Why You Should Get Rid of Your Stuff

By Melissa

Stuff. It fills our shelves, boxes, drawers, cupboards, and most of our empty space. Throughout our lives, stuff stays with us and moves between rooms and apartments and houses.

Stuff is always there. You see, we live in a consumer-driven culture that tells us that we need more stuff. We constantly hear “must have,” “buy now before it goes,” “even faster technology,” and “spend more, save more.” In fact, every move we make is masqueraded with advertisements and voices telling us what we need to be happy.

“Spend more, save more!”

We tend to give too much meaning to our stuff. If we stopped to think about what we really need to be happy, we might realize that it’s not what we think. Stuff shouldn’t be what gives you fulfillment and happiness.

Sure, it sounds cliché, I know it does. But, it’s true. And it’s time for more millennials to start thinking about the implications of consumer culture. It’s time for us to embrace minimalism as a way of life.

What is minimalism?

According to Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, AKA the Minimalists, minimalism is a lifestyle that helps people question what things add value to their lives.

The Minimalists promote the idea that by clearing the clutter of stuff, it can make room for the most important aspects of life (from their perspective, “important aspects” include health, relationships, passion, growth, and contribution).

So, you might be thinking, why? Why does this even matter?

Well, let me tell you why it matters to me. I’m a student and a millennial. During my years of study, I’ve learned more and more about how the world is being impacted by our actions. I’ve learned about consumer culture from a sociological and economical perspective. I’ve learned about how the world is deteriorating as a result of our need for goods and services.

Now, my understanding of this never really set in until I spent 4 months studying abroad in Cuba. The time I spent in Cuba was the most challenging experience of my life, for many reasons.

But, I saw amazing things and experienced a rich and vibrant culture. In Cuba, consumer culture is very different from what we’re used to in North America. There aren’t any advertisements or billboards blaring neon lettering telling you what to buy. There aren’t huge shopping malls or bargain stores or technology centers. At first, it felt like something was missing.

I didn’t know where all the “stuff” was. But, then I came to realize that Cubans don’t have a lot. They generally don’t live luxurious lives or buy a lot of items, because they have fewer choices and buy things out of necessity.

Further, when Cubans break items, they fix them. They fix and repair everything; throwing something out is rarely an option. Cuban culture is very repair and recycle based, which is very different from North America.

Back here at home, we replace our broken items and don’t look back. We send it to the landfill without a second thought.

Now, my experience in Cuba is one of the reasons I’m so interested in minimalism. Because, in my opinion, many Cubans are living minimalistic lives without even knowing it.

As millennials, I believe that it is important for us to move away from consumer culture, and move more towards a repair and recycle culture that focuses on minimalism.

If we could detach ourselves from our stuff, I think that we’d all be better off. It’s not necessarily about getting rid of everything instantly, it’s about working through your items and weeding out the things that you just don’t need. Look at items and ask yourself “does this bring joy to me or add value to my life?” If the answer is no, donate it to a thrift store or charity.

If we could detach ourselves from our stuff, I think that we’d all be better off.

It’s a difficult process — but you may find that you start focusing on the things that matter the most in life. When you rid yourself of having so much stuff, it allows you to refocus your energy and appreciate everything in your life a little bit more. As Art Buchwald says, “the best things in life aren’t things”.

While I’m trying to shift to living a more minimalist lifestyle, I’ve still got a long way to go.