Minimalism And The Attractiveness To Those Who Like Their Stuff

Minimalism is a lifestyle in which a person chooses to live without excess. Excess can mean many things to many people. However, most would agree excess often refers to the items in life we can live without. This type of lifestyle though is not the easiest to live. The struggle is especially difficult in a society which encourages the ideal, “He who dies with the most stuff, wins!” As a person who loves his stuff, why would a minimalist lifestyle be so attractive?

Simpler Life Means Simpler Finances

Although I am the first person to admit to loving finances and being a huge nerd, sometimes it can be stressful. One example of this would be having to pay so many bills all of the time. Having a lifestyle with “things” leads to a lifestyle of needing to pays for these “things” as well. This also puts a great deal of stress on life to have a successful career. Once you have built all of these things around you, there is a lot depending on you to be successful and make good money. If for whatever reason you lose you job or something disastrous happens, you LOSE every-thing. A simpler minimal lifestyle would lessen the overall pressure and allow for some freedom.

Minimal Life Means Minimal House

Yes, if you embrace a minimal life, you will likely convert to a much simpler home to live. You do not need to live in a 3,000+ square foot home when it is just you, your wife, and two dogs! This is especially true if the mortgage is something you would be happy to not have to pay anymore. A smaller home would reduce the number of “things” you would be able to buy and thus lead to a simpler lifestyle. For those of you who hate chores, a smaller house would also mean a smaller area to clean.

Minimalist Equals Freedom

I know some will disagree with me on this, but a minimal lifestyle does mean you will have more freedom. Keep in mind, I have not said you need to have a lesser paying job. You can if you want, but I am referring to your lifestyle. If your household makes $100,000 a year and you reduce your living; you can provide more money to the “things” that actually matter. You can travel more, donate more money, save more, invest more, and just have more freedom!

It is time to take what society tells us is the right way to live (by having more things), and flip it on it’s head. Try living with less, and actually living more. You will find some much more satisfaction in life when you are not bogged down and distracted with all of the materialistic things in the world.