The Psychology of Minimalism | Can Minimalism Make You Happier?

Today I want to share the science and psychology behind minimalism -- can minimalism and decluttering make you happier? I did a literature search on the topic, and here are my findings!

Some of the articles I found that are relevant and informed the above content -- also interesting reads:

Lloyd, K., & Pennington, W. (2020). Towards a theory of minimalism and wellbeing. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 1-16.

Roster, C. A., Ferrari, J. R., & Jurkat, M. P. (2016). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46, 32-41.

Crum, K. P., & Ferrari, J. R. (2019). Toward an understanding of psychological home and clutter with emerging adults: Relationships over relics. North American Journal of Psychology, 21(1), 45-56.

Ferrari, J. R., Roster, C. A., Crum, K. P., & Pardo, M. A. (2018). Procrastinators and Clutter: An Ecological View of Living with Excessive “Stuff”. Current Psychology, 37(2), 441-444.

Crum, K. P., & Ferrari, J. R. (2019). Psychological home, clutter, and place attachment predicting life satisfaction among women of color: Home is beyond physical space. Journal of Contemporary Research in Social Sciences, 1(4), 87-96.

Ferrari, J. R., & Roster, C. A. (2018). Delaying disposing: examining the relationship between procrastination and clutter across generations. Current Psychology, 37(2), 426-431.

Ferrari, J. R., Swanson, H. L., & Patel, D. A. (2021). The Impact of Office Clutter on Remote Working:" I Can't Work with All This Stuff!". North American Journal of Psychology, 23(1).

[sallydansereau]

Being more minimal has been a skill for me that has taken time to develop. Like peeling away layers, it has been a very worthwhile journey, and continues to be. I started 4 years ago.

[alihanlon]

Great advice. My Husband and I went through a stage in our lives when we were really broke and couldn’t spend any money, even basic items were a struggle to buy. Now subconsciously, I find myself holding on to things in case this happens again. We are now financially comfortable and I know reliving that horrible time is very rare but keep way too much stuff ‘just in case’. I’ve identified this is a stumbling block for me. Love your videos 🌸

[jeanetteoxo]

I just moved into a new place. This time around I have less stuff and it's way more organized. I feel much more happier. My home feels cozy. Before I had a lot of stuff, unnecessary stuff, materialistic stuff and I wasn't happy, not at peace, never satisfied. I only buy things that I do indeed need and clothing has to be worn more than 3 ways. Great video. 🤍

[asparrow]

Interesting. It is definitely helping me with decision fatigue and that irritable feeling you get when you have a lot going on and the house is messy/visually noisy.

[CometPartyTV]

Really appreciated this video! We need more YouTubers exploring the underlying psychology (however tentatively), and I love that you're professionally qualified to do so! So often it seems like folks are fixating on the excess stuff itself.

[miserabelle]

It's interesting because I feel like I've turned to minimalism almost as a crutch for when I'm really depressed. like the more bummed I am the more I want to get rid of everything I own so I'll get a rush of endorphins. granted I'm pretty new to this so I haven't gotten to experience the long-term benefits, so the pros of minimalism have seemed pretty surface-level/superficial for me

[bloomingblueberry]

Definitely a yes for me... downsizing has been liberating in many ways for me.. it actually cured me from wanting things, finally it allowed me to own things that I only use and love.. also I learnt what is more important for me.. I became mindful and creating less waste..
Minimalism finally led me to have less cluttered home.. cleaning became easy.. now I know my home inventory in back of mind.. I know where everything is kept in my home.. now I am lost for words 😅

[michellebeszeditz]

Love this approach. Psychology is so interesting. Love your videos and your vibe 👏💕

[nicoleselfe]

Looking at clutter and how stressed it makes me feel, I only see minimalism as provoking happy emotions

[ericabuie]

Love this conversation and thinking about minimalism from more of an academic standpoint. Well done—and thanks for sharing!

[lindamcdermott]

I am so happy to find your video. I am interested in the “why” we do or chose the things we do. Please continue this line of content in future videos. I have been on a decluttering journey since retiring and downsizing to a small senior apartment. This journey has been about 8 years. I think of myself as a minimalist, or a wannabe minimalist, but it is still a journey. I am an artist, I make charity quilts, I like to read. I also, in a minimal way acknowledge holidays. Each year, my decor gets smaller. I find such peace and calmness in my environment. Supplies for my hobbies are in labeled cubes, I prefer to keep only what I anticipate needing. I admit, I am still a work in progress.
On the contrary, I have friends/neighbors whose happiness stems from “stuff” every surface is decorated.. Seasons/holidays change almost monthly. Storage bins mount. They too seem to be happy with their surroundings. One particular person that I am close to, who falls into this category, although gives the persona of satisfaction is very needy for socialization..
Myself, in my stage of minimalism seek solitude.
How does “stuff “ vs. minimalism affect happiness?
Things that make you go

[Sidtrav]

I’m so happy I came across your channel ! I love your videos and you are now one of my favorite minimalist on YouTube.

[anashappydays]

Definitely! Simplicity and minimalism is the way for me ❤️

[SusanneGeert]

Such a lovely and interesting video. Thanks for being so open and honest about your journey ;-)

[HannahRainbow]

Clutter and depression also go in a catch22 cycle, eg. I'm depressed so the place gets cluttered / because the place is cluttered I feel worse. I find it way easier to clean as I go (put away what you've just finished with in a minute or less) rather than dedicate an hour to tidy everything in one go, but different things work for different people. Find what systems and when works best for your home. I adore "Clutterbug" Cas' 4 styles of organising. It's well worth checking out for container suggestions that will work for your lifestyle. You could also check out Gretchen Rubin's "Better Than Before" for strategies to axe bad habits and make new/good habits stick. Hope this helps x

[alexandraawww]

I love getting into minimalism and love even more that you are getting into the research on it!! New subscriber and loving the videos!

[paulinehillson]

Awesome video! I’ve been on a downsizing journey for 5 years. It truly makes me happier, much less anxious and have more $. I highly recommend giving it a try.

[jebermudezg]

I feel motivated watching your videos about minimalism, thanks for your words. I can understand minimalism is not just about your house, it's also about your mind. I'm going to begin with the minimalism, I really enjoy decluttering. Let's see how it goes.

[ellawine]

Thank you for researching and sharing all, this with us! So interesting 😍 and I am now motivated to do my next project haha. Perfect. Hav a lovely day!

[midlife_minimalist]

Interesting, I procrastinate other things by cleaning and decluttering. I have a substantial issue (perhaps therapy worthy) procrastinating certain things - usually anything that involves making a phone call or requiring someone else to do something.