through comfort which is connected to wealth, but in my opinion possession means dependence. It means that I can’t leave for a longer holiday without fearing for my possession.
I started to rethink Minimalism after visiting my grandparents last weekend — people who have reduced their possessions radically during the last years. It always feels a bit like they’re preparing for death when they say things like: “There’s no need for us to buy this. It doesn’t pay off anymore.” Although this sounds a bit morbid, I think they actually have a point. We can’t take anything with us to the grave. And I don’t want my family to have extra work with my legacy. And even less I want them to argue over my possessions. It’s just not worth it.
Being bound to something is nothing I want for my life. However, I also don’t want my flat to be empty, with no comfort at all. Many Minimalists aim for only 100 things — a concept that is just too strict for my liking. For me, in my life, Minimalism means (among other things): no car, no TV, no internet and washing my clothes in a public laundrette. It’s about not buying without thinking. It’s about concentrating on what is really important and to be a bit more independent from social constraints.
Today you can see and feel the changes in the society, especially among the younger generation. There are many blogs and videos from people who changed their lives by decluttering. Just look at famous Facebook groups like Free your stuff and Foodsharing on Facebook that encourage people to diminish consumption.
In my opinion Minimalism is an interesting concept of living. But in the end everyone has to choose for themselves whether Minimalism is right for them and how far they want to go on their way to declutter their life. I, for example, love my books, my clothes, my bed and — although I could — don’t want to be without them.
