The Top 3 Things People Get Wrong About Minimalism

Minimalism is not the lack of something. It is simply the perfect amount of something. ~ Najahyia Chinchilla

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Contents

Misconception 1: Minimalism is extreme

Misconception 2: Minimalism requires that you get rid of everything

Misconception 3: People who practice minimalism judge others

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There are a lot of misconceptions about minimalism.

Many people think of minimalism, and they think of people living in houses where all the rooms are white from top to bottom. The walls and tables are bare. The drawers are empty. And dust wouldn't dare enter the house.

They think of the person who lives in this house as someone who owns one pair of shoes, seven shirts, and seven pairs of pants.

Or they might think of a person who practices minimalism as someone who scrutinizes how other people live their lives and who looks down their nose at anyone with a lot of material possessions or a garage overflowing with so many boxes that they can't park their car in it.

This idea of minimalism is far from realistic and intimidates and scares off pretty much anyone who owns more than one pair of shoes.

Below we will dispel some of the most common myths about minimalism.

Misconception 1: Minimalism is extreme.

Minimalism is only extreme if you want it to be; the choice is yours.

Minimalism can be tailored to suit your life and your personal style. It is based on what works for the individual and their taste.

Minimalism is also fluid and changes with your needs. For example, you may have been able to get by with a simple wardrobe of jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, and hoodies until you were hired for a position in executive sales. Likewise, your wardrobe needs will change due to your new career.

As a result, you will need to expand your wardrobe to include suits, shirts, and dress shoes. Unfortunately, this will require additional closet space, so you will probably want to donate some sweaters you haven't worn in ages to make room for your new suits.

With these changes, your closet space is now being used efficiently and effectively. Clothing that isn't being used is being donated, and you have sufficient clothing for when you are working and when you are relaxing.

This is an example of a practical approach to minimalism that many would be receptive to trying.

Misconception 2: Minimalism requires that you get rid of everything.

Minimalism doesn't require getting rid of everything, especially if you need what you have.

Minimalism often focuses on paring down. This means that you sell or donate things that you don't use or won't be using again in the future so that others may benefit from those items.

Practical minimalism is about reaching a balance between what you have and what you need.

Practical minimalism is about reaching a balance between what you have and what you need. Ideally, you want sufficient resources to meet your needs, yet not an excessive amount that goes unused.

For example, it's great if you like shoes and have a dozen pairs. They are all stored neatly, and you have an occasion to wear each pair.

But it's probably not the best thing if you have so many pairs of shoes stored all over your house, including in the bathtub and the oven, and you have no idea when you will get around to wearing half of them. And you cannot pay your mortgage this month because you spent your money on shoes.

This might be the perfect opportunity to reassess which shoes you want and which ones you need.

Sell or donate the shoes you don't need and take a step closer to practical minimalism.

Misconception 3: People who practice minimalism judge others.

People who practice minimalism are not focused on what others do or have. Instead, minimalists have committed themselves to the minimalist mindset.

The minimalist mindset involves choosing to focus on the things that matter to you by clearing the clutter and everyday distractions.

It is about living simply by focusing less on possessions and more on life. It involves being mindful of limiting how much "stuff" you accumulate and instead concentrating on creating memories and experiences. It is about living as opposed to accumulating.

For example, a minimalist would be more interested in going shopping with their family on the Day after Thanksgiving because of the memories that will be made during the day, as opposed to buying a television on sale. For the minimalist, it's about the memories, not the shopping.

...the minimalist mindset focuses on how we live, what matters most in our lives, how we treat others, and the energy we contribute to the universe.

Additionally, the minimalist mindset focuses on how we live, what matters most in our lives, how we treat others, and the energy we contribute to the universe.

Minimalists do not judge others for what they have, what they do not have, or how they live their life. Judging others and concerning themselves with how others live their lives are inconsistent with the minimalist mindset.

Each person is on their own journey; they must follow the path that is right for them.