“Everything is amazing right now and nobody’s happy”.
I’ve already lost count of how many times I’ve heard this over the past few months, and I won’t say this is the only reason why our generation is struggling so much with depression, anxiety, lack of self-confidence and so on, but I do believe that the ridiculous amount of stuff we own has definitely something to do with it.
It might sound silly to some people, but being intentional with what you choose to own can impact your way of thinking and perspectives on life, and it even has a name!
The word minimalism has a negative connotation to many. They believe being a minimalist means you are sacrificing things; it means you are not taking advantage of all that is available in the modern world today. And, I know, tidying up and getting rid of your possessions can seem like a daunting task, but going through the detailed process will help you to surround yourself with things that bring you true joy, instead of clutter, which causes unnecessary stress and headache.
Being a minimalist means you value yourself more than material things. It means making decisions based on what you need instead of getting everything you want, although the image some people have of a minimalist lifestyle is giving up all of the modern conveniences of the world. They imagine living in a cabin in the woods without electricity, a wood burning stove and a bathroom you have to go outside to use, but not everyone who is embracing minimalism has to take it this far.
That being said, if you are willing to transform your life a little bit and get rid of the non-essential, here’s a list of 6 things you don’t need:
- Kitchen appliances or gadgets you don’t use often.
- Old papers and documents.
- Things that you don’t know the purpose of.
- Old toiletries/makeup.
- A million pairs of jeans, shoes that you never wear… (If you are interested in learning more about how to reduce your closet, you might want to look up the term Capsule Wardrobe.)
- An upgraded version of your electronic game device/cellphone of choice.
“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To get rid of what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a closet or drawer that you have forgotten its existence?” – Marie Kondo.
– Bel
