8 Practical Reasons to Become A Minimalist

Thanks to the positive effects minimalism have on me, reducing my belongings have become a odd lifelong passion for me. Following my journey back home, I appreciate it more than ever. Besides clear spaces, here are 8 great practical reasons to become a minimalist!

1. Easy Relocation

I moved to the United States March last year, and I practically cleared out my closet, I left a box of stuff back home, and flew over with a large suitcase and a small suitcase. Half of the large suitcase was gifts for my new family. Yet I managed to bring clothes for every season, and everything that mattered with me, with some excess.

Then again, I know people who have all their stuff in a backpack. Though I hope to have as little things as possible, that is not the point at all. The point is to have an amount of things that you feel comfortable dealing with, even if you had to relocate to another country. Trust me, you’ll be glad to not be overwhelmed when you have to move, if you keep your stuff streamlined.

2. Easier on surviving family if something happens to you

I struggle with depression and suicide ideation, so death is never far from my mind. I realized that it’s just part of the sickness and I don’t dwell on it. However, it helped me become more open-minded about death. The truth is, death can come to anyone at any second. While there’s no need to make sure that everything is arranged and accounted for, having lesser items makes it easier for family to deal with one’s belongings after one’s passing, especially if it’s unexpected. After all, they would be dealing with grief.

3. Less mess/easier to clean

I am the kind of girl who tidies thoroughly, gradually mess things up, then tidy thoroughly again. One thing I realized when I kept my drawers relatively uncluttered is that it doesn’t become messy. Try it. Tidy a drawer full of things and a drawer a third full of things. And see the difference after a few weeks’ use.

When you minimize your belongings and keep spaces clear is, cleaning becomes a breeze and your drawers and shelves stay neater. There’s nothing to dust, and it doesn’t take long to wipe down clear surfaces.

4. Easier to keep track of what you have

I may not have a lot, but I know exactly what I have and where they are. I know exactly how many handbags and pairs of shoes I have, and how many jackets and t-shirts I have. I hardly misplace anything. It’s also a lot easier to stay organized.

5. Saves you time

Because you no longer have to spend as much time cleaning, tidying and searching for that missing item.

6. Environmentally responsible

It’s easy to forget that everything we buy takes resources to manufacture, and it’s easy to forget that someone else can use something we have lying in our closet. We have become so used to buying and owning things that sometimes we buy things we don’t really need just because we can afford to. Or sometimes we buy things we have, because they got forgotten in our vast mountains of belongings.

What is the environmental cost of doing that?

What is the personal cost of doing that?

The better way is to donate what you don’t need, or give it to someone you know can use it. And don’t buy something if you can do without it. Taking care of things take energy to time too. You’re better off using that time for something else!

You know what, these are all minimalism practices!

7. Saves you money

In my pre-minimalism days, I bought bags that were cheap and cheaply made. They either fell apart or started to peel in a hurry. Might be a good thing because I usually realized I didn’t like them that much.

Minimalism made me more conscious about what I buy, so I tend to buy things I really like, that are of better quality. While I spend more on better things, I spend way lesser than before because I buy way lesser things. In the long run, it really saves you money.

8. You’ll find yourself surrounded by quality things that you love and use.

Now who doesn’t like that?

And that’s my 8 reasons to become a minimalist! Plenty of people have listed the reasons for minimalizing, but I still enjoy chiming in with my take. Together, we have a better chance of drowning out the noises of over-consumption, isn’t it? I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it too!