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Minimalism is replacing Consumerism

Consumerism is slowly being replaced by minimalism as many people are realizing the downsides of living such a materialistic lifestyle. Consumerism has been the norm for decades, but minimalists believe that there is more to life than what you can buy and own. In this blog post, we will explore minimalism and why it's replacing consumerism in today's society!

What are minimalism and consumerism?

Minimalism is a lifestyle choice that strives to live with minimal possessions. Minimalists believe in living more simply and having less stuff, allowing them to be able to focus on what's really important. Meanwhile, consumerism is the opposite of minimalism as it focuses on consuming or buying lots of products for personal gain.

Consumerism has been the norm for decades, but minimalists believe that there is more to life than what you can buy and own. Consumerism is the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods.

In this blog post, we will explore minimalism and why it's replacing consumerism in today's society!

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Consumerism is an unspoken competition

For years, material possessions have been a status symbol.  The biggest house, fanciest cars, nicest clothes have brought attention to those in our society.  The bigger the better seems to be the motto.  But is it really?

Consumerism in today's society is an unspoken competition where one person's success is another person's failure. People are rarely content with what they have because someone else has more than them, which fosters a mentality of keep up with the Joneses. Consumerism focuses on consuming or buying lots of products for personal gain. This can lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

We collect stuff

We collect furniture, knick knacks, clothes, papers, etc.  We claim sentimental value to some.  We hold on to clothes just in case we need that size again.  We hold on to our kids papers throughout their school years. 

Where does this stuff go?  In closets, in the corner of the basement or even in a storage garage.  So, we’re just storing this stuff for no reason other than it’s sentimental.  But is it the item that’s sentimental or the memory?  Can you separate the memory from the item?  If you can, you don’t need the item.

In 2019, Americans spent 39 Billion dollars on self-storage units.  The average storage unit costs approximately $87.89/month.  This means one family spends over $1000 a year on one storage unit just to store stuff they probably haven’t touched in that year.

Minimalist Living

Minimalist living is a lifestyle that has been increasing in popularity.  It’s minimalistic because it focuses on the essential and eliminates all superfluous items, such as clothes, furniture or papers that are not needed to live comfortably.

A minimalists life can be described with one word: simplification.  Simplifying your life means you’re able to enjoy the present moment.  You can focus on what is important and don't have to worry about trying to catch up with your past or future self.

minimalism

One minimalistic tip for living a simpler, happier life is: stop accumulating new things and start acquiring experiences.  You’ll be able to focus on what is going on in the present moment and enjoy it.

Make a change to improve your life

In breaking away from this trend, minimalists are showing everyone how to be happy with less.  Less stuff, less stress, less money spent.  What are you really going to do with that box of Johnny’s kindergarten projects in 20 years?  Or that closet full of extra bedding that hasn’t been used in years already? I'm not saying throw it all away, but start somewhere. Pick one area and declutter that part of your life.

I started with my kitchen. I LOVE to cook and just had to have every new gadget that came out. Guess what? Half of those gadgets are still in their packaging, years later. Why do I still have them? I might use them some day. No, I won't. So, I got rid of them.

Starting tips on your path to a minimilistic lifestyle

  • Envision what your life would be like living a minimalistic lifestyle
  • Challenge your ability to minimize your possessions
  • Establish your own set of rules to follow to help you become more mindful

Add value and improve your life

If it doesn't add value to your life, chances are there's a better use of time or money elsewhere!

People say that only the important things in life matter, but what about all of those little bits and pieces? Minimalism is a way to focus on quality over quantity. It's also an introspective practice where you must ask yourself: What do I need out of this object or experience? When you have less stuff around your home it will be easier for others to see who you are as well!

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