The cult of minimalism has taken the world by storm over the past few years. Everything from "capsule dressing" to the "Marie Kondo" method and tiny homes, screams anti-consumerism. This drive to simplify everyday life and lessen daily decision making, is slowly, but surely, shifting the materialist agenda.
Minimalism, however, is not one specific lifestyle but is guised by a plethora of ideologies and codes of behaviour. The minimalism artistic movement of the 1950s introduced this concept. It was characterised by clean sleek lines and simple blocks of colour. In more recent times, it has filtered into mainstream culture, as so often art does. For many, adopting minimalism has meant streamlining their wardrobe, by assembling a small but well edited selection of clothes. It is founded on good quality basics and accented with a handful of more custom pieces, that are still versatile and suit their personal style. While others embrace minimalism in their homes; their cupboards housing only two mugs, two plates, two bowls etc.
This general simplification, preaches numerous benefits including overall quality of life. By minimising "things", decision fatigue in nigh annihilated. If you only have two pants and three shirts to chose from in the morning, dressing is significantly less burdensome (plus, is probably a lot faster too!)
Instagram is full of travel posts and unedited pictures from tours all around the world. Why is this possible for so many? A lot of these travellers attribute this, to their ability to save, due to their minimalist lifestyle. By cutting out the desire to buy the newest trend or buying more sustainable items, decreases their expenditure and thus allows for saving.
A cluttered house is one that constantly needs to be cleaned. Making sure that every knick knack is dust free and in its correct place, is extremely time consuming (and is probably not very comfortable either). Owning fewer items to clean, look after and organise leaves more time to spend for yourself.
So why on earth am I not a minimalist?
Let's be clear on a few points first. I am very far from being a materialist. In fact, some may actually define me as a minimalist, but I will never attribute it to myself. For the most part, my wardrobe is compiled of only a few items that are easily mix and matched. I have learnt (and am still learning) which styles and silhouettes suit me, and try to only purchase these if I need something new. Even my son's shelves are not full of garish toys or impractical baby gadgets. All my plates and dishes are used on a regular basis and my family lives in a small one bedroom apartment. However, there are some significant aspects of minimalism which I will not embrace.
Ultimately, minimalism is selfish and it does not mean non-materialistic.
"Keep only what brings you joy", stereotypes the attitude that overwhelms the minimalist movement. Although, it is important that what is around you, uplifts you, we should also consider others. Is it really joy-producing if you do not have enough plates to host a dinner party?
Being considerate of others includes being gracious with gifts. In an age where a gift registry is used for every event ("so we don't end up with five toasters") we have forgotten the thoughtfulness of the giver. Before my wedding, many people asked us why we did not have a registry. It was simple to me, if people were kind enough to give us something, we would be kind enough to accept it.
Even though minimalism is preached as a cure of materialism, I understand it to be, yet, another version of it. Usually, we see materialism as an over abundance of physical objects, however it is closer to an obsession with what one owns. Of course, minimalism does not allow for excessive amounts possessions, however, the focus is still on things. A real combatant of materialism is a refocus onto those around you. No longer should we look at how many items we own (or do not own) but the purpose of each item and whether they benefit the people in our lives for the better.
The few family photos and snapshots of beautiful memories decorate my walls to create a sense of homeliness for my son and husband. The sacred images serve to direct our day to the divine. Our fridge often has a supply of leftovers just in case some just pops-in. There is no need to cull these for the sake of minimalism.
Nonetheless, I do offer an alternative. A simple lifestyle will suffice. There is no need to take yourself on a big spending spree or hoard every token that you have ever picked up on your travels. In fact, I suggest culling and reorganising on a regular basis for the sake of practicality (not to mention it is extremely therapeutic). I quite enjoy having very little space to clean and not feeling like I am constantly putting things back in place. What I do have is practical AND beautiful, but this is not my focus. Those I love are my focus.
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