Most people have this lifestyle concept about men: they don’t need much, so they probably don’t have many belongings. In reality, many do. And it becomes more apparent once they decide to move.
Granted, they can always get help from companies like Moyer’s Movers that can take care of many aspects of relocating, from packing clothes and furniture to unloading them to a new home. But the journey is lighter – literally and economically – and even more meaningful if they can also practice minimalism.
What Is Minimalism?
Minimalism is a design movement in which everything is done with the utmost efficiency and purpose. Elements are reduced to only their necessary form, freeing someone from complicated or confusing additional elements. The minimalist strives for purity of function.
Some people confuse minimalism with decluttering, but both are not the same ideas. One can always declutter without really becoming a minimalist. So what counts as one? It follows these principles:
1. Minimalism Is Finding Yourself by Removing Unnecessary Distractions
Minimalism offers a different narrative—a narrative about less distraction to find out who you really are and what you want from your life. The process forces us to question what we take for granted, which ultimately leads to happiness when we realize that we’ll never be complete and don’t need to be.
Minimalism is a form of art, so it’s about creativity and expressing your true self. It’s about working less but doing more: the minimum effective dose. The goal is to do things so well they become invisible, and in doing, so you can focus on what matters again. Then, life becomes good because what really matters actually shines through all the unessential clutter.
Those who dare to embrace this lifestyle discover that happiness doesn’t depend on how much you own or what others think about you. Real happiness comes from within. This begins when you learn to let go of superfluous things, spending quality time with people dear to your heart, focusing on what actually makes you happy, surrounding yourself with beauty, and realizing that you are enough.
2. Minimalism Is About Quality Life, Not Really Cheap Things
As an art form, minimalism is all about finding out what creates the best version of ourselves so that we can live a good life. “Less but better” doesn’t have to mean “cheaper.” You don’t have to choose between high quality or low prices.
Letting go of the superfluous implies that you allow yourself to be more selective, reducing waste and clutter while saving time and money. Indeed, different levels of minimalism exist depending on how much superfluity you actually want to discard. Whether you decide not to buy new things for a year, move to a smaller apartment, or cut out certain daily habits, minimalism applies only to the superfluous.
3. It Embraces Intention
We all have different values and dreams, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What matters is that we can choose how much simplicity, beauty, and truth we want in our lives.
However, those who live with less will be more focused on what matters most as they won’t be distracted by material things that don’t add value to their life. In day-to-day life, this could mean that you would spend one hour more per day with your family instead of shopping online, going to expensive restaurants, or watching TV. Therefore, after choosing what really matters to us, we should try not to complicate matters and, instead, find a simpler alternative.
Minimalism is not about having less but rather about making room for more. It’s all about living your life intentionally, so you can accomplish what is important to you. If done right, minimalism will help you figure out what matters most and enable you to live accordingly. Therefore, it’s quite possible that by trying to live with less, people may find more happiness and satisfaction with their lives.
4. Minimalism Is Living a More Authentic Life
Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. Once we learn to say no to the superfluous, it may inspire us to do more with less and discover things that really matter, making our lives more about passion and purpose than trinkets and status symbols. It could be said that minimalism is about authenticity because this lifestyle enables you to focus on what matters most: your values, passions, and dreams.
The whole point of minimalism is to rid yourself of unnecessary distractions, allowing the essentials in your life – the things that truly matter – to shine through. It all boils down to knowing what really counts, clarifying your values, eliminating non-essentials, and doing more with less.
Yet some people may argue that by only focusing on the essentials, practicing minimalism means you lose spontaneity and some degree of adventure. This might happen when one doesn’t expect to go too far or if expectations are not set right. Having less does not necessarily mean that we can’t enjoy life. It’s all about living your life to the fullest while having only what is necessary.
