Beware The Dark Side of Minimalism

I am a firm believer that Minimalism / Essentialism is a game changer in the way I have lived my life and found both the time and the finances to enjoy it more fully. But there are potential downsides we should be aware of. Here are just a few.

00:00 - Intro
00:47 - Cultural Disconnect
03:43 - Economic Privilege
05:42 - Perfectionism and Stress
07:04 - Environmental Impact
08:19 - Over Simplification
10:04 - Mental Health
11:30 - Minimalism As A Trend
12:37 - Loss of Cultural Heritage
14:05 - Outro

I started this channel in order to document life as it gets lived. It's about where I live, how I live, where I travel, why I travel, and so much more. Eclectic is a good word for the content to be found here. I hope you will come along for the ride!

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[manichairdo]

My daughter is a happy minimalist. At aged 22, she was asked to help clean for an elderly lady. Each room was full of tacky nick-knacks - gifts from her travelling children. My daughter earned extra just cleaning them. She suggested the lady decluttered gradually. She did. The lady was transformed. She'd been afraid to upset her kids who didn't even visit. That progressed to my daughter updating and repainting the entire house. Then, they did the garden. They became the closest of friends for 15 years. The lady died in her 90's.
Then, she started on me...😂😂😂
Love it.

[labellavita]

I was on a minimalism group years ago but had to leave. There was this weird competition going on between a few of the people. "We are down to one fork, spoon, plate, bowl, and cup per person." They were sleeping on the floor because they got rid of their furniture, and had two pairs of socks, underwear, pants, and shirts. I'm sorry, that's not me. I like order, I like beauty, I like looking around my house and seeing things that bring me joy (yes, Marie Kondo did resonate with me). Everything has to go through our own personalized filter. Emptiness *to me* is not beautiful. But neither is hoarding. Don't let others define your balance. Find your joy.

[aWomanFreed]

My grandparents, born in the 30s, were minimalists, but they just called it being frugal and not buying crap u don’t need. It’s not a new thing.

[WashCounty]

Good points. My wife and I have used the lessons of minimalism to help us declutter our house, but we are definitely not minimalists. Our closets are no longer stuffed and our books fit on our bookshelves with room to spare. The odd items we stored in the attic and basement because we didn't really want them but couldn't part with them have been given new homes. The house looks much better. It's more restful and is easier to clean. All good things. But, we still have our hobbies and our sentimental items. For us, it's not a new religion and it should not become a new religion. Everything in moderation and that includes minimalism or essentialism. Just my two cents.

[TT-mhms]

My relative lives in a minimalist apartment and is so bored at 70 that he has to keep working because he has nothing to do at home. My own house is a cluttered cosy mess filled with books and hobbies and photos and stationery. I'm never bored. However, there is probably a happy medium that neither of us has achieved.

[sjordan]

My biggest objection to the minimalist lifestyle, comes from experience. I purchased a small electric saw to trim the trees on my property, before putting it up for sale. A minimalist neighbour could not resist making fun of my purchase. But, as soon as several trees fell on her roof during a storm a week later, her room-mate was knocking on my door wanting to borrow said saw. My motto is: Never a borrower or lender be. The same neighbour refuses to carry a pen and notepad in her handbag, but is quick to ask to borrow mine. I find such behaviour annoying to put it mildly. As a mindful and frugal Prepper, I stash food to mitigate inflation and shortages. When it comes to dry goods, I buy high quality items in next to new condition. I prepare for man-made and natural disasters as well as the future illness or injury. All the more important when one lives alone. To discover that many do not even have enough food on hand to last three days is shocking. It is important to me be independent and resilient. It is clear, that many minimalists are about depending upon others, a behaviour I will never agree with. I also find it cold, when some refuse to hold onto photos, or possessions of departed family members. I will always feel sentimental towards family members. friends and pets who have died, I wish to remember them fondly. I treasure my mother's gardening trowel as well as her oak sewing drawers, and my father's books about ocean voyages, my relatives were well-known explorers. I also have a few of his hand tools, he was joiner. My mother used to say, " All things in moderation." I believe that also applies to minimalism. Being a fanatic about anything is often never a good idea. Rant over!

[nancysmith]

I’m 62 and find myself minimizing my life! I’m so much more comfortable with less stuff around me. I think cleaning out my parents home of 60 years after their passing pushed me further into minimalism! My children really don’t want a lot of what I’ve saved for them. Less is more for me!

[postculthygge]

You are so right. I embraced minimilism at a bad time in my life. When I began to recover, minimalism was doing more harm than good to my mental health. It was as if my identity was disappearing. I'm no longer a minimalism. I'm me with stuff around me. No mess, no clutter. Just me and the things I love, need and are of sentimental value.

[divinecomedy]

When my friend, who has reduced her material items to a minimum, comes to visit me, I feel judged. She literally does a scan in my home and makes unappreciated comment on my stuff. I’ve learned to just accept that we’re different. The items in my home give me joy…the pictures, books, and mementos that are fond memories for me.

[maryd]

Boy! You hit the bullseye 🎯 on this. “A cultural elitism surrounding minimalism.” 👍

[goldstandardaviation]

Minimalism in moderation is a good thing

[ReaR-oghj]

I am 79 yrs old. I have younger friends and a daughter and son-in-law who live minimalist lifestyle. I am working on de-cluttering now. When I am in the minimalist homes, i begin to get restless. It is like a hotel lounge or business with only necessary furniture. I don't like the feeling of wanting to get out of there, because these are friends and family, but those places don't feel like a "home" to me.

[DenLD]

To me, minimalism is about keeping what matters and letting go of the rest. It allows me to enjoy the things I love to the maximum without being distracted by things that don’t enhance my life. I’ve seen maximalist homes that serve the same purpose and joy for their owners. We shouldn’t be deciding for others what is clutter, that is why you should never declutter for friends or family members unless it’s done working with them on what’s kept and let go without judgement. It’s everyone’s own, unique personal journey.

[gwenellison]

My goal for decluttering was minimal-ish. BUT as I reduced what I realized is only having what I truly needed meant not having enough dishes to host people if I wanted to. It meant reducing my belongings to the point where I had enough for me, but it pushed others out. Not enough seating, not enough beds to sleep on if someone were to stay. I kind of met it in the middle and have enough dishes to host 6 people, and a guest bed to let someone come stay. I still have very reduced belongings, but I've brought back what I felt was needed to let others in and be comfortable.

[sineriafrankenstein]

I can't be a minimalist. I get bored easily, I love having lots of projects to do and things to create with, lots of nostalgic, interesting and beautifuli things around me!!😊

[Pinnfeathers]

Always ask. Thank you for saying this out loud. My mother-in-law threw out anything and everything from my sentimental husband’s childhood, which broke his heart when he found out, and still breaks mine whenever I think about it. Always ask first before getting rid of something in your home that your kids might want, especially if it’s theirs to begin with.

[lorim]

I think there’s a happy medium somewhere between an empty museum look and a chaotic jampacked environment.

[Truthtoat]

I've found minimalist living has been most beneficial not because of the need to eliminate things but rather people in some cases. I now go to lunch sometimes in a grocery store, much cheaper and no tip required but frankly the staff there are more friendly. Also as part of my journey to a better me I quit drinking, the plan was temporary but I stayed in the same places and drank non alcoholic drinks, people treated me differently and I realized I didn't have that many friends. Im good with it though. Because now I know.

[marycarrington-tqpz]

Thank you for your balanced approach to lifestyle choices. I am 70 years old. I am living on a small income, as I was disabled in my forth decade.. i can not afford to buy new. I take care of my clothing by mostly hand washing. I like to look nice when I do go out because I feel better about myself, and others treat me with more respect. Consequently, I have a plethora of clothing. I need for them to last. I don't know how long I will live, but I must maintain my dignity. Books are the other issue. I read only good literature and, as a result, want to read them more than once. Other than that, I don't care about stuff, with the exception of family photos and albums. Too bleak without my book friends around.

[simply.clutterfree]

Thought provoking as always Tim.

I grew up as a "minimalist by necessity" as a child in a large and poor family. I was happy with what I had at the time.

In my 20s, I bought all the things I thought I wanted.

The clutter and debt was overwhelming.

Now I'm a "minimalist by choice" and finding my way back to a sense of peace. I do believe that simplicity has been great for my mental health.

I don't subscribe to "extreme minimalism". Many people think this is the only way to live as a minimalist.

It's not.

I'm a "cozy minimalist" where my focus isn't owning the least amount possible - it's just eliminating the excess. Uncovering what I actually love.

My priority is to step away from the mindless consumption that marketing has made us believe should be part of our regular lives and live and spend intentionally.

The "trendy" aspect of minimalism bothers me because I see many people capitalizing on the "trend" rather than actually understanding minimalism as a lifestyle. For example - "extreme declutters" followed the next week by "hauls" and strict beliefs about what minimalist homes "should" look like.

I think "Journey" is the right word Tim.

For me, minimalism has enhanced so many aspects of my life and it's been a process that's allowed me to work through so much trauma as I slowly work through the clutter and find my way back to a simpler life.

I hope everyone has a great Tuesday ❤